Intellectual giants Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) have introduced the Human-Animal Hybrid Protection Act of 2009 to stem the growing market for centaurs, harpies, satyrs, mermaids and other animal-human hybrid freaks.

“This legislation works to ensure that our society recognizes the dignity and sacredness of human life,” said Brownback. “Creating human-animal hybrids, which permanently alter the genetic makeup of an organism, will challenge the very definition of what it means to be human and is a violation of human dignity and a grave injustice.”

This important piece of legislation is co-sponsored by nearly 20 other like-minded individuals who refuse to blur the lines between man and beast, and should be the Senate’s top priority. Prohibiting mad scientists from creating man-beasts is so much more important than health care or any of those other trifles the Senate is currently debating.

Give me a break. Granted there is some legitimate research going on in Britain, but it is not as the bible-thumping conservatives would present it.

Little Suzy seems to think so! In the “Story of Suzy,” an adorable little girl unknowingly helps the narrator pull back the covers on the act of prayer. Enjoy.

At a meeting with the Catholic media prior to his trip to Italy and audience with Pope Benedict XVI , Obama spoke of the difficulty he is having reconciling his faith with LGBT issues:

“For the gay and lesbian community in this country, I think it’s clear that they feel victimized in fairly powerful ways and they’re often hurt by not just certain teachings of the Catholic Church, but the Christian faith generally. And as a Christian, I’m constantly wrestling with my faith and my solicitude and regard and concern for gays and lesbians.”

For many Catholics and people of faith there is no “wrestling” or struggle. No inner turmoil. Gays are either to repent and abstain from their “lifestyle” or burn for all eternity.

Sure, many will accuse Obama of being two-faced, or criticize him for playing to both sides of the issue. But hopefully some will appreciate his honesty about the struggle. I suspect we would be a lot farther along in the gay civil rights movement if more individuals, more people of faith, also carried that struggle in their heart.

Saturday Night Live alum Julia Sweeney performs the first 15 minutes of Letting Go of God, a solo act where she explores the rethinking of her faith. The Los Angeles Times called Sweeney’s show a “a gale-force breath of fresh of fresh air into the mostly politic dialogue about religion in our time.” Definitely worth a watch.