The Curt Jester has been having some fun with the news that the Vatican has started running a flight service.

• You never have to worry that your aircrew includes Pontius Pilot.

Meanwhile, in contrast to those boycotts being promoted by some Protestant churches, the Vatican partners with Israel on tourism.

In a bid to boost Holy Land visitor numbers, Israel's Ministry of Tourism is partnering with the Holy See's new charter flight service for pilgrims.

Ynetnews reports that aim of the venture is to increase the number of Catholic pilgrim visitors to Israel.

Israeli Tourist Bureau manager Suzan Kalgesbrun said that the cooperation was aimed at marketing the flights towards young religious Italians.

As for Protestant boycotts, Dexter van Zile points to the latest Lutheran example of double standards (via Solomonia)

How did ELCA's Churchwide Assembly respond to the events in the Gaza Strip? With a robust condemnation of Palestinian violence? With a ringing expression of disappointment over the failure of Palestinian leaders to take advantage of the opportunity given to them?

Hardly.

Instead, ELCA's Churchwide Assembly passed a “memorial” (resolution) that called on Lutherans to consider going out of their way to buy goods from Palestinian suppliers and to explore the feasibility of “refusing to buy products produced in Israeli settlements.”

As he comments:

Kaufen Nicht Bei Juden! (“Don't Buy From Jews!) has been replaced with a Kaufen Nicht Bei Settlers! (Don't Buy From Settlers!)