Religion & Law

Citizens United v. Fed. Elections Commission: Oral Arguments

Posted on September 09, 2009
SCOTUS Blog carries this description of today's argument in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission and the apparent reactions of each of the justices.

UK: ?Doctors told me it was against the rules to save my premature baby?

Posted on September 09, 2009
"They ignored her pleas and allegedly told her they were following national guidelines that babies born before 22 weeks should not be given medical treatment."

?Hillary: The Movie? gets new airing at high court

Posted on September 09, 2009
Findlaw (AP): "'Hillary: The Movie' is returning to the Supreme Court for a limited engagement and with the chance to reshape campaign finance laws for next year's congressional elections."

UK: ?Contraception cheapest way to combat climate change?

Posted on September 09, 2009
Telegraph: "Contraception is almost five times cheaper as a means of preventing climate change than conventional green technologies, according to research by the London School of Economics."

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?No? to Homeschooling Persecution?

Posted on September 09, 2009
momlogic: "Recently, a New Hampshire court decided a 10-year-old girl should be enrolled in public school, per her father's request . . . The ADF is dedicated to preserving religious liberty and maintaining the sanctity of marriage. They are trying to get the judge in the case to reconsider the decision...

Tennessee Christians win censorship lawsuit

Posted on September 09, 2009
OneNewsNow: "A Tennessee school district will no longer discriminate against Christians advertising events such as See You at the Pole and the National Day of Prayer. Parents wanted to put up posters about the events in the Wilson County schools, just as other organizations -- such as the Boy Scouts -- were permitted to do...

?Congress faces flurry of gay-friendly bills?

Posted on September 09, 2009
CitizenLink: "As members of Congress return from recess, gay activists are working to keep their agenda front and center . . . Jordan Lorence, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, said gay activists are turning up the heat on the White House and Congress...

Bringing Down the Establishment: Faith-Based and Community Initiative Funding, Christianity, and Same-Sex Equality

Posted on September 09, 2009
Bringing Down the Establishment: Faith-Based and Community Initiative Funding, Christianity, and Same-Sex Equality Anthony M. Lise, 12 N.Y. City L. Rev. 129 (2009) "Christian ideology is deeply embedded in our culture. Some, such as former President George W...

?The Gay Agenda?

Posted on September 09, 2009
Libby Adler, The Gay Agenda (September 3, 2008). Northeastern University School of Law Research Paper No. 25-2008. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1268303 "This Article will propose other ways, mindful of the insights of a handful of critical theoretic traditions, including American Legal Realism, Critical Legal Theory, and Queer Theory, which I believe have something real and valuable to offer the gay rights movement if what its participants want is to combat sexual moralism and to ameliorate the full range of hardships faced by persons associated with marginal gender or sexual identities or practices...

?ACLU asks court to end gov?t funding of religion in Miss. abstinence program?

Posted on September 09, 2009
ACLU Press Release: "The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Mississippi today asked a federal court in Mississippi to end government funding of religion in the state's abstinence-only-until-marriage program.The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District on behalf of a teen and two community members who attended a state-sponsored abstinence summit in May of this year...

Pr. George?s Approves New Restrictions on Sex Shops

Posted on September 09, 2009
Washington Post: "The Prince George's County Council approved new restrictions Wednesday on adult book and video stores in response to resident complaints that the businesses attract crime and ruin the character of their neighborhoods."

What the Public Thinks of Public Schools

Posted on September 09, 2009
Paul E. Peterson writes at the Wall Street Journal: "Yesterday President Barack Obama delivered a pep talk to America's schoolchildren. The president owes a separate speech to America's parents. They deserve some straight talk on the state of our public schools ...

Freedom From Religion Foundation wants deputy?s memorial moved

Posted on September 09, 2009
BusinessNorth.com: "The Freedom From Religion Foundation wants Chippewa County to remove a memorial to a deputy from Hawthorne who was killed in the line of duty. Mike Simonson reports from Superior."

Calgary West MP under fire from Muslim group over political pamphlet

Posted on September 09, 2009
Calgary Herald: "A political pamphlet from Calgary West Conservative MP Rob Anders that urges changes to federal human rights legislation has raised the ire of Calgary's largest Muslim organization, which views the dispatch to residents as inflammatory and divisive...

Michigan House panel backs coverage of birth control

Posted on September 09, 2009
Detroit Free Press: "Insurance companies would have to include birth control in prescription drug coverage for Michigan policies, under a package of nine bills approved today by a House committee. The legislation also would require emergency rooms to offer emergency contraceptives ...

U.S. Congressmen Defend the Right to Religious Freedom in China

Posted on September 09, 2009
Christian Persecution Blog: "Early in August, CAA received a report that the Chinese central government had issued a secret directive calling for the dismantling of six house churches in Beijing. ChinaAid notified U.S. Congressmen Frank Wolf, Representative for Virginia's 10th District, and U...

