Religion & Law

Top Republican hits Sotomayor on firefighters case

Posted on July 07, 2009
AP: "Sen. Mitch McConnell says Sotomayor's decision as a federal appeals court judge suggests she allows her own agenda to cloud her judgment and favors certain groups."

NIH Stem Cell Guidelines Ethically Irresponsible, Scientifically Unworthy, Useless to Patients

Posted on July 07, 2009
FRC: "Acting NIH director Raynard Kington apparently noted that 30,000 of the 49,000 comments received were against any federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research, but these comments were ignored."

Marriage redefinition bill takes effect in nation?s capital

Posted on July 07, 2009
AP: "A law recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere has gone into effect in the District of Columbia."

WV Lawmakers schedule hearing on marriage amendment

Posted on July 07, 2009
Alison Knezevich reports in the Charleston Gazette: "State lawmakers plan to hear testimony next week about whether West Virginia should change its constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman . . . Family Policy Council of West Virginia President Jeremiah Dys and a representative of the Alliance Defense Fund -- a conservative organization that says it seeks to 'aggressively defend religious liberty' -- will speak in favor of the amendment, Dys said...

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Liberty University appeases all with new club policy . . . almost

Posted on July 07, 2009
Eric Young reports in The Christian Post: "Groups listed by AU as part of 'this religio-political crusade' include Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), the American Family Association (AFA), the Christian Broadcast Network (CBN), Concerned Women for America (CWA), Family Research Council (FRC), Focus on the Family, and the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) ? the largest Protestant denomination in America...

Rules Will Allow Financing for Old Stem Cell Lines

Posted on July 07, 2009
NY Times: "The Obama administration released final rules governing stem cell research on Monday that will allow many older stem cell lines to be eligible for federally financed research."

New Encyclical: ?Pope Benedict on Economic Justice?

Posted on July 07, 2009
Thomas J. Reese reports on the Pope's new Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, at the Washington Post On Faith Blog: Pope Benedict's long awaited encyclical calls for a radical rethinking of economics so that it is guided not simply by profits but by "an ethics which is people-centered...

Sarah Palin: Why She Resigned

Posted on July 07, 2009
ABC: "'You know conditions have really changed in Alaska in the political arena since Aug. 29, since I was tapped to run for VP. When that opposition research -- those researchers really bombarded Alaska -- started digging for dirt and have not let up...

UK: Living in a De-Christianized Society

Posted on July 07, 2009
At this rate it is hard to see the church surviving for more than 30 years though few of its leaders are prepared to face that possibility,' he warned . . . "Without a shared moral code there can be no free society," Sacks argued.

Teachers? anti-discrimination code reworded after faith groups object

Posted on July 06, 2009
The Guardian: "The General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) was today accused of watering down a new code of conduct for teachers after faith groups objected to a ruling that would force them to 'promote equality and value diversity', including challenging homophobia and supporting homosexuality...

Technology fuels popularity of intelligent design

Posted on July 06, 2009
One News Now: "A new Zogby poll shows that a majority of Americans support intelligent design. According to the poll, only 33 percent stated that they believe in Darwinian evolution, while 52 percent stated they believe life was guided by intelligent design...

UK: Balls bans children?s ?gay? jibes as government cracks down on sexual bullying

Posted on July 06, 2009
Daily Mail: "A fresh move to ban children from using the word 'gay' as an insult was made by Schools Secretary Ed Balls last night. He said insults based on sexuality should be taken 'as seriously as racism'. His department is now set to publish new guidance to crack down on 'sexist and sexual' bullying...

7th Circuit Holds No Damage Claims Against States Under RLUIPA

Posted on July 06, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "In Nelson v. Miller, (7th Cir., July 1, 2009), the 7th Circuit joined the 4th and 5th Circuits in holding tht states did not waive their sovereign immunity for damage actions in prisoner claims under RLUIPA by accepting federal funds...

CA marriage case will go to Supreme Court, lawyer says

Posted on July 06, 2009
Reuters: "The attorney representing two same-sex couples who were denied a right to wed in California said on Thursday he expected the case to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court, which has yet to hear a case on the gay marriage issue."

10th Circuit Rejects Parents? Claim of Religious Bias In Child Neglect Proceeding

Posted on July 06, 2009
Religion Clause Blog reports on In Starkey v. Boulder County Social Services, (10th Cir., June 29, 2009). Pentecostal parents sued after CPS placed their 3 teenage children in foster care. The court of appeals rejected the parent's claims of various constitutional violations including religious discrimination

Baptist Joint Committee Publishes Analysis of Sotomayor?s Religion Decisions

Posted on July 06, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty has published a new report evaluating the free exercise and establishment clause opinions written by Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor (download of full text)."

