Two entries in an Australian religious art competition – one depicting the Virgin Mary wearing a burqa, the other showing Osama bin Laden in a Christ-like pose – were defended by their creators yesterday.

But a magistrate yesterday begged to differ, ordering her to trial for her alleged part in cultivating and supplying the illicit drug.

Police surveillance in June last year captured Mogilevsky, 53, spraying what police allege was pesticide or herbicide near a crop of 494 plants on a North Shore property.   FULL ARTICLE LINK

Australians are increasingly turning away from marriage and religion, and more people are living alone, according to the latest snapshot of Australian life.

The nation's census, taken every five years, found that while Australia was enjoying a baby boom, the proportion of adults getting married was at its lowest in almost 100 years.   FULL ARTICLE LINK

Eleven inmates at Papua New Guinea's largest jail have taken advantage of a prisoners' religious service to cut a hole in a perimeter fence and escape.

The break-out of eight convicted criminals and three remandees from Bomana Prison outside Port Moresby took place around 1.30pm (330 NZT) yesterday.

The jail's commanding officer Chief Superintendent Michael Mosiri said three inmates were recaptured soon afterwards and prison officers and police were continuing to hunt for those still at large.   FULL ARTICLE LINK

Supporters of Sheikh Taj el-Din al-Hilali say the government has pressured members of the Islamic community to withdraw their support from him.  They claim that organizations backing the sheikh received threats that their public funding would be cut.

So far, the government has not reacted to these allegations.  But, in the past, it has been highly critical of Sheikh al-Hilali.   FULL ARTICLE LINK

The bizarre tale of an Australian man inspired by religion to donate a kidney to a Canadian woman was being widely reported in his home country Monday, but a Toronto hospital official would not confirm the reports.

It's been widely reported that Ash Falkingham, 22, headed back to Sydney - both kidneys intact - after Toronto General Hospital decided not to perform the operation when his parents called to say he'd been brainwashed by a religious cult.

Hospital officials said patient confidentiality rules prevent them from discussing particular cases.

Media reports, however, suggest Falkingham's parents called the hospital and informed officials their son was a member of Jesus Christians - a group that believes kidney donation is the "ultimate" expression of faith.   FULL ARTICLE LINK

Thousands of representatives of the world’s religions will convene in Australia for the 2009 Parliament of the World’s Religions.

An estimated 8,000-12,000 people will meet in Melbourne, Australia, Dec. 3-9, 2009, to dialogue, build interfaith relationships, and discuss critical issues facing the global community.

Adherents of a wide range of religious traditions will be present including: Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Baha’i Jain, and Zoroastrian.   FULL ARTICLE LINK

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has defended a religious statement discussed at yesterday's Interfaith Regional Dialog in Waitangi, New Zealand which promotes religious diversity but refuses to name a state religion for New Zealand.

The third Interfaith dialog, attended by religious figures and regional leaders such as President Gloria Arroyo, of the Philippines, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda, aims to promote links between different faiths in the wake of the 2002 Bali bombings.   FULL ARTICLE LINK

Nine Muslims accused of stockpiling chemicals and explosive detonators have been ordered to stand trial on charges of planning terror attacks in Sydney, Australian court officials said yesterday.

Magistrate Michael Price on Monday ruled that the men must stand trial after they were arrested last year in Australia’s largest-ever counter-terrorism operation, a court official said on condition of anonymity.

“The nine were committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court and will appear in that court on June 1, 2007,” the official said.   FULL ARTICLE LINK

Evangelicals and atheists are the fastest growing faith categories in New Zealand, a government survey has reported.

Census figures released last week by the New Zealand government found that while the traditional Christian churches are declining, evangelical groups saw their membership ranks swell in the last five years by 25 per cent, while the Pentecostal churches grew by 18 per cent.

The report also found that those reporting no religious affiliation have climbed by 35 per cent to 1.3 million people. Approximately two million kiwis, or 55.6 per cent of those answering the 2006 religious affiliation census, declared themselves to be Christian. In 2001 60.6 per cent of the population identified themselves as Christian.   FULL ARTICLE LINK