Guam Catholics hold symposium on implications of same-sex unions

Posted on September 09, 2009
CNA: "Community leaders and local Catholic figures in Guam on Monday spoke at a symposium on the implications of allowing same-sex 'marriage' as the U.S. territory?s legislature considers a bill which would legally recognize same-sex unions."

Uruguay allows same-sex adoption

Posted on September 09, 2009
BBC: "Same-sex couples in Uruguay will be able to adopt children following the approval of a controversial bill by the country's senate."

Group says Tenn. religion law could trigger legal challenges

Posted on September 09, 2009
Associated Press: "The Tennessee Municipal League says it may discuss repealing or modifying a new law it believes sets the stage for legal challenges to multiple state statutes and local ordinances that interfere with professed religious beliefs."

First US Bishop to Decry the ?Scandal? of the Kennedy Funeral

Posted on September 09, 2009
LifeSiteNews: "Bishop Rene Henry Gracida, retired Roman Catholic Bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas has denounced the "scandal" of the Kennedy funeral. Writing on his blog . . . "

Mike Johnson on 97.3 FM, the Dave Ross Show: Courts as comparative theologians, the NH homeschooling case

Posted on September 09, 2009
ADF attorney Mike Johnson appeared on 97.3 FM KIRO, the Dave Ross Show to discuss the case of a NH homeschooled girl ordered to attend public school, because her faith is too "rigid." The MP3 runs just over 10 minutes. ADF Media information: NH court orders home-schooled child into government-run school

John Anthony Simmons on Canadian radio CFRB: NH court orders home-schooler to public school for rigid faith

Posted on September 09, 2009
ADF allied attorney John Anthony Simmons appeared on CFRB, the Ryan Doyle Show to discuss the case of a NH homeschooler ordered to attend public school due to her religious beliefs. The MP3 runs just under 5 minutes. ADF media information: NH court orders home-schooled child into government-run school

David French on the Zeb Bell Show: ADF?s New University Grant

Posted on September 09, 2009
David French, Director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom, appeared on the Zeb Bell Show to discuss the $9.2 million dollar grant that ADF has received to fight unconstitutional policies restricting religious expression at public universities and colleges...

Threats, Legal Action in Washington?s Marriage Debate

Posted on September 09, 2009
Newsweek: "One post retrieved from the Web site Queer Equality Revolution in early August stated: 'I advocate using violence against the property of ALL of those who are working tirelessly to HURT my family; starting with churches and government property...

Common Sense on Marriage

Posted on September 09, 2009
The Engage Family Blog of the FPCWV: Regardless of the constant pooh-poohing by the ACLU or Fairness West Virginia that the redefinition of marriage could never come to West Virginia, the people are seeing through these feeble attempts to thwart the democratic process...

?Gay-Straight Alliances and Free Speech: Are Parental Consent Laws Constitutional?

Posted on September 09, 2009
Gay-Straight Alliances and Free Speech: Are Parental Consent Laws Constitutional Keola R. Whittaker, 24 Berkeley J. Gender L. & Just. 48 (2009) "In this article I argue that parental consent laws, like those enacted in Utah and Georgia, violate the First Amendment's protections on the freedom of association...

Ariz. Supreme Court rejects free exercise defense to marijuana use

Posted on September 08, 2009
Arizona v. Hardesty, No. CR-08-0244-PR (Az. September 8, 2009) Excerpts from the unanimous opinion delivered by Chief Justice Berch: ___________ Danny Ray Hardesty seeks review of his convictions for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He attempted to assert a religious use defense to the charges pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes (?A...

?Six LGBT Americans named to lead Democratic Party?

Posted on September 08, 2009
GayPolitics.com: "Six more openly LGBT Democrats are on track to join the 447-member Democratic National Committee as at-large members, including two Victory Fund-endorsed elected officials and two other individuals affliated with the Victory Fund and Leadership Institute...

Indianapolis Tests Out Education Reform

Posted on September 08, 2009
Matthew Tully writes at the Wall Street Journal: "Education reform has long been a popular buzz phrase. But too often it's proven to be a hollow call as the education establishment kills off common sense reforms even while we watch districts struggle with failing schools and low graduation rates...

Does the Constitution contain effective restrictions on Federal power?

Posted on September 08, 2009
In an August 31 article at Taki's Magazine entitled, 'Original Sins,' Austin Bramwell took aim at Kevin R. Gutzman, author of 'The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution and co-author of Who Killed the Constitution?', and argued that 'the Constitution as written contains barely any restrictions on the power of the Federal government to intrude upon the states...

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