Religion & Law

Abortion Practitioner Leroy Carhart Lays Off Half His Staff, Says Abortions Down

Posted on August 24, 2009
LifeNews: "Late-term abortion practitioner LeRoy Carhart announced today that he had laid off nearly half of the staff at his Omaha, Nebraska-area abortion center."

Canadian bishops urge opposition to assisted suicide bill

Posted on August 24, 2009
EWTN (CNA): "The Catholic bishops of Canada are urging Catholics to voice their opposition to a radical bill that would allow assisted suicide and euthanasia for those with severe chronic mental or physical pain or even depression . . . Bill C-384, introduced into the Canadian House of Commons by MP Francine Lalonde of the Bloc Quebecois, would amend the Criminal Code of Canada to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide...

White House Ramadan Greetings

Posted on August 24, 2009
On Friday, the White House issued this press release and video.

Louisiana ACLU questions same-sex classes

Posted on August 24, 2009
Advocate: "A plan by the Vermilion Parish School Board to put boys and girls in separate classes has attracted the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union. The school system began a same-sex classroom program at Rene A. Rost Middle School in Kaplan this year, but the ACLU questioned whether the single-sex classrooms are mandatory ? a violation of federal law...

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?Wisconsin?s top attorney won?t defend gay partner law?

Posted on August 24, 2009
On Top Magazine: "Wisconsin Attorney General John Byron 'J.B.' Van Hollen said Friday he would not defend the state's gay-inclusive domestic partnership registry, calling it unconstitutional, the AP reported. The group Wisconsin Family Action (WFA) and the Christian-based Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) have asked the state Supreme Court to strike down the law, arguing that it is prohibited by the state's constitutional ban on gay marriage approved by voters in 2006...

Having faith in the rules of students? religious liberty

Posted on August 24, 2009
Santa Maria Times: "Children are returning to school. This is a good time to remind parents, teachers and students what the U.S. Department of Education says about public school students? religious liberties. Gateways to Better Education, in conjunction with the Alliance Defense Fund has prepared a pamphlet called Free to Speak, highlighting what is, and what is not, legal...

Court Hears Arguments In Challenge To State Humane Slaughter Act

Posted on August 24, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "In Everett, Washington last Friday, a state court judge heard arguments in a challenge by an animal rescue group to Washington state's Humane Slaughter Act. The group argues that the exemption for ritual slaughtering of animals (RCW 16...

Calif.: Group sets sights on council?s prayers

Posted on August 24, 2009
Modesto Bee: "A Wisconsin group aimed at taking religion out of government has set its sights on the prayers offered to open every City Council meeting . . . Spycher said the opportunity to offer an invocation is available to 'any faith leader.' The Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian nonprofit group, has offered its services to the city for free...

10th Circuit Refuses To Stay Order On 10 Commandments Monument

Posted on August 24, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "On Friday, by a 2-1 vote, the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request by Haskell County, Oklahoma commissioners to allow them to keep their Ten Commandments monument in place on the court house lawn while the county seeks review in the U...

Conn. evangelist regains First Amendment rights

Posted on August 24, 2009
OneNewsNow: "In 2004, Jesse Morrell traveled to an area of New Haven where young adults frequented bars -- and where he hoped to share the gospel peacefully. Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) attorney Jonathan Scruggs picks up the story. 'On four separate occasions, two police officers essentially came up to him and ordered him to move, ordered him to stop speaking because he was annoying people,' he recalls...

Michelle Winkler is Cleared of Civil Contempt Charge in Santa Rosa County Prayer Case

Posted on August 24, 2009
Liberty Counsel: "After a 7½ hour hearing in federal court, federal District Judge Casey Rodgers told Michelle Winkler that she would not be held in civil contempt over her husband?s prayer at an awards banquet. Ms. Winkler, who is a clerical assistant for the Santa Rosa County School District, is represented by Liberty Counsel...

No Bible in school

Posted on August 24, 2009
Grand Forks Herald: "A[n Idaho] education panel has blocked a school?s plan to teach about the Bible . . . The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Alliance Defense Fund, a religious liberty group, represented the academy and had argued that the writers of Idaho?s Constitution 'sought assurances that the right of public schools to use the Bible as a teaching tool would be protected...

Calif. city council latest target of group?s campaign to take religion out of government

Posted on August 24, 2009
Centre Daily Times: "A Wisconsin group aimed at taking religion out of government has set its sights on the prayers offered to open every Turlock, Calif., City Council meeting . . . 'It is my belief that legislative prayer is a cherished and lawful American tradition,' he said, pointing out that several government policies have religious ties, from the observation of a Christmas holiday to military chaplains to the president's declaration of a National Day of Prayer ...

La Crosse officials adopt ADF-recommended invocations policy despite threats

Posted on August 24, 2009
The La Crosse City Council has adopted an invocations policy after receiving legal counsel from Alliance Defense Fund attorneys that will allow the council to continue opening public meetings with prayer.

