Religion & Law

Philippine court overturns ban on ?gay? political party

Posted on April 27, 2010
Amnesty International: "The Commission on Elections in the Philippines had initially refused to recognize Ang Ladlad (in English: Coming Out) as an official political party last November because in the Commission's view the party tolerated 'immorality' and offended both Christians and Muslims...

UK: Doc invites prosecution over assisted suicide

Posted on April 27, 2010
Christian Institute: "A retired British doctor has invited England?s top prosecutor to charge him for assisting a suicide, but critics fear the case is part of a wider campaign to change the law."

Germany: CDU chastens new Muslim minister for mooting school crucifix ban

Posted on April 27, 2010
The Local: "Just one day before taking her post, Lower Saxony?s new Social Minister Aygül Özkan has apologised to her fellow Christian Democrats for starting a heated political debate by suggesting that crucifixes don?t belong in German public schools...

The ACLU Has a History of Advocating Disparate Treatment for Intelligent Design

Posted on April 27, 2010
Casey Luskin writes at the Discovery Institute: "So the ACLU opposes advocating ID in public schools (because supposedly it?s religion), but would endorse attacking ID by discussing ?flaws or weaknesses in intelligent design? in public schools. Using their own phraseology, they would support teaching 'flaws or weaknesses' of a 'specific religious viewpoint...

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Lap-dance bosses ready for potential European court battle over ?sex establishment? tag

Posted on April 27, 2010
This is Cornwall: "The battle to classify lap-dancing clubs as 'sex establishments' could end in European courts after a Westcountry businessman said changing licensing laws would be in convention of his human rights."

Malaysia: Government says no to sex education

Posted on April 27, 2010
Malaysian National News Agency: "Sex education will not be taught as a specific subject in schools as it has been imparted through other subjects, the Dewan Negara was told Tuesday."

More People Figuring Out that Law School?s a Bad Value

Posted on April 27, 2010
George Leef writes at the National Review Phi Beta Cons: "More people are figuring out something I've been saying for years: Law school is a bad value. Here's a Chicago Tribune blog post discussing the point. Earning a law degree takes three years and costs around $150,000...

CT: Rell?s judicial nominations move forward

Posted on April 27, 2010
Boston Globe (AP): "Minority members of a Connecticut legislative panel have agreed to allow a vote on Gov. M. Jodi Rell's Superior Court judge nominees, who are all white."

Lesbian to Lead Service Employees International Union

Posted on April 27, 2010
Advocate.com: "Mary Kay Henry, the out lesbian head of the California nurses? union, has been selected to lead the Service Employees International Union, which represents 2.2 million workers in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico."

Wash. income tax initiative to include ?gay? couples

Posted on April 27, 2010
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Supporters of an initiative campaign to tax the earnings of couples making more than $400,000 annually want to make sure the state's domestic partners are taxed at the same rate as married couples."

Pelosi plans vote this year on normalization of homosexuality in the military

Posted on April 27, 2010
DC Agenda: "U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is planning to hold a vote this year in her chamber of Congress for ?Don?t Ask, Don?t Tell? repeal, according to her office . . . "

?New York Times finds more gay abusers?

Posted on April 27, 2010
Catholic League: "Because there isn't a whole lot more to this story, it just underscores our accusation that the point is to cast doubt on the pope's commitment to ending abuse. In other words, this is pure politics. Nonetheless, the story contains some unintended chestnuts...

Federal court says school district was wrong on Christian flyer distribution

Posted on April 27, 2010
Evangelical Examiner: "Back in November 2009, attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund filed a lawsuit on behalf of a student, against the Bridgeton Board of Education after officials at Bridgeton High School prohibited her from expressing a religious viewpoint on the 6th annual Pro-life Day of Silent Solidarity ...

TV for tots: Not what you remember

Posted on April 27, 2010
"These days the personal is the political, even on children's television. Not content to simply teach lessons about the alphabet or sharing, nearly every show has a worldview or a message to push . . . The men on kids' shows tend to be either aged, and hence harmless, or young, and vaguely effete...

Jordan Lorence: Is Justice Kennedy writing the Mojave Cross decision?

Posted on April 27, 2010
ADF Attorney Jordan Lorence writing at speakupmovement.org/university: "Is Justice Anthony Kennedy writing the decision in Salazar v. Buono, the case concerning an Establishment Clause challenge to the cross built on federal land in the Mojave Desert? How will this case impact the First Amendment rights of students on university campuses, and the ability of the universities to acknowledge our nation?s religious heritage?"

