Religion & Law

Malta: First ?openly gay? MP to Parliament

Posted on April 27, 2010
Malta Today: "The Nationalist Party?s executive committee yesterday elected the first openly gay MP to Parliament to replace Michael Frendo, who was appointed Speaker to replace Louis Galea, who in turn took up a post with the European Court of Auditors...

Hawaii civil union advocates aim to bolster lawmakers? support

Posted on April 27, 2010
Honolulu Advertiser: "Gay rights activists are trying to give state lawmakers political cover by showing that prominent people in the community support civil unions. Activists are circulating a photo booklet of hundreds of people who back civil unions ? from former Gov...

Survey: 72% of Millennials ?more spiritual than religious?

Posted on April 27, 2010
"If the trends continue, 'the Millennial generation will see churches closing as quickly as GM dealerships,' says Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources. In the group's survey of 1,200 18- to 29-year-olds, 72% say they're 'really more spiritual than religious...

Switzerland: Dignitas bosses face jail after 300 urns discovered in lake

Posted on April 27, 2010
The Sun: "Bosses of Swiss suicide firm Dignitas were facing jail today after the discovery of up to 300 urns containing human remains in a lake. British 'suicide tourist' ashes are believed to be in some of the caskets found at the bottom of Lake Zurich by police divers...

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Italy: Same-sex kissing photo show ban in Bergamo

Posted on April 27, 2010
ANSA: "Photographs of same-sex couples kissing designed to tackle homophobia are at the centre of a row in this northern Italian city, after Bergamo authorities decided they could not be displayed in public."

Maryland: Parents protest decision on ?gay? websites

Posted on April 27, 2010
ABC 2: "Earlier this year the county school board 'un-blocked' several web sites that provide information about the gay and lesbian lifestyle. That's sparked complaints and protests from some parents, who say they should have been consulted before the change was made ...

NH Senate to consider repealing ?blue laws?

Posted on April 27, 2010
Associated Press: "The New Hampshire Senate is voting this week whether to repeal the state's archaic 'blue laws' restricting business activity on Sunday. The unenforced laws date to 1883 and limit business activity 'except works of necessity and mercy' to repair mills and factories that couldn't wait...

AL: School-led band prayer claimed at Oxford high; not so, say officials

Posted on April 27, 2010
Anniston Star: "In a faxed letter sent to Oxford Superintendent Jeff Goodwin April 23, the national nonprofit Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, claimed Oxford High band director Chris Pennington was violating students? religious freedoms ? protected under the First Amendment ? and demanded the problem be corrected immediately...

Center for Reproductive Rights Files Lawsuit against Oklahoma?s Ultrasound Requirement

Posted on April 27, 2010
Ctr. for Reproductive Rights: "Today, the Center for Reproductive Rights filed a challenge against Oklahoma legislation which prohibits a woman from getting an abortion unless she first has an ultrasound, is shown the ultrasound image and listens to her doctor describe the image in detail...

SC House members a no-show on abortion bill

Posted on April 27, 2010
Daily Comet (AP): "South Carolina legislators say they'll try again next week to discuss a bill that would require women seeking an abortion to wait at least a day before having the procedure. A committee of House and Senate members were set to meet Tuesday to hash out differences in legislation passed by each chamber...

Abortion does not bring healing after rape, maintains Mexican woman who chose life

Posted on April 27, 2010
CNA: "In an interview with Mexican columnist Sergio Sarmiento, Lianna Rebolledo, who was raped at the age of 13 but chose to carry her child to term, explained that 'abortion is not the solution' to an unplanned pregnancy, even 'in cases such as rape...

The birthday of Adam Smith?s ?The Theory of Moral Sentiments?

Posted on April 27, 2010
Christian Science Monitor: "Smith's breakthrough was to see ethics as an issue of social psychology. It was not something inherent in actions themselves that made them good or bad. It was how they affected other people, and how other people reacted to them...

NY: Thousands Protest Obama?s Stance On Israel

Posted on April 27, 2010
WPIX.com (4/25): "Thousands of Jews gathered outside the Israeli Consulate Sunday to protest President Obama's position towards Israel."

Faith Groups to Protest Bank of America, Wells Fargo

Posted on April 27, 2010
Christian Post: "The first protest will take place in San Francisco on Tuesday. Demonstrators will march through San Francisco?s financial district and arrive at Wells Fargo?s annual shareholder meeting to demand changes from the bank?s top executives and call for an end to practices that hurt the average American while benefiting those responsible for the economic crisis ...

?Openly gay man nominated to fed appeals court?

Posted on April 27, 2010
Keen News Service: "In an historic move, President Obama this month nominated an openly gay person, Edward DuMont, to a federal appeals court judgeship?the first such openly gay nomination at that level. He also becomes the first openly gay man to be nominated to a federal judgeship...

