Religion/ Spirituality

Vatican City has at least one porn lover on the loose -- someone who's frequently logging on to a popular porn website ... and TMZ has learned there's a good chance it's a woman.

The site is called sssh.com ... which bills itself as porn for "open-minded women who enjoy exploring their sexuality" -- and a rep for the site tells us a routine check of data revealed the IP address of one their members leads back to the Vatican.

We're told the user (or users) visited the site at least once a month for the past year, with November 2013 being an especially busy month ... with 19 visits!

The rep for sssh.com tells TMZ, "It just shows that a healthy interest in erotica is something that can be found anywhere -- even within the Vatican."

The crew for "Flip It Forward" isn't turning the other cheek with HGTV ... telling TMZ they were completely "blindsided" by the network's decision to cancel the show, and send about 20 people to the unemployment line.

As we reported ... HGTV yanked the show -- 4 weeks into production -- after a blog reported hosts, twin brothers David and Jason Benham ... had led prayers at anti-gay protests back in 2012.

Crew members tell us they're pissed at the network -- not the Benham bros -- for laying them off with 5 weeks left to go. We're told many are pissed because they passed up other jobs ... thinking they'd have steady work for a while.

Sources on set say the Benhams were "extremely genuine, nice guys" who never pushed their religious beliefs on anyone ... and even took co-workers to basketball games, bars and dinners.

Twin conservative Christian brothers -- whose HGTV show just got yanked -- say they're being unfairly crucified for their religious beliefs about gays ... but if their faith costs them a TV show then "so be it."

David and Jason Benham got word yesterday HGTV had pulled the plug on their remodeling show, "Flip It Forward" which was set to debut in October. The network didn't give a reason.

The news came after a website reported the brothers were anti-gay activists who had led prayer rallies against homosexuality. Their father is also a prominent anti-abortion crusader.

The Benham brothers tell TMZ ... as Christians, they've never discriminated against people who don't share their views, saying "Anyone who suggests that we hate homosexuals or people of other faiths is either misinformed or lying."

They add ... "With all of the grotesque things that can be seen and heard on television today you would think there would be room for two twin brothers who are faithful to our families, committed to biblical principles, and dedicated professionals."

The Benhams say they've been remodeling the homes of 6 families in Charlotte for the show -- and they plan to finish with or without TV cameras.

Porsha Williams' anti-gay sermon does NOT mean she's getting axed from "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" next season, but she still might be 86'd over that reunion show brawl ... TMZ has learned.

As TMZ previously reported, video from about 3 years ago recently surfaced showing Porsha preaching and rambling about praying for gays, lesbians, and hookers to be saved.

But sources close to Porsha tell TMZ she has not heard one word from Bravo. We're told Bravo is more concerned about the fallout from Porsha's fight with Kenya Moore and the resulting battery charge.

Before Porsha Williams thumped Kenya Moore, she thumped bibles -- ranting from the pulpit about gays and lesbians destined for an eternity in hell.

Video shot roughly 3 years ago at High Praise Christian Center Ministries in GA has just surfaced, showing Porsha preaching and rambling about saving hookers, drug dealers, people who attempt suicide ... and gays and lesbians.

She screams, "We're supposed to try and save them and tell them, ‘You are worthy!'"

She doesn't stop there either ... you gotta see this.

Justin Bieber has once again managed to offend people via social media ... this time posting a photo of himself visiting a controversial Japanese war shrine ... mistaking it for a place of prayer.

Bieber posted (and then quickly deleted) the photo of himself and a friend standing in front of the Yasukuni Shrine, with the caption "Thank you for your blessings."

Bieber removed the photo and tried to explain the snafu later, saying, "While in Japan I asked my driver to pull over for which I saw a beautiful shrine. I was mislead to think the Shrines were only a place of prayer. To anyone I have offended I am extremely sorry. I love you China and I love you Japan."

The Yasukuni Shrine honors those Japanese who died during war ... including several imperial army who committed heinous war crimes. The shrine is a sensitive topic, particualry to the people in China and South Korea.

It was just a year ago Bieber made waves after visiting the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and signing the guest book, "Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber."

Too Short doesn't hate Hitler ... because things worked out and Jews are still alive and well.

We got Short Saturday at The Forum in L.A. and asked the weed enthusiast if the joy of 4/20 was dampened by the fact it's also Hitler's birthday.

Short fired back ... "Hitler got his. He is where he's supposed to be," adding, "What happened was supposed to happen."

He goes on to say in the end the Germans didn't wipe out all the Jews. True enough ... only 6 million.

Three years before Wu-Tang affiliated rapper Andre Johnson (aka Christ Bearer) severed his penis -- he told TMZ all about his obsession with God.

