(RNS) A First Amendment watchdog group is suing the Internal Revenue Service for not challenging the tax-exempt status of churches whose pastors engage in partisan politicking from the pulpit. By Kimberly Winston.

Earlier this week we brought you the 10 best stories about the "Mormon moment." Now, here are the 10 worst, courtesy of MormonVoices. 

(RNS) As Congress embarks on high-stakes budget negotiations to avoid the “fiscal cliff,” leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops are urging elected officials not to target programs for the poor and instead raise taxes and reduce defense spending. By David Gibson

TORONTO (RNS) A Toronto woman has lodged a complaint against a barber who refused to cut her hair because he's Muslim. By Ron Csillag.

DECATUR, Ala. (RNS) Daniel Tait's spare bedroom is headquarters for a new company that's developing a mobile phone app that, if successful, would link users with congregations around the world where they could watch services or concerts in the palm of their hand. By Kay Campbell.

Hamas says Israel "opened the gates of hell" with its assault on Gaza. David Petraeus is compared to another David. Mary is reimagined saving her own skin.

Here are four facts that are being deliberately and willfully neglected in the current coverage of this Israeli assault.   

BALTIMORE (RNS) The Catholic bishops gathered at their annual meeting couldn’t agree on a statement on the economy, but with a unanimous voice vote on Tuesday they easily backed a measure to push sainthood for Dorothy Day, whose life and work were dedicated to championing the poor. By David Gibson

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Latin is not a dead language, at least if Pope Benedict gets its way. He created a new Vatican academy to promote the study and knowledge of Latin in the church and in society. By Alessandro Speciale

(RNS) It’s tempting to view the sex scandal surrounding former Gen. David Petraeus through a religious lens. Even before his fall from grace, some Pentagon colleagues compared Petraeus to the biblical King David - another proud and powerful warrior. By Daniel Burke. 

(RNS) Voters who supported gay marriage in four states on Election Day did so despite significant opposition from Christian institutions. They got it right, even though the church has gotten this issue wrong. Then again, "getting it wrong" has been a Christian tradition for too long. By C.S. Pearce.

Boycott Black Friday? What about the economy? The Catholic bishops had no answer on that one. Maybe that was a good thing? What is an "evatheist"? Find out here.

Boycott Black Friday? What about the economy? The Catholic bishops had no answer on that one. Maybe that was a good thing? What is an "evatheist"? Find out here.

You've got to feel a little sorry for the Catholic bishops. They declared that the Obama administration was making war on religion and not only was the president reelected but Catholics were the only Christian religious body to vote for him.

The new Mormon Matters podcast features Fiona Givens talking about The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life, the book she's written with her husband Terryl Givens. Joanna Brooks and I sing an enthusiastic backup.