Religion & Law

?Maine pro-gay marriage pledges announced?

Posted on July 30, 2009
Boston Globe (AP): "Supporters of Maine's newly enacted law recognizing gay marriage are announcing a new name and a new measure of support for their side the day before opponents drop off petitions that could force a November referendum on the measure ...

?Same-Sex Benefits Bill Clears First Hurdle?

Posted on July 30, 2009
Washington Post: "The House subcommittee on federal workforce issues approved the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act by a 5 to 3 vote. It extends several benefits to gay partners, including access to health care coverage, retirement and disability plans, and life and long-term care insurance...

FRC: The Truth Hurts Planned Parenthood and NARAL

Posted on July 30, 2009
FRC Action: "The truth, apparently, hurts. Planned Parenthood and NARAL understand that the future of massive taxpayer subsidies for abortion on demand is at stake in the health care debate. There is a relatively easy answer to the problem. Take current law - the Hyde Amendment, which has been renewed every year for 33 years -- make it permanent and ensure that it continues to apply to any publicly subsidized program...

City of Pensacola relents, public park now open for church picnics

Posted on July 30, 2009
ADF Media: "Alliance Defense Fund attorneys reached a settlement agreement with the city of Pensacola on behalf of St. Faustina Old Catholic Church, freeing it to hold church picnics once again at Plaza Ferdinand VII, a popular historic park in downtown Pensacola...

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Senators Launch Bipartisan Effort to Save D.C. School Choice

Posted on July 30, 2009
Alliance for School Choice: "Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) today unveiled a bipartisan reauthorization bill for the D.C. school voucher program.

Abortions Surge in China; Officials Cite Poor Sex Education

Posted on July 30, 2009
NY Times: "The rate of abortion in China ? about 24 abortions for every 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 ? is less than half that of the world?s highest rate. That is Russia?s, at 53.7 per 1,000, according to the United Nations Population Division...

Utah court upholds mother?s rights over former lesbian partner

Posted on July 30, 2009
LifeSiteNews: "'The fundamental rights of parents to raise children the way they see fit should not be threatened by the wishes and desires of a legal stranger,' said Mylar. 'The court correctly ruled that this little boy's right to his mother under state law is of far greater value than the wishes of someone who has no legal relationship to the child...

Faith-Based Alternatives To Traditional Insurance Pose Issue Under Reform Legislation

Posted on July 30, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "BeliefNet yesterday reported on the concern of these Christian groups over whether they will be considered appropriate insurance under the insurance mandate that is likely to be in new legislation."

9th Circuit Giving Gun Case Another Look

Posted on July 30, 2009
The Recorder (Law.com): "The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals just agreed to host another shootout over gun rights. The court decided Wednesday to review en banc a panel ruling that had significantly broadened Second Amendment protections by applying them to state and local governments...

WA: ACLU sues to uphold rights of United States Mission

Posted on July 30, 2009
ACLU Press Release: "The ACLU of Washington today filed a lawsuit against the City of Puyallup to uphold the religious freedom and free speech rights of United States Mission. The suit seeks an injunction against enforcement of a solicitation ordinance that prevents the religious organization from carrying out its mission of preaching the 'Social Gospel...

Jordan?s Parliament Split On Religious Groups Under Societies Act

Posted on July 30, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "Today's Jordan Times reports that the latest controversy surrounds a government proposal, approved by the Senate but rejected by the House of Representatives, that would allow all non-Muslim organizations to operate in the country under the law...

Chicago: ?Daley backs set-asides for gay-owned firms?

Posted on July 30, 2009
Dan Mihalopoulos reports at Clout Street (Chicago Tribune): "Mayor Richard Daley said today he would support an effort to give preferential treatment in city contracting to businesses owned by gays and lesbians."

?NYC lawmaker wants health divison for gay youths?

Posted on July 30, 2009
WCAX (AP) reports: "New York City Councilman Bill de Blasio wants to create a division in the health department to deal with issues confronting gay, lesbian and transgender youths."

Connecticut: ?Extra-duty police tussle costs city $25K?

Posted on July 30, 2009
Melissa Bailey reports in the New Haven Independent: "'Mr. Morrell strongly desires to share his religious message on public ways in New Haven, and would do so, but he is chilled and deterred from expressing his message on said public ways in New Haven for fear of arrest,' reads the complaint, filed by attorney Nathan Kellum of the Tennessee-based Alliance Defense Fund...

?Order halts release of gay partners? foes in Wash.?

Posted on July 30, 2009
Carlos Santoscoy reports at On Top Magazine: "The Christian-based legal group Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) earlier set up a Referendum 71 webpage to collect data from people who 'have been threatened or suffered retaliation after signing an R-71 petition' or have been prevented from signing a petition...

