Religion & Law

Freedom of speech could be threatened by Scottish law

Posted on April 14, 2010
The Christian Institute: "Scots are facing a massive threat to their freedom of speech and religious liberty in the form of a controversial amendment to the Scottish Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has brought an amendment which could make 'threatening, alarming or distressing behaviour' a crime with a prison sentence of up to five years...

Looking back, looking forward: Pro-life strategy and jurisprudence for the 21st Century

Posted on April 14, 2010
Americans United for Life: "Last Friday, Advocates for Life, AUL?s new initiative for pro-life law students across the country, in conjunction with Columbia Law Students for Life, sponsored a daylong legal symposium, 'Looking Back, Looking Forward: Pro-life Strategy and Jurisprudence for the 21st Century' ...

Sevier County Commission candidates respond to questions

Posted on April 14, 2010
The Mountain Press interviews several candidates for the Sevier County Commission: "GREG BULLOCK: There is never a place for compromise when it comes to issues regarding the Lord and prayer. That is the foundation we were built on long ago. As for money being spent there is a fund called The Alliance Defense Fund...

A Christian now? No promotion for you!

Posted on April 14, 2010
WorldNetDaily: "Dr. Mike Adams was on the academic fast track while serving the University of North Carolina-Wilmington as an atheist, but after the professor converted to Christianity in 2000, he alleges, the college put the clamps on his career . . ...

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France condemns Vatican for blaming ?gay priests?

Posted on April 14, 2010
"'This is an unacceptable linkage and we condemn this,' said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bernard Valero."

Suit against pro-marriage counselor is dropped

Posted on April 14, 2010
CitizenLink: "Maine school counselor Don Mendell has been cleared of complaints that he violated his professional ethics by appearing in a political ad in favor of one-man, one-woman marriage . . . 'It was somebody who said that it's discrimination,' [Jordan Lorence] said, 'for a social worker to make a public statement in favor of marriage defined as one man, one woman...

ADF attorneys available to keep students from being silenced on Day of Truth

Posted on April 14, 2010
ttorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund are prepared to offer free legal assistance to students whose First Amendment-protected rights are violated while participating in Thursday?s ?Day of Truth.?

Complaints dismissed against Maine counselor for supporting true marriage

Posted on April 14, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "A state licensing board in Maine Friday dismissed two complaints filed against public school counselor Don Mendell for publicly supporting marriage as being between a man and a woman . . . 'The government should not punish people because they believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman and because they say so during a political campaign,' said ADF Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence...

Teacher cleared in ME ?gay marriage? probe

Posted on April 14, 2010
Baptist Press: "A Maine licensing board has dismissed all complaints against a high school counselor who came under fire last year for appearing in a TV commercial opposing 'gay marriage' . . . 'The government should not punish people because they believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman and because they say so during a political campaign,' ADF attorney Jordan Lorence said in a statement...

Officials hiding report showing how Obama Administration wrongly tracked abortion groups

Posted on April 14, 2010
LifeNews: "The Wisconsin state Justice Department will not release a report revealing more details about how the Obama administration improperly conducted a threat assessment on pro-life and pro-abortion groups in Wisconsin . . . In response to an open records request by the Alliance Defense Fund and Pro-Life Wisconsin, the Middleton Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Justice, along with the Department of Homeland Security all refused on February 4 to release copies of the threat assessment...

ADF brief: ?You can say the Pledge in public schools?

Posted on April 14, 2010
"If you?re a student in New Hampshire?s public schools, you will not be allowed to recite the Pledge of Allegiance with the words 'under God' if the Freedom From Religion Foundation has its way in an appeal being heard at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit...

FRENCH: Big government crushes Christians

Posted on April 14, 2010
"Massive government means government control, the strings attached to money, to participation and even to expression as the government goes beyond the original purpose of its multitude of programs and attempts to alter social outcomes, favor certain viewpoints and - most ominously - suppress others ...

Vatican under fire for linking ?gays? to sex abuse scandal

Posted on April 14, 2010
"Gay groups and politicians condemned Pope Benedict's number two on Wednesday for calling homosexuality a "pathology" and linking it directly to sexual abuse of children . . ."

Calif. city may face legal action over prayer vote

Posted on April 14, 2010
Google News (AP): "Peter Eliasberg, managing attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said Wednesday the ACLU is considering taking Lancaster to court if the prayers keep singling out Christianity over other religions . ...

FFRF insists Milwaukee abide by Good Friday court ruling

Posted on April 14, 2010
Freedom from Religion Foundation: "The city of Milwaukee illegally closed administrative offices, municipal courts and public libraries and stopped garbage and recycling pickup on Good Friday, the Freedom From Religion Foundation said in an April 13 letter to Mayor Tom Barrett ...

