Religion & Law

ACLU: Judge Rules Connecticut Campaign Finance Law Unconstitutional

Posted on August 28, 2009
ACLU: "A federal judge today struck down unconstitutional portions of Connecticut's campaign finance law because they unfairly discriminated against third party candidates. The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Connecticut filed a lawsuit challenging the law on behalf of the Green and Libertarian Parties of Connecticut and several individuals in July 2006...

Gary Bauer: Just War Theory and Enhanced Interrogation: How Christians Can Think about the Unthinkable

Posted on August 28, 2009
Gary Bauer writes at Townhall: "Enhanced interrogation is not to be considered lightly, but the use of enhanced interrogation techniques does not require moral people to abandon their beliefs. Rather, it is precisely during these difficult times that one's beliefs about life, justice and mercy become indispensible...

?Massachusetts case may be key in gay marriage fight?

Posted on August 28, 2009
Law.com: "The challenge, Gill v. Office of Personnel Management, is one of four lawsuits in different parts of the country that ask federal courts to strike down all or parts of the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) . . . Although he called the Massachusetts challenges 'well-planned and coordinated,' Brian Raum, senior counsel to the Alliance Defense Fund, which supports the 1996 law, said, 'I think all four suits are serious challenges...

Iowa state House race is in nationwide ?gay marriage? spotlight

Posted on August 28, 2009
Baptist Press: "The race for Iowa District 90 usually would go unnoticed if not for the fact that the high court issued its ruling in April legalizing 'gay marriage' . . . The Alliance Defense Fund -- an intervenor in the case -- applauded Carter's ruling...

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

?Calvin College professors troubled by trustee edict against gay advocacy?

Posted on August 28, 2009
WWMT: "Some college professors at Calvin College are angry over a memo urging that they not support gay issues, such as same sex marriage. The Board of Trustees at Calvin College sent the memo in August. The memo says that it's not acceptable to the board for faculty and staff to teach, write, or support homosexual issues...

Oregon: Planned Parenthood site drawing protests

Posted on August 28, 2009
The Oregonian: "The massive new headquarters for Planned Parenthood Columbia-Willamette under construction at Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Beech Street has become a focus for community tension about abortion."

Michigan School Board Reinstitutes ?Christmas Break?

Posted on August 28, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "The Petoskey, Michigan School Board, during a closed portion of its August 18 meeting, voted unanimously to change the school calendar so that "Winter Holiday Break" is now called "Christmas Break" . . . in response to an e-mail (full text) from the Board's treasurer, Jack Waldvogel ...

WA: Planned Parenthood decision looms for Pasco

Posted on August 28, 2009
Tri-City Herald: "After a two-month delay, the Pasco Planning Commission is expected to vote Sept. 17 on a controversial proposal for a Planned Parenthood facility in Pasco."

Matt Bowman on the Moody Radio Morning Program: Case update on a nurse?s refusal to participate in abortion

Posted on August 28, 2009
ADF attorney Matt Bowman appeared on the Moody Radio Morning Program to discuss the case of a nurse forced to participate in an abortion. The MP3 runs just over 13 minutes. Related ADF media information page on the case, Cenzon-DeCarlo v. The Mount Sinai Hospital: ADF rebuts NY hospital?s claim that pro-life nurse can?t sue

Steve Aden on the Drew Mariani Show: Challenging government funding of embryonic stem cell research

Posted on August 28, 2009
ADF attorney Steve Aden appeared on Relevant Radio's Drew Mariani Show to discuss pending litigation that challenges government funding of embryonic stem cell research. The MP3 runs just over 9 minutes. Related ADF press releases

Bad news for home schooling out of New Hampshire

Posted on August 28, 2009
What's Wrong With the World: "It is absolutely obvious to anyone who reads the ADF's motions that the court has ordered the child into public school so that she will be in an environment more hostile to her faith and hence more challenging to it."

NH: Mother fights to home-school girl

Posted on August 28, 2009
Concord Monitor (AP): "The Alliance Defense Fund has asked a family court judge to reconsider a decision last month that sends the 10-year-old daughter of Brenda Voydatch to a public school in Meredith."

Iowa: Marriage will be key issue in GOP primary

Posted on August 28, 2009
Sioux City Journal: "U.S. Rep. Steve King, who announced Thursday he will not run for governor, said any successful GOP candidate will have to support amending Iowa's Constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman."

Fla. governor taps ex-aide to replace US senator

Posted on August 28, 2009
AP: "Crist also passed on a chance to please party conservatives by picking former Sen. Dan Webster." This post may be updated.

?Hugh Hefner, gay rights pioneer?

Posted on August 28, 2009
Yahoo (Advocate): "An upcoming documentary about Playboy founder Hugh Hefner reveals information about his earlier years, including his early advocacy for gay inclusiveness."

