What are the Top 10 religion stories of the year?

Huzzah! Another list for HiScrivener to enjoy, although this one is a tad more newsworthy.

Recently, Time magazine (with a little assist from FaithWorld on Reuters) came out with its conspicuous collection of the “Top 10 religion stories of the year.” Hrm, let’s see, shall we?

1. The Economy Stumps Religion – Saddleback. Rev. Wright. The “Huckster”. Infamous endorsements. Evangelicals jump ship and get romanced by an elephant. And all that gets trumped by a recession?! Ah well, we tried to keep God in the headlines.
2. Never Count the Mormons Out – Being a PR type, you are always thinking for a way out of a crisis. Considering the ballyhoo the FLDS stirred up in Texas and Mitt Romney swooned nationally, the holy skivvies got together and figured out a way to get back in the good graces of the media – protest gay marriage. Yeah, that’ll fix ’em.
3. The Pope Wows the States – During John Paul’s trek to beatification and sainthood, swarthy priests and their impious relationships with altar boys monopolized headlines, so the new guy had to find a way to shine a light a sweetness on the Vatican. Maybe B16 has heard of the greatness of “A Tribe Called Quest,” because he went on an “Award Tour” from NYC to DC. Good times on those frequent flyer miles, Il Papa.
4. The Canterbury non-Tale – Anglicans. Episcopalians. Poh-tay-toe. Poe-ta-toe. What’s the difference besides each being on the the other side of an ocean? Oh yeah. that whole “You can be gay, and still be an effective witness for Jesus” thingy.
5. America’s Unfaithful Faith – Somethings in life are worth shopping – homes, cars, wardrobes. However, faith is not one of them, and this story shows that folk don’t care because denominations were being swapped out like rolls of toilet paper. Once someone gets done with personal business in the confessional… well, you get the analogy.
6. Tibet’s Monks Rebel – And who says the Olympics are always predictable? What’s sad is some think the Dalai Lama was behind this massacre. Wonder if Richard Gere had to say anything about his BFF?
7. The Birth of the New Evangelicalism – It’s been an interesting year for the Church. While some say the religious right has taken a turn for the “left”, others – as in this story – say they have gotten more vociferous than ever. I suppose something should be for those youth groups after all.
8. The Challenge of Recession – It’s hard to give an offering when you have nothing to offer, but somehow the Church will overcome. Otherwise, we will all be singing Kumbaya in some field with the tarantualas and tumbleweeds. Hey wait, maybe those compounds are on to something?!
9. When Kosher wasn’t Kosher – When I think of child labor and sweat shops, I think of cheap cotton sweatsuits and fancy girlie clothes, not Kosher meat. When this story came out, synagogues everywhere were reconsidering their menu… and possibly what’s in their closet.
10. Extraterrestrials May Already be Saved – I knew I was on to something! What is still the most popular post of “The Writing on the Wall,” is now one of the biggest faith-based stories of the year. Good on ya’ Wall Watchers. And to think, the Vatican still employs a dude who consults his Tarot cards more than his Bible. We still have work to do.