Fla. Legislature revives voucher amendment

Posted on April 14, 2010
First Amendment Ctr. (AP): "A constitutional proposal designed to protect religious school vouchers and other state-funded faith-based programs from legal attack is being revived by the Florida Legislature a year and a half after the state Supreme Court took a similar measure off the ballot ...

Church-state issue clouds Ind. schools? conversion

Posted on April 14, 2010
Google News (AP): "A plan to create what could be the first U.S. public charter schools run by a Roman Catholic archdiocese is meeting resistance from those who worry about whether religious messages and icons will really stay out of the classrooms and hallways ...

Indiana High School Student Fighting Graduation Prayer Tradition

Posted on April 14, 2010
ACLU: "On March 11, 2010, the ACLU of Indiana filed suit on Eric's behalf challenging the constitutionality of Greenwood High School's practice of having its seniors vote to have a graduation prayer . . . "

Same-Sex Couples Sue CalPERS, IRS Over Partner Health Benefits

Posted on April 14, 2010
Cal. Health Line: "On Tuesday, the Legal Aid Society's Employment Law Center filed a lawsuit in San Francisco federal court alleging that the California Public Employees' Retirement System and the IRS violate civil rights by barring same-sex domestic partners from receiving coverage under state-run long-term care plans ...

Media like snake oil salesmen in reporting ?gay? role in Church sex abuse scandal, Vatican finally confronts

Posted on April 14, 2010
"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that a way of life that has an entire vocabulary to describe older men (chicken hawks) going after young men (chickens) has a problem with targeting adolescent boys for abuse . . . "

Ron Paul chastises at GOP conference: Conservatives ?like the empire?

Posted on April 14, 2010
The Raw Story: "'The conservatives and the liberals, they both like to spend,' Paul said, according to Think Progress. 'Conservatives spend money on different things. They like embassies, and they like occupation. They like the empire. They like to be in 135 countries and 700 bases...

LA: Abortion insurance ban bill advances

Posted on April 14, 2010
2theAdvocate.com: "A Louisiana House committee advanced Wednesday morning legislation that would prohibit insurance companies from covering the cost of abortions."

Clock ticks on Kansas abortion bill

Posted on April 14, 2010
KC Star Prime Buzz: "Gov. Mark Parkinson has until tomorrow to decide whether to sign or veto legislation tightening late-term abortion laws in Kansas."

VA: Justices hear church property dispute

Posted on April 14, 2010
News Leader (AP): "The Episcopal Church on Tuesday asked Virginia's highest court to overturn a judge's decision allowing nine breakaway congregations to keep church property worth an estimated $30 million to $40 million. The northern Virginia congregations split from the Episcopal Church in a disagreement over acceptance of gays, the ordination of female clergy and theological issues...

North Dakota Measure Seeks to Ban Decapitation, Skull Crushing during Abortion

Posted on April 14, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "A measure to prohibit physicians from decapitating and crushing the skulls of live unborn children during abortions is seeking clearance to begin gathering signatures for the November ballot, a North Dakota grassroots pro-life organization has announced...

Senate Democrats to Obama: Ignore GOP, Nominate Pro-Abortion Activist for Supreme Court

Posted on April 14, 2010
LifeNews: "Senate Democrats have some advice for President Barack Obama on choosing a replacement for retiring pro-abortion Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens. They say he should ignore Republicans and simply nominate the most stridently pro-abortion activist to the high court while they still have a 59-41 vote advantage ...

Chicago dad can take daughter to church, judge rules in interfaith divorce

Posted on April 14, 2010
Chicago Sun Times: "In a divorce case that?s drawn national attention, a Chicago man who claims he has returned to his Catholic roots will be allowed to take his 3-year-old daughter to church, despite the objections of the girl?s Jewish mother, a Cook County judge ruled this afternoon...

ME: HRC panel postpones transgender guidelines

Posted on April 14, 2010
Bangor Daily News: "The Maine Human Rights Commission is backing away from controversial plans to issue new guidelines for how schools should accommodate transgender students . . . Among the draft advisory?s recommendations are that transgender students be allowed to use the bathrooms and locker rooms of the gender with which they identify...

Two Tories join Labour in ?gay rights? row

Posted on April 14, 2010
Sky News: "Anastasia Beaumont-Bott, who was previously head of the Tory's gay campaign, accused the party of an 'elaborately executed deception' on gay rights . . . David Heathcote has also joined Labour after being a Tory supporter for 20 years and becoming an approved parliamentary candidate...

TN: Graphic sex education class at Hillsboro could result in teacher discipline

Posted on April 14, 2010
The Body: "Metro Nashville Public Schools may consider disciplinary action against a teacher following a parent's complaint about a sex education presentation . . . Rodrick Glover said his daughter, a senior at Hillsboro High School, recapped a presentation given to the class...

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