Madonna or Esther?

June 21, 2004

VATICAN CITY, Jun 21, 2004 -- A Vatican meeting has singled out Madonna's latest religious curiosity as a potential threat to the faithful, MSNBC reported Monday.

The lapsed-Catholic diva and former Material Girl has recently embraced a mystical form of Judaism called Kabbalah and announced she had taken the hebrew name Esther.

The Vatican has been holding a special summit with Catholic leaders from around the world, hammering out a way to deal with New Age religions and spiritual fads that pose a threat to the historic Christian faith.

Last week that summit singled out "Kabbalah as espoused by Madonna," plus several fad, quasi-Eastern religions.

"In the past, the Pope has criticized Madonna for the contents of her concerts," said cult expert Rick Ross, who has closely followed the activities of the Kabbalah Center. "Now, ironically, it's become a theological issue."