Religion & Law

Soros Says `We Have Just Entered Act II? of Crisis

Posted on June 10, 2010
Bloomberg: ?The collapse of the financial system as we know it is real, and the crisis is far from over,? Soros said today at a conference in Vienna. ?Indeed, we have just entered Act II of the drama.? . . .

France: Suspected Muslim polygamist charged with welfare fraud

Posted on June 10, 2010
France 24: "A French Muslim man [Lies Hebbadj] has been formally charged Wednesday for taking welfare benefits to which he wasn't entitled only two months after French Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux accused him of polygamy."

TX: 6-month moratorium on permits in effect in Lake Jackson

Posted on June 10, 2010
The Police News: "Concerned that owners of a sexually oriented businesses turned down by Clute might make their way to Lake Jackson, City Council decided no sexually oriented business can set up shop in the city for the next six months."

55 Chinese websites asked to delete porn content

Posted on June 10, 2010
Hindustan Times: "In a massive crackdown against internet pornography, Chinese authorities have warned 55 websites of tough action if they continue to disseminate porn materials."

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FRC Launches State Legislative Tracking Website

Posted on June 10, 2010
FRC: "A new Web site launched by the Family Research Council - www.frc.org/tracker - tracks state legislation related to issues of importance to families, including religious liberty, abortion, homosexuality, domestic violence, the sanctity of marriage, embryonic research, pornography and education ...

Polarized Vote Advances Nominee for 2nd Circuit

Posted on June 10, 2010
Law.com: The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-7 today to advance the nomination of Judge Robert Chatigny for the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. All but one Democrat voted for the nomination and all Republicans against it, similar to the committee's May 13 vote on the nomination of Goodwin Liu for the 9th Circuit...

Why the Laffer Curve Might Be Wrong Here

Posted on June 10, 2010
James Altucher writes at the Wall Street Journal: "Art Laffer posted an op-ed in the WSJ yesterday explaining that the deferring of taxes increases to Jan. 1, 2011, will cause companies to push profits into 2010, making 2010 appearing very good and making 2011 appear awful, perhaps even creating an economic collapse in 2011...

Arthur Laffer: ?Tax Hikes and the 2011 Economic Collapse: Today?s corporate profits reflect an income shift into 2010. These profits will tumble next year, preceded most likely by the stock market.?

Posted on June 10, 2010
Arthur Leffer writes at the Wall Street Journal: "Consider corporate profits as a share of GDP. Today, corporate profits as a share of GDP are way too high given the state of the U.S. economy. These high profits reflect the shift in income into 2010 from 2011...

Lack of Enforcement of Pornography Laws Contributes to Sexual Violence Against Women

Posted on June 10, 2010
"A briefing for members of Congress and their staffs featuring lead researchers and an ex-porn star's personal experience with pornography."

Amish farming draws rare government scrutiny

Posted on June 10, 2010
New York Times: "[F]armers like Mr. Stoltzfus are facing growing scrutiny for agricultural practices that the federal government sees as environmentally destructive. Their cows generate heaps of manure that easily washes into streams and flows onward into the Chesapeake Bay...

Clyburn says S.C. Dem Senate candidate a ?plant?; calls for probe

Posted on June 10, 2010
The Hill: 'The man nominated as Democrats' candidate for Senate in South Carolina might have been a 'plant,' a high-ranking Democrat suggested Thursday."

Matt Bowman on Point of View Radio: Alaska?s Parental Notification Initiative

Posted on June 10, 2010
ADF attorney Matt Bowman appeared on Point of View Radio to discuss Alaska's Parental Notification Initiative. | MP3 8:25 mins | ADF Media: Alaska Supreme Court upholds petitions for parental notification initiative

Daniel Blomberg on KFUO with Roland Lettner: DADT and the effect of repeal on religious speech

Posted on June 10, 2010
ADF attorney Daniel Blomberg appeared on KFUO with Roland Lettner to discuss DADT and the effect of repeal on religious speech. | MP3: 24:27

Kevin Theriot on the Michael Medved Show: NASA specialist demoted for views on Intelligent Design

Posted on June 10, 2010
ADF attorney Kevin Theriot appeared on the Michael Medved Show to discuss the case of a NASA specialist demoted for his views on Intelligent Design. | MP3 32:52 mins| related ADF Media

Study identifies ?many more? autism genes

Posted on June 10, 2010
BBC: "The largest ever genetic study into autism has identified many more new genes involved in the disorder. Oxford researchers writing in the journal Nature hope now to establish whether genetic tests can help in making early diagnosis."

Conjoined twins locked in battle for life

Posted on June 10, 2010
Chicago Tribune: "The boys, born March 31, have lived longer than doctors predicted, but they are critically ill. Medical experts say they cannot be separated and are not candidates for a heart transplant because of their complicated anatomy. They cannot breathe without a ventilator and are fed through tubes...

