Coffin riding

Steve Irwin has been dead for two weeks, and already the ghouls are jumping on his coffin.

In a spectacularly loathsome stunt, a church in Australia is claiming that Steve Irwin "came to Christ" two weeks before he died.

Irwin was private about his faith (or lack thereof). He did have a ceremony where members of the Buddhist faith blessed his children shortly after they were born, and he did remark, often, on his work with "god's creatures", but he was also an outspoken opponent of so-called "intelligent design theory" and regularly talked about the value of teaching real science, especially to children.

This, I guess, led to his life becoming a worthy target for the "everyone believes in god whether they admit it or not" gang, and, true to form, they started this rumour.

Frankly, I don't care. Irwin brought joy to millions, advanced the cause of conservation beyond everyone's - except, I'll bet, his own - wildest dreams, enlightened and entertained us beyond measure.

But the fact that some people who are allegedly devoted to The Bible are prepared to lie about him raises my hackles.