Religion & Law

Diogenes: Same-sex marriage is a war on honor, purity must be put to death

Posted on April 08, 2009
There was no question of discrimination on the basis of orientation because the appetites of the consenting parties (as is the case in every contractual obligation) were beside the point. Until now . . .

Men in the Ladies? Room: Push for Transgender Protections in N.H., Mass.

Posted on April 08, 2009
CNSNews: "Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, said women and children in Colorado, where a similar measure has passed, have begun to fear for their safety in bathrooms."

Muslim Girl Gets $400G From Nevada School District in Head Scarf Bully Case

Posted on April 08, 2009
FoxNews: "A Nevada school district agreed to pay $400,000 to a Muslim girl and her friend over allegations that other students threatened to kill her in the stairwell for wearing a religious head scarf and the staff did nothing to stop it."

Planned Parenthood Annual Report: Abortion Totals, Government Funding Increase

Posted on April 08, 2009
LifeNews: "The Planned Parenthood Federation of America has released its annual report for fiscal year 2007-2008. The document shows the nation's largest abortion business is getting bigger as it showed an increase of five percent more abortions and increased taxpayer funding ...

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Colorado contraception bill ventures into abortifacient debate

Posted on April 08, 2009
CNA: "A 'dangerously broad' proposed Colorado law written to protect contraception in response to a 'personhood amendment' ballot measure is headed to the governor?s desk for approval."

?Iowa legalizes gay marriage and pushes issue back into spotlight?

Posted on April 08, 2009
Carolinian: "Obviously, not all Iowans were pleased. "The Iowa marriage law was simple, settled and overwhelmingly supported by Iowans," said Douglas Napier, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund. "There was simply no legitimate reason for the court to redefine marriage...

?Gay is not homosexual?

Posted on April 08, 2009
Taki's Magazine: "But it is likely that most men who have engaged in homosexual behavior in Saudi Arabia are as gay as most prisoners who have engaged in homosexual behavior; not very. The point is that the violent reaction to gay subculture in Iraq from traditionalists is less about homosexual behavior per se, as opposed to the emergence of a gay subculture which seems to be modeled on its Western variants...

Poll and ?New York lawmakers react to Vermont gay marriage bill?

Posted on April 08, 2009
Capital News 9: "But according to a Quinnipiac poll released Tuesday, only 41 percent of New York voters support legalizing gay marriage. Civil unions get 33 percent support while 19 percent want no legal recognition . . ." The report further quotes a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith '...

Blair Rejects Catholic Teaching on Homosexuality

Posted on April 08, 2009
Christian Post: "Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has said that the Roman Catholic Church should change its position on homosexuality to better reflect today?s society.Blair, who became a Catholic shortly after leaving office, said in an interview with the gay magazine Attitude, 'Organized religions face the same dilemma as political parties when faced with changed circumstances...

Poll: Most Americans Still Christian; Half See Religion as Solution

Posted on April 08, 2009
Christian Post: A new Newsweek poll reveals that although most Americans are still holding on to their faith and describing themselves as Christians, fewer believe religion can answer today's problems. According to the poll of 1,003 adults, released Tuesday, 60 percent of American adults say religion is very important in their lives and 78 percent say prayer is an important part of their daily lives...

Obama, Notre Dame, and Abortion: Protests in Chicago at Notre Dame?s Chairman of Board, and Notre Dame Board Fellow

Posted on April 08, 2009
Christian Newswire: "On Tuesday, April 7, scores of Catholics will hold Protests at Notre Dame Board of Fellows business offices. These are: Richard C. Notebaert, Board of Fellows, and Chairman of the Notre Dame Board of Trustees; Arthur R. Velasquez, Board of Fellows...

Tiller?s annual take for abortions $1.2 million?

Posted on April 08, 2009
Operation Rescue has issued this press release on the Christian Newswire: "Abortion records kept by the Kansas State Department of Health and Environment prove that, during his trial, late-term abortionist George R. Tiller misrepresented the number of post-viability abortions done at his Wichita clinic by nearly 50% ...

?Dungy declines, gay advocate joins faith-based council?

Posted on April 08, 2009
Baptist Press: "President Obama announced April 6 the rest of the members of his faith-based advisory council, but former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy was not among them." The report also mentions the other members of the council and the purpose of the council.

Army says it respects religious freedoms as group suing military seeks ouster of top chaplain

Posted on April 08, 2009
Fox4kc.com: "The Military Religious Freedom Foundation's call Wednesday for the ouster of Maj. Gen. Douglas Carver came on the day Carver had designated for prayer and fasting for chaplains in a proclamation. It was also the first day of the Jewish celebration of Passover...

?On marriage, time to separate civil from ecclesiastical?