State Department: New policy on gender change in passports

Posted on June 10, 2010
"The U.S. Department of State is pleased to use the occasion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Month to announce its new policy guidelines regarding gender change in passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad."

Maryland Court of Appeals: First Amendment forbids restrictions on commercial fortunetelling

Posted on June 10, 2010
How Appealing reports on and links to the decision in Nefedro v. Montgomery Co, MD, No. 84. Excerpt: The petitioner in this case, Nick Nefedro, wishes to open a fortunetelling business in Montgomery County. Montgomery County, however, has an ordinance (?the FortunetellingOrdinance?) that prohibits the acceptance of remuneration for fortunetelling...

Chatigny?s nomination should be withdrawn

Posted on June 10, 2010
Penny Nance of CWA writes at the Washington Times: "Our president, Barack Obama, has decided that a man who actively empathizes with serial killers and rapists, sex offenders and child pornographers should be given a promotion to a lifetime job. Robert Chatigny, a U...

Prop. 8 judge preps for closing arguments

Posted on June 10, 2010
CitizenLink: "U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker has released a list of 39 questions for lawyers to address ahead of next week's closing arguments in the Proposition 8 trial, the challenge to California's law protecting the definition of marriage . . ...

ADF offers to defend challenged Ind. abortion ordinance

Posted on June 10, 2010
Medical News Today: "Allen County commissioners this week will consider whether to allow Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund -- a group of Christian lawyers -- to defend the county in a lawsuit challenging a local ordinance imposing restrictions on abortion providers, the AP/CNBC reports...

?Follow the Islamic way to save the world,? Prince Charles urges environmentalists Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1285332/Follow-Islamic-way-save-world-Charles-urges-environmentalists.html#ixzz0qUnFqIGe

Posted on June 10, 2010
Daily Mail: "Prince Charles yesterday urged the world to follow Islamic 'spiritual principles' in order to protect the environment. In an hour-long speech, the heir to the throne argued that man's destruction of the world was contrary to the scriptures of all religions - but particularly those of Islam...

Belgian patients are being killed without their consent

Posted on June 10, 2010
The Christian Institute: "Terminally ill patients in Belgium are being subjected to euthanasia without their consent, according to a shocking study . . . The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), suggests that almost half of Belgium?s euthanasia deaths may be carried out on patients who have not asked for their lives to be ended...

GOP senators criticize Kagan?s work as court clerk

Posted on June 10, 2010
Boston Globe: "Two senior Republican senators criticized Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan Thursday for memos she wrote as a young law clerk to Justice Thurgood Marshall, saying the papers suggest she lets politics dictate her legal decisions."

NY attorney general warns teen social networking website

Posted on June 10, 2010
CNN: "Parents, beware of Tagged.com, says New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo threatened Thursday to sue the teen-targeted site for exposing children to graphic images of child pornography if it doesn't develop a plan to change the way they monitor and respond to complaints of inappropriate conduct...

Russian children told to ?Pray for the President?

Posted on June 10, 2010
Telegraph: "The prayer written in the cards asks God to send the Archangel Michael 'to help defend Your servants Dmitry and Vladimir from enemies seen and unseen.'"

Mission, then religion, in the federal workspace

Posted on June 10, 2010
Federal News Radio 1500: "Being aware of the theory of 'intelligent design' as a conversation topic in the general populace: good idea. Trying to convince co-workers that your idea is the correct one: bad idea. Doing that while working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California: you might wind up on Federal News Radio...

Legal team challenging Prop 8 calls marriage ban ?institutionalized discrimination?

Posted on June 10, 2010
The Desert Sun: "The legal team challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8 said Thursday that they believed opposing trial witnesses helped buttress their argument that the gay marriage ban 'creates and sanctions discrimination.' Attorneys Theodore Olson and David Boies held a media teleconference this morning, taking questions about the federal challenge to Proposition 8, which had stripped gays and lesbians from their new-found right to marry in California...

Canada: Anglicans fail to resolve same-sex ?marriage? debate

Posted on June 10, 2010
Vancouver Sun: "The Anglican Church of Canada has failed to put the debate over gay marriage to rest once and for all. On the second last day of General Synod, a tri-annual gathering of clergy and lay leadership aimed at setting church policy, members essentially agreed to disagree on the fractious issue that's torn the church apart in recent years...

OH: ?Troy water park?s policy discriminates against gays, ACLU says?

Posted on June 10, 2010
Dayton Daily News: "City officials were mum Wednesday, June 9, on an American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio request that the city consider changing its definition of ?family? in policies for discount membership passes at the Troy Aquatic Park." ACLU: ACLU Urges Troy Aquatic Center to Drop Narrow Definition of Family for Discounted Passes ACLU Letter to Troy

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