Doug Grow, of The Minneapolis Star Tribune, reports on the tempest-in-a-teapot in central Minnesota’s Renville County, after Texas-transplant Rick Blauvelt attempted to form a “Teen Age Republicans” chapter with an ad that read: “‘This group will be a grass-roots movement to learn about how America got started, the difference between Republicans and Democrats, why the nation is split, why God is detested by our opponents and will be a force for the Republican Party in Renville County, not to be ignored.'” Blauvelt, who says he is “embarrassed” about the ad, has proposed a “more generic” correction, explaining that “those who are on the political right are on God’s side; those on the political left are anti-God.” The newspaper that ran the ad has refused to run the correction.

“‘If a religious institution chooses to ordain a known child molester that it felt had truly repented, it has that Constitutional right. The government may not second-guess that choice.'” Attorney for the Roman Catholic Church of Northern California, Paul Gaspari, argues to limit the damages abuse victims are eligible for on religious freedom grounds, saying the Constitution forbids punishing the Church for the standards it sets for the ordination of priests. Read more.

“When you give to God, you’re simply loaning to the Lord and He gives it right on back.”William Lobdell, of The Los Angeles Times, reports a familiar story, about the extravagence of televangelist and Trinity Broadcasting Network head, Pastor Paul Crouch and his wife Jan. Over the past 31 years the Crouches have solicited many millions of dollars in donations from TBN “prayer partners” — largely lower-income, rural Americans from the South — to finance their worldwide broadcasting empire and luxurious lifestyle.

Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, who turned the fate of Indian trains over to Lord Vishwakarma, “God of machines,” this July, reports that his piety has been successful, and the recent decrease in train accidents is the result of his keeping a portrait of Vishwakarma in his New Delhi office.