DOD, Senate at loggerheads on Fort Hood case

Posted on April 27, 2010
AP: "The Obama administration said Tuesday it will provide some but not all the materials a Senate committee wants on last year's Fort Hood shooting rampage, setting up a potential legal showdown with Congress . . . "

Hastings: Groups can pretend to be Christians

Posted on April 27, 2010
ADF Attorney Casey Mattox writing at speakupmovement.org: "It is simply absurd to tell groups that they can require people to act like they share the group?s views but not to limit its leadership to those who do actually share its views."

TN: Sevierville mulls prayer suit options

Posted on April 27, 2010
The Mountain Press: "As a Washington-based legal group prepares to launch a First Amendment lawsuit against the county, officials here have already started weighing their legal options, having talked to an organization that defends in such actions. Though there has been no agreement with the Alliance Defense Fund, County Mayor Larry Waters confirms he?s met with representatives from the agency to get a little guidance on a church and state debate that has embroiled local officials...

Christian Legal Society case reflects conflict between secular and religious morality

Posted on April 27, 2010
JURIST: "Brad Tuipi [Allied attorney, Alliance Defense Fund]: 'Christian Legal Society v. Martinez is another example of the conflict between secular morality and religious morality. In secular morality, homosexuality is a wholesome lifestyle choice and should not be the subject of criticism or discrimination...

Judge: Hampton owes beach preachers $35K in legal fees

Posted on April 27, 2010
SeacoastOnline: "A federal judge has ordered the town to pay $35,000 in legal fees incurred by a pair of street preachers to defend themselves against their wrongful arrests, in addition to a $5,000 settlement to each and annulment of their arrest records ...

Letter asks city officials to observe the National Day of Prayer

Posted on April 27, 2010
CitizenLink: "[Mike Johnson], an attorney with ADF, said letters to city officials were designed to allay any fears. 'Local observances of the National Day of Prayer are both lawful and appropriate, particularly since the event simply provides an opportunity for all Americans to pray voluntarily according to their own faith...

Law school policy labeled ?crazy?

Posted on April 27, 2010
OneNewsNow: "[Casey Mattox], an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, attended the Supreme Court proceedings. 'It certainly takes a particularly ridiculous policy like that of UC Hastings to have justices willing to say from the bench that these policies just make no sense at all,' he observes...

Mistresses are French way of life says accused polygamist

Posted on April 27, 2010
Telegraph: "A Muslim Frenchman accused of polygamy defended himself on Monday by saying that keeping mistresses was the French way of life."

Okla. Senate overrides abortion restriction vetoes

Posted on April 27, 2010
'The Oklahoma Senate has voted to override Gov. Brad Henry's vetoes of two abortion bills, meaning the bills become law without his signature . . . "

Distinguished military chaplains announce opposition to overturning ?Don?t Ask, Don?t Tell? law

Posted on April 27, 2010
"Alliance Defense Fund Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence and Family Research Council President and Marine veteran Tony Perkins will join veteran military chaplains at a press conference Wednesday in Washington, D.C. The event will announce the release of a letter to President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert M...

?Tory candidate Philip Lardner suspended for gay comment?

Posted on April 27, 2010
BBC: "Conservative election candidate Philip Lardner has been suspended for describing gay people on his website as 'not normal', the party has said."

Tape of Abortion Center Failing to Report Sexual Abuse Goes to Kentucky Officials

Posted on April 27, 2010
LifeNews: "Commonwealth's Attorney R. David Stengel, State Attorney General Jack Conway, and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services all received copies of the tape . . . "

Recess Appointments to Art. III Courts, 1789?2004

Posted on April 27, 2010
John Elwood writes at the Volokh Conspiracy: "In connection with those opps, Bristow Fellow Ileana Ciobanu and I compiled this list using DOJ and Federal Judicial Center records of all the judges who had been given recess appointments to Article III courts ...

Turning a culture of debt into a culture of thrift

Posted on April 27, 2010
APB: "Hard work, thrift and philanthropy seem counter-cultural in a time and place where debt is pervasive, with individuals, families, companies and even the government borrowing increasing amounts of money. Churches can offer American culture the gift of stewardship, Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission Director Suzii Paynter said ...

Canada to get its first porn channel

Posted on April 27, 2010
Hollywood Reporter: "The latest news from Canadian TV is that the country's first pay TV porn channel is going to air Oct. 28."

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