Religion & Law

Maggie Gallagher: Mainline Protestants? Dead End

Posted on April 15, 2009
Maggie Gallagher writes at Townhall: ". . . the reality is that the only Christian denominations declining in recent years are those which have surrendered core Christian teaching on sex, marriage and the dignity of every human life."

?Christianity in Europe Coming to an End?: Vienna Cardinal

Posted on April 15, 2009
LifeSiteNews: "The Cardinal Archbishop of Vienna has warned that Christianity in Europe is dying out. Christoph Cardinal Schönborn said at St. Stephen's Cathedral on Easter Sunday, 'The time of Christianity in Europe is coming to an end. A Christianity, which achieved such great things like this cathedral or the wonderful music we will hear today...

Counterstrike: Archbishop Emeritus, Jesuit Clergy Criticize Pro-Life Protests of ND?s Obama Honor

Posted on April 15, 2009
LifeSiteNews: "In addition, the president of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities told the National Catholic Reporter yesterday that he and the presidents of the association's 28 member institutions have privately expressed support to University president Fr...

UK: Single-sex schools bridge the gender divide

Posted on April 15, 2009
Telegraph: “Both schools believe that single-sex education is academically the best route,” she insists. “On that point, we’re very clear. At the same time, though, parents want their sons and daughters to be able to mix comfortably and have normal relationships away from the classroom...

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TN: ACLU demands schools stop blocking ?gay? Web sites

Posted on April 15, 2009
KnoxNews.com: "The American Civil Liberties Union said today it is demanding that 107 of Tennessee's public school systems - including Knox County and Metro Nashville - stop 'illegally preventing students from accessing online information about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues...

Colb: ?Feminists For Life and the Hard Questions It Must Confront?

Posted on April 15, 2009
Abortion, by FFL's lights, is "a reflection that our society has failed to meet the needs of women." Yet one pressing need that women have is to avoid being in an almost constant state of pregnancy . . . In the absence of contraception . . . this need cannot be met ...

Whatever happened to state?s rights?

Posted on April 15, 2009
Ben Shapiro writes at CNSNews: "It is not too late. The first step toward the reinstitution of local government as a force in American life must begin with resistance to the total federalization of the economy. States can start by taking the moral high ground and refusing federal 'stimulus' dollars...

With Coleman peeved, Franken pleased, the Minnesota U.S. Senate fight goes on

Posted on April 15, 2009
TwinCities.com: "On Tuesday, the reality and the rhetoric of Minnesota's U.S. Senate fight set in. The day after a three-judge panel ruled that Democrat Al Franken won the long-running race and unanimously rejected Republican Norm Coleman's challenge, partisans were settling in for the continued fight...

San Antonio-area student can keep long hair

Posted on April 15, 2009
Houston Chronicle (AP): "A Native American Somerset High School senior ? whose parents filed a federal lawsuit saying his right of religious expression was violated when he received an on-campus suspension ? can return to class without having to cut his shoulder-length hair...

?Log Cabin splinters as gay conservatives exit?

Posted on April 15, 2009
Washington Times: "A couple of former Log Cabin staffers broke off to form GOProud, a new political advocacy group, amid complaints the older organization was aligned too closely with liberal gay and lesbian causes and failed to provide an effective voice in Washington for gay Republicans...

Public School Courses From Kabbalah Center Draw Criticism

Posted on April 15, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "In Los Angeles, church-state questions are being raised by a Spirituality for Kids course that is being offered at nine elementary schools and three community sites. Today's Los Angeles Times reports . . . "

Angry Afghans protest over new Muslim marriage law

Posted on April 15, 2009
AP: "The Islamic law, passed last month, says a husband can demand sex with his wife every four days unless she is ill or would be harmed by intercourse _ a clause that critics say legalizes marital rape. It also regulates when and for what reasons a wife may leave her home alone...

Stanford Law: Debate on the pledge of allegiance

Posted on April 15, 2009
The Becket Fund has issued this press advisory. What: Debate between National Litigation Director, Eric Rassbach and Dr. Michael Newdow regarding the Pledge of Allegiance When: April 16, 2009 from 12:45 pm - 2:00 pm Where: Stanford University Law School Room 190 Visit Site »

Tangipahoa Parish School Board Adopts Minor Changes In Policy On Invocations

Posted on April 15, 2009
Religion Clause: "A lawsuit is pending against the Board broadly challenging its invocation policy which is based on a Model Policy developed by the Alliance Defense Fund. (See prior posting.)"

?Safe sexting? - permission over principle

Posted on April 15, 2009
OneNewsNow: Vermont Senate Bill 125 will make "sexting" legal for teens ages 13 to 18 . . . "This is an outrage," says Trueman bluntly. "It's the only state in the union ever to consider legalizing the production of child pornography."

