Religion & Law

Kevin Theriot on Vicki McKenna: Hate Crimes

Posted on May 12, 2009
ADF attorney Kevin Theriot appeared on the Vicki McKenna show to discuss hate crime legislation. The mp3 file is here and runs just over 15 minutes.

Ross Douthat on Obama?s culture war strategy

Posted on May 12, 2009
Ross Douthat writing in the New York Times: "Among their many aspirations for his presidency, Barack Obama?s admirers nurse a persistent hope that he might be able to end the culture wars. And by end, they generally mean win. The real hope is a final victory for cultural liberalism, and social conservatism?s permanent eclipse...

Russian lesbians denied country?s first ?gay marriage?

Posted on May 12, 2009
Reuters: "A lesbian couple challenged the Russian legal system on Tuesday when they applied for a marriage license but it was swiftly rejected on the grounds that such a union must be between a woman and a man."

IRS: OK for pastors to participate in policy conferences

Posted on May 12, 2009
LifeSite reports: "The Internal Revenue Service has found that pastors who gathered for a series of public policy conferences did so within their rights, and did not violate tax laws governing non-profit organizations, Liberty Legal Institute announced today...

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Cairo court rules to block porn sites

Posted on May 12, 2009
AFP: "A Cairo court issued a ruling on Tuesday calling on the Egyptian government to ban foreign pornographic websites, the lawyer filing the suit told AFP."

Poll: 36% want same-sex ?marriage?

Posted on May 12, 2009
Angus Reid: "The topic of same-sex marriage continues to split public opinion in the United States, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 36 per cent of respondents think same-sex couples should be allowed to legally marry."

Americans United demands that Ohio high school stop graduation prayer

Posted on May 12, 2009
Jona Ison reports in the Chillicothe Gazette: "Traditionally, the school has had a reverend deliver an invocation and benediction at the ceremony, but the practice recently was challenged by senior Jacob Davis. Davis, who raised his concerns in a Letter to the Editor at the Chillicothe Gazette, had conducted a petition of classmates for a moment of silence instead, gathering about 44 signatures...

?White House: Law only answer for gays in military?

Posted on May 12, 2009
AP: "Gibbs says the policy does not serve the national interest and that Obama is working with lawmakers for what Gibbs calls a 'durable legislative solution.'"

Coming Out of Lesbianism: Dr. Joseph Nicolosi interviews Ex-gay Larrell Dillihunt.

Posted on May 12, 2009
Anglican Mainstream carries the interview: ". . . Then in high school I got involved in a relationship with a young man a year older than me. It started off well, everything was great?and then he started to physically, mentally and sexually abuse me...

If Marriage is Natural, Why is Defending It So Hard?

Posted on May 12, 2009
Here is the current marriage crisis: contemporary societies still need marriage and family, but this need is no longer intuitively obvious to the individual or the community . . .

?Study: Obama doesn?t need Congress to halt gay discharges?

Posted on May 12, 2009
Palm Center Study: Obama Can Halt Gay Discharges with Executive Order A study released today by a team of military law experts shows that the president has the legal authority to end gay discharges with a single order. The idea of ending the ban by executive order has gained momentum in the wake of news that mission-critical personnel, including Arabic language speaker Dan Choi, continue to be fired under the Obama administration because they?re gay...

NY: ?Assemblyman Makes Gay Marriage Bill Personal?

Posted on May 12, 2009
NY Times: "Assemblyman Daniel O?Donnell wants desperately to persuade his colleagues to legalize gay marriage. Here is how he has pursued Republican Assemblyman Greg Ball?s vote . . . With the Legislature set to take up the bill to legalize same-sex marriage on Tuesday, Mr...

Scotland: Chief Executive of Homosexual Group Found Guilty of Involvement in Pedophile Ring

Posted on May 12, 2009
LifeSiteNews: "The chief executive of a homosexual youth group and another homosexual 'rights' activist have been found guilty, along with six other men, of being part of a large pedophile ring uncovered in Scotland."

Spanish Government Mandates Over the Counter Sale of Abortifacient ?Emergency Contraception? with No Age Limitation

Posted on May 12, 2009
LifeSiteNews: "The Spanish government announced yesterday that pharmacies will be required to sell the abortifacient 'morning after pill,' without a prescription and without an age limitation, throughout Spain."

New Zealand Court of Appeal Says Abortion Lawsuit Must Go to High Court

Posted on May 12, 2009
LifeNews: "The New Zealand Court of Appeal today dismissed the appeals of the Abortion Supervisory Committee and Right to Life, which are disputing a court ruling it is allowing abortions for unlawful reasons."

