Religion & Law

Q&A Series with Dr. Wayne Grudem: Should Christians be involved in politics & government?

Posted on November 04, 2010
Alliance Defense Fund ? Q&A with Dr. Wayne Grudem talking about his new book ?Politics according to the Bible? Question #5 Question: Should Christians be involved in politics & government?

San Diego Muslim leader among those charged with aiding Somali terrorists

Posted on November 04, 2010
San Diego Union Tribune: "The arrest of the leader of a City Heights mosque, a man described as a revered figure who was known for advocating nonviolence and tolerance, has stunned the close-knit Somali community in City Heights, where many refugees of the war-torn country live, work and pray...

US pro-lifers save teen from a forced abortion

Posted on November 04, 2010
The Christian Institute: "ADF Legal Counsel [Matt Bowman] said: 'The right not to have an abortion is protected by law, and this right isn?t relinquished just because someone else considers the child to be an unwanted burden.'"

Canadians worry about vulnerable people if euthanasia is legalized: poll

Posted on November 04, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "A new poll by Environics Research of 2,025 Canadians has found that although 59% said they support legal euthanasia, the number who ?strongly support? it has declined by 3 points since last year. Support is highest in Quebec at 69%, down from 75% a year ago, and lowest in Manitoba and Saskatchewan at 49%...

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Fate of Iraqi Christians will worsen, experts fear; UN rights chief comments

Posted on November 04, 2010
Reuters: "With al-Qaeda declaring war on Christians in Iraq and no end to political instability in sight, Catholic experts on the Middle East fear the fate of the minority Christian community there will only worsen." AFP: "The UN's rights chief criticised the Iraqi government on Thursday for failing to protect religious communities, following a recent wave of violence targeting Christian and Shiite populations...

Spain: Fathers? names to be demoted in gender equality push

Posted on November 04, 2010
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (AP): "Spain's Socialist government has found a new place to push for gender equality, seeking to erase all vestiges of male bias from the country's double-barreled last names . . . under a bill presented to Parliament, if a couple does not specify an order or cannot agree on one, a child's last names would be assigned in alphabetical order...

Republicans hold all statewide offices in Kansas

Posted on November 04, 2010
The Wichita Eagle: "On the day after an election that exceeded even their own hopes, Kansas Republicans found the weight of governing the state resting solely on their shoulders. For the first time in 45 years, one party will hold all statewide offices...

Fred Barnes: Republicans won bigger than you think

Posted on November 04, 2010
Fred Barnes writing in the Wall Street Journal (full text via Google News): "For starters, Republicans will continue to have issues on their side. The election reaffirmed that America is a center-right country and that a sizeable majority is anxious about government spending and debt, President Obama's health-care plan, and jobs...

?Transgender? athlete is first in Division I basketball

Posted on November 04, 2010
The GW Hatchet: "A week ago there was nothing remarkable about Kye Allums, a junior shooting guard on the women's basketball team. But as of Monday night, Allums became remarkable in a way no other player is: He's the first openly transgender player to play Division I college basketball...

SD voters reject marijuana measure

Posted on November 03, 2010
Business Week: "With 48 percent of precincts reporting, 65 percent of voters opposed the measure, and 35 percent supported it."

California voters reject marijuana measure

Posted on November 03, 2010
AP report.

Iowans oust Supreme Court Justices who voted to redefine marriage

Posted on November 03, 2010
"Around 54 percent of Iowans voted not to retain each of the three judges: Supreme Court Chief Justice Marsha Ternus and associate justices Michael J. Streit and David L. Baker. The campaign for the judges ouster was based on the court?s unanimous 2009 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in Iowa...

U.S. Supreme Court argument recap in AZ school choice litigation

Posted on November 03, 2010
"The conservative justices indicated they are likely to rule against a challenge to the Arizona program that says it amounts to an unconstitutional state endorsement of religion. The court's liberals suggested they have problems with the state's tax credit...

?Faith in Islam? to top Turkish school reform

Posted on November 03, 2010
Hurriyet Daily News: "Values taught to Turkish students should be based on 'faith in God' and imparted using Islamic terminology, a commission with the National Education Council has said, prompting concerns among educators? unions in the country."

Knesset clears way for civil marriage of non-Jewish Israelis

Posted on November 03, 2010
World Jewish Congress: "A Knesset committee has made it possible for a civil marriage law to be implemented in Israel. The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee on Wednesday approved a registration fee of about US$ 165 for couples to obtain a civil marriage...

