Not sure what religion to follow? Holy Taco has created this handy flowchart to help you make up your mind.

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guest post by RICK!

talapz, a very industrious gentleman and LEGO wizard, has created a pop-up version of the Kinkaku-ji Zen Buddist temple in Kyoto, Japan.

via MetaFilter

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Sarah Silverman has a plan to end world hunger, Sell The Vatican, Feed The World.

via Bill Maher

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photo by Scott Beale

Drove by the Holy Transfiguration Russian Orthodox Church in East Hollywood last weeked and couldn’t resist stopping for a quick photo.

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Eternal Earth-Bound Pets is a group of atheists that are offering to take care of people’s pets after the Rapture comes. According to their FAQ this is not a joke.

We are a group of dedicated animal lovers, and atheists. Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you’ve received your reward. Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus.

via Hugh D’Andrade

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“Satanis: The Devil’s Mass” is a 1970 documentary by Ray Laurent that takes an inside look at the Church of Satan, founded in 1966 by Anton Szandor LaVey. The film was shot inside the Church of Satan’s infamous “Black House” in San Francisco.

via Boing Boing and Gareth Branwyn

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photo by Andrew Storms

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is a Hindu nationalist organization in India that is venturing into the soft drink industry. While that may not be notable, the fact that they are undergoing laboratory testing for a soda made from cow urine is. Considering that the RSS often decry the influence of westernization on their culture and that drinking cow urine is considered healthy in some parts of India, it is an interesting bit of cultural reclamation to promote a very Hindu beverage.

The flavor is not yet known, but the RSS said the liquid produced by Hinduism’s revered holy cows is being mixed with products such as aloe vera and gooseberry to fight diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

Many Hindus consider cow urine to have medicinal properties and it is often drunk in religious festivals.

The drink will be called “gau jal,” the Sanskrit word for “cow water”.

In light of the recent success of the urine-to-water test conducted by the astronauts on the International Space Station, maybe Tang might have some competition for being the beverage of choice for astronauts.

via Discover’s Discoblog

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Rabbi Yonassan Gershom takes a look at the Jewish origins of Spock’s Vulcan salute which debuted in the Star Trek episode “Amok Time”.

The Vulcan greeting is based upon a blessing gesture used by the kohanim (koe-hah-NEEM) during the worship service. The kohanim are the genealogical descendants of the Jewish priests who served in the Jerusalem Temple.

Rabbi Gershom runs the website TrekJews.com and has written a book on “Jewish Themes in Star Trek”.

On an Archive of American Television interview Leonard Nimoy explains how he created the Vulcan salute for Star Trek which came from his Jewish heritage.

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The Perry Bible Fellowship is a web comic done good by Nicholas Gurewitch, who got himself a real life hardbound publication deal with Dark Horse Comics. If dark, surreal humor is your cup of tea, then this comic is for you.

via Boing Boing

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K and K Mime are a pair of identical twins that spread the word of Jesus through mime. The flash intro to their website is something to behold as it is more or less the flash equivalent of a satirical monster truck rally commercial… but with more Jesus.

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guest post by Al Ridenour

It wasn’t the Easter Bunny leaving little surprises all around Los Angeles’ historic Olvera Street Saturday.  It was the hundreds of pets turning out for the 79th annual Blessing of the Animals conducted by Archbishop Mahoney himself.  While the current shindig’s more civic celebration than religious, it does have a mixed ecclesiastic pedigree reaching beyond St. Francis’ chit-chatting with birds back to San Antonio de Abad’s special relationship with swine.  Antonio is also patron of amputees, butchers, gravediggers, eczema, epilepsy, scabies, and leprosy.  Happy Easter, kids!

photos by Al Ridenour

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Happy birthday to our friends The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will be celebrating their 30th Anniversary on Easter Sunday, April 12th in San Francisco’s Dolores Park.

Celebrate 30 years of spreading joy and raising heck with the Sisters in Dolores Park. We’ll be having our traditional events like Children’s Easter, the Bonnet Contest and everyone’s favorite, the Hunky Jesus Contest.

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guest post by Chicken John

Noah’s Ark no longer a myth…

In 2005 a Dutch contractor made a replica of Noah’s Ark, built to half scale. The creationist fanatic built a roadside attraction 8,000 miles from Route 66… and it’s kinda epic…. biblical even…

This thing is the size of a football field but I can’t tell if it’s a boat or if’s built on a dock. It probably doesn’t actually float.

