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The judge complained that jurisdiction conflicts between civil and Islamic courts are getting worse as intermarriages and conversions become increasingly common. He urged the legislature to pass laws making jurisdiction matters more clear. "Everyone looks to the court to solve the problem of the legislature," he said. "Without enacted laws, there is no jurisdiction by both courts."

In May, the Federal Court rejected an appeal from Lina Joy, a convert from Islam to Christianity who refused to get permission from a Shari'ah court to change her religion on her government identity card. "A person cannot, at one's whims and fancies, renounce or embrace a religion," the court explained then.

Reuters notes that the Federal Court's decision comes amid bitter debate in the country on whether Malaysia is an Islamic state.

3. In praise of Tammy Faye
With a few significant exceptions, she's being widely honored with displays of honest, uncampy affection. The television celebrity went from being a 1980s punchline to someone who apparently brought real joy, hope, and love to people. And, ironically, for someone associated with the health and wealth gospel, the thing she's being honored for most is showing people how to face death.

4. Christian terrorists
Police are calling it a terrorist attack. But Victory Family Church in Burleson, Texas, has to be the site of one of the oddest, most unexpected terrorist attacks in America. Four young men (including a minor, who was not charged) reportedly tried to bomb the church. The Cleburne Times-Review explains how they were caught:

While investigating the events at the church, police received a call about a fire in a field about two to three miles from the church. A resident saw a plume of smoke, heard screaming and saw a man run out of a wooded area and leave in a vehicle. According to reports, [Michael] Ragon was attempting to destroy evidence on the manufacturing of the explosive device. Police said Ragon, who was wearing sandals, doused the evidence with gasoline but did not realize he was standing in a puddle of gasoline when he lit the fire. His feet were burned in the fire. A MedStar ambulance treated him at the Burleson Police Department the next day, but he refused transport to the hospital.

Upon questioning, the three suspects reportedly admitted that they were involved in a religious group of 10 to 15 members who had made the bomb, and that the attack was both a test and an effort to draw attention to their cause. The paper continues:

Although the name of the group the three associate with is unknown, [police] said the men identified themselves as radical Christian activists who oppose government and organized religion. … Group members share common beliefs about the demise of society, which they believe has become too focused on self-improvement and self-gratification and lost it's focus on the glorification of God, police said. The group is attempting to wake up society by committing destructive acts, according to reports. Group members further believe there are too many denominations and churches, and there ought to be only one.

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July (Web-only) 2007, Vol. 51