We just dug up the 2011 video -- Johnson appears happy and optimistic, explaining his rap name Christ Bearer stems from God's influence. He told us, "God's everything. God's me. God's you. God is everywhere." He also calls RZA a "genius of life."

One talks about Jesus, the other just looks like him ... but on Palm Sunday, Pope Francis and Jared Leto were joined together through the incredible power of the selfie.

Pope Francis was in St. Peter's Square -- a massive plaza located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City -- greeting fans following a service for more than 100,000 people.

Meanwhile in Jerusalem at Coachella, Leto posed for photos with his many followers during the weekend festival.

All these photos are missing is a donkey and some branches.

Founding KISS drummer Peter Criss insists he's NOT a raging anti-Semite, despite public accusations made by KISS guitarist Paul Stanley.

Stanley unloaded on Criss and another ex-band mate Ace Frehley in his new book "Face the Music: A Life Exposed," accusing the two of chronic anti-Semitic behavior back in the day. Stanley also accuses Criss of being a racist who enjoyed mocking waiters at Chinese restaurants.

But Criss tells TMZ, all of Stanley's claims are bogus.

Criss says he's always been a loving supporter of all religions, including the Jewish faith -- in fact, Criss tells us his favorite aunt was Jewish. He also denies being a racist in any way.

Rapper/pastor Mase put the word out his divorce is off and his marriage -- which has become the backbone of his empire -- is rock solid again. Problem is ... IT'S NOT TRUE.

TMZ has learned ... the divorce is FULL STEAM AHEAD. We broke the story ... Mase filed for divorce back in January and it looked really nasty. He was asking for full custody of the 2 kids he had with wife Twyla. But weeks later he dropped the divorce case.

TMZ did some digging ... and found the day after Mase filed in Atlanta ... Twyla filed for legal separation in San Diego. Mase filed his response by amping things up ... asking for a full-blown divorce.

What's more in Mase's San Diego legal docs ... he claims they've been separated since MAY, 2012. That means for 2 years Mase and Twyla engaged in a giant charade, sermonizing and selling books about marriage while they weren't really together.

NFL legend Rosey Grier is being sued for allegedly sexually assaulting his female neighbor -- who claims the 81-year-old shoved his hands down her pants and groped her genitals ... this according to legal docs obtained by TMZ Sports.

Mase intends to keep preaching in his church ... while he's rapping about extramarital sex -- and it's all part of his plan to spread the word of God to the hip-hop community ... a plan sparked by Michael Jackson's death.

TMZ broke the story ... worshipers at Mase's Atlanta church think he's turned his back on his congregation to go back to laying down sinful tracks like "Tricky Situation" ... with lyrics like: "I get the honey moaning, you marry her. She said she comin' home, don't you hurry her."

But sources close to Mase say he doesn't see any issue doing both jobs ... because he's really using his street cred to infiltrate hip-hop and ultimately plans to bring rappers closer to Christ.

Like a "Mission: Impossible" agent ... for Jesus.

Churchgoers tell us Mase has said his renewed spiritual calling was motivated by Michael Jackson's death -- and he feels he could have saved MJ if he'd been around to council him.

We don't know if anyone in church is buying this, but it's what Mase is preaching.

Pastor/rapper Mase is a fake who has committed blasphemy by using the holiness of the church to advance his very unholy rap agenda ... so claim many of the worshipers at his house of worship.

Some of the worshipers tell TMZ ... they believe Mase is living a double life, spending as much time in the studio with hardcore rappers as in the church. And they say his messages from the pulpit drip in hypocrisy, because what he raps about is exactly the opposite.

One of the things that set parishioners off ... the TMZ story that Mase -- who built both his church and his fortune on his marriage -- secretly filed for divorce in January and then withdrew the legal docs a few weeks later.

Some of the parishioners tell us Mase has been going on and on about the virtues of marriage even after the TMZ post, never addressing his own failures ... and they're fed up.

There's talk now about refusing to fund the church ... that's how bad things have become.

And something new to piss off worshipers ... Mase is featured on a new song -- "Tricky Situation" -- about a man who brags about banging a woman who's already engaged.

Former "American Idol" star Syesha Mercado dropped her manager like a bad habit as soon she landed a big gig doing "The Book of Mormon" ... allegedly stiffing him out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Mercado -- who finished third on Season 7 -- is being sued by former manager Fred Crawford, who picked her up as a client not too long after her stint on "Idol."

Crawford claims Mercado agreed to fork over 20% of whatever she made in the entertainment industry. Crawford says he helped her land the "Book of Mormon" deal ... for which she earned $40,000 a month.

But Crawford claims right after the ink dried Mercado cut off all communication and never paid him a cent. He's suing for his "Mormon" cut -- roughly $300,000.

Crawford has a big problem ... the deal, he says, was never committed to writing.