Religion & Law

John Eidsmoe: The War on Christmas

Posted on December 10, 2008
. . . Because "public life" now entails virtually every part of our lives, erasing references to God entirely from public life means virtually eliminating them from America . . .

Cleveland council enacts domestic partner registry for homosexual, straight couples

Posted on December 10, 2008
Cleveland City Council voted Monday to create a domestic partner registry for same- and opposite-sex couples, ending weeks of emotional, behind-the-scenes lobbying on both sides of the controversial issue.

Aborting Conscience

Posted on December 10, 2008
In its recent report on the role of conscience in medicine, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists discussed whether or not physicians should be allowed to follow their consciences in refusing to perform morally contested procedures like abortion...

UK: Non-prescription contraceptive pill to be given out by chemists

Posted on December 10, 2008
A pilot scheme allowing pharmacists to give women the contraceptive pill without a prescription has been given the go-ahead for next year.

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Eugene Volokh: Can Pornographers Be Prosecuted for Paying for Sex?

Posted on December 10, 2008
Generally speaking, the right to create constitutionally protected speech doesn't include the right to violate non-speech-related laws in the process -- for instance, I don't have the right to use illegal drugs in the course of my speech-producing scientific research, or to trespass on closed government property to shoot a video.

Francis Beckwith: ?Same-Sex Marriage and the Failure of Justificatory Liberalism?

Posted on December 10, 2008
As it happens, the proponents of same-sex marriage, including Stone and many gay citizens, see this state of affairs as an advancement of justice and the common good. For that reason, they find same-sex marriage is almost a logical entailment of what they think the ends of liberal democracy should be.

NJ commission says state should redefine marriage

Posted on December 10, 2008
. . . the state's Civil Union Review Commission concluded that the state's two-year-old civil union law doesn't do enough to give gay couples the same protections as heterosexual married couples . . .

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Marks 60th Anniversary

Posted on December 10, 2008
Voice of America News reports: “Wednesday, December 10, marks the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” Visit Site » Share This

Punishing Family Status

Posted on December 10, 2008
While we do not make the constitutional claim that family status should be a suspect classification worthy of strict scrutiny, we do believe that, as a policy matter, the government should be skeptical of the use of family status.

The Georgia Clergy Privilege, RLUIPA, and the Free Exercise Clause

Posted on December 10, 2008
For prisoner-communicants, the laws are cumulative since the protections applied to their speech and actions vary depending upon the circumstances and traditions of the religion involved.

ADF: Ariz. shouldn?t block disabled students from using vouchers

Posted on December 10, 2008
The Arizona Supreme Court should reject the demands of an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit seeking to prevent special needs children from using vouchers at private religious schools, say attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund . . .

Iowa Supreme Court arguments conclude in marriage case

Posted on December 09, 2008
"An attorney for six same-sex Iowa couples insisted that allowing gay marriage would not open the door to polygamous marriages, despite challenges from several Iowa Supreme Court justices."

Georgia: ?City holds first reading for adult entertainment ordinance?

Posted on December 09, 2008
The Calhoun Times reports: The proposed ordinance, which is modeled after similar ordinances adopted by other municipalities, sets a $1,500 license fee for such businesses, prohibits the sale of alcohol, prohibits patrons from touching or tipping the entertainers and would limit them to areas zoned commercial ...

N.H. Suspends Jury Trials, Leaves Judgeships Vacant

Posted on December 09, 2008
The ABA Journal reports: “The cash-strapped court system in New Hampshire is suspending jury trials for at least a month and leaving judgeships vacant. The one-month suspension is expected to save about $73,000, the amount of money paid to jurors, the New York Times reports...

Becket Fund Challenges Arizona?s ?Blaine Amendment? in State Supreme Court

Posted on December 09, 2008
The Becket Fund has issued this press release that reports: The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed an amicus brief in a case argued before the Arizona Supreme Court today (Dec. 9), Cain v. Horne, where the constitutionality of two state school voucher programs is at stake ...

?The Episcopal Church: Massive Decline In Average Sunday Attendance - 1997-2007?

Posted on December 09, 2008
Virtue Online reports: “More than 60% of dioceses in the Episcopal Church USA suffered double digit decline in Average Sunday Attendance from 1997 to 2007 with predictions that the figures will only escalate in 2008 with even greater hemorrhaging ...

Test-tube Babies Profitable Business For The State, Swedish Study Shows

Posted on December 09, 2008
Science Daily reports: Increased financial support for IVF fertilization would be downright profitable for the state. Test-tube babies are an investment for the future, not an expense. This is shown by Anders Svensson, who studied this issue in a bachelor?s thesis in economics at Lund University School of Economics and Management in Sweden...

