The owner of a pebble claimed to bear the image of the Virgin Mary is still trying to auction it off; this time, for the ridiculous sum of $70k. Interestingly, others thing the stone bears the image of Sikh Guru Nanak dev ji, whose birth anniversary, coincidentally, is in late October. Perhaps it's S.S. Sat Kartar Khalsa-Ramey, the Sikh woman just named as head chaplain for the California Pacific Medical Center.

Scribblings of Unknowing has an interesting take on those ubiquitous Mary images, and the possible secret symbolism they express. (thought provoking, but NSFW)

Still Tragic

John Moorehead has a bittersweet interview with WM3 defense attorney Dan Stidham, whose clients are still imprisoned (one on death row) for a crime they did not commit.

Very Alternative Faiths

A Chicago Tribune story details the conflict between devotees of Santa Muerta ("Saint Death") and the Catholic Church, who wishes the folk-saint would disappear.

The San Diego Union-Tribune details the lives of modern vampires, and is remarkably sensitive, with a minimum of Buffy jokes. Vampirism of a sort makes an appearance in one reporter's attempt to describe Venezuela's Maria Lionza devotees, but seems a little too distracted by the circumstances he finds himself in to produce anything coherent.

Literally?

AJ Jacobs tries to live for a year as a genuine bible literalist, and finds it's a lot harder than it seems.

Judas: Still Wrong

Frustrated biblical scholar April Deconick disputes the loving portrait of Judas promoted by the National Geographic for their Judas special. She informs us that even in this work, Judas is the bad guy, and excoriates the Society for withholding the text while they worked on their own translation under strict secrecy.

A Rose is a Rose...

The Widow's son argues that god is god, no matter what name you choose, or who claims to be the "official spokesperson" of deity.