The often bizarre trial of polygamist Warren Jeffs has finally come to a close, with the jury finding him guilty on two counts of sexually assaulting a child. Jeffs, who just recently regained leadership of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, reportedly offered little in the way of closing arguments other than “I am at peace.”
In religious artifact news, Catholic Jesuits have sold an ancient copy of the Gospel of John to the British Library for £9 million (that’s almost $15 million to us Yanks), and a priceless painting depicting the “Veil Of Veronica” (at left) has been found in a Tennessee mobile home.
Three U.S. presidential candidates – Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Sen. Pennsylvania Rick Santorum – have signed a pledge to oppose same-sex marriage.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is praising a woman for pardoning a man who blinded and disfigured her in an acid attack, saying the gesture reflects the spirit of Ramadan.
Speaking of presidents, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela is reportedly seeking aid from the country’s indigenous spirits to help him survive cancer.
Jewish groups are praising President Obama’s newly announced effort to develop a strategy to prevent genocide.
Sixteen rabbis are among the more than 50 Houston religious leaders who signed a letter asking Texas Gov. Rick Perry to reconsider his proposed Christian prayer rally.
A new poll finds that American Hispanics are abandoning organized religion, with as many as forty percent claiming to be “unchurched.”
The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, a Catholic religious order, is reportedly paying $24.8 million to settle lawsuits filed by 39 people claiming to be survivors of priest sex abuse in Delaware.
Westboro Baptist Church is planning to picket the funerals of the victims of the bombing and mass shooting in Norway.
The Surry Baptist Association in North Carolina has expelled a local church from membership after it hired female pastor to lead the church.
A Christian accused of blasphemy in Pakistan has been released on bail, a reportedly rare occurrence in the region.
–Jack Jenkins
