Religion & Law

Vanity Plates, the First Amendment, and a Judge on the Rise

Posted on October 11, 2010
Andrew Cohen writes at Politics Daily: "Judge Livingston then delivered the coup de grace. "The infirmities in Vermont's application of its own statute are amply demonstrated by the case at bar. Byrne applied for the plate JN36TN, which the state refused to issue because Byrne's supplied meaning indicated his intent to refer to the biblical passage John 3:16...

OK: Abortion Center Director Guilty of False Bomb Threat Report, Used Egg Timer

Posted on October 11, 2010
LifeNews: "The former director of the Reproductive Services abortion center in Tulsa, Oklahoma has pleaded guilty to charges of making false or misleading statements after telling police she supposedly found a bomb at the abortion center."

Vaccine makers targeted in lawsuit

Posted on October 11, 2010
Post-Gazette.com: "Hannah Bruesewitz's parents think a DPT vaccination caused the child's seizure disorder, but the vaccine maker is protected from suits by federal law."

Homosexual group wants to ?out? marriage supporters

Posted on October 11, 2010
One News Now: "NOMexposed.com was created by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a major homosexual activist organization that says it hopes to 'out NOM for what it is -- a secretive player in anti-gay policies.' The website details NOM supporters and posts items about those who have publicly expressed what HRC labels 'anti-gay rhetoric and activity...

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Clinton off to Balkans to push EU integration

Posted on October 11, 2010
AP: "Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is pressing political reforms to the restive Balkans with the hope that such changes will lead to the region's full integration into the European Union and NATO."

Eyewitness: Anti-gay riots in Belgrade

Posted on October 11, 2010
BBC: "Serbian police have clashed with protesters trying to disrupt a Gay Pride parade in the capital, Belgrade." | More reports here.

Jeremy Tedesco on the Zeb Bell Show: 2nd Circuit victory in Vermont John 3:16 license plate litigation

Posted on October 11, 2010
ADF attorney Jeremy Tedesco on the Zeb Bell Show to discuss the recent 2nd Circuit victory in the Vermont John 3:16 license plate litigation. | MP3 audio 13:41 mins

High Court test case to keep Islamic preacher Zakir Naik out of Britain

Posted on October 11, 2010
Telegraph.co.uk: "A Christian minister is bringing a legal test case to try to prevent a radical Islamic preacher coming to Britain . . . His case is being brought by the Christian Legal Centre, who have hired the religious and human rights barrister Paul Diamond...

Furious China blocks visit to Nobel winner?s wife

Posted on October 11, 2010
AP: "China on Monday blocked European officials from meeting with the wife of the jailed Nobel Peace Prize winner, cut off her phone communication and canceled meetings with Norwegian officials - acting on its fury over the award."

CO: ?Woman Arrested For Destroying Offensive Jesus Depiction In Museum Display?

Posted on October 11, 2010
Religion Clause Blog: "While the show spent four months at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver without incident, in Loveland it has triggered protests as a Loveland City Council member and the media say that one of Chagoya' panels depicts Jesus having oral sex ...

Pence: Odds are on Supreme Court striking down healthcare reform

Posted on October 11, 2010
Wall Street Journal: "Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), the third-ranking House Republican, who serves as conference chairman, said he saw enough votes on the high court to strike a blow to President Obama's signature domestic initiative."

One Nation, Indivisible: The Pledge of Allegiance was drafted in two hours on a sweltering August night in 1892.

Posted on October 11, 2010
Wall Street Journal: "On Oct. 12, 1892, schoolchildren inaugurated an American tradition that continues more than a century later: They recited the Pledge of Allegiance. The occasion was the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's discovery of America, and the promoter of the Pledge was a popular national magazine called the Youth's Companion...

Shutting Up Business: Democrats unleash the IRS and Justice on donors to their political opponents.

Posted on October 11, 2010
Wall Street Journal: "If at first you don't succeed, get some friends in high places to shut your opponents up. That's the latest Washington power play, as Democrats and liberals attack the Chamber of Commerce and independent spending groups in an attempt to stop businesses from participating in politics...

Court orders Muslim woman to remove her veil to give evidence

Posted on October 11, 2010
Express.co.uk: "A pregnant Muslim woman was ordered to remove her veil before giving evidence in court against her violent ex-partner."

420 banks demand 1-world currency

Posted on October 11, 2010
World Net Daily: "The Institute of International Finance, a group that represents 420 of the world's largest banks and finance houses, has issued yet another call for a one-world global currency, Jerome Corsi's Red Alert reports."

New Barna Report Examines Diversity of Faith in Various U.S. Cities

Posted on October 11, 2010
Barna Group: "The cities (measured in the Barna research as media markets) with the highest proportion of residents who describe themselves as Christian are typically in the South, including: Shreveport (98%), Birmingham (96%), Charlotte (96%), Nashville (95%), Greenville, SC / Asheville, NC (94%), New Orleans (94%), Indianapolis (93%), Lexington (93%), Roanoke-Lynchburg (93%), Little Rock (92%), and Memphis (92%)...

