Religion & Law

Judges rule Franken winner; Coleman to appeal

Posted on April 14, 2009
"Three judges soundly rejected Norm Coleman's attempt to reverse Al Franken's lead in the U.S. Senate election late Monday, sweeping away the Republican's claims in a blunt ruling Coleman promised to appeal."

Roy Moore likely to run for governor

Posted on April 14, 2009
AP: "Alabama's Ten Commandments judge, Roy Moore, says he's "very inclined" to make another race for governor next year."

Court Upholds Jury?s RLUIPA Verdict and Constitutionality of RLUIPA

Posted on April 14, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "In Rocky Mountain Christian Church v. Board of County Commissioners of Boulder County, Colorado, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30623 (D CO, March 30, 2009), a Colorado federal district court upheld a jury verdict handed down last year under RLUIPA in favor of Rocky Mountain Christian Church...

?Vermont?s Gay Marriage Law Contains Strong Religious Exemptions?

Posted on April 14, 2009
The Religion Clause Blog reports on religious exemptions contained in Vermont's new law redefining marriage. Excerpts from some of the relevant provisions are provided.

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Texas gov backs resolution affirming sovereignty

Posted on April 14, 2009
Drudge Report: "Gov. Rick Perry joined state Rep. Brandon Creighton and sponsors of House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 50 in support of states? rights under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution."

France seeks to stop forced marriage, mutilation

Posted on April 14, 2009
AP: "France's government launched a campaign Tuesday against forced marriages and genital mutilation, seeking to protect women from practices that quietly thrive in immigrant communities the nation is struggling to integrate."

New England: ?Demographic winter heralds same-sex marriage spring?

Posted on April 14, 2009
Jennifer Roback Morse: "Taking this demographic malaise together with the general low religious practice, the whole region is a sitting duck for the further de-construction of marriage."

New NY Archbishop will oppose marriage redefinition, but not ?gay rights?

Posted on April 14, 2009
AP: "Dolan said he would challenge any efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in New York, but insisted that his position was not anti-gay . . . 'We would defend their rights.' However, marriage must remain as it always has been, between one man and one woman, he said...

Media Event Following NJ ?Choose Life? License Plate Hearing at 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals

Posted on April 14, 2009
The Children First Foundation (Christian News Wire): "In an ADF press release issued yesterday regarding the federal lawsuit ADF filed against New Jersey state officials entitled The Children First Foundation v. Legreide, Jeff Shafer stated, "A pro-adoption organization shouldn't be censored just because certain government officials don't share its viewpoint...

Louisiana: Tangipahoa board changes prayer policy

Posted on April 14, 2009
The Advocate: "The School Board?s special attorney in the case, Michael Johnson, said last week that the question arose in another community with a similar policy and he advised the School Board to make the change."

3rd Circuit to mull when states can limit license slogan choice

Posted on April 14, 2009
Legal Intelligencer: "In the 3rd Circuit case, Children First's lawyer, Jeffrey A. Shafer of the Alliance Defense Fund in Washington, D.C., will be arguing that U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano erred by failing to recognize that New Jersey law allows nonprofit groups to put logos on specialty plates and that Children First was singled out because of the content of its logo...

Questioning by Texas lawmakers sheds more light on Planned Parenthood?s evolving abortion strategy

Posted on April 14, 2009
. . . the Department of State Health Services found four clinics in San Antonio had performed abortions without a license to do so. Planned Parenthood responded that it didn't need a license to provide the abortion pill.

NC pro-lifers unveil license plate design

Posted on April 14, 2009
Citizen-Times.com: "State lawmakers and activists pushing for a state license plate that bears an anti-abortion message unveiled a design today for how the plate would look. Supporters of the 'Choose Life' plate suggested they may sue if the General Assembly again ignores their requests this year...

Tax revenues dropping in states: corporate, sales, and income

Posted on April 14, 2009
Stateline.org: "As Americans tighten their belts and make fewer big purchases, state and local sales tax collections experienced their worst decline in 50 years, according to a new report released today (April 14)."

Gingrich eyes possible White House run in 2012

Posted on April 14, 2009
AP: "More than a decade after he stepped down as speaker of the House into what seemed like almost certain political oblivion, Newt Gingrich is back and seemingly more relevant than ever."

David French: ?That Word Does Not Mean What You Think it Means?

