Sunday's Fun Religious News from Australia

One of the fun things about being over here is that, despite Australia's secular image and self-identity, there is still an awful lot of religion in the local news. Today, while waiting for fish and chips at the shop across the road, I happened across four fun religion stories in the Sunday Telegraph:

ITEM!!!

Labor Leader Kevin Rudd spoke last week to religious leaders, burnishing his Christian credentials:

Last week, Rudd addressed the Australian Christian Lobby, and he was a prominent member of the Federal Parliamentary prayer group.

He has previously declared the Christian faith, along with a commitment to social justice, to be one of the guiding principles of his life.

"For me the Christian faith is an undergirding (sic) principle,'' he said.

Today, he is being accused of hypocrisy after admitting to getting plastered and hitting up strip clubs in New York.

ITEM!!!

Assemblies of God to begin advertising during Australian Idol (link not available).

ITEM!!!

Australia's friendly skies are not so friendly, if you're Jewish:

Sydney executive David Moses has lodged a complaint with [QANTAS], alleging the [flight attendant] repeatedly made derogatory comments about Jews, even after discovering that Mr Moses was Jewish.

[...]

He said the steward had complained to him about an elderly French passenger who had become agitated over the provision of a wheelchair for her husband on arrival.

Mr Moses said the attendant had turned to him and said "Jews''.

When he asked what she meant, she had replied: "That's what you get when you deal with Jews.''

[...]

After he told the steward "I am Jewish'', Mr Moses said she responded: "Well, you better go and tell her that she's letting your team down.''

But, of course, I've saved the best for last:

ITEM!!!

University of Western Sydney cafeteria defines "halal" inclusively, to include bacon:

A CATERING company has apologised to Muslim university students after trying to sell them "halal bacon and egg rolls".

University of Western Sydney students had been suspicious for months about the authenticity of food labelled "halal'' at campus canteens.

Their concerns were unexpectedly proved correct when in-house catering company UWSConnect offered "halal bacon and egg rolls'' at the Bankstown campus.