Senator Wants Hearings on Obama Admin Veterans Guide Promoting Euthanasia

Posted on August 24, 2009
LifeNews: "A senator says he wants Congress to hold hearings on a new Obama administration document that some say promotes euthanasia. The Department of Veterans Affairs have revived a guide called 'Your Life, Your Choices' that was first published during the Clinton administration...

Wisconsin requiring Catholic institutions to provide contraception coverage

Posted on August 24, 2009
CNA: "The bishops of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) have issued a statement to the state?s Catholic faithful expressing their ?deep concern? about a state provision that requires providers of health insurance include contraceptive services. The rule will force Catholic dioceses and other agencies to pay for a 'gravely immoral' service, the conference says...

Abstinence Education = Fewer Abortions

Posted on August 24, 2009
NCRegister.com: "That?s the finding of a recent analysis of data collected by the Centers for Disease Control. The analysis, undertaken on behalf of San Antonio Coalition for Life, is posted on the Internet here."

Wisconsin Attorney General will not defend domestic partnerships

Posted on August 24, 2009
CitizenLink: "Jim Campbell, legal counsel for ADF, said he hopes the Wisconsin Supreme Court takes note of Van Hollen's position. 'We believe that it's very clear here. The people of Wisconsin said that they do not want the government creating anything that is substantially similar to marriage, and that is exactly what they've done here,' he said...

Suit filed in case of New York nurse forced to participate in abortion

Posted on August 24, 2009
LifeSiteNews: "The Alliance Defense Fund, in a suit filed on behalf of Cenzon-DeCarlo, is seeking to prosecute the hospital for violating the 'Church Amendment' which 'protects the right of conscience of pro-life health care workers employed by recipients of federal Health and Human Services funding' ...

Utah: Murray to host town-hall meeting on sex ed

Posted on August 24, 2009
Deseret News: "A town-hall meeting will be held Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 6 p.m., to discuss a bill that would implement changes to the state's sex-education curriculum."

Federal court tosses lawsuit challenging federal Defense of Marriage Act

Posted on August 24, 2009
A federal court Monday threw out a lawsuit filed against the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

The Transnational Law School

Posted on August 24, 2009
Transnational Law Blog: "Much to my surprise and fascination, Peking University ("Bei Da") opened a School of Transnational Law in the Fall of 2008 that has a curriculum nearly identical to that of a U.S. juris doctor (JD) program and requires three years of study...

CBS Touts Gitmo Torture Charges; Ignores ACLU Showing CIA Agent Photos to Terror Suspects

Posted on August 24, 2009
Newsbusters: "Meanwhile, neither the Saturday nor Friday Evening News programs made any mention of reports that ACLU attorneys defending Guantanamo detainees illegally showed terror suspects photos of CIA personnel in an effort to implicate interrogators in acts of torture...

Cardinal criticises same-sex bill

Posted on August 24, 2009
BBC: "Dr Brady said marriage between a man and a woman would always remain the ideal environment in which to raise children. He said any government which undermines such an environment could hardly be said to be promoting the common good. Cardinal Brady also said those who refuse to officiate at a same sex wedding would be guilty of an offence and described this as 'an alarming attack on the fundamental principle of freedom of religion and conscience'...

US judge nixes challenge to Federal DOMA

Posted on August 24, 2009
". . . The case, brought on behalf of a gay Southern California couple, argues that the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, violates the U.S. Constitution by discriminating against gay men and lesbians."

California: Men jailed in Industry strip club shooting released

Posted on August 24, 2009
Pasadena Star-News: "Two men arrested in connection with a strip club shooting in Industry that left three people wounded were free Sunday after being cleared as suspects, authorities said."

Texas: Strip Club Manager Shoots Patron Through Truck Window

Posted on August 24, 2009
KRISTV.com: "Police say 23-year-old Brandon Pate and his friends were asked to leave Pleasures Men's Club just after midnight, after the group got into a fight inside the club." Reportedly, one or more of of the men punched the bouncer escorting them out...

Washington Times: Government thuggishness

Posted on August 24, 2009
Washington Times: "Government coercion is becoming standard operating procedure in the nation's capital . . . Thuggish behavior by politicians is a valid reason not to give them even more power over people's lives."

?How abortion coverage could imperil health care reform?

Posted on August 24, 2009
Time Magazine: "The health-care-reform bill proposed by House Democrats . . . find[s] a way for the Federal Government to expand the coverage of abortion services through a government-run program ? the so-called public option ? without spending what it defines as federal dollars on abortion...

Hillary Clinton: A new gender agenda

Posted on August 24, 2009
From an interview with New York Times Magazine: "I happen to believe that the transformation of women?s roles is the last great impediment to universal progress ? that we have made progress on many other aspects of human nature that used to be discriminatory bars to people?s full participation...

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