Imagine that thousands of people - including your father - recognized you as the reincarnation of a great Buddhist master. But you wanted no part of it.

(RNS) In a blow to the Obama administration and a boon for the Catholic bishops, the influential Catholic Health Association that supported health care reform has rejected the White House’s proposals that were aimed at addressing faith-based objections to the controversial contraception mandate. By David Gibson.

Now available for free from iTunes: The Religion News Godcast, which offers a weekly look at current headlines from the staff and writers of Religion News Service.

(RNS) The city council of Santa Monica, Calif., has voted to halt unattended, private displays in a public park after a fight last year between atheists and Christians who had erected Nativity scenes for decades. By Adelle M. Banks.

SPOKANE, Wash. (RNS) Conservative activists are confident they can overturn the state's gay marriage law this November, but one thing might get in the way — the more than 4 million voters in the state who are "unchurched." By Tracy Simmons.

BEIJING (RNS) A pregnant woman who was dragged to a hospital by authorities and forced to have an abortion has enraged Chinese and sparked an online flurry of debate over whether it is time to end China's draconian one-child family planning policy. By Calum MacLeod.

Japanese police arrest suspect in 1995 doomsday cult poison attack; Catholic bishops consider hiring a spokesperson; New York's Orthodox Jewish population is booming at the expense of more modern Reform and Conservative Jews.

PHILADELPHIA (RNS) Former youth pastor T.J. Foltz has a vision to provide clean drinking water to the world's poor. Now, after winning a competition to get his "Humankind Water" on the shelves of Wal-Mart, he might just be able to make it happen. By Elizabeth Evans.

WASHINGTON (RNS) The National Association of Evangelicals is urging pastors to unite under a consistent code of ethics. NAE leadership says the code will provide uniform guidance to church leaders across 40 denominations. By Chris Lisee.

(RNS) The nation's Catholic bishops have discussed issues of great import this week, from sexual abuse policies to their religious freedom campaign. But the proposal made Thursday (June 14) that they consider hiring a chief spokesperson prompted the most intense soul-searching so far. By David Gibson.

VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Vatican offered a breakaway traditionalist group a solution to re-enter the Catholic Church, as the final word on negotiations that lasted almost three years seems to be imminent. By Alessandro Speciale.

PORTLAND, Ore. (RNS) The largest mosque in Oregon stands out for its traditional focus and charismatic imam. The imam has been at the center of a mysterious FBI probe, and he's suing over being placed on a no-fly list. Many at the mosque suspect the government is trying to harass people into a more westernized Islam. By Helen Jung.

(RNS) Ryan Cragun doesn't want to completely revoke the tax-exempt status of religious organizations. Instead, he thinks tax exemptions should only be allowed for nonprofit groups -- religious or secular -- whose services the government would have to supply if those organizations disappeared. By Kimberly Winston.