Like the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa enjoyed dancing on the dark side via the occasional bout of fame-mongering. But who wouldn't fall prey to the siren song of celebrity and fortune? Unlike the Dali Lama, however, Mother Teresa (née Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhi) defended pedophilic priests. In fact, the Nobel Prize-winning nun — now on the fast track to sainthood from the Vatican — defended a Bay Area priest accused and convicted of sexual molestation back in the 1993. An act that, in addition to reinstating the criminal man of God, resulted in more horrifying sexual abuse. more ›

Alameda false prophet Harold Camping, who predicted a May 2011 apocalypse that never came to fruition, suffered a stroke on Thursday, June 9. According to reports, the founder of nonprofit Family Radio Church suffered a stroke on his right side. Also, his speech is now a bit slurred. Regional manager for Family Stations Inc.,Charles Menut, posted the following Yahoo group message on Saturday, "Please just pray for him and do not try to contact anyone at his home or Family Radio...He and Shirley have enough family members to handle the situation. I'm sure we'll be able to publicly update everyone on Monday." more ›

Due to a technical glitch of sorts, Harold Camping has revised his rapture date to October 21, 2011. If you recall, the Family Radio minister's prediction of a ruinous May 21 rapture never happened. During a long-winded 90-minute radio show on Monday night, Camping explained himself thusly: "Were not changing a date at all; we're just learning that we have to be a little more spiritual about this...But on Oct. 21, the world will be destroyed. It won't be five months of destruction. It will come at once." more ›

Robert Klatt, 32, was charged with child molestation on Tuesday. The San Jose minister is accused of "lewd and lascivious acts with a minor for allegedly victimizing two junior-high-age youths." Witnesses and potential victims are urged to call Detective Latendresse of the San Jose Police Department’s sexual assault unit at 408-277-4102. For those who want to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 408-947-STOP or visit svcrimestopper.org. [CBS 5] more ›

In addition to "at least five other lawsuits stemming from allegations of abuse," the Oakland Diocese faces yet another lawsuit for sex abuse. A woman claims that she was abused by a monsignor during the early '80s. "The suit says Monsignor Vincent Breen abused the woman between 1980 and 1982 while he worked at the rectory of the Holy Spirit in Fremont," reports AP (via KTVU). "It accuses the diocese of covering the alleged abuse up more ›

"Pointed Community" by Darwin Bell. more ›

Say what you will about LDS members, difficult on the eyes isn't one of them. Why, just take a look at these jarringly Anglo-Saxon beauties here. Gay activist Michael Petrelis who, in his unyielding attempts to earn his Gay Scout Merit badge for Recruiting Mormon Boys, chatted up these two fresh-faced missionaries today. Describing the duo as "Regular Chatty Cathys," Petrelis stuck up a conversation: more ›

"First Church of Christ, Scientist (1910)" by sftrajan. more ›

SFist shared this with you in the past -- because grade school humor is the best kind of humor -- but the "two o'clock titty" always deserves another look. Chortle. more ›

The family of Tracy's own Melissa Huckaby -- who we mentioned earlier is the prime suspect in the slaying of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu -- can't stop talking about how "churchgoing" and "good" she is. She's the granddaughter of a pastor, teaches Sunday school. "She must have had a double life, because she seemed sweet and the Bible study kids love her," waxes Carlos Martinez, who lives in the Orchard Estates Mobile Home Park near where the alleged murderess lived. While everyone is calling this murder an anomaly, former Christ Lutheran Church Congregation Council President Dennis Rader (AKA the BTK Killer) might beg to differ. In related news, police have identified Clover Road Baptist Church as the spot where Cantu was killed. more ›

Oh this Prop 8 stuff just gets hairier and hairier. We were thumbing through some articles about the people who backed Prop 8; that includes groups like the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which despite the word "liberty" in their name wants to wield control over California marriages -- every single one -- vetoing whichever couples they don't like. They plan to use Prop 8 to continue stopping marriages and to nullify the approximately 18,000 that they don't currently like -- and possibly more in the future. And the Amicus Brief that they filed in Prop 8's favor contained this scintillating quote: more ›

Oh oh. Here we go again. An angry, misguided soul defaced another symbol of religion, this time the Castro's Most Holy Redeemer Church Catholic at 100 Diamond Street The church was spray-painted with swastikas over the weekend. And once again, Newsom is none too thrilled about it, releasing this statement: "We strongly condemn the vandalism of the Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. It was a cowardly and criminal act. San Francisco is a city that embraces people of all faiths. To intimidate a community and threaten a place of worship with intolerance is contrary to everything the City of St. Francis represents." more ›