Montana Supreme Court will hear ?same-sex parental rights? case on Friday

Posted on April 15, 2009
Associated Press: ?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 Austin R. Nimocks, senior legal counsel for the conservative Alliance Defense Fund, who will argue Maniaci?s appeal...

Abortion debate moves to special license plates

Posted on April 15, 2009
Associated Press: "It's really inescapable that the Legislature was welcoming in a number of viewpoints," said Jeff Shafer, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund.

New Jersey Choose Life license plates get hearing at federal appeals court

Posted on April 15, 2009
LifeNews: ?A pro-adoption organization shouldn?t be censored just because certain government officials don?t share its viewpoint,? Shafer told LifeNews.com. ?This is private speech, not government speech. State officials step into unconstitutional territory when they reject specialty plate messages that depart from their own viewpoint preferences...

Conservative launches challenge to Pa.?s Specter

Posted on April 15, 2009
AP: "Pat Toomey, who as a little-known congressman nearly defeated Sen. Arlen Specter in the 2004 primary, announced Wednesday that he will mount another challenge when Specter seeks the Republican nomination for a sixth term next year."

Woman, Iowa hospital settle abortion case

Posted on April 15, 2009
Associated Press: "A settlement has been reached in the case of a woman who filed a lawsuit against Iowa Methodist Medical Center claiming a medical mistake led her to have an abortion."

Washington: Lawmakers pass expanded domestic partner rights

Posted on April 15, 2009
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: The state House on Thursday approved a measure that would give same-sex domestic partners all of the rights married people in the state get . . . Senate Bill 5688 had previously passed out of the state Senate by a 30-18 vote...

Socially conservative bills stall in Florida Senate

Posted on April 15, 2009
Miami Herald: "Legislation that would open the door to school prayer and discouraging teaching evolution has been declared dead. Prospects don't look good for a proposal to require ultrasounds for first-trimester abortions. Same goes for a bill to make marriage licenses more expensive for couples who don't take a premarriage education course...

Vermont: HSLDA Wins Hearing Defending Family?s Right to Homeschool

Posted on April 15, 2009
HSLDA: "Vermont?s home study law is unique because it requires parents who wish to homeschool their children to prove that each child doesn?t have any disabilities. A disability can range from being deaf, to having a disease or having ADHD, like Zackery...

HHS Sec. Nominee Sebelius Says She Does Not Foresee Changes To Abortion Policy

Posted on April 15, 2009
Medical News Today: "Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) during recent Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearings said that she does not expect to issue new abortion regulations if confirmed as HHS secretary, the Kansas City Star reports."

Nevada Governor says he would veto domestic partner bill

Posted on April 15, 2009
Contra Costa Times (AP): "Responding to reporters' questions, the Republican governor said Tuesday that he will veto SB283, the domestic partner measure now under consideration in the state Senate, if it reaches his desk because 'I just don't believe in it...

NH Sen. committee takes up ?gay marriage? bill

Posted on April 15, 2009
Boston Globe (AP): "At least 500 people crowded into New Hampshire's Statehouse on Wednesday for an emotional and sometimes boisterous Senate committee hearing over whether allowing gay marriage would weaken or strengthen the institution."

FOCA by stealth

Posted on April 15, 2009
Americans United for Life: This is the ninth entry in a series on FOCA by Stealth by AUL Vice President of Legal Affairs, Denise M. Burke. The entire article from which this series is taken is available at Beware of ?FOCA-By-Stealth?: Radical Abortion-on-Demand Agenda Being Implemented Piecemeal.

Alberta refusal to fund ?sex change? surgeries stirs debate

Posted on April 15, 2009
"Transsexuals have vowed to file numerous complaints as early as today to the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission."

DOJ: No Evidence Anyone ?Affected? By Widespread Proselytizing In Military

Posted on April 15, 2009
The Public Record: "A U.S. Army soldier who was allegedly forced to attend fundamentalist Christian themed events and sued Secretary of Defense Robert Gates claiming his First Amendment rights were violated should not be permitted to seek relief in federal court because he failed to take his grievances to his superiors, the Justice Department said in court documents filed last week in response to the Army?s soldier?s federal lawsuit...

Ohio City Won?t Appeal Judge?s Decision After Violating Free Speech Rights of Pro-Life Group

Posted on April 15, 2009
Life News: Matt Bowman, an ADF attorney, told LifeNews.com that pro-life advocates "shouldn?t be penalized for expressing their beliefs." ?Exercising your First Amendment rights is not a crime. The government has no right to harass and threaten citizens for exercising their First Amendment rights in public," he said.

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