Religion & Law

Court won?t hear appeal on Boy Scouts land rental

Posted on May 03, 2010
AP: "The Supreme Court on Monday decided to let stand a ruling saying the Boy Scouts cannot lease city-owned parkland in San Diego because the group is a religious organization."

Chile: ?Gay rights in schools at forefront?

Posted on May 03, 2010
The Santiago Times: "Students of all sexual orientation need to know they are not alone, say activists who came together for Chile?s first forum on education and sexual diversity. The forum was held Wednesday afternoon at the National Library in Santiago for teachers, secondary school and university students, and was sponsored by Chile?s gay rights group, MOVILH...

U.S. sees foreign ties in NY car bomb plot: report

Posted on May 03, 2010
Reuters: "The failed car bomb in New York's Times Square increasingly appears to have been coordinated by several people in a plot with international ties, The Washington Post reported on Monday, citing unnamed Obama administration officials."

MA: Challenge to federal marriage law heads to court

Posted on May 03, 2010
Associated Press: "A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a federal law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman is slated for its first court hearing."

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9th Circuit: Muslim woman loses hijab removal ruling

Posted on May 03, 2010
Courthouse News Service: "A split 9th Circuit panel rejected the claims of a Muslim woman who said she suffered a 'deeply humiliating and defiling experience' when she was forced to remove her headscarf for security reasons at the Orange County Superior Courthouse ...

Washington Co., Utah school district caves to ACLU pressure on ?gay-straight? alliances

Posted on May 03, 2010
ACLU: "Under pressure from the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah Foundation, Inc. (ACLU), the Washington County School District (WCSD) agreed last month to implement and enforce district-wide revisions to its policies for forming non-curricular student clubs...

Wisconsin loses round in stem cell patent battle

Posted on May 03, 2010
Pioneer Press: "Consumer groups challenging a key patent covering embryonic stem cell research pioneered at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have won an appeal overturning an earlier rejection of their claims."

Iraq: Car bomb targets Christian student?s bus near Mosul

Posted on May 03, 2010
Spero News: "Another targeted attack on the Christian minority. Iraqi police said the two attacks took place yesterday in the north, where the community decimated by years of religious persecution now live en masse. The attackers used a car bomb and improvised explosive device, detonated by the passage of buses carrying students residing in the town of Hamdaniya, 40 km east of Mosul...

Pakistani Muslims severely beat, sodomize Christian barber

Posted on May 03, 2010
Compass Direct:"A Christian barber in this Punjab Province city is still recovering from broken bones and other injuries sustained earlier this month after eight Muslims allegedly beat and sodomized him for cutting the beard of a Muslim . . . Police have refused to file a First Information Report against Cheema and his accomplices, who all remained at large at press time...

White House signals Supreme Court nomination may come this week

Posted on May 03, 2010
Blog of the Legal Times: "After sending out signals late last week that President Barack Obama was still some distance away from making a decision, the White House today indicated that an announcement of a new Supreme Court nominee may come this week ...

FL: Two shot outside Pinellas Park strip club

Posted on May 03, 2010
Tampabay.com: "Detectives are looking for a man who shot two people outside a strip club early Monday. A 20-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman were shot after a fight broke out in the parking lot of Bottoms Up Gentlemen's Club, 8804 66th St. N, deputies said ...

?Hawaii lawmaker comes out amid civil unions push?

Posted on May 03, 2010
GayPolitics.com: "Hawaii State Rep. Blake Oshiro has never before talked to the media about his own sexual orientation, but Friday he broke his silence . . . "

Liberty Counsel Sues Santa Rosa School District for Hostility to Religious Expression

Posted on May 03, 2010
Liberty Counsel: "The lawsuit is being filed on behalf of two dozen individuals . . . all of whom have been silenced, censored, intimidated or harassed by the school district and its partner, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). As a result of a legal agreement, students can no longer say 'God Bless,' ...

Planned Parenthood Sees Increase in Profits During the Obama Administration

Posted on May 03, 2010
FRC Blog: ". . . In fiscal year 2008, the nonprofit claimed revenue of $85,758,316. In fiscal year 2009, that amount increased to $106,357,796 . . ."

Kenya to accommodate Islamic finance

Posted on May 03, 2010
The Standard: "Kenya has made adjustments to its banking sector to let Islamic finance institutions set up and prosper, the governor of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) said on Monday."

Iraqi Christians may seek legislation to regulate family matters

Posted on May 03, 2010
Radio Free Europe: "William Ward, the chairman of the Iraqi human rights organization Hammurabi, told RFE/RL that the Christian groups in Iraq are considering a campaign for separate legislation that would establish standards more in line with Christianity in such matters as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and child custody...

