Religious news… sometimes heartwarming, sometimes weird.

I have one from each category. Jody sent me an article from the Toledo Blade that detailed an organization called the Greater Toledo House of Prayer. It is a relatively new organization in Toledo that serves as a 24 hour open prayer meeting house. They have a few noteworthy ministries, including Kid’s HOP that teaches young kids the importance of prayer. This is definately a ministry that I plan to watch and support.

On the weird side, the rather vulgar and one-joke show South Park aired an episode so controversial, it led to the resignation of Isaac Hayes, a long time cast member. The show was a send up of the so-called religion of Scientology, of which Hayes is a member. Tom Cruise reportedly threatened Comedy Central and its parent company Viacom with boycotting his own scheduled promotional appearances for Mission: Impossible 3 if they aired the episode, entitled “Trapped in the Closet.”

View a clip.

In the story, Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard is thought to be reincarnated as Stan. The show features a non-sequitor appearance by R. Kelley and extremely unflattering portrayals of John Travolta and Tom Cruise.

The episode is very tame for South Park, however, as I only count one unbleeped expletive–a female dog–and one bleeped expletive. Both were uttered by R. Kelley as he sings a tune.