Religion

It was recently reported that Joel Osteen, the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, had resigned ... but it all looks like an Internet hoax.

Reports indicated that he not only resigned from his church, but from Christianity, citing a lack of faith in the validity of the Bible as the word of God.

Images of articles on CNN, Drudge Report and Yahoo, and headlines announcing Osteen’s resignation, circulated online over the weekend.

However, actual links to those articles were unable to be found.

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The alleged "Gate to Hell" has been discovered in modern-day Turkey.

Who would've guessed, given that you normally have to die to find it.

In all seriousness, a team of archeologists working in the ancient Phrygian city of Hierapolis in southwest Turkey claims to have located the Plutonium, or Pluto's Gate.

That's an ancient pilgrim site considered the "entryway to the underworld."

In this place, they play the Kim Kardashian sex tape on a 24-hour loop.

Kidding.

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Not everyone is jumping on the Bill Gates condom bandwagon.

On the contrary, in a surprising move, Boston College has warned that students distributing condoms on its campus may face disciplinary action.

Students running "safe sites" in dorm rooms providing condoms and advice may be violating the Catholic school's religious mission, officials said.

A student spokeswoman said the students offer a service not otherwise available at the university, and the ACLU has said it may take legal action.

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James Holmes, the alleged Aurora, Colorado, movie theater shooter, has reportedly converted to Islam while in jail. Emphasis on reportedly.

Holmes’ rumored religious conversion has been widely rumored, yet scrutinized by some media sources, citing a lack of credible evidence.

The Daily Mail first ran with the story that Holmes converted to Islam in jail and is now a dedicated Muslim who prays five times a day.

The newspaper received the tip from a prison source, who noted Holmes’ beard, in his most recent court appearance, as evidence of his conversion.

“He has brainwashed himself into believing that he was on his own personal jihad and that his victims were infidels,” the source said of Holmes.

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When Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis Wednesday, he became an instant celebrity - and one that people have many questions about.

The 266th pope is the first Jesuit to lead the Roman Catholic Church, the first Latin American, and the first to succeed a living pope in 600 years.

He is also the first to take the papal name of Francis. In terms of his theology, though, the 76-year-old Argentine is a traditional and conservative selection.

How so? Here are five things to know about Pope Francis, who until yesterday was known as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

1. He's the first Latin-American and Jesuit pope ... but what is a Jesuit?

The Jesuits were founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1534 as an order of priests and brothers who took a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience.

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Pope Francis, the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church, was introduced to the world yesterday after he was elected by the College of Cardinals.

Here is his first speech before thousands in St. Peter's Square:

Pope Francis Speech

A theological conservative hailed for his compassion toward the poor, the 76-year-old is now the first Jesuit leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.

The former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio will be known simply as Pope Francis, not Pope Francis I as previously reported, according to the Vatican.

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It's official: Jorge Mario Bergoglio is your next Pope and we know exactly what you are thinking:

How does Snooki feel about his election?

Fortunately, that reality star and many other celebrities have taken to Twitter and expressed their view on the new pontiff. Read on for their reactions...

Mario Lopez: Big moment for the church & for those of us who call ourselves Catholics. I hope Pope Francis comes with an open heart & open mind... #Faith

Snooki: Yay for Pope Bergoglio!! He's adorable.

Piers Morgan: Pope Francis 1 is known as a frugal, humble, moderniser. Sounds just what the Catholic Church needs.

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Jorge Mario Bergoglio has been elected the Roman Catholic Church's new Pope. The first Latin American to be Pope, he will call himself Francis I.

As Pope Francis I, Argentine Cardinal Bergoglio replaces Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned last month saying he was not strong enough to lead.

About an hour ago, white smoke billowing from the Sistine Chapel chimney announced to the world that cardinals gathered inside had made their choice.

The 115 cardinals have been in isolation since Tuesday, and held four inconclusive votes. At least 77 of them, or two-thirds, are needed to elect the Pope.

Before the conclave began, there was no clear front-runner to replace Benedict, leading millions to wonder who will be the next Pope. Now we know.

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As the College of Cardinals decides on who will be the next Pope, one layman is determined to meet His Holiness and chart a global course for peace and prosperity.

Fresh off his "basketball diplomacy" trip to North Korea, NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman is en route to Vatican City with hopes of meeting the new pontiff.

On Tuesday, Rodman was en route to Rome with the goal of meeting the Catholic Church’s next leader, with the conclave underway inside the Sistine Chapel.

While it may be some time before white smoke billows out of the chapel’s chimney signaling the election of a new pope, Rodman is excited about it.

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Who will succeed Pope Benedict XVI as the head of the Roman Catholic Church? No one will know until the white smoke comes out the conclave room chimney.

That hasn't stopped Vatican followers from rampantly speculating, however, and The College of Cardinals has no shortage of factors - and candidates - to consider.

Below are some of the key figures of the world's biggest Christian church whose names have emerged from experts as strong candidates to be the next Pope:

UPDATE, 3/13: The conclave is over, and Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina will become the new pontiff, and the first-ever Latin-American Pope.

He will henceforth be known as Pope Francis I.

The Argentine Cardinal was not one of the figures profiled below in advance of the conclave. Shows what we - and the experts - know, right?

Cardinal Angelo Scola, 71: He's the archbishop of Milan, a good launching pad, and the former Patriarch of Venice, which has produced many a papal candidate.

Cardinal Marc Ouellet, 68: A frontrunner, the former archbishop of Quebec, who heads the Congregation of Bishops, also speaks six languages.

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