An atheist group recently filed a lawsuit against a city in California for approving what it describes to be a "government-endorsed religious message" in the form of a veterans memorial.

The American Humanist Association is filing the suit through its legal arm, the Appignani Humanist Legal Center, over the "Cross Monument," located at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore, Calif.

The monument – a large, polished black granite monument depicting a soldier kneeling in front of a Christian cross – was reportedly created as a special homage to fallen World War II soldiers, as the image of the kneeling soldier kneeling is an accurate representation of how veteran soldiers honored their fallen brothers. more >>

A 19-year-old teenager from California who was on a church trip is still missing two days after falling down the 594-foot Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park.

"They looked forward. They didn't think anything bad would happen," Denis Koleukhov of Second Slavic Baptist Church in Sacramento County told KCRA.

The teenager, Aleh Kalman, was reportedly swept over Nevada Fall on Saturday afternoon. Authorities searched for him all throughout Sunday, but as of Monday morning he remains missing. more >>

After messages directed towards men in the previous weeks, Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Church in Riverside, Calif., turned to women on Sunday, speaking to them about how they can get a "new" husband if they heed advice by Apostle Peter. Laurie's wife joined him on stage.

As most Americans like "new and improved" version of everything, Laurie said the women of his church could get a new husband. But it's also about how to be a new wife, he added.

"Let's talk about women, what qualities they should have, and the biblical secret to reaching the non-believing or nominally believing husband," the pastor said, and quoted 1 Peter 3:1-4 (New Living Translation). more >>

A first of its kind sex education program is being taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District, in which students as young as 12 are encouraged to share their HIV and STD status with their sexual partners by way of a text message that reveals they were tested for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. The text message also includes a disclaimer, which reads: "This person MAY have had sex since being tested. Always be safe, use condoms."

In their heath classes, students in the seventh through 12th grades will watch a three-minute YouTube video created by the company Qpid, pronounced cupid, which tells students to go to the nearest Planned Parenthood clinic, or HIV testing center to be tested, and to then register at the qpid.me website to share their results online or by phone. The test, however, doesn't confirm a diagnosis of HPV or herpes.

The Qpid YouTube video states that students must be 13 to use their free program. However, their website also notes that "children as young as 12 can get tested for STDs without the need for parental consent in the state of California." more >>

A former doctor and ordained Pentecostal minister has been sentenced to 14 years in prison and ordered to repay $1.2 million to victims who believed her herbal supplements could cure cancer, among other ailments. The "shockingly cold-hearted fraud" perpetuated by Dr. Christine Daniel affected dozens of families, including one pastor who has called on the woman to "repent for the evil" she has done.

"The scope of Daniel's fraud was breathtaking. Daniel robbed victims of more than money — she also stole their hopes and dreams for a cure. Daniel is responsible for a shockingly cold-hearted fraud that has brought her a richly deserved federal prison sentence," said U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr., according to The Associated Press.

Daniel, 58, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Timlin and ordered to hand over $1,277,083 to the estimated five dozen families she conned with her late-stage cancer cure from 2001 to 2004. Daniel's "cure" came in the form of herbal supplements called "C-Extract" she claimed had a 60-80 percent success rate and came from South America and Africa. The pills, revealed by analysis to contain sunscreen preservative, beef flavoring and other mundane ingredients, were in reality regular over-the-counter vitamins available at any drug store. more >>

A 6-year old California boy was allowed to perform a Christian song at his school's talent show last week after a legal group stepped up in his defense.

"We were extremely pleased, we're glad the district was so quick to respond," said Amanda Stroberg, the boy's mother, after the Salt Creek Elementary School in Chula Vista, Calif., decided to reverse its decision, according to ABC 10 News.

The kindergartener, Austin Stroberg, had been practicing on his acoustic guitar to perform the song "Our God Is Mercy" by Christian worship leader Brenton Brown at his school's talent show, but was initially told by school officials that he would not be allowed to sing on stage with a religious song. more >>