UK adoption rates fall in wake of gov?t attacks on faith-based agencies

Posted on November 03, 2010
The Christian Institute: "Fewer children in care are being adopted into loving families. The Government wants to change that but will not talk about the sexual orientation laws that have shut down faith-based adoption agencies."

?Queer Kissing Flashbomb? to greet Pope in Barcelona

Posted on November 03, 2010
EU Observer: "The gay and lesbian community in Barcelona is preparing a two-minute kissing session in front of Pope Benedict XVI to express their 'discontent' over the anti-gay stance of the Catholic Church."

Botswana: Kgosi wants govt to halt registration of churches

Posted on November 03, 2010
Mmegi Online: "Kgosi Letlamoreng II of Barolong will this morning table a motion in Ntlo ya Dikgosi, requesting government to halt registration of churches in Botswana."

Oklahoma voters approve ban on courts using sharia, international law

Posted on November 03, 2010
Religion Clause: "In Oklahoma yesterday, voters approved State Question No. 755, amending the Oklahoma constitution to bar state courts from considering or using international law or Shariah law when deciding cases." | Ballotpedia: Oklahoma "Sharia Law Amendment", State Question 755 (2010) | Text of the amendment can be found here (see pgs...

South Africa plans to amend tax law to equalize treatment of sharia compliant mortgages

Posted on November 03, 2010
Businessweek: "The Treasury department said in August it will forgo charging tax on three Islamic structures to allow home loans. The government may sell Islamic bonds after deciding whether to make tax amendments in the middle of 2011 . . . " See Religion Clause for more information.

Supreme Court argument recap: ?Common sense? and violence

Posted on November 03, 2010
Lyle Denniston reports at SCOTUSblog: "With Justice Stephen G. Breyer pushing the notion that 'common sense' can work as a constitutional principle, the Supreme Court on Tuesday looked for a workable way for states to keep younger kids away from truly violent video games, even while seemingly convinced that California has not found that way...

Put Department of Education in timeout

Posted on November 03, 2010
Richard W. Rahn writing in the Washington Times: "The U.S. Department of Education was created with the primary stated goal of increasing students' test scores, but test scores for 17-year-old American students have remained essentially flat since 1970...

Chaplains opposed to DADT repeal coming under pressure

Posted on November 03, 2010
Catholic News Agency: "While the chaplains? opposition to the policy change includes concerns with issues like military readiness, their specific concern is that religious faith 'will be discriminated against in favor of the new political correctness that will be imposed by the Obama administration,' [ADF Attorney Daniel Blomberg] added...

US to spend $511 million to expand Kabul embassy

Posted on November 03, 2010
Associated Press: "The U.S. government will spend $511 million to expand its embassy in Kabul, the U.S. ambassador said Wednesday, describing the work as a demonstration of America's long-term commitment to Afghanistan."

ND: Women?s clinic doctor?s license lapsed; clinic officials are calling an oversight

Posted on November 03, 2010
INFORUM (Fargo-Moorhead): "A doctor at the Red River Women?s Clinic in Fargo has a state medical license that expired four months ago due to an oversight, the clinic acknowledged Friday."

Christian woman sued for wanting like-minded roommate; is this still America?

Posted on November 03, 2010
Sheryl Young writing at Yahoo / Associated Content: "The woman posted an advertisement for a Christian roommate, thus causing the 'uproar' over her right to do so. According to the Alliance Defense Fund statement on this case, it is a misunderstanding that she had no right to post her preference...

Iowans vote to oust all three Supreme Court justices

Posted on November 03, 2010
Iowa Independent: "The highly charged campaign featured more than $1 million in spending against the judges from national anti-gay organizations like the Mississippi-based American Family Association, Washington, D.C.-based Family Research Council, Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund, Georgia-based Faith & Freedom Coalition and New Jersey-based National Organization for Marriage...

So-called pro-life Democrats pay the price for backing ObamaCare

Posted on November 03, 2010
LifeNews: "Thus far, eight of the so-called pro-life Democrats have lost their bids for re-election. That includes Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, Chris Carney and Paul Kanjorski of Pennsylvania; Alan Mollohan of West Virginia; Baron Hill of Indiana; and Charlie Wilson of Ohio...

Civil unions possible in Illinois lame-duck session

Posted on November 03, 2010
OneNewsNow: "A pro-family leader in Illinois is warning that the post-election lame-duck session could provide an opportunity for the state to legalize civil unions for homosexuals."

Personhood Amendment fails in Colorado

Posted on November 03, 2010
KUNC / NPR: "The measure failed on a 3 to one margin, much like a similar measure did in 2008." Ballotpedia: Colorado Fetal Personhood, Amendment 62 (2010)

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