Gov. Crist to run for US Senate seat in Florida

Posted on May 12, 2009
AP: "Gov. Charlie Crist confirmed Tuesday he will run for U.S. Senate instead of re-election next year, a decision that gives Republicans their best shot at maintaining the seat Mel Martinez is leaving after one term."

Dennis Prager: Socialism and Secularism Suck Vitality Out of Society

Posted on May 12, 2009
ennis Prager writes at Townhall: "The issues that preoccupy most Europeans are overwhelmingly material ones: How many hours per week will I have to work? How much annual vacation time will I have? How many social benefits can I preserve (or increase)? How can my country avoid fighting against anyone or for anyone? Why has this happened? There are two reasons: secularism and socialism (aka the welfare state)...

BBC appoints Muslim as head of religious programming

Posted on May 12, 2009
"The BBC yesterday appointed a Muslim as its head of religious programming in a radical departure from broadcasting tradition."

Oklahoma House Resolution Opposes U.N. Convention on Rights of the Child

Posted on May 12, 2009
The Religion Clause Blog: "Yesterday the Oklahoma House of Representatives passed 61-28 and sent on to the state Senate House Concurrent Resolution 1033 (full text Word doc)."

Trump: Miss California can retain crown, says some of the racy photos are ?lovely?

Posted on May 12, 2009
AP: “Carrie Prejean appeared by Trump’s side as he made the announcement at New York’s Trump Tower.” Visit Site »

President wins key support in battle for health reform

Posted on May 12, 2009
Jeffrey Young writes at the The Hill: "President Obama?s unusual move to forge an early but important alliance with powerful industry groups on Monday has significantly increased the chances that healthcare reform will pass this year."

Donald Trump on Miss California: Same as Barack Obama

Posted on May 12, 2009
Politico: ?It's the same answer that the president of the United States gave,? Trump said. ?She gave an honorable answer. She gave an answer from her heart.?

Strip club controversy in Oklahoma City

Posted on May 12, 2009
KFOR Oklahoma City reports: "Folks who live near N.W. 10th and Council are fighting to keep a new business from ever opening its doors. The building, which used to be the Lamplighter Club, has been closed for years. The new owners have applied to reopen the club without adult entertainment, but some folks who live nearby fear it could reopen as a strip club...

Ed Meese hailed for defending freedom

Posted on May 12, 2009
WorldNetDaily: "'Ed Meese worked harder and more successfully behind the scenes than any other person to make sure that the Reagan legacy of freedom has continued,' Alan Sears, president of Alliance Defense Fund, told WND. 'And even today as we debate who will sit as justices to decide the future of our children in areas related to religious freedom, sanctity of life, marriage, family and economic areas, judges that were put on the Court because of the freedom philosophy that Ed espoused are going to protect our children...

U.S. Will Pay $2.6 Million to Train Chinese Prostitutes to Drink Responsibly on the Job

Posted on May 12, 2009
CNSNews: "The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will pay $2.6 million in U.S. tax dollars to train Chinese prostitutes to drink responsibly on the job."

Attorneys fight to restore free speech in national parks

Posted on May 12, 2009
Christian Law Journal: "'The First Amendment is our permit to engage in free speech on public property,' said ADF Attorney Heather Gebelin Hacker. 'It?s unbelievable that the National Park Service would deny freedom of speech at our national parks, especially at the foot of Mt...

Same-sex unions to come before New York state Assembly again

Posted on May 12, 2009
Kenneth Lovett and Glenn Blain report in the New York Daily News: "Same-sex marriage in New York is expected to inch closer to legalization Tuesday when the Assembly takes up the controversial measure . . . 'Any time people have had the opportunity to vote, they voted to maintain the traditional definition of marriage,' said Brian Raum, of the Alliance Defense Fund...

More Acorn Voter Fraud Comes to Light: Dems still want to fund

Posted on May 12, 2009
John Fund writes at the Wall Street Journal: "State and city Democratic officials -- who've been contending with its many scandals -- are moving against it. Washington Democrats are still sweeping Acorn abuses under a rug. On Monday, Nevada officials charged Acorn, its regional director and its Las Vegas field director with submitting thousands of fraudulent voter registration forms last year...

Harry R. Jackson, Jr.: One Man, One Woman ? Only

Posted on May 12, 2009
Harry R. Jackson, Jr. writes at the Washington Post: "In a predominantly black city that has lived through the worst facets of discrimination, a strange brand of reverse bigotry is being perpetrated. Defenders of virtue and protectors of family and age-appropriate education of children are being called 'bigots...

Florida: Mother is charged with neglecting her daughter?s teeth

Posted on May 12, 2009
Herald Tribune: "Police say a Palmetto mother neglected to provide her child with needed dental care, which led to severe tooth decay. Tamika S. White, 19, was arrested Wednesday on a felony neglect charge."

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