Religion & Law

Court Says White Supremacist Movement Is Not A ?Religion?

Posted on December 04, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "In Conner v. Tilton, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 111892 (ND CA, Dec. 2, 2009), in a decision unusually detailed in its analysis for a case brought by a prisoner pro se, a California federal district court held that the White supremacist Creativity Movement is not a 'religion' for purposes of the First Amendment or RLUIPA...

Embryonic stem-cell funding ? an incentive to kill

Posted on December 04, 2009
One News Now: "An internationally recognized expert on stem cells and cloning says President Obama's decision to lift restrictions on federal funding of human embryonic stem-cell research is wasting lives and taxpayer dollars when all resources should be going towards adult stem cells...

Prop. 8 backers likely to win disclosure fight

Posted on December 04, 2009
"The three-judge appeals court panel said the sponsors 'have made a strong showing that they are likely to succeed' in their arguments."

Testimony expected to continue today on Santa Rosa prayer issue

Posted on December 04, 2009
Pensacola News Journal: "Christian Educators said it would like to alter the agreement between the ACLU and the district that went into effect in May. The agreement ended the long-standing practice of prayer at public schools, including Pace High School...

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Kentucky: ?Coincidences? adding up to a costly mistake

Posted on December 04, 2009
Jim Waters writes at the Kentucky Bluegrass Institute: "I?m sure it?s a coincidence that Stumbo and the governor seem much more energized about expanding gambling than about sound economic decisions, including eliminating the state?s prevailing-wage mandate...

MD: Law would require pregnancy centers to post signs if they don?t offer abortions

Posted on December 04, 2009
Matt Bowman, from an email to Mirror of Justice's Rob Vischer: "In a very similar fashion in the health care conscience context, Planned Parenthood, Alta Charo, et al. always want to require pro-life doctors to disclose that they don't to abortions, but they will never even suggest much less agree to require all doctors to disclose whether they do or do not do abortions...

US pastors plan to defy law and endorse candidates

Posted on December 04, 2009
Mister-Info: "Erik Stanley, a legal adviser with the ADF, said the group would be sending copies of the sermons to the IRS and would be seeking a Supreme Court case. The law, he said, was unconstitutional because 'being tax-exempt is part of freedom of religion; otherwise the government could tax churches out of existence...

?LA Episcopal bishop vote includes gay candidates?

Posted on December 04, 2009
AP: "Clergy and laypeople voting to replace two retiring assistant bishops in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles will choose Friday from a pool that includes two openly gay candidates . . ."

National presence in Byam School controversy

Posted on December 04, 2009
Wicked Local Chelmsford: "'I?m simply advising the parents and they are leading the charge in this to change this extreme policy,? said Jordan Lorence, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund. ?If the board would?ve let me speak, I would?ve said there is no court decision that I?m aware of that requires the level of suppression that the Byam has had ...

Challenge to Ireland?s pro-life laws goes to European Court of Human Rights

Posted on December 04, 2009
LifeSiteNews: "Third-party interveners Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), the European Center for Law and Justice and the Alliance Defense Fund (on behalf of Family Research Council), contend that it is 'Ireland's sovereign right to determine when life begins' and what rights attach to pre-natal life...

Abortion group drops ex-worker suit

Posted on December 04, 2009
Baptist Press: "'Like so many Planned Parenthood lawsuits, this lawsuit was baseless, so we are pleased that it has been withdrawn,' said Steven Aden, senior legal counsel for ADF."

European court will hear key challenge to Irish constitution?s pro-life pledge

Posted on December 04, 2009
CatholicCulture.org: "Before voting to approve the Lisbon Treaty in an October referendum, the Irish voters were assured that the new powers of the European Union?established by that treaty?would not affect the Irish constitution, with guarantees legal protection for the life of unborn children...

?The Reasons Why Originalism Provides a Weak Foundation for Interpreting Constitutional Provisions Relating to Religion?

Posted on December 04, 2009
The Reasons Why Originalism Provides a Weak Foundation for Interpreting Constitutional Provisions Relating to Religion Alan Brownstein, 2009 Cardozo L. Rev. de novo 196 "I suggest that whatever may be the justifications for, and utility of, employing originalism as a methodology for interpreting other constitutional provisions, it is a particularly poor approach to adopt for determining the meaning of the religion clauses of the First Amendment...

Mainline Churches Urged to Sign Manhattan Declaration

Posted on December 04, 2009
Christian Post: "The Association for Church Renewal, an alliance of leaders representing conservative ministries within mainline Protestant churches, made the appeal Wednesday . . . On the Web: http://manhattandeclaration.org/"

NJ marriage vote next week could be close in Dem controlled Senate

Posted on December 04, 2009
. . . Monday's vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee will be closely watched because the 13-member panel -- and the larger 40-member Senate -- are the two major hurdles for the bill . . .

