Religion & Law

Scottsdale-based group defends school?s use of Bible

Posted on August 14, 2009
Arizona Republic (AP): 'The Bible shouldn't be singled out for censorship,' Alliance Defense Fund Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman told the Idaho Press-Tribune in a prepared statement. 'Not only is the commission on safe constitutional ground to allow the school to use the Bible as an educational resource, it would be unconstitutional to deny the school the ability to include it as one resource among its many other texts...

In Germany It Is Better to Be a Muslim than a Baptist

Posted on August 14, 2009
Brussels Journal: "The Federal Republic of Germany is a democracy. It is no fun, however, to be a Baptist in Germany. For the past two decades, the German authorities have been clamping down on Baptists who want to raise their children in accordance with their own religious principles...

ACLU sues Portland, Maine over proposed mosque site

Posted on August 14, 2009
Boston Globe (AP): "The Maine Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit claiming the city of Portland violated the rights of Afghan Muslims who want to use a building as a mosque."

Group defends SW Idaho school?s use of Bible

Posted on August 14, 2009
East Valley Tribune: "A religious advocacy group has written a 15-page document . . . to defend a charter school in Nampa being scrutinized for its decision to use the Bible as part of its curriculum. 'The Bible shouldn't be singled out for censorship,' [said] Alliance Defense Fund Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman ...

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Spain?s Justice Minister says doctors not allowed to object to abortion

Posted on August 14, 2009
CNA: "The Collegial Medical Organization and various pro-life groups in Spain have strongly rejected statements by the country?s Minister of Justice, Francisco Caamano, who said Thursday that 'there is no room for conscientious objection' when it comes to abortion...

5th Circuit rejects student?s challenge to t-shirt speech restrictions

Posted on August 14, 2009
Palmer v. Waxahachie Independent School Dist., No. 08-10903 (5th Cir. Aug. 13, 2009 "Paul Palmer, a student at Waxahachie High School, submitted three shirts for approval under the dress code of Waxahachie Independent School District (?the District?), whose administration told Palmer the shirts violated the code and could not be worn to school...

California?s same-sex ?marriage? battle has new target: Maine

Posted on August 14, 2009
LA Times: "Today, Equality California, one of this state?s largest gay rights groups, sent out a fundraising appeal urging supporters to send their donations to Maine

4 Christian Orphanage Workers Beheaded in Somalia

Posted on August 14, 2009
Christian Post: "Somali Islamic extremists beheaded four Christians recently after kidnapping them last month, according to eyewitness accounts reported to International Christian Concern (ICC) . . . the bodies will not be given to them [ie. the family] 'as Somalia does not have cemeteries for infidels,' according to a report received by the ICC...

Tired of Paying for PACER Docs? Princeton Group Offers Alternative

Posted on August 14, 2009
ABA Journal: "RECAP . . . offers a download to open source software through which PACER documents are seamlessless duplicated as they are pulled up by participants, according to Ars Technica."

Dem Rep: ?Don?t Ask Don?t Tell? Will Be Repealed Shortly

Posted on August 14, 2009
Huffington Post: "In an interview with the Huffington Post, Rep. Patrick Murphy, (D-Pa.), said he was confident that a repeal of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' would pass through Congress and make it the president's desk in months."

Croatian president criticizes Catholic Church

Posted on August 14, 2009
Balkan Insight: "President Stjepan Mesic has hit out at the role of the Catholic Church in Croatia, claiming that it benefits from its privileged role in society, broadcaster B92 reports."

?Few gay couples seeking marriage licenses in Vermont?

Posted on August 14, 2009
Fox 44 (AP): "Same-sex couples in Vermont can get married in the state as of Sept. 1, but so far, town clerks have received very few applications."

Utah: Midvale tightening rules for SOBs

Posted on August 14, 2009
Deseret News: "The Midvale City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Tuesday that changes the way sexually oriented businesses are regulated."

Kansas law restricting highway signs for adult stores won?t be enforced

Posted on August 14, 2009
Kansas City Star (AP): "A Kansas law that limits the size and content of highway signs for adult stores won?t be enforced because of an agreement Tuesday between the attorney general and lawyers for a sexually oriented business."

Utah paper rejects same-sex wedding announcement, advertisers targeted

Posted on August 13, 2009
Google News (AP): "A southern Utah newspaper has rejected a gay California couple's wedding announcement, saying its policy is to publish announcements only for marriages legal under Utah law . . . GLAAD plans to contact Spectrum advertisers. . . "

Tennessee: Judge dismisses case over student?s Confederate flag shirt

Posted on August 13, 2009
Knoxnews.com: "A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former Anderson County High School student over his wearing Confederate flag symbols." How Appealing links to the ruling in: Defoe v. Spiva, No. 3:06-CV-450 (E.D. Tenn. Aug. 12, 2009)

Many seek ban as prostitution thrives in R.I.