Contempt order looms in Prop 8 trial

Posted on April 27, 2010
Keen News Service: "U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker issued a warning on Sunday afternoon to Equality California and the ACLU, giving them 48 hours to turn over documents sought by the proponents of Proposition 8. If the groups fail to comply, they will be held in contempt of court and fined $2,000 per day each, according to the order...

UT: Four St. George high schools allow ?gay? clubs

Posted on April 27, 2010
Salt Lake Tribune: "With a little nudge from the American Civil Liberties Union, four St. George high schools have approved Gay-Straight Alliance clubs for the first time. Starting in fall 2010, Desert Hills, Dixie, Pine View and Snow Canyon high schools will have after-school forums specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students, along with their straight friends and allies...

David French: First Amendment News

Posted on April 27, 2010
ADF Attorney David French writing at Phi Beta Cons: "Even as the Supreme Court holds the fate of student free association in its hands, recent days have seen some positive developments for free speech on campus, including a judge (potentially) giving administrators an involuntary spinal transplant, and a reaffirmation of classic First Amendment protections from an unlikely quarter...

Louisiana Senate panel rejects ?gay? adoption expansion

Posted on April 27, 2010
Times-Picayune: "Lengthy and passionate testimony in the Senate Judiciary A Committee today ended with a 3-1 party line rejection of a measure that would have expanded gay adoption in Louisiana. Senate Bill 129, which ended up as a combination of two measures by Sens...

China chafes at its sexual liberalization

Posted on April 27, 2010
New York Times: "In 1978, when China began its bold, capitalist-style economic and social experiment known as Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, attitudes toward sex began changing fast, along with almost everything else . . . Swinging is just one of a slew of controversial habits arising from China?s sexual liberalization...

TN: Small group of ministers rally to support Leon ?gay-rights? ordinance

Posted on April 27, 2010
Tallahassee Democrat: "Nearly 20 local clergy members and others stood in front of the Leon County Courthouse Monday to show support for revisions to Leon County's human-rights code that's designed to prevent discrimination . . . Leon County commissioners will vote tonight on allowing the proposed ordinance to move forward as it is currently written...

SC legislators to debate 24-hour wait for abortion

Posted on April 27, 2010
WRDW.com: "South Carolina legislators will try to reach a compromise on a bill to require women seeking an abortion to wait at least a day after getting an ultrasound or reviewing information on the procedure."

Philippines: NTC tightens measures vs child pornography

Posted on April 27, 2010
Manila Bulletin: "In a circular, Internet service providers (ISPs) or network providers must now report to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) within seven days any form of child pornography being committed using their servers or facilities...

ND: Moorhead City Council to draft domestic partnership ordinance

Posted on April 27, 2010
INFORUM: "After a procession of people spoke in favor of a domestic partnership registry, the Moorhead City Council on Monday directed staff to draft an ordinance similar to one that established a registry in Duluth, Minn., last year."

CA: Hindu prayer to open Lincoln City Council meet

Posted on April 26, 2010
Lincoln News Messenger: "Hindu leader Rajan Zed will deliver invocation from Sanskrit scriptures before Lincoln City Council on this day. After Sanskrit delivery, he then will read the English translation of the prayer. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages...

America?s Founders on Prayer and the National Day of Prayer

Posted on April 26, 2010
Mark David Hall writes at the Christian Post: "When the First Continental Congress convened in 1774, Thomas Cushing encouraged the delegates to begin their proceedings with prayer. John Jay and John Rutledge questioned the practicality of doing so given the different denominations represented in Congress...

Finland considering marriage redefinition

Posted on April 26, 2010
365Gay.com reports that Finland's parliament may redefine marriage as early as next year.

OK: Lawmakers Work To Override Veto

Posted on April 26, 2010
KOCO.com: "State lawmakers say they will try to override Gov. Brad Henry's veto of two abortion bills." Related: Oklahoma Governor Henry Vetoes Bill to Give Women Ultrasound Before Abortion

Georgia NAACP Withdraws Support for Bill Stopping Abortions Based on Race

Posted on April 26, 2010
LifeNews: "The Georgia chapter of the NAACP has withdrawn its support for a bill advancing in the state legislature that would ban abortions done specifically because the child is African-American. Although the civil rights organization opposes racial discrimination, that apparently doesn't extend to abortions...

High Court faces blockbuster cases as Stevens? retirement nears

Posted on April 26, 2010
Law.com: "This is the final week of argument for the U.S. Supreme Court with four cases left on the docket and dozens more still to be decided. The week also marks the last time Justice John Paul Stevens is expected to hear arguments with his fellow justices ...

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