Sarah Michelle Gellar’s hit TV show Buffy The Vampire Slayer has reportedly been blamed for an abandonment of traditional Western religion by 50,000 women to paganism, according to Female First.

A recent British study by Women and Religion in the West indicates that young women have become increasingly interested in practicing witchcraft after watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Dr. Kristin Aune who conducted the research explained:

“Because of its focus on female empowerment, young women are attracted by Wicca, popularised by the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In short, women are abandoning the church.”

Not surprisingly, The Church of England had declined to comment on the study.

While Buffy may have sparked more interest in Wicca, I’d hardly blame the show in the reason for people leaving the traditional churches. People seem to be looking for inspiration and enlightenment in many alternative ways.

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Not everyone is happy with Ricky Martin’s baby news. Contact Music reports that a Catholic cardinal of Honduras, Oscar Andres Rodriguez has slammed the singer, saying:

“What Martin did diminishes the dignity of a human being. You can’t just buy or rent life. It’s even worse when someone famous and in the public eye is doing it.”

It was revealed last week that Ricky fathered twin boys. The surrogate mother is rumored to be Ricky’s cousin.

Mexican talk show host Esteban Arce has also revealed his disapproval of Ricky’s new role as father:

“I don’t think it’s right to deny children of maternal figures, just because you have a big ego.”

It’s sad that there are so many people out there who have to slam him over this and it’s more so because he’s a single guy who’s rumored to be gay. There are so many others who use surrogates (like Kelsey Grammer) to have a family, but they don’t get this level of criticism.

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Muslim leaders are outraged and are requesting that Warner Bros. change the name of their new movie Towelhead because the word is considered “offensive and exploitative,” according to WENN via IMDB.

Los Angeles members of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) describe the term as derogatory and viewed as “a racial and religious slur” against American Muslims and Arab-Americans. The advocacy group has urged studio bosses use the title, Nothing is Private, which is what the movie is being called at the Toronto Film Festival.

In a statement, Cair-la Executive Director Hussam Ayloush explains:

“The word is commonly used in a derogatory manner against people of the Muslim faith or Arab origin… We have no desire to inhibit the creative process or your right to produce any film you wish. However, I ask you to take the above concerns into consideration and examine the social implications of releasing the film under its current title. It is unfortunate that a major film studio would choose to exploit an ethnic slur as a sensational promotion for a movie. Mainstreaming a bigoted term in this manner will only serve to legitimize and normalize anti-Muslim prejudice in our society.”

The controversial movie is adapted from Alicia Erian’s novel about a young Arab girl named Jasira, played by Summer Bishil, who struggles with her father’s lifestyle and against her racist classmates and sexual obsession with her neighbor: a bigoted army reservist, played by Aaron Eckhart.

It sounds like a really thought-provoking movie, however, I agree that the film’s title is offensive and should be changed. Keeping the title can further legitimize the use of the term in the minds of many.

Source, Top Photo Source, Bottom Photo Source: WENN

According to a source, Lidsay Lohan wants to convert to Judaism for her girlfriend Samantha Ronson:

“Sam’s family is Jewish. Lindsay has learned a lot about Judaism from Sam and admires its beliefs.”

However, friends of the ‘Mean Girls’ actress have doubts about her intention to fully convert to the religion and think she is just doing it for attention.

The source added to Life and Style Weekly magazine: “Two years ago it was Kabbalah. Last year it was Alcoholics Anonymous. She was into ‘peace’ for a while. Whatever is of the moment, that’s Lindsay. But the one thing it does show is her commitment to Sam. She could be any religion and Lindsay would be open to it.”

If that makes her happy, why not? But I bet she’d change her mind when she finds out how much work it is to convert to Judaism.

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photo courtesy of PR Photos/www.prphotos.com

Pete Doherty is reportedly crazy about Scientology after Nadine Ruddy introduced him to it, according to The Sun. Apparently he has bought a pile of books about the religion after meeting his lover Nadine. A source said:

“Nadine is really into Scientology. She takes her beliefs very seriously. Pete’s chatted a lot with her about it. He went out and bought some books to read up about it. He just wanted to find out more about Nadine and what she believes in.”

I bet Tom Cruise would be thrilled with this news! It’s a good day for Tommy, isn’t it?

Come to think of it…Pete would fit in perfectly eh?

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photo courtesy of PR Photos/www.prphotos.com

Will Smith may have studied Scientology with his BFF Tom Cruise, he says Scientology is not for him. He insists his faith rests in his own spirituality. He says:

“I don’t necessarily believe in organized religion. I love my God, my higher power, but it is mine and mine alone, and I create my connection, and I decide how my connection is going to be.”

Although he was raised a Baptist, he describes himself as a “student of world religions.” and that:

“I believe that my connection to my higher power is separate from everybody’s. I don’t believe that the Muslims have all the answers and all the beliefs. I don’t believe the Christians have all the answers and beliefs, or that the Jews have all the answers.”

So I guess Tom Cruise isn’t doing so well in recruiting his friends over to Scientology eh? It sounds like Leah Remini is doing a better job since she is rumored to have convinced Jennifer Lopez to doing a silent birth.

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Photos: AP

Madonna AKA Esther arrived in Israel for the World Conference of the International Kabbalah Center last night, just in time for the Jewish New Year. In the group of celebrities that joined her are Demi Moore and her husband Ashton Kutcher. While Madonna is spending her time praying, her husband Guy Ritchie went for a dip in the Mediterranean Sea.

They probably haven’t thought of the saying: “couples that pray together stay together”.

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