Top Ten Religion Stories 2008

The Religion Newswriters Association has posted its top ten religion stories for 2008: 1) Jeremiah Wright; 2) Obama woos evangelical vote; 3) Sarah Palin’s nomination for VP; 4) Gay marriage; 5) Pope Benedict XVI visits US; 6) Episcopal Church’s unity threatened by ordination of gay clergy; 7) religiously motivated terrorism; 8) China’s crackdown on Tibet; 9) financial crisis hits religious nonprofits; 10) religiously motivated violence continues in Iraq.

The list is solid, but as with any top ten list there are those stories left off. Here is my list of top ten religion stories of 2008 in their original headline form:

1) Man eats image of Jesus in grilled cheese sandwich; claims he is Christ.
2) Man stopped from burning witch sues under First Amendment.
3) Man receives Talking Hat from angel; hat refuses to speak.
4) Man claims Noah’s Ark is held in Area 51.
5) Crippled man cured at Lourdes hit by car while jaywalking.
6) Man draws mustachios on Shroud of Turin.
7) Man returns from dead, says he’s grateful.
8) Man channels John Keynes; seeks employment as economic advisor.
9) Man condemned by clergy for teaching God has a sense of humor.
10) Man in all these stories turns out to be same man.