WV: ?Exotic entertainment ordinance readopted?

Posted on July 06, 2009
Erienne Greene reports in The Journal: "Berkeley County Commission members unanimously readopted the county's Exotic Entertainment Ordinance during a regular meeting Thursday. It was possible to reinstate the county law regulating adult entertainment facilities because of a bill passed by legislators, which Gov...

Virginia law allowing Choose Life license plates goes into effect

Posted on July 06, 2009
LifeNews reports: "Motorists in Virginia now have a way to express their pro-life views and support adoption and abortion alternatives at the same time. A new state law allowing the purchase of Choose Life license plates went into effect yesterday and proceeds from the sales of the plates support those pro-life efforts...

Wisconsin domestic partner registry could face legal challenge

Posted on July 06, 2009
Bob Hague reports at the Wisconsin Radio Network: 'There could be a legal challenge to the state's domestic partner registry. As part of the recently signed state budget, county clerks will soon have to offer a domestic partner registry to same sex couples around Wisconsin...

Montana pro-life groups split on ?personhood? strategy

Posted on July 06, 2009
John S. Adams, Capitol bureau chief for the Great Falls Tribune, reports on his blog: "Right to Life of Montana, the Montana Family Foundation and the Montana Catholic Conference will not support the campaign to get a so-called ?personhood? amendment on the 2010 ballot...

WV: Debate erupts over Kanawha schools diversity policy

Posted on July 06, 2009
The Engage Family Blog of the Family Policy Council of West Virginia reports: "A story this morning from Davin White of the Charleston Gazette on the Kanawha County Board of Education?s (KCBOE) press to add 'sexual orientation' to its cultural diversity policy raises questions about the objective counsel the KCBOE may be receiving...

Alaska: Parental consent proposal certified

Posted on July 06, 2009
Anchorage Daily News: "A proposal to require parental notice or consent before a female younger than 18 could have an abortion was certified Thursday by the state so that its backers can seek enough signatures to get the initiative before voters next year...

Louisiana: Inmate, state settle religious access issue

Posted on July 06, 2009
Associated Press: "The state and the ACLU Foundation of Louisiana have filed an agreement in federal court that will allow a death-row inmate at Angola to practice his Catholic faith."

Colorado: ACLU files response to Ten Commandments appeal

Posted on July 06, 2009
Associated Press: "The American Civil Liberties Union has asked a Denver appeals court to deny a request by Haskell County commissioners to reconsider its decision last month against a Ten Commandments monument."

British peer seeks euthanasia reform

Posted on July 06, 2009
Lord Anthony Lester, member of the House of Lords, writes in The Independent: "Like many others, I believe that we need a legal framework which would allow doctors and nurses to be able lawfully to treat terminally ill patients to relieve their suffering as well as pain, even though it would be a virtual certainty that the treatment would shorten their lives...

Pornographers get huge breaks

Posted on July 06, 2009
OneNewsNow reports: "'A major child pornographer has been sentenced by a federal judge to just one day in jail -- and the judge said there's no evidence that he molested anyone. Well, this is ridiculous,' says the attorney. 'The child pornography law does not require evidence of molestation...

Wisconsin U?s Madison Surgery Center may compel staff to do abortions

Posted on July 06, 2009
LifeNews reports: "Writing on behalf of five named MSC staff members as well as other employees, ADF attorney Matt Bowman told the officials, 'We write to ask for clarification and assurance from MSC, Meriter Hospital, the UWMF, the UWHC and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Department of Anesthesiology, that our clients will not be compelled to participate in, provide assistance to, aid, recommend or perform any procedures for abortion at MSC...

Christian legal group battles FDA over ?morning after? pill

Posted on July 06, 2009
OneNewsNow reports: "'This is a case where pro-abortion activist groups have put their political agenda over the health of minors by attempting to force a court to expose them to a troubling drug,' he contends. Bowman says there is no research on what potential medical problem the Plan B pill might cause for a minor...

Ohio ruling upholding abortion drug safety law applauded by pro-life groups

Posted on July 06, 2009
LifeNews reports: "A woman?s life and health is worth more than Planned Parenthood?s bottom line,? Senior Legal Counsel Steven H. Aden told LifeNews.com Thursday. 'This Ohio statute simply requires abortionists to abide by FDA-approved guidelines for the abortion drug RU-486, yet Planned Parenthood wants the freedom to exceed those guidelines when they wish to, even though there?s evidence that some women may even have died when the guidelines weren't followed...

?Federal Judge Stresses Trial Record on Calif. Gay-Marriage Ban?

Posted on July 06, 2009
"Holding his first hearing Thursday on the controversial measure that outlawed same-sex marriage, Walker repeatedly stressed the importance of establishing a record that will stand the test of time . . . "

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