?Federal Appeals Court Blows Whistle On Wisconsin Sheriff?s Religious Proselytism?

Posted on December 04, 2009
Americans United for Separation of Church and State: "The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. ran afoul of the law by inviting the Fellowship of the Christian Centurions, a group that seeks to evangelize law-enforcement officers in its religious doctrines, to give proselytizing talks at meetings that deputy sheriffs were required to attend...

Pro-Abortion UNFPA Wants Hundreds of Billions for Family Planning as Cairo Done

Posted on December 04, 2009
LifeNews: "And, in a look ahead, it urged states to renew their commitment to the program, calling for over $200 billion (US) in funding for 'sexual and reproductive health and family planning' alone."

Free condoms for athletes, officials at 2010 Olympics

Posted on December 04, 2009
CanWest News Service: "Local health officials will provide up to 100,000 free condoms to athletes and officials housed in the Vancouver and Whistler athletes villages during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games."

VA: Kaine to offer benefits to same-sex partners of state employees

Posted on December 04, 2009
Insurance & Financial Advisor Web News: "With weeks left in his tenure as the state?s governor, Tim Kaine is moving forward with a plan to add same-sex partners under Virginia?s employee health plan."

Greek Orthodox Church joins opposition to European Court?s Crucifix ban

Posted on December 04, 2009
CNA: "Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece said that the European Court of Human Rights (EHCR) had ignored the role of Christianity in Europe?s history. According to the BBC, he added that majorities, not only minorities, have rights."

Federal Appeals Court Rules Against D.C. in Gun Suit

Posted on December 04, 2009
Blog of the Legal Times: "A federal appeals court today revived a suit filed by the owner of a Virginia security company who was targeted, but not arrested, for prosecution in the District of Columbia on an unregistered firearms charge . . ."

New Study: Home-Educated Canadian Adults Excel

Posted on December 04, 2009
LifeSiteNews: "A new study released yesterday by the Canadian Centre for Home Education (CCHE) reveals that home-educated adults in Canada excel in all measured areas of adult life, including education level, religious observance, civic and community participation, life satisfaction, and income...

Men have a detrimental effect on lifespan: research

Posted on December 04, 2009
Telegraph: "To understand if the difference was genetic, resesearchers in Japan created mice using only female genetic material, so the offspring effectively had two mothers and no father. These mice lived one third longer than ordinary mice with one mother and one father...

Democrats seek deals on abortion, public option plan

Posted on December 04, 2009
"Durbin didn?t specify what kind of compromise would bring Nelson on board. On Thursday, Nelson again threatened to filibuster a bill that doesn?t include Stupak-like language."

GLBT certification from the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is ?a channel to business opportunity?

Posted on December 04, 2009
"Advocates for GLBT businesses are hoping that an executive order, similar to the one that established contracting goals for women-owned businesses in 2000, could change that."

Casey Won?t Say If He Agrees With Archbishop that Abortion-Funding Health Bill Cannot Be Supported

Posted on December 04, 2009
CNSNews Audio (runs just over 5 mins): "Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) declined to say whether he agreed with Cardinal Rigali that the Senate health care bill cannot be supported as long as it permits abortion funding." Casey did say there was a consensus for two decades that taxpayer dollars should not fund abortion and he expects pro-life amendments pertaining to abortion which he will likely support.

The Militarization of Sex: Temporary Marriage

Posted on December 04, 2009
NCPA Policy Digest: "Mutaa is a form of 'temporary marriage' only acceptable within Shiite communities, one that allows couples to have religiously sanctioned sex for a limited period of time, without any commitments, and without the obligatory involvement of religious figures...

Few Minorities Hold Positions as Court Law Clerks, Staff Attorneys in Texas

Posted on December 04, 2009
Law.com (Texas Lawyer): "Linda Thomas, the 5th Court's chief justice until Oct. 31, confirms that Williams has been the court's only African-American staff attorney since 1999. But Thomas says she received an application from only one other African-American during the 10-year period...

Tiger Woods scandal prompts question: Why do men cheat?

Posted on December 04, 2009
USA Today: "Helfand says data from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy suggests that 15% of wives and 25% of husbands have experienced extramarital intercourse."

Beyond Kissing Cousins: Marriage Taboos Erode

Posted on December 04, 2009
NY Times: "While many people have a story about a secret cousin crush or kiss, most Americans find the idea of cousins marrying and having children disturbing or even repulsive . . . Although it is still a long way from being widely accepted, in recent years cousin marriage has been drawing increased attention, as researchers study the potential health risks to children of cousins...

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