2009 NARTH Convention: ?Preventing & Treating Sexual Identity Confusion in the Lives of Children, Teenagers, and Adults?

Posted on August 28, 2009
More information is available on the NARTH website here.

Christian Doctors Raise Flags Over New Pro-Suicide Bias in U.S. Law, Policy

Posted on August 27, 2009
Christian Post: "Paying physicians and others to counsel patients regarding the end of life when the government will be paying for that patient's end of life care creates a conflict of interest. Patients need to know they can trust us to give independent counsel ? not government propaganda...

Maryland: ?A Marriage Like Any Other?

Posted on August 27, 2009
Rich Madaleno, an "openly gay" Maryland State Senator, has this commentary in the Washington Post. He writes: "The fact that the legislature is crippled by inaction on this issue does not end Maryland?s responsibility to the law. With the stroke of a pen, Gansler and Gov...

Democratic Health Care Bill Divulges IRS Tax Data

Posted on August 27, 2009
CBS: "Section 431(a) of the bill says that the IRS must divulge taxpayer identity information, including the filing status, the modified adjusted gross income, the number of dependents, and 'other information as is prescribed by' regulation. That information will be provided to the new Health Choices Commissioner and state health programs and used to determine who qualifies for 'affordability credits...

Kazakhstan: ?Such preaching is prohibited by our law?

Posted on August 27, 2009
Forum 18: "Three cases since the beginning of August ? all against various Protestant churches ? illustrate the efforts of Anti-Terror Police, ordinary Police and prosecutors to try to prevent individuals and religious communities from sharing their faith and gaining new adherents, Forum 18 News Service notes...

Human Trial of Embryonic Stem Cell Research Stopped Due to Animal Problems

Posted on August 27, 2009
Life News: "More information is coming to light about why the Food and Drug Administration has made the decision to stop human trials involving embryonic stem cells. The reasons mirror the concerns pro-life advocates have had for years with the research, which has yet to help any patients...

ABA Files Suit Against FTC Over Applying Red Flags Rule to Lawyers

Posted on August 27, 2009
The Blog of the Legal Times: "As the BLT previously reported, the bar association has been lobbying for months to exempt lawyers from the regulations, which require businesses and organizations that act as 'creditors' to establish a program for preventing identity theft...

ADF backs marriage amendment in Wis. Supreme Court challenge

Posted on August 27, 2009
Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund submitted a friend-of-the-court brief Thursday to the Wisconsin Supreme Court on behalf of the Wisconsin Family Council in defense of the state?s marriage amendment, which a lower court upheld as constitutional.

Wisconsin Gov. hires lawyer to defend domestic partnership registry

Posted on August 27, 2009
Wausau Daily Herald: "Doyle announced he selected attorney Lester Pines of Madison to represent the state, days after Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said he would not defend the registry."

U.S. will consider single rating system for TV, phones, and games

Posted on August 27, 2009
Bloomberg: "U.S. regulators will consider a single ratings system that would warn parents of programming on television, video games, and wireless telephones that could be inappropriate for children, officials said. The Federal Communications Commission will begin the inquiry after an agency report to be delivered Aug...

CT lawmakers: Legalizing prostitution never an option

Posted on August 27, 2009
Stamford Times: "While Rhode Island legislators weigh the repealing of a loophole that allows indoor prostitution, Connecticut lawmakers say they will never consider a provision that legalizes prostitution, even if it lessens the state budget deficit...

Texas: High school Bible classes slow to start

Posted on August 27, 2009
The Herald-Zeitung: "Lack of student interest is keeping some Comal County high schools from obeying a mandate to offer study of the Bible as an elective . . . This is the first school year since a new state law, House Bill 1287, went into effect."

UK: Legal blunder allows children to buy porn

Posted on August 27, 2009
Metro: "Retailers who sell pornographic DVDs to children cannot be prosecuted because of a legal blunder 25 years ago, it's been revealed. It has thrown the film censorship in chaos."

Lawsuit challenges Alaska judicial nomination process

Posted on August 27, 2009
Anchorage Daily News: "A lawsuit claiming attorneys have too much say in choosing Alaska judges has been filed in federal court and is set for a hearing in September. The lawsuit seeks an injunction stopping the Alaska Judicial Council from forwarding names to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Alaska Supreme Court...

Jordan Lorence on KWTO with Mary Reichard: Public religious displays and the ?offended observer?

Posted on August 27, 2009
ADF attorney Jordan Lorence appeared on KWTO with Mary Reichard to discuss public religious displays and the so-called "offended observer". The MP3 runs just over 40 minutes.

Bloggers, promote your law blog by nominating your blog for inclusion in USLaw.com's Law Blog Directory and RSS Reader. Benefits described.