Posted on August 13, 2009
Boston Globe: "Prostitution has flourished in Rhode Island, and the state has the distinction - a dubious one, many say - of being the only state in the nation to permit what is often referred to as indoor prostitution, a phrase that distinguishes it from streetwalkers? solicitations...

?Lawlessness California-style: Ahnuld and Moonbeam take a pass on defending Prop 8?

Posted on August 13, 2009
Family Research Council Blog: "The people of the State of California pass an amendment to the State Constitution that is upheld by the State Supreme Court and neither the attorney general nor the governor will defend the amendment . . . Perhaps, some legislator can attempt to appropriate funds for Alliance Defend Fund?s legal efforts...

Case dismissed: Kansas court throws out unfounded charges against pro-life advocate

Posted on August 13, 2009
"A judge dismissed criminal charges Wednesday against a pro-life woman arrested in the driveway of a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic for allegedly blocking traffic entering and leaving its parking lot."

The Establishment Clause and the ?Problem of the Church?

Posted on August 13, 2009
Steven Douglas Smith, The Establishment Clause and the "Problem of the Church" (August 5, 2009). San Diego Legal Studies Paper No. 09-024. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1444606 This essay, presented at a conference on Law and Religion at Princeton in April 2009, argues that Thomas Jefferson was right - the establishment clause was intended to erect a 'wall of separation between church and state' - but that those today (such as Justice Souter) who are wont to invoke Jefferson routinely misconceive this purpose...

India added to watch list of U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

Posted on August 13, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "In a press release announcing its action, USCIRF said that the new concern about India stems from 'the disturbing increase in communal violence against religious minorities? specifically Christians in Orissa in 2008 and Muslims in Gujarat in 2002 ? and the largely inadequate response from the Indian government to protect the rights of religious minorities...

Pro-life student group reaches settlement with Wayne St. Univ. over funds, access

Posted on August 13, 2009
"WSU has agreed to change its unconstitutional student fee and facilities use policies and pay back previously denied student fee funds."

Vermont Town Rejects Proposed Policy On Religion In Schools

Posted on August 13, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "Yesterday's Rutland (VT) Herald reported that the new policy would have banned religious celebrations in the schools, but would have permitted curriculum-related discussions of religion and the use of religious images in activities such as student art projects...

Alameda Parents File Suit Over Denial of Opt-out Requests

Posted on August 13, 2009
Pacific Justice Institute: "A group of parents filed a lawsuit today against Alameda Unified School District after the District denied their requests to excuse their young children from controversial lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) instruction...

FCC?s Chief Diversity Officer Wants Private Broadcasters to Pay a Sum Equal to Their Total Operating Costs to Fund Public Broadcasting

Posted on August 13, 2009
CNSNews: "Mark Lloyd, newly appointed Chief Diversity Officer of the Federal Communications Commission, has called for making private broadcasting companies pay licensing fees equal to their total operating costs to allow public broadcasting outlets to spend the same on their operations as the private companies do...

Michael Medved: Lives of Toil and Stress, Not Self Indulgence

Posted on August 13, 2009
Michael Medved writes at Townhall: "In pop culture, images of wealthy executives usually connect the execs with yachts and swimming pools, golf-courses and ski lodges, Gulfstreams, and absurdly expensive restaurants. A more accurate portrayal would emphasize long hours, BlackBerry interruptions, punishing stress, lost sleep and missed family occasions ...

Yale Press bans images of Muhammad in new book including depictions based on Dante

Posted on August 13, 2009
" . . . [including] a sketch by the 19th-century artist Gustave Doré of Muhammad being tormented in Hell, an episode from Dante?s 'Inferno' . . . .

Revised policies benefit Christian student clubs

Posted on August 13, 2009
OneNewsNow: "'This is a situation where Boise State University had a policy that they thought was required by the Idaho constitution that essentially said that religious groups couldn't participate in student activity funding like every other group on campus,' [Mattox] explains...

South Dakota threatens abortion business license

Posted on August 13, 2009
World Net Daily: "'A woman's life is worth more than Planned Parenthood's bottom line,' said ADF Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence in a statement at the time. 'Anyone truly concerned about the interests of women supports making sure they have access to all the information necessary to make a fully informed decision...

Legal group challenges domestic-partner registry

Posted on August 13, 2009
Vindy.com (AP): "The Alliance Defense Fund says it filed the lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of taxpayers. The alliance is also asking the court for injunctions to shut down the registry"

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