NPR: Vt. Man Fights For Bible Verse Vanity Plate In Court

Posted on December 09, 2008
NPR has posted this text and audio report discussing a cased filed by ADF which challenges Vermont’s denial of a vanity license plate - JN36TN. It carries this quote: “It’s straight-up religious speech,” says Jeremy Tedesco, a lawyer with the Alliance Defense Fund, which represents freedom of religion cases...

Michael Steele Defends His Pro-Life Abortion Views for GOP Chairman Race

Posted on December 09, 2008
LifeNews.com reports: “Republican Party chairman candidate Michael Steele has been criticized by some in the GOP as not taking a strong enough pro-life position against abortion. In a new interview, the former Maryland Lt. Governor defends his views and says he is absolutely pro-life ...

Iowa, Homosexual ?Marriage?, Lambda Legal and Judicial Alchemy

Posted on December 09, 2008
Keither Fournier writes on Catholic Online: “We are experiencing a campaign to effectuate a radical change in our social order. It is being done with verbal sophistication and a well planned and funded legal strategy. Among the legal groups at the forefront of this Cultural Revolution engaging in a strategic use of the Courts is [...

U.S. Supreme Court refuses to hear ?only one mommy? case pitting laws of Vermont vs. Virginia

Posted on December 09, 2008
The AP reports: “The U.S. Supreme Court has let stand a ruling that Virginia must enforce a Vermont court order awarding child-visitation rights to a mother’s former lesbian partner. The high court Monday declined to hear the case of Lisa Miller ...

ADF: Oral arguments Wednesday at 11th Circuit in lawsuit against University of Fla.

Posted on December 09, 2008
http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/story.aspx?cid=4772 ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND / CHRISTIAN LEGAL SOCIETY MEDIA ADVISORY December 9, 2008 ? FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT ADF MEDIA RELATIONS: (480) 444-0020 or www.telladf.org/pressroom CLS attorney available to media following hearing in Christian fraternity case Oral arguments Wednesday at 11th Circuit in lawsuit against University of Fla...

Crouse Criticizes Newsweek for Distorting Christianity

Posted on December 09, 2008
CWA reports: . . . Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse, Director and Senior Fellow of Concerned Women for America?s Beverly LaHaye Institute, said, ?The Newsweek article is breathtaking in the audacious ways that it distorts and misinterprets the Bible and traditional Christianity...

President of Uruguay leaves Socialist Party after rift over abortion

Posted on December 09, 2008
The Christian Telegraph reports: “An official from Uruguay?s Socialist Party revealed this week that President Tabare Vazquez resigned from the party several days ago after he broke with the party and vetoed a law that would have legalized abortion in the country, reports Catholic News Agency...

How Rahm Emanuel Made Mega-Millions and Bought His Way to Power

Posted on December 09, 2008
AltarNet.org reports: “Since Rahm Emanuel was appointed the next White House chief of staff last month, ProPublica has been retracing his previous life as an investment banker, which earned him more than $18 million in less than three years . . ...

Maryland: Snow Hill debates sex shop ban

Posted on December 09, 2008
DelmarvaNow.com reports: “The mayor and council are expected to decide tonight whether to extend a moratorium that bans adult book shops within town limits . . . “ Visit Site » Share This

New York: ?Adult bookstore causes stir in Bath?

Posted on December 09, 2008
News 10 Now reports: “Many people in the Town of Bath were shocked when an adult bookstore came to town. ‘We got complaints from people and the town board was concerned about it. So in the past two years we formed a committee to take care of the comprehensive plan,’ said Bath Town Supervisor Frederick [...

?ACLU Encourages Cleveland City Council to Expand LGBT Rights?

Posted on December 09, 2008
The ACLU has issued this press release that begins: “The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio called on Cleveland City Council members to pass legislation that would create a domestic partner registry and add gender identity to the city?s non-discrimination policy...

AZ Supreme Court to decide on school choice

Posted on December 09, 2008
ABC15.com reports: “The Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear arguments, which could determine the future of school choice in Arizona. In Caine v. Horne, a number of groups are challenging a state-run school voucher program for special needs and foster children...

Scotland Parliament Strongly Rejects Legislation to Legalize Assisted Suicide

Posted on December 09, 2008
LifeNews.com: “The Scottish Parliament, the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, is not receptive to legislation to legalize assisted suicide in that portion of Great Britain. Margo MacDonald, the MSP behind the bill, failed to garner enough support to introduce the measure ...

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