The CNN Belief Blog continues to blaze a vapid trail of inanity through the wilderness of insanity called religion. They have just published 11 faith-based predictions for 2011. Why? I don’t know.

To open 2011, CNN’s Belief Blog asked 10 religious leaders and experts – plus one secular humanist – to make a faith-based prediction about the year ahead.

Have a faithy prediction of your own? Share it in comments.

Here’s what those in the know are predicting:

Wait, what? “Those in the know”? Don’t they mean “those who don’t know, but believe really, really hard”?

What follows is a lot of empty noise and wishful thinking. Some of it is pretty funny, though, like the first prediction:

With the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” there will be a more concerted effort by the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community for gay marriage, uniting conservative evangelicals, Roman Catholics, Muslims and Orthodox Jews in a much more civil but principled resistance. Respectful debate will produce more precise and pluralistic solutions.

-Dr. Joel C. Hunter, senior pastor of Northland, a Church Distributed, in Orlando, Florida

Clearly, Mr Hunter is not a member of the evidence-based community, because if history is any guide, a political decision promoting greater tolerance will be followed by more shrill, lunatic posturing for extremist positions by the rabid religious right.

The rest are just as self-serving and unfounded — I really don’t know why they bothered. I guess CNN is just following the money like the tabloids do; they might as well throw in an article that asks a bunch of famous psychics to make predictions for 2011. It’s all the same.