GOD AND COUNTRY

The Rev. Gary Cass, (pictured) a former San Diego County pastor who moved to Florida to head the Center for Reclaiming America for Christ and become a player in the religious right political movement, has a new job: chairman of newly formed Christian Anti-Defamation League.

The league's mission, Cass writes on his Web site (garycass.org), is to defend “Christians and the faith in the public square, especially in the media.”

His first foray: going to Iraq as part of a Christian prayer delegation. While there, Cass says he presented the Ten Commandments to the Iraqi prime minister. “It will be difficult for a long time in Iraq, but the Christians in Iraq especially are concerned if the U.S. pulls out there will be a vicious slaughter,” Cass says.

WORTHY OF NOTE

The Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center and the local chapter of the Arthritis Foundation are starting a new arthritis aquatic class designed to cater to the cultural needs of Muslim women.

The women-only class is at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays in a semiprivate, enclosed therapy pool at the Kroc center. Women of any background may attend. The center is at 6845 University Ave. Cost is $5 for non-members and $4 for members. Details: (619) 269-1464.

SOUTH OF HEAVEN

SEAN GARDNER / Getty Images

Churches are embracing hugs, reports Religion News Service. While shaking hands is still the norm in most Catholic parishes, the practice of giving hugs is gaining popularity in other congregations.

“We need that touch,” Ohio sociologist Margaret Paloma says. “It's part of a need we have as human beings, and it isn't easily satisfied in our culture.”

As more people live alone, play alone, even travel alone, they start to suffer from what one pastor says is a “hug deficit.” But even hugging needs to come with a caution. Respect boundaries, religious leaders say. Inappropriate touch should be addressed immediately.

REEL SPIRITUALITY

VeggieTales, the Christian children's video series that uses Bob the Tomato, Larry the Cucumber and other animated vegetables to teach biblical values, has a new DVD coming out this month.

“God Made You Special” combines three previously released stories (“Dave and the Giant Pickle,” “The Gourds Must Be Crazy” and “A Snoodle's Tale”) with a new one (“Bob's Vacation”). Each has a theme about the importance of every individual and appreciating differences.

The DVD goes on sale Aug. 14 for $14.99. In addition to its weekly cartoon series, VeggieTales is planning to release its second feature-length movie early next year. This one will feature a lazy grape, gourd and cucumber as “The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything.”

THE LAST WORD

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: A Protestant denomination organized in the 1980s with the merger of the American Lutheran Church, Lutheran Church in America and Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. It has 4.9 million baptized members, making it the largest group of Lutherans in the United States, and is divided into 65 geographical areas, known as synods. The ELCA's national assembly, with 1,071 voting members, meets next week in Chicago.

 Compiled with input from news services, Web sites, books, magazines and other sources. Write us at re@uniontrib.com or Religion & Ethics, The San Diego Union-Tribune, P.O. Box 120191, San Diego, CA 92112.