Posted on April 07, 2009
Jonathan Lindsey writes at APB: "Marriage would then be clearly understood as a relationship defined and governed by civil laws. Where ecclesiastical blessing is sought, whether for social or religious reasons, that too would be clear."

Third Circuit: Philadelphia police need not accomodate officer?s wearing of hijaab

Posted on April 07, 2009
The Third Circuit has issued a ruling in Webb v. City of Philadelphia, No. 07-3081 (3rd Cir. April 7, 2009) that begins: "In this employment discrimination case, the issue on appeal is whether a police officer?s request to wear religious garb with her uniform could be reasonably accommodated without imposing an undue burden upon the City of Philadelphia...

Philanthropy or propaganda? Large foreign donations are influencing courses at British universities, according to a new report

Posted on April 07, 2009
The Guardian: "Does money from foreign donors come with strings attached? Dangerously so, according to research last week that claimed foreign governments have corrupted British universities and threatened their academic impartiality."

Thomas Berg: ?Gay Marriage and Religious Liberty?

Posted on April 07, 2009
Mirror of Justice: "The primary religious-liberty concern . . . [is that] recognition of gay marriage will definitely make it more likely that religious schools and social services, even those with religious content throughout their programs, will be punished if they refuse to hire openly gay people as teachers or counselors or to pay benefits to their partners...

Is Barney Frank?s criticism of Scalia a preparation for future nominations?

Posted on April 07, 2009
Chicago Tribune: "If Frank's accusations inflamed you, think hard about why Frank chose to portray Scalia the way he did. I suspect Frank would like to soften us up for future judicial nominations."

Arundel Mills casino debate drags on in Maryland

Posted on April 07, 2009
The Capital: "Neighbors of the mega-mall in Hanover repeated their arguments against changing county laws to permit the casino: Homes are too close, traffic will worsen on nearby streets, and crime rates are likely to rise with gambling in the neighborhood...

Court Says Ministerial Exception Does Not Apply In Suit Against Archdiocese

Posted on April 07, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "In Dayner v. Archdiocese of Hartford, 2009 Conn. Super. LEXIS 606 (CT Super., March 11, 2009), a Connecticut trial court rejected a 1st Amendment free exercise challenge to its jurisdiction in a suit brought by a former principal of a Catholic girl's school against the Archdiocese and a priest...

Law Firms Slash Summer Associate Programs

Posted on April 07, 2009
The Recorder: "Big firms across the country have dramatically cut the number of associates attending their 2009 summer programs, a sign that firms don't expect to see a talent shortage in fall 2010."

Vatican has rejected three of Obama?s ambassador candidates

Posted on April 07, 2009
"The Vatican has quietly rejected at least three of President Obama's candidates to serve as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See because they support abortion . . . "

?Iowa Senate Leader Rules Out Gay Marriage Debate?

Posted on April 07, 2009
ABC: "Meeting with reporters, Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, was clear about proposals to begin the process of amending Iowa's constitution to overturn the decision. 'It will not come up,' said Gronstal. 'I have no intention of taking it up...

Law, Feelings, and Religion at the Bar in Iowa

Posted on April 07, 2009
Matthew J. Franck writes at Public Discourse: What happens when judicial arrogance becomes so habitual as to become second nature? This past Friday, April 3, the Supreme Court of Iowa provided an answer: judicial arrogance transforms into smug self-deception...

Ohio: ACLU fighting designation of sextexting as a crime of any sort

Posted on April 07, 2009
The Daily-Record: "Teens who send nude pictures of themselves to underage friends should not face criminal charges or be subject to years of sexual offender registrations. That's the message that was sent to state lawmakers and county prosecutors Thursday in letters from the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, in response to a growing national issue over 'sexting...

Cert. Denied In Establishment Clause Challenge To Navy Retirement System

Posted on April 07, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari in Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Church v. Department of Navy, (Docket No. 08-1057) (Order List) . . . "

Tithing to the Vortex: The Secrecy of Financial Records in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Posted on April 07, 2009
Rutgers Journal of Law & Religion: "The LDS church has long believed that it has a religious right to secret their financial records which they value as an expression of their religion. This is a right, or privilege, that they have protected by settling any case that might lead to an investigation of their financial records...

Federally Funded Group Advises Teens on How to Decide if They Are Gay

Posted on April 07, 2009
CNSNews: "A group that has received more than $16 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over the past 15 years maintains Web sites that advise young people on how to decide if they are gay, how to come out to their parents and getting active in causes ranging from abortion to 'comprehensive' sex education...

Supreme Court to consider enhanced attorney?s fees awards

Posted on April 07, 2009
SCOTUS Blog: "The Court has granted certiorari in one case, Perdue v. Kenny A (08-970) . . . Can a reasonable attorney?s fee award under a federal fee-shifting statute ever be enhanced based solely on quality of performance and results obtained when these factors already are included in the lodestar calculation?

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