Posted on April 14, 2009
David French, Director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom, writes at the National Review Phi Beta Cons Blog: "With all due apologies to the Princess Bride, public acquiescence in the radicalization of the academy depends a great deal on words losing their common meaning ...

The Marriage-go-round

Posted on April 14, 2009
NCPA Policy Digest: "With approximately 90 percent of Americans marrying over the course of their lifetimes, the United States has the highest marriage rate of any Western country. But there is a darker side to this exceptionalism, as Andrew J. Cherlin notes in 'The Marriage-Go-Round,' his incisive portrait of marriage in America...

William Pew Religious Freedom Scholarship Deadline Tomorrow

Posted on April 14, 2009
Reminder the deadline for the Pew Scholarship Competition is April 15, 2009. Please mail your entries promptly. Click here for more information this writing competition for law students. Visit Site »

N.D. Lawmakers Allow Parents With High School Diploma to Homeschool

Posted on April 14, 2009
Christian Post: "Dubbed by supporters as the 'Homeschool Freedom Bill,' the legislation would loosen current state standards that require homeschooling parents to hold at least a bachelor's degree to provide unsupervised instruction at home."

NC: Greensboro Police May Push To Shut Down Strip Club

Posted on April 14, 2009
Digtriad.com: "The Greensboro Police Department may push for the closure of a strip club that has been the site of at least two homicides."

President Barack Obama Pushing Abortion Hard at United Nations, Pro-Life Group Says

Posted on April 14, 2009
Life News: "President Barack Obama has compiled a clear pro-abortion record during his short tenure as president that has raised the ire of the majority of Americans who are pro-life. However, one group that lobbies at the United Nations says Obama is pushing abortion hard in a much less obvious way...

Kansas: Line of text in abortion bill draws political line in the sand

Posted on April 14, 2009
LJWorld.com: "It?s just one line in a 16-page bill, but abortion rights advocates say it represents a callous overreach by anti-abortionists. Under Senate Bill 218, a woman seeking an abortion must be informed at least 24 hours before the procedure that, 'The abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being...

Indiana: Changes Made in House Abortion Bill

Posted on April 14, 2009
IndianaNewsCenter: "An amendment added to the bill Monday would also require abortion providers to tell women seeking an abortion a fetus might feel pain during the procedure."

Christian school grant case goes to KY Supreme Court

Posted on April 14, 2009
One News Now: "The University of the Cumberlands, a school affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, is being considered for a $10 million grant to further education through new scholarships and to build a pharmacy school. Americans United for Separation of Church said in a press release that the Williamsburg, Kentucky, religious school should not receive tax money, claiming it is against the state constitution...

Author, experts examine legacy of school-prayer ruling

Posted on April 14, 2009
First Amendment Center: “Panelists participating in the First Amendment Center program ‘Godless Public Schools ? Fact or Fiction?’ were Jeremy Gunn of the American Civil Liberties Union; Melissa Rogers, a visiting professor at Wake University Divinity School; Colby May, senior counsel at the American Center for Law and Justice; and Charles Haynes, senior scholar at [...

Connecticut: ?Gay marriage opponents lobby lawmakers?

Posted on April 14, 2009
WWLP.com (AP): "The General Assembly is considering ways to update state law to conform with last fall's ruling, including stripping gender references from marriage regulations. "

Switzerland: Wife wants to die with ill spouse

Posted on April 14, 2009
Baptist Press: "The Swiss assisted-suicide organization Dignitas plans to help a healthy woman die with her terminally ill husband, and a pro-life bioethics specialist says this development should have been expected."

Protect the health conscience rule, Land urges HHS

Posted on April 14, 2009
Baptist Press: "Repealing a rule designed to protect medical professionals who morally object to such practices as abortion and assisted suicide would 'rend the fabric of our democracy and open wide the door for discrimination,' Southern Baptist ethics leader Richard Land has told the federal government...

Slavery reaches its highest numbers in all of history

Posted on April 14, 2009
The Christian Telegraph: "Human trafficking is at an all-time high across the globe. 'We've been able to assess that currently, today, there are more than 24 million people who are being trafficked worldwide,' reports MNN."

Indian Evangelicals Condemn Hate Speech Against Christians

Posted on April 14, 2009
Christian Post: "The Evangelical Fellowship of India expressed outrage and condemned the use of hate speech by BJP candidates to fan communal feelings in Orissa. With the election just around the corner, the Christian group said the attempt to further polarize the voters is deeply disturbing...

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