The builder, Johan Huibers, believes in the LITERAL TRUTH of the bible. I’m glad someone believes in something. I’m having a hard time believing someone built a friggin’ ark!

I want to let visitors visualize what the Ark looked like to bring the account closer to those who believe but also to those who don’t. Noah’s story speaks to them mostly because of the animals on board.

There are many realistic polyester animals! Children can view various films, visit the Bible story displays and follow the footprints of the elephant while searching for the answers on the questionaire.

I think Mission Hipsters should take it over, call it the Elitist Ark. Cool animals only.

Is it starting to rain? Uh oh….

For more on the project see: http://www.arkvannoach.com

images via arkvannoach.com

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Some Questions Can’t Be Answered by Google, but maybe by worshiping Sun?

via Gina Trapani

photo by Mykl Roventine

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Earlier today, Scott posted Fa La Freezing, by local pop group My First Earthquake, so I thought I’d share my favorite local seasonal music video. A Glummy Christmas, by Marrow’s Society for the Advancement of Despair, decks the hall with a collection of dreary Christmas songs. Album includes razor blade and rope, just in time for the Holidays!

See Previously: The Anti-Cheer: Marrow, The Society for the Advancement of Despair

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guest post by mikl-em

A British YouTube user named Airloaf put together a series of videos synching Drum & Bass / Jungle music with video of church services (mostly Baptists, I presume). Frenetic beats and energetic toasts matched with footage of ululating preachers and careening parishioners.

Dutch Drum & Bass crew Noisia are featured in the first installment, above. Here’s their MySpace page.

There are 3 in the Super Sunday series, plus a few more on his YouTube channel.

Here’s #2: Baptazia – Super Sunday – Skibadee / Fun & DJ Ruffstuff

And #3: Baptazia – Super Sunday – IC3 / DJ Clips & DJ Die – 3 of 3

Thanks to my music-making pal Frank Neuro for the tip!

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A brilliant God Hates Signs protest of The Westboro Baptist Church protest.

via monochrom

photo by Burstein

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Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping will be in San Francisco this week, making three separate appearances while in town:

Wed, October 1 8:00 PM: Noe Valley Ministry
1021 Sanchez at 24th, Parking Available.
Reverend Billy performing with Mike V. The Rev will preach on the subject of Prop H, a fight for clean energy and a fight against the greedy power monopoly PG&E. Family Friendly! $10 or pay what you can. Make Your Reservations

Sat, October 4 10:00 AM: Rev Billy On West Coast Live!
At the San Francisco Ferry Building, Site of CUESA’s Farmers’ Market. See WCL website for tickets or to listen online!

Sun, October 5 5:00 PM: City Lights Books
261 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, CA
Delivering a sermon on the literary mount titled: The Shopocalypse – The Reverend Has To Wonder. We have big box bankruptcies, chain store retreats, credit card dessicration. Consumers are turning into citizens again. Little McFamilies have seen the light! They are building special bomb-shelters to protect against this year’s Christmas, which could be the Shopoclaypse’s last chance to be remembered in history as a quality End-time.
FREE and open to the public!

photo by Melissa Lynn

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Members of the Crossville, TN Chapter of The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster have installed a giant Flying Spaghetti Monster statue outside The Cumberland County Courthouse in Crossville, Tennessee.

Here’s a statement from the group:

We are lucky enough to live in a country that allows us, its citizens, the freedom of speech. I have chosen to put up a statue of the Flying Spaghetti Monster to represent the discourse between people of all different beliefs. The many faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds of Cumberland County’s residents make our community a stronger richer place. I respect and am proud that on the people’s lawn, the county courthouse, all of these diverse beliefs can come together in a positive dialogue. Here, we are all able to share the issues close to our hearts whether it is through a memorial to the soldiers killed fighting for our country, the Statue of Liberty honoring our nations welcoming promise to all, a group’s fight to stop homelessness, or powerful symbols of faith. I greatly treasure this open forum between everyone in the community.

The Flying Spaghetti Monster is a pile of noodles and meatballs, but it is meant to open up discussion and provoke thought. Being able to put up a statue is a celebration of our freedom as Americans; a freedom to be different, to express those differences, and to do it amongst neighbors -— even if it is in a noodley way.

Here’s local news coverage of the installation.

UPDATE: Daniel Terdiman did a follow-up story on CNET News.com where he spoke with Ariel Safdie, a member of the Crossville, TN Chapter of The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, who was involved with the installation.

via The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

photos by Ariel Safdie

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