NJ: State Dems react to Christie?s Supreme Court decision

Posted on May 03, 2010
NorthJersey.com: "State Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) said Monday he was disappointed that Governor Christie 'decided to inject 'rank politics' into into the historic independence of the state's judiciary' by not reappointing Justice John Wallace to the Supreme Court...

U.S. Supreme Court closes front entrance, by 7-2 vote

Posted on May 03, 2010
Reuters: "Starting Tuesday, visitors will no longer be able to enter the building through the front doors at the top of 44 marble steps on the plaza directly across from the U.S. Capitol."

Mass. gets new anti-bullying law in suicides? wake

Posted on May 03, 2010
Boston Globe (AP): "The governor of Massachusetts has signed a bill cracking down on school bullies and requiring teachers to report bullying to principals."

ACLU Asks Chesterfield County Schools to Steer Clear of Controversial High School Bible Course

Posted on May 03, 2010
ACLU:  "The ACLU of Virginia has asked the Textbook Review Committee of Chesterfield County Public Schools to drop from consideration a controversial Bible study course that may unconstitutionally promote religious beliefs in public schools.  The course, entitled The Bible in History and Literature and produced by the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, was the target of an ACLU lawsuit in Texas in 2007 that resulted in a local school board agreeing not to use it ...

Joe Martins: San Jose State University chooses sex over life & liberty

Posted on May 03, 2010
ADF Attorney Joe Martins writing at speakupmovement.org/university: "This month, San Jose State University President, Jon Whitmore, decided to continue a two year old policy of suspending all blood drives on campus. The reason? Because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bans men who have had sex with other men (MSM) from donating blood...

Financial Intrigue in Greece: Should We Care?

Posted on May 03, 2010
Mark W. Hendrickson writes at the Grove City College Center for Vision and Values: "Should Americans care about all this? Not long ago, the euro was being touted as a possible competitor with the dollar for global foreign currency reserves. Not today...

Greg Baylor: A Response to Profs. Amar and Brownstein re CLS v. Martinez

Posted on May 03, 2010
ADF Attorney Gregory S. Baylor writing at speakupmovement.org/university: "Professors Vik Amar and Alan Brownstein of UC Davis law school have written a column on CLS v. Martinez. In that column, they (1) raise questions about the ramifications of a victory for CLS; and (2) take issue with certain of CLS?s viewpoint discrimination arguments...

MO: Time running out for bill regulating adult businesses

Posted on May 03, 2010
Joplin Globe: "Southwest Missouri residents who have been battling an adult video store and spa near Sarcoxie want action this week on legislation that would regulate sexually oriented businesses in the state. A bill has been passed by the Missouri Senate and is set for final action in the House...

NC: Video gambling again on the table for lawmakers

Posted on May 03, 2010
WRAL: "Four years after the General Assembly thought it had banned video poker gambling machines, the House and Senate could consider in the upcoming legislative session whether to try to ban an alternate form of the games or find a more profitable way to live with them...

GA: Atlanta still a hub for child prostitution

Posted on May 03, 2010
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Federal law enforcement considers Atlanta a hub for child prostitution even after more than a decade of efforts to stamp it out. Advocates contend at least 400 minors prostitute themselves in Georgia, mostly in metro Atlanta, with many turning to this lifestyle at 14 or younger...

United States to show some of its nuclear hand

Posted on May 03, 2010
AP: "U.S. officials say the Obama administration is expected to release a more precise accounting of the Pentagon's nuclear arsenal Monday."

Philippines presses for tough international action vs cyber child porn

Posted on May 03, 2010
GMA News: "The Philippines is pressing the international community to forge new agreements against cyber child pornography, a delegation said in a report to the United Nations crime prevention congress in Brazil."

Report Exposes Unacceptable Risks of Changing Pentagon?s Homosexual Exclusion Policy

Posted on April 30, 2010
Christian Newswire: "A change in policy would put our soldiers in a confrontation with another deadly enemy -- not the homosexuals themselves, but the health problems and life-threatening diseases associated with their lifestyles," says Cliff Kincaid, the veteran journalist who heads the public policy group, America's Survival, Inc...

VA: License plate battle finally comes to end

Posted on April 30, 2010
Sun Gazette: "As expected, the state Senate and House of Delegates on April 21 concurred with recommendations made by Gov. McDonnell on legislation establishing new specialty license plates. Lawmakers adopted the governor?s recommendations by a 38-0 vote in the Senate and 78-7 vote in the House of Delegates...

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