Religion & Law

?Same-Sex Marriage as a Means to Something Better?

Posted on July 29, 2009
Carlos A. Ball writes at the Huffington Post: "There are some who may think that it is not possible to seek to both expand the institution of marriage -- by allowing same-sex couples to marry -- while at the same time seeking to reduce its importance...

La. Sen. Vitter says he?ll vote against Sotomayor

Posted on July 29, 2009
Boston Globe (AP): Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana says he will vote against confirming Sonia Sotomayor to be a Supreme Court justice.

Pennsylvania State House: ?Jesus is offensive?

Posted on July 29, 2009
WGAL.com: "Pastor Gerry Stoltzfoos of Gettysburg was invited to open a House session with prayer but his use of the word 'Jesus' was considered offensive by House leadership . . . said Stoltzfoos, of Freedom Valley Worship Center. 'Jesus is offensive in our culture? Come on...

NC Republican Burr will vote against Sotomayor

Posted on July 29, 2009
AP: "Republican Sen. Richard Burr says he will vote against the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor."

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Utah: Very few (4) attend Planned Parenthood meeting on sex-ed bill

Posted on July 29, 2009
Deseret News: "Only four people showed up: three officials from Tooele School District and a nurse from the Tooele County Health Department . . . The latest version of the sex-ed bill, sponsored by Rep. Lynn Hemingway, D-Salt Lake, allows parents to choose between two health classes ...

When Is a Human a ?Human Being?? Ask the White House Science Adviser

Posted on July 29, 2009
Terence P. Jeffrey writes at CNSNews: "It turns out, however, that an even simpler question once stumped the very person Obama now pays to give him advice about science: When does a human become a 'human being'? John P. Holdren is director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy...

Pelosi Dodges Question of Whether Government Health-Care Plan Will Fund Abortion

Posted on July 29, 2009
CNSNews: "While many pro-life Democrats in the House of Representatives say they will not vote for a health care reform bill unless it explicitly prohibits federal funding for abortion through insurance plans, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has declined to state whether the final legislation should address the issue...

Parental controls help guard against ?sexting?

Posted on July 29, 2009
ABC-12 Wisconsin reports: "Stephen Balkam of the Family Online Safety Institute said phones have parental controls for free. 'All the mobile carriers now have parental controls all for free,' said Balkam, 'and a number of them like AT&T and Verizon have additional controls that you pay about $5 a month for...

WA: Fight begins to keep names of referendum signers private

Posted on July 29, 2009
"'The State cannot allow the release of the names on the Referendum 71 petition when the purpose is to harass and intimidate people who are merely exercising their right to speak,' Bopp stated in the release. Bopp, Jr. of Indiana-based Bopp, Coleson & Bostrom is lead counsel in the case, according to a press release...

Planned Parenthood makes push to put sex ed back in schools

Posted on July 29, 2009
KSL.com: "Can teens be taught comprehensive sex education in Utah schools? It's a controversial subject. Planned Parenthood's Action Council says it's trying to diffuse some of that controversy by simply talking with parents, teachers and community groups across Utah...

?Senate Must Move on Legal Nominees, Leahy Says?

Posted on July 29, 2009
Blog of the Legal Times: "Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), speaking at the start of a committee meeting, expressed frustration that the Senate has not confirmed any nominees to the federal judiciary this year. In all, he said, there are 17 nominations that the Judiciary Committee has sent to the full Senate and that are still awaiting confirmation...

?States with more Catholics more favor gay rights?

Posted on July 29, 2009
USA Today: "Want to predict which state might move next to legalize same-sex marriage? You might count Catholics. The higher their percentage of the population, the more likely the state is to... support gay rights."

Former FEC Chairmen and Commissioners Call for Reversal of Two Supreme Court Cases Restricting Citizen Speech

Posted on July 29, 2009
". . . the Federal Election Commission filed a friend-of-the-court brief in Citizens United v. FEC calling for the overruling of two Supreme Court decisions that have chilled public speech by imposing complex and burdensome layers of regulations."

Concern over ?sexting? reaches Congress

Posted on July 29, 2009
ABC-12 Wisconsin reports: "The Florida congresswoman introduced a bill this month called the Aware Act. It would allocate federal grants to nonprofits to teach kids how to stay safe online."

Canada: ?Removal of gay altar servers is a church matter, parishioner contends?

Posted on July 29, 2009
. . . parishioners and diocese bishop named in an Ontario Human Rights Tribunal complaint over an accusation of discrimination due to sexual orientation filed a response . . .