NY: Gender Discrimination Claim By Former Pastor Dismissed Under Ministerial Exception Doctrine

Posted on October 11, 2010
Religion Clause Blog: “In Barton v. Mikelhayes, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 107233 (ND NY, Oct. 7, 2010), a New York federal district court applied the ministerial exception doctrine to dismiss a Title VII gender discrimination complaint brought by Todd David Barton, a former minister in the United Methodist Church, whose pastoral license was withdrawn by [...

SC: Suit Says County Sign Control Ordinance Is Unconstitutional

Posted on October 11, 2010
Religion Clause Blog: "The complaint (full text) in Moultrie v. Berkeley County, South Carolina, (D SC, filed 10/5/2010), argues that by providing exemptions for political signs (as well as for "for sale" and "for lease" signs) but not for signs expressing religious messages ...

New Citizens United sequel?

Posted on October 11, 2010
SCOTUS Blog: "Washington State conservative advocacy group, seeking to play a role in ballot measure campaigns in its state, on Friday asked the Supreme Court to clear the way for it to raise unlimited funds to pay for its efforts. Its attack on a Washington state law that puts a $5,000 limit on contributions to ballot measure committees in the final three weeks before an election could become a significant sequel to the Court?s controversial ruling last January in Citizens United v...

Iowa pastor: Churches will urge voters to remove 3 justices

Posted on October 11, 2010
DesMoinesRegister.com: "The Rev. Cary K. Gordon has a prayer he recites as he campaigns against the three Iowa Supreme Court justices who are up for retention in next month's election. 'Dear God,' he says, 'please allow the IRS to attack my church, so I can take them all the way to the U...

Firefighters vs. city?s ?gay pride? mandate

Posted on October 11, 2010
One News Now: "'This [lawsuit] stands for the proposition that government employees should not be compelled to participate in events that violate their sincerely held beliefs,' contends Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) attorney Joe Infranco, who adds that there was no opportunity for the men to opt out...

Same-sex attraction doesn?t justify redefining marriage, Minnesota bishops explain

Posted on October 11, 2010
CNA: "The Catholic bishops of Minnesota have issued a brief statement on marriage, saying that having same-sex attractions does not deprive anyone of basic human rights but also does not create the right to 'marry' someone of the same sex." | The Catechetical Statement

Baby Born From Embryo Frozen For 20 Years

Posted on October 11, 2010
"A healthy baby boy was born from an embryo frozen for almost 20 years in what was hailed Sunday as scientific breakthrough that could allow women to start families much later in life."

The supreme court of Bangladesh upholds moderate Islam

Posted on October 11, 2010
Christian Telegraph: "The supreme court of Bangladesh in August ruled that women and men cannot be required to wear veils or skullcaps in workplaces or schools -- dealing a blow to Muslim radicals trying to impose Islamic law on the predominantly Muslim country, reports Baptist Press...

North Korea?s Christians face uncertain future under next leader | Christian News on Christian Today

Posted on October 11, 2010
Christian Today: "Christians are treated without mercy. Up to three generations of Christian families are rounded up and thrown in prison camps to try to eliminate the faith. The nation is now grooming its next leader. But the question is, will Kim Jong-un finally put an end to his country's policy of ruthless persecution?"

Illinois: School district settles dispute with student wearing anti-gay T-shirt

Posted on October 11, 2010
First Amendment Coalition: "According to an agreement between attorneys for the school district and the students, the school board has decided to amend the district policies and student handbook. In return, the students will dismiss some aspects of the case, said Jonathan Scruggs, an attorney at the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian group that defends freedom of religion...

New Book Proves Faith and Politics Do Mix

Posted on October 11, 2010
EveryDayChristian.com: "'I think there is a biblical responsibility that Christians have in following the patterns of Scripture to seek good for the nation that they live in,' said Grudem in an interview with the Alliance Defense Fund about his latest book release...

Couple Held for Charges of Illegal Abortion in Australia

Posted on October 11, 2010
TopNews.us: "On Saturday, women in Australia protested outside the Cairns courthouse in far north Queensland to support a young couple facing the charges of illegal abortion."

French Constitutional Court Decision Upholds Ban on Wearing Veils in Public Places

Posted on October 11, 2010
Ilya Somin writes at the Volokh Conspiracy: "France?s Constitutional Council recently upheld the constitutionality of a law banning the wearing of veils in public places. The text of the decision is available in French here. Despite the importance of the issue and the large potential infringement on religious freedom, the opinion is very short and conclusory...

Tenn. recess Bible-ban case appealed

Posted on October 11, 2010
One News Now: "Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) litigation counsel Jonathan Scruggs tells OneNewsNow that his client has the right to read and discuss the Bible during non-instructional time. 'We're not asking for special treatment here,' he explains. 'We're simply asking for equal treatment in the same way that other students can read material during recess -- that our client should have been allowed to read the Bible and participate in a Bible study during recess...

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