The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland announced it will champion a state referendum adding sexual orientation as protected category under Maine's Human Rights Act. The report, from gay and lesbian Web site PlanetOut, notes that it's the strongest support an official Catholic body has ever given to supporting gay rights.

The Chicago Tribune looks at the glut of television game shows and suggests that avarice is more acceptable than ever before.

The pastor of the Port Sulphur, Louisiania, Greater Macedonia Baptist Church has cleaned the windows and even got the street lights turned off. But the cross remains. And now there's another. Meanwhile, accounts of healings are circulating.

A strangled nun found on a roadside has led to canceled schools and "jittery" Christians as fears escalate of repeating the 1975-90 civil war between Christians and Muslims, reports the Associated Press.

Reuters could have concluded that this indicates a wider diversity among conservative Christians than the media has reported over the years. Instead reporter Alan Elsner deduces, "much of their fervor and clout seems to have dissipated."

Though the Islamic law is not supposed to be instituted in the state of Zamfara until later this month, The Australian reports shari'a "is already affecting everyone regardless of religious conviction. Women have been banned from playing football, separate buses for men and women have been introduced and motorcycle taxi firms face prosecution for ...