An Alabama woman didn't take it well when her brother laughed at her attempts to pray for his sins, which apparently included a number of childhood grievances. After she and her rommates demands fell on deaf ears, the would-be disciples of the Prince of Peace drew firearms and ordered him to repent, even putting a bullet in the ceiling to demonstrate their earnest desire for his salvation.

That's not the only episode of religion-induced craziness in the news this week, either- a couple who decided that Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" was the perfect movie for a romantic evening ended up in a theological death match, during which the husband nearly succeeded in strangling his wife. I'm guessing these won't make the glurge rounds...

We weren't using it, anyways

Pakistan shows its grastitude to Sikhs who offered aid after a devastating earthquake by returning some religious relics.

I swear, Officer, it's misletoe...

A Big Brotherish drug screening program being unveiled in Europe has a most unfortunate acronym: DRUID (Driving Under the Influence of Drugs). Apparently, when deciding what to name associate with driving under the influence, Celtic Pagans come to mind.

I can't come to work today, I'm cursed

In Zimbabwe, you can get up to a week's sick leave from your witch-doctor.

Taiwan's unpopular president Chen Shui-bian faces opposition from a determined detractors. The most creative have taken a novel approach in their attempts to topple the corrupt leader, the Shui-bian "voodoo" doll. (Note: please read this)

I can't come to school today, I'm cursed

A snake-killing in an Indian school causes an uproar; classes are disrupted until religious ceremonies are performed to rid the school of negativity.

You must be dunked to ride the bus

The parent of an English schoolgirl discovers that the government sponsored busing to her child's religious school is available only to church members or baptised Christians. You don't have to be Christian to atend the school, but it's apparently required to ride the bus.

No Cats for the Prophet

Seemingly b ored with beard measuring and ankle-spotting, Saudi religious police have enacted a baffling new religious ban: cats and dogs. Sometimes I wonder if they don't just draw these rules out of a hat. Most ironically, the Prophet Mohammed was one of history's most ardent cat fanciers, which put these new rules at about the same level of irony as those Christians who would ban Jesus' favorite alcoholic beverage.

File under "Duh."

A one year study conducted by the Texas Freedom Network concludes that the majority of Texas' supposedly secular bible-as-history-and-literature courses are, in fact, state sponsored, sectarian devotional sessions, centering around a literal, Christian point of view- many taught by members of the clergy with little or no academic training. Worst of all, the study found only three exceptions in more than a thousand schools examined. You can read the Report here: Reading, Writing & Religion: Teaching the Bible in Texas Public Schools

Nifty: The Incredibly True Story of the ‘Miraculous’ Heider White Buffaloes

Interesting:Witches, witch doctors and 'men of reason'

Bizarre: Talking Bible Dolls