Republican governor as gay rights defender: a sign of the times?

Republican governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia, reversing his previous position, this week extended nondiscrimination protections to gay state workers.

Federal court approves ‘under God’ in Pledge of Allegiance

Atheist Michael Newdow challenged ‘under God’ in the Pledge of Allegiance and ‘in God we trust’ on US currency as unconstitutional endorsements of religion.

School prom off after lesbian’s date request

JACKSON, Miss. – A northern Mississippi school district will not be hosting a high school prom this spring after a lesbian student asked to attend with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo.

Pope’s Brother Denies Sex Scandal

The developing sex scandal shaking the Catholic Church in Germany hit close to home for Pope Benedict XVI when allegations emerged of abuse in the Regensburg boys’ choir which the Pope’s brother directed for 30 years.

Vatican sex claim leak shameful

Rome, Italy (CNN) — Reports that an Italian government official accused of financial corruption allegedly used a Vatican choir singer to arrange gay liaisons for him are “shameful,” the official’s lawyer told CNN Saturday.

‘Amazing Grace’ leaves $7m for alma mater

Grace Groner lived through the Great Depression, so saving money was her expertise. Nobody knew just how much she had saved until she died in January at age 100 and left $7 million to Lake Forest College, her alma mater.

WASHINGTON — It was cold and drizzling outside the City Courthouse just after 6 a.m. on Wednesday, but no one seemed to mind among the same-sex couples waiting excitedly for the chance to apply for a marriage license.

Liberalism, atheism, male sexual exclusivity linked to IQ

(CNN) — Political, religious and sexual behaviors may be reflections of intelligence, a new study finds. Evolutionary psychologist Satoshi Kanazawa at the the London School of Economics and Political Science correlated data on these behaviors with IQ from a large national U.S. sampl.

Lutheran Church seeing fallout over gay clergy issue

Lutheran Church seeing fallout over gay clergy issue By Patrick Condon, The Associated Press Until a few weeks ago, the Rev. Gail Sowell was pastor at two Lutheran churches in the small Wisconsin town of Edgar. That was before members of both congregations jumped headfirst into the simmering debate over gay clergy in the Evangelical [...]

Obama, Dalai Lama meet; China objects

Washington (CNN) — President Obama met with the Dalai Lama — the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader — at the White House on Thursday despite strong objections from Chinese government officials.