Blue Dogs strike deal: No health vote before recess

Posted on July 29, 2009
The Hill: "In exchange for putting off a floor vote until after Labor Day, the Energy and Commerce Committee may be allowed to continue its markup of the healthcare bill this week even if an agreement has not been reached between Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif...

Government Report Says Most Volunteering Is Through Faith-Based Organizations

Posted on July 29, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "The Corporation for National & Community Service, a federal agency, yesterday announced that it has issued a new report titled Volunteering in America 2009 . . . "

?Congressional support for proof of eligibility grows?

Posted on July 29, 2009
WorldNetDaily: "Support in Congress for a requirement that presidential candidates provide proof ? more than just a sworn statement ? that they are eligible to occupy the Oval Office continues to grow, and now has moved into double digits."

Just produce birth certificate

Posted on July 29, 2009
"Once again, he [Lou Dobbs] renewed his calls for Obama to produce his long-form birth certificate that would settle doubts about where he was born and offered that the president's actions could actually be 'illegal.'"

MA: ?Bathroom bill? sparks locker room accessibility debate

Posted on July 29, 2009
Stephanie Bloyd reports at Club Industry's Fitness Business Pro: "Helen Durkin, IHRSA?s executive vice president of public policy, also testified in opposition to the bill, which the organization says would infringe on the privacy rights of health club members...

Charter school countersues over ACLU religion claims

Posted on July 29, 2009
Sarah Lemagie reports in the Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TiZA) says the ACLU, which sued the academy in January, defamed the school and hurt its ability to hire qualified teachers, according to counterclaims filed Tuesday in U...

US: Nurse forced to participate in late-term abortion sues hospital over rights violation

Posted on July 29, 2009
Christian Concern for Our Nation (CCFON): "'Federal law requires that employers who receive funding from tax dollars must not compel employees to violate their sincerely held religious beliefs, but this nurse's objections fell on deaf ears.' 'Mrs Cenzon-DeCarlo believes lots of nurses and doctors throughout the US are being pressured to assist abortion, and I want them to know they are not alone, and they should speak up for their rights of conscience...

IRS ends audit of Minnesota church in case about sermons

Posted on July 29, 2009
The Chronicle of Philanthropy: "Lawyers for the Alliance Defense Fund said they were disappointed the IRS has dropped the examination. 'ADF would likely have waived any complaint about procedural concerns involved in the investigation stage of the audit in order to reach the merits of the case and clarify the law,' said Erik Stanley, the fund?s senior legal counsel, in a statement...

FRC Action Launches TV Ad Campaign On Government Health Care Takeover

Posted on July 29, 2009
FRC Action: "Tonight, during a live webcast joined by more than 49,000 viewers, Family Research Council Action President Tony Perkins unveiled a new TV ad which will initially run in five key states including Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Alaska, Louisiana, and Nebraska...

Navy Removes Restrictions on Navy Moms? Religious Speech

Posted on July 29, 2009
Liberty Counsel: "The Navy has announced new Community Guidelines, removing its restrictions on religious speech on its Navy for Moms website. This change is in response to a letter Liberty Counsel sent to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, demanding an end to religious discrimination and reinstatement of users? free speech rights on the website ...

The Uses of Vouchers

Posted on July 29, 2009
Jay P. Greene writes at EducationNews.org: "School choice can help special-ed students and keep the Catholic-school option alive in the inner city."

Justice Ginsburg?s ?Populations we Don?t Want to Have too Many of?

Posted on July 29, 2009
Warren Throckmorton & Dr. Paul Kengor write at the Grove City College Center for Vision & Values: "Ginsburg?s comments to The New York Times Magazine open a floodgate of disturbing questions regarding a sitting U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Perhaps even more amazing than her comments was the lack of clarification or follow up from the Times...

?Stop prosecuting teens for ?sexting??

Posted on July 29, 2009
Vivian Berger writes at the National Law Journal: "Sexting is a social, not a criminal, problem, to whose solution law enforcement has nothing positive to contribute."

Modesto School Board May Let Students Get Abortions Without Parents? Knowledge

Posted on July 29, 2009
Pacific Justice Institute: "The school board of Modesto City Schools District is considering a controversial new policy that would allow students to leave campus for 'confidential medical services' ? including abortions ? without their parents ever knowing about it...

ABA Task Force Hears Alternatives to Law School Accreditation Role

Posted on July 29, 2009
ABA Journal: "The ABA should either get out of the federal law school accreditation process altogether or seek a waiver from a Department of Education rule requiring the association to steer clear of the work of its accrediting body, an ABA task force on accreditation was told Wednesday...

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