Religion & Law

Liberty U. to file complaint against Americans U. for Sep. of Church and State over tax exemption threats

Posted on May 29, 2009
CNSNews: "Liberty University, in turn, plans to file a complaint against Americans United. It accuses the group of trying to silence churches and other conservative organizations by intimidating them."

UN Committee Says Nicaraguan Pro-Life Laws Violate Torture Convention

Posted on May 29, 2009
LifeSiteNews: "The United Nations (UN) committee charged with monitoring compliance with the Convention Against Torture has declared that Nicaragua?s full protection of unborn life violates the country's obligations under the Convention. This is the first time this committee has reviewed Nicaragua since the country's government outlawed abortion for any reason three years ago ...

Proposition 8 defenders seek to intervene against Hollywood-backed lawsuit

Posted on May 29, 2009
The official proponents and campaign committee for Proposition 8, ProtectMarriage.com, filed a motion to intervene Thursday in federal court against a new Hollywood-backed lawsuit designed to tear down California?s voter-approved marriage amendment . ...

Arizona: Appeals court backs religious schooling in child custody dispute

Posted on May 29, 2009
"One parent in a divorce case can't veto a decision by a former spouse to send their child to a religious school, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday . . . Potentially more significant, the judges said an objecting parent even can be forced to pay the tuition at the religious school...

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Not a Transnationalist. Some (Really) Early Thoughts on Judge Sotomayor

Posted on May 29, 2009
Opinio Juris: ". . . my very quick scan suggests that, whatever else her critics can say, her judicial record does not suggest she will be a particularly 'transnationalist' justice . . . While ruling for the government, Judge Sotomayor went out of her way to reject the government?s argument that the fact that the criminal statute was enacted to implement treaty obligations should automatically satisfy judicial scrutiny of the statute?s constitutionality...

5 Ways The GOP Could Stall A Vote On Sotomayor

Posted on May 29, 2009
David Welna writes at NPR: "But with Democratic majorities firmly in charge of the Senate, what can they do? Quite a bit, actually. Their arsenal includes an array of delaying tactics that could make it hard for Democrats to meet the president's aim of having Sotomayor confirmed by Aug...

Patrick J. Buchanan: Obama?s Idea of Justice

Posted on May 29, 2009
Patrick J. Buchanan writes at Townhall: "Imagine if Sam Alito had said at Bob Jones University, 'I would hope that a wise white male with the richness of his life experience would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a Hispanic woman, who hasn't lived that life...

Church-Graduations: Judge hearing challenge to graduation in church

Posted on May 29, 2009
KXMB.com: "Americans United for Separation of Church and State is seeking a preliminary injunction blocking the Elmbrook district from having the ceremonies for Brookfield Central and Brookfield East high schools at Elmbrook Church. The graduations are June 6 and 7...

Life Advocates Step in to Help as Abortion Numbers Rise

Posted on May 29, 2009
Citizen Link: Johnston said life advocates have more to offer than "15 minutes on the table." "The pro-life movement is made of people who are opening their homes and pocketbooks," he said. "They are genuinely involved in these women's lives."

City violated street preacher?s rights, judge rules

Posted on May 29, 2009
Shreveport Times (AP): Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian civil rights group that represents Netherland, said he quoted Bible passages in a loud voice but did not shout insults at customers outside the bar . . . "The case is done at this point if they do not appeal it," Alliance Defense Fund attorney Joel Oster said...

Jan LaRue: Sotomayor and White Wise Guys

Posted on May 29, 2009
Jan LaRue writes at the American Thinker: If you believe the myth that Democrats are champions of equality for women, racial minorities, and folks with "compelling" life stories, maybe you've been spending more time tracking Big Foot than judicial nominations.

Robert P. George debates Douglas W. Kmiec: Obama and His Pro-Life Apologists

Posted on May 29, 2009
Last night at the National Press Club in DC, Robby George and Doug Kmiec squared off in a civil discussion (otherwise known as a debate) on President Obama and pro-life issues. Public Discourse has published an adapted version of Professor George?s opening statement, Obama and His Pro-Life Apologists...

?Sexting? - innocent behavior or child porn?

Posted on May 29, 2009
One News Now: . . . Professor Peter Cumming presented a paper at the 78th Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, saying sexting is similar to "spin-the-bottle" or "playing doctor." Pat Trueman, special counsel for Alliance Defense Fund, tells OneNewsNow that is a real stretch...

Home Bible study? Get a permit, San Diego County officials tell local pastor

Posted on May 29, 2009
Becket Fund: "California pastor David Jones and his wife Mary Jones were questioned by San Diego County officials and threatened with fines over a weekly Bible study in their residence in Bonita, California, according to several news reports and televised interviews...