Walter E. Williams: Exploiting Public Ignorance

Posted on July 30, 2009
Walter E. Williams writes at CNSNews: "What we?re witnessing today is nothing less than a massive escalation in White House and congressional thuggery. Secure in the knowledge that the American people are compliant and willing to cast off the limitations imposed on Washington by the nation?s founders, future administrations are probably going to be even more emboldened than Obama and the current Congress...

Federal Claims Court: Religious Foundation Is Not A ?Church?

Posted on July 30, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: In Foundation of Human Understanding v. United States, (Fed. Cl., July 21, 2009), the U.S. Court of Federal Claims agreed with the Internal Revenue Service that the Foundation of Human Understanding, while qualifying as a non-profit organization, had lost its status as a "church" underIRC § 170(b)(1)(A)(i)

In Florida, ?sexting? can have legal consequences for sender and receiver

Posted on July 30, 2009
Missy Diaz reports in the Kansas City Sun Sentinel: "Under Florida law, each image is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The charge - typically possession of sexual performance by a child - is intended to snare pedophiles and other sexual predators...

Albanian religious leaders slam same-sex ?marriage? law

Posted on July 30, 2009
Balkan Insight reports: "Albania?s religious leaders said Thursday that they oppose a government proposal to extend marriage rights to gay couples."

Rep. James Langevin worries about abortion, health-care debate

Posted on July 30, 2009
Providence Journal: "But Rep. James R. Langevin and other Democratic supporters of the effort have warned that any change in the status quo on abortion ? including a longstanding ban on federal taxpayer subsidies for abortion ? could prevent Mr. Obama from attaining his top domestic policy goal...

U.N. Shuts Out Christian NGO After China Objects

Posted on July 30, 2009
CNSNews: "The United Nations has rejected a Christian Ministry?s application for official status because it refused to produce names and addresses of its members in China, citing religious freedom concerns . . . China led the opposition to the Dynamic Christian World Mission Foundation?s application ...

Newsweek: ?Polyamory has a coming out party?

Posted on July 30, 2009
"Researchers are just beginning to study the phenomenon, but the few who do estimate that openly polyamorous families in the United States number more than half a million, with thriving contingents in nearly every major city."

IRS closes inquiry into Warroad church

Posted on July 30, 2009
Stephen J. Lee reports in the Grand Forks Herald: "He?s part of, and being represented legally by, the Alliance Defense Fund, which organized 'Pulpit Freedom Sunday' last fall, in which many pastors, mostly evangelical and fundamentalist Christian clergy, spoke out on politics from the pulpit...

The End of Big Law

Posted on July 30, 2009
Douglas McCollam writes at the Wall Street Journal: "It seems plain that a great many members of the American bar fell prey to the same strain of hubris that infected their clients. They embarked on empire building?opening offices from Beijing to Bucharest?and snapping up smaller rivals, confident that the future belonged not so much to the best and the brightest as to the biggest...

Info on homosexual health risks squelched

Posted on July 30, 2009
One News Now: "There was a huge effort to cover up the risks of smoking, just like there's a massive politically correct effort today to hide the true health risks of homosexual sex -- and the people have a right to know about that."

Matt Bowman on Relevant Radio: Nurse compelled to participate in abortion

Posted on July 30, 2009
ADF attorney Matt Bowman appeared on Relevant Radio with Sean Harriett to discuss the case of a Catholic nurse compelled to participate in a late-term abortion. The MP3 runs just over 14 minutes. Related ADF Media page

What Americans Need to Know About The Healthcare Takeover

Posted on July 30, 2009
Liberty Counsel: "We recently saw an overview of the healthcare bill being debated in Congress (HR 3200). We found the overview so alarming that we doubted its accuracy, so the staff in our D.C. office compared it to the voluminous bill . . . "

IRS investigation of church ?closed?

Posted on July 30, 2009
WorldNetDaily: "'The IRS apparently has no desire to clarify the law for churches and has studiously avoided a court confrontation over this issue for years,' Stanley explained. 'They continue to vaguely interpret the law, leave churches guessing as to what the law actually means, and enforce the Johnson Amendment through fear and intimidation...

California Has the Right to Ban Same-Sex ?Marriages?

Posted on July 30, 2009
"Mr. Boies?s divisive rhetoric defames as bigoted not only the majority of Californians, but also the overwhelming majority of Americans . . . "

Becket Fund Defends Conscience Rights of Pharmacists in Washington State

Posted on July 30, 2009
Becket Fund: In defense of a family-owned pharmacy in the state of Washington, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty just filed a petition for a full, eleven-judge hearing at the 9th Circuit federal court of appeals. A three-judge panel of the same court ruled earlier this month that the pharmacy will likely have to abide by a State Board of Pharmacy rule that forces pharmacists to sell the so-called morning after pill, or Plan B, even when doing so violates their conscience.

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