The main man who gives something so important as religion a bad name, Pope Benedict XVI, has publicly said that "saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behavior is just as important as saving the rainforest from destruction." Surprise! This backwards bit of wisdom came during his year end-of-year hate speech to senior Vatican staff. more ›

Hundreds of people waited in the freezing cold and rain last night to get free bag of groceries this morning. The giveaway, care of Glide Memorial Church, takes place from 7:30 am until 12:30 in the afternoon today. Each bag has a turkey or chicken, potatoes, bread, pasta, sauce, rice, beans, and a sundry of veggies. However, according to reports, "there are a lot of new faces in line because of the recession, and there's concern six thousand bags may not be enough for those in need this year." (Oh, and the SF Food Bank could always use a donation! $1 distributes $9 worth of food to those in need! And you can do it here!)
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A complaint filed by civil rights organization Californians Against Hate prompted the the California Fair Political Practices Commission to investigate the LDS Church and their work in supporting Proposition 8. It seems the Mormon church allegedly concealed just how big a role they played in initiating a ban into the California constitution that would bar same-sex couples from getting married. According to AP, "the investigation does not mean there was any wrongdoing, only that commission staff have found evidence to warrant further inquiry." more ›

For the second time in two months, the San Francisco Holocaust Memorial in Lincoln Park was vandalized. With damages anywhere between $5,000 and $6,000, swastikas were marked on the bronze sculpture with pen. Most of the signage was removed, but a "specialized sculpture conservator will be brought in to fully restore the memorial." more ›

Two churches in San Jose -- Trinity Presbyterian Church and Indonesian Christian Church, each located at 3151 Union Avenue -- were defaced by confusing graffiti this week. Spray-painted swastikas and a few Star of Davids marked both churches. We're not sure what the intended message at either church was, but... your guess is as good as ours. But! If you have any info this crime, please call the San Jose Police Department's assault unit at 408-277-4161. (CBS 5) more ›

This weekend's Anti-Scientology protest, held by the brave kids at Anonymous, encountered some equally scary enemies: zombies. Check out some scene's of the protest in action, actual Scientologists, fake blood, amusing signage, and meeting and eating of the minds. Looks like the best protest yet! more ›

While his Holiness is more or less meh when it comes to non-consensual sex between a man and a boy, same-sex marriage just ain't cool in his book. So stop, says Pope Benedict. more ›

Before we dig into Bay Area mischief, here are your ladies of-a-certain-age who have been arrested for having sex with their underage male students. All three teachers were arrested in over the last two weeks in Tampa, Florida. Ta-da. Cheers, ladies! more ›

Oh my. Um, yeah, we'll let Flickr's artolog explain the above. more ›

-- Crime in Choir: CIC rocks it. Hard. For reals. Big time. One of the purest sounds coming out of SF these days, really. Brave the chill and head down to Potrero Hill to check them out. You won't regret it. Pink Mountain and Science of Yarba open at this anniversary party for Frenetic Records. The music starts at 10 p.m. at Bottom of the Hill; $10. more ›

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We're not one to laugh at church vandalism. Ever. But the following story in today's Mercury News is goddamn hilarious. And hilariously bad. more ›

BeyondChron's Paul Hogarth dares to go where many fear to tread: all up in Elisa Stephens' grill. Again. Hogarth writes about the Academy of Art College's plan to swallow up even more of San Francisco's prime real estate. more ›

Black Friday, the Friday after Thanksgiving, the day where big retail shoppers traditionally break even for the year! Traditionally considered the biggest shopping day of the year! Is it retail therapy? ....Or is it kowtowing to the gods of capitalism and binding the workers who long to be free? more ›

Every year at Thanksgiving, you're bound to forget one or two critical items. A shallot, cooking twine, mushrooms, Ketel One -- something will slip your mind and you run the risk of having your Thanksgiving dinner collapse in on itself. And then you've ruined everything. Everything! But who can we prevent such yellow wallpapered hysteria? This is where you come in: do you know of any grocery stores that stay open late on Thanksgiving... more ›

How the church appeared on November 13. This Friday -- Black Friday -- Michaela Alioto-Pier's little neighborhood that thrives on ridicule will become a little more ridicule-less. At 9 a.m., Pacific Standard Time, on the day of November twenty-third, two thousand and seven, the store at 2125 Chestnut will open its doors. And at that moment? Apple will welcome in its third San Francisco store, completing the trilogy started by its flagship location on... more ›

-- Unspeakable (2007): Documentary about the life of Satanic Priest Steven Johnson Leyba, "ordained by Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey, is known in the underground art world as the 'Father of Sexpressionism.'" (Chortle) Screens tonight at 7:45 p.m., 9:05 at the Roxie New College Film Center; $6. more ›