?Openly gay teen voted prom queen at LA high school?

Posted on May 29, 2009
AP: "An openly gay teen has been voted prom queen at his Los Angeles high school in a campaign that began as a stunt but ended up spurring discussion on the campus about gender roles and popularity."

Susan B. Anthony List: ?Lia?s Challenge: Pro-Life Film Contest?

Posted on May 29, 2009
Susan B. Anthony List: "When 12 year-old Lia Mills wrote her speech about abortion for a school contest, she had no idea the kind of impact it would have worldwide. Yet after her mother put the speech on YouTube, it garnered over a half a million views! ...

Same-sex marriage around the world

Posted on May 29, 2009
CBC.ca: “Before the Criminal Law Amendment Act was passed in 1969, homosexuality was a criminal offence in Canada, as it remains to this day in many other countries. Four decades later, this country and six others ? Belgium, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, South Africa and Sweden ? grant marriage rights to same-sex couples on an [...

Scientology Trial in France: Can a Religion Be Banned?

Posted on May 29, 2009
TIME: "As a fiercely secular nation, France has always had an awkward relationship with religious groups. Officials often find themselves struggling to strike the delicate balance between maintaining church-state separation and honoring the right of citizens to express their faith...

UK: Health dept fights to hide abortion figures

Posted on May 29, 2009
The Christian Institute: "The Department of Health (DoH) will today defend in court its decision to suppress details of late term abortions for minor disabilities like cleft palate."

Senate Judiciary Committee to Hold First Hearing on the Uniting American Families Act Next Wednesday

Posted on May 29, 2009
HRC Back Story Blog: "Next Wednesday the Senate Judiciary Committee which is chaired by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) will hold the first Congressional hearing on the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA). The bill would allow citizens and legal residents in same-sex relationships to sponsor their partners for immigration purposes...

UK: Human Trafficking Raids Rescue Sex Workers

Posted on May 29, 2009
Police have launched raids across the UK to rescue women they believe were being forced to work in the sex industry.

Georgia man arrested in human trafficking case

Posted on May 29, 2009
AP: "This week, prosecutors dismissed nudity charges against two dancers at the Vegas Showgirls nightclub because they might be victims of the human trafficking ring, they said."

Federal Lawsuit Against Prop. 8 Comes More Quickly Than Expected

Posted on May 29, 2009
Christian Post: "In a bid to face off against the nation's top two litigators, Christian legal firm Alliance Defense Fund filed a motion on Thursday to intervene against another lawsuit challenging Proposition 8."

ADF Secures Victory for Detroit Church

Posted on May 29, 2009
Citizen Link: ?The court said churches don?t have to be excluded and treated basically like a disease in the community,? said Dale Schowengerdt, legal counsel for ADF.

Michael Medved: Special ?Protections? For a Marginalized Majority?

Posted on May 28, 2009
Michael Medved writes at Townhall: "Moreover, the whole concept of carving out special 'religious protections' (reported as a major trend by Peter Steinfels in the New York Times and now favored by leading gay activists as part of their push for same sex marriage) reflects the certainty that faith-based organizations will become an immediate and prime target of the gay rights movement...

6th Circuit ?says no First Amendment violation in church aid case?

Posted on May 28, 2009
Ed Brayton writes at the Michigan Messenger: "The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled (PDF) that the city of Detroit did not violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment by giving more than $700,000 to several churches downtown to reimburse them for exterior renovations prior to the city?s hosting of the Super Bowl and the NCAA Final Four...

U.S. Manga Obscenity Conviction Roils Comics World

Posted on May 28, 2009
Wired.com: "In an obscenity first, a U.S. comic book collector has pleaded guilty to importing and possessing Japanese manga books depicting illustrations of child sex abuse and bestiality."

Where Would Justice Souter?s Replacement Make A Difference? Part I

Posted on May 28, 2009
SCOTUS Blog: "This post will begin an examination of that presumption, identifying recent cases in which Justice Souter cast a deciding vote in a context where it is at least possible that his likely successor, Judge Sotomayor, might vote differently...

Sebellius supporter named as US ambassador to the Vatican

Posted on May 28, 2009
The Religion Clause Blog reports: "AP reports that Diaz, a Cuban-American, was a member of the Obama campaign's Catholic advisory board. He was also one of 26 Catholics who signed a statement supporting the nomination of Kathleen Sebelius as Health and Human Services Secretary...

ADF joins memorandum calling for stem cell researchers to ?do no harm?

Posted on May 28, 2009
?No one should be allowed to decide that an innocent life is worthless,? said ADF Legal Counsel Matt Bowman.

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