Religion & Law

?Stem cell ruling like sand on discovery?

Posted on August 26, 2010
PressTV: "'The American people should not be forced to pay for experiments -- prohibited by federal law -- that destroy human life. The court is simply enforcing an existing law passed by Congress that prevents Americans from paying another penny for needless research on human embryos,' [Steven H...

Utah gov to meet with Log Cabin Republicans

Posted on August 26, 2010
Salt Lake Tribune: "Gov. Gary Herbert is continuing a tradition - started by his predecessor Jon Huntsman Jr. - by hosting a third annual governor's reception for the Utah Log Cabin Republicans, which represents the interests of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community within the Grand Old Party...

?Fla. gay congressional candidate loses bid?

Posted on August 26, 2010
Washington Blade: "A gay candidate running to represent Florida?s 17th congressional district lost his bid for the Democratic nomination on Tuesday. Scott Galvin, who?s gay and a North Miami City Council member, was among nine Democratic candidates seeking the nomination in the primary...

Guv claims Corroon could eliminate LDS seminary

Posted on August 26, 2010
The Salt Lake Tribune: "Gov. Gary Herbert warned Thursday that the education plan put forward by his opponent, Democrat Peter Corroon, would likely mean the elimination of LDS seminary courses."

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Catholic Campaign for Human Development facing key test of support among US bishops

Posted on August 26, 2010
Catholic Culture: "The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is facing a critical test of support among the US bishops this week, CWN has learned . . . The CCHD was established by the US bishops in 1970 to attack the root causes of poverty in America ...

Protect religious hiring rights, group urges

Posted on August 26, 2010
Baptist Press: "Southern Baptist church-state specialist Richard Land and 10 Baptist college presidents joined other American religious leaders Aug. 25 in urging Congress to protect the hiring rights of faith-based organizations that receive federal grants...

UT: ACLU cries foul on LDS Church proposed Manti city block purchase

Posted on August 26, 2010
Fox 13 Utah: "The American Civil Liberties Union is raising concerns about the proposed sale of a portion of Manti's city block to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . . . he ACLU says the street has historically been a thoroughfare used as a public forum for people of all religious persuasions -- particularly during the annual week-long Mormon Miracle Pageant...

FRC: Ken Mehlman and the GOP?s resistance to marriage amendments

Posted on August 26, 2010
Family Research Council: "This unfortunate confirmation [regarding former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman] helps explain the scandalous failure of many in the Republican establishment to vigorously uphold the values and policy positions expressed in the party's platform in 2004 and 2008, particularly the need to protect the definition of marriage as the union of a man and a woman nationwide...

What the Great Recession has done to family life

Posted on August 26, 2010
New York Times: "Economists may assert that we?re in the early stages of a recovery, but surveys continue to show that the impact of the Great Recession on American families is deep, widespread and grim . . . The poor are getting poorer, and the rich, despite stock-market setbacks, are still comparatively rich...

Ken Blackwell and Ken Klukowski: Disaster looms if GOP changes course on marriage

Posted on August 26, 2010
Ken Blackwell and Ken Klukowski writing at Fox News: "The Republican Party has an official position on same-sex marriage. It?s found in the 2008 GOP platform, which is the clear and uncontestable Republican position until the 2012 convention . . . The GOP platform could not be more explicit: Marriage is the union of one man and one woman...

?Nevada?s ?gay marriage? ban in constitutional limbo?

Posted on August 26, 2010
Las Vegas Sun: "Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto finds herself potentially stuck between the governing documents on the issue of gay marriage. And those on both sides of the volatile debate say she should wade into the legal fight in their favor...

Confessions of a sperm donor: Hundreds of kids

Posted on August 26, 2010
ABC News: "In his days as a student at the University of Utah, Chase Kimball was known as number 007, donating his sperm at $20 a pop to help infertile couples . . . He estimates that over a seven-year period during the 1970s and 1980s, he likely sired 'hundreds of children' ...

Former Republican Party Chairman admits he?s ?homosexual,? will push for same-sex ?marriage?

Posted on August 26, 2010
CNSNews (AP): "Mehlman, who was campaign manager for President George W. Bush in 2004 and then RNC chairman after Bush's re-election, told The Atlantic in an interview published online Wednesday that he came to the conclusion he is gay recently and wanted to talk about it publicly because he wants to become an advocate for gay marriage...

NYC: Drunk man screams anti-Muslim slurs, urinates in mosque

Posted on August 26, 2010
My Fox New York: "A drunk man barged into a mosque in Queens, N.Y., and shouted anti-Muslim slurs before urinating on prayer rugs, the New York Post reported Thursday."

FCC appeals ruling on indecency restrictions

Posted on August 26, 2010
The Hill: "The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is appealing a federal court ruling that its indecency policy is unconstitutional, arguing the decision makes it all but impossible for the agency to enforce restrictions on broadcasting nudity or profanity...

Alaska Planned Parenthood will abuse new abortion-parental notification law

Posted on August 26, 2010
LifeNews: "Just days after Alaska voters approved a new law allowing parents to be notified when their teenage daughter is considering an abortion, the Planned Parenthood abortion business is preparing to push teens into using provisions, meant for abused kids, to keep all parents in the dark...

Pro-life leader calls UN World Youth Congress in Mexico a ?farce?

Posted on August 26, 2010
Catholic News Agency: "A young pro-life leader from the International Youth Alliance has denounced the World Youth Conference in Leon, Mexico as a 'farce.' He explained that the United Nations-promoted event is working to impose an agenda on delegates that is contrary to life and the family...

U.S. Court of Appeals put on the brakes

Posted on August 26, 2010
Little Chicago Review: "The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit Monday put the brakes on an August 18 implementation date for U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker?s order overthrowing the will of 7 million California voters with regard to marriage...

Iran detains two members of reformist student group

Posted on August 26, 2010
Spero News: "Two members of the alumni association of the country's largest reformist student group have been detained by security forces in Tehran, a member of the association has told RFE/RL's Radio Farda."

Michigan: Activists, GOP leaders sue to keep Tea Party off ballot

Posted on August 26, 2010
Detroit Free Press: "A group of tea party activists and Republican legislative candidates filed suit Tuesday seeking to keep candidates from what they claim is a phony Tea Party from appearing on the Michigan ballot in November."

Ky. court: Christian-only health plan is insurance

Posted on August 26, 2010
"[W]e conclude that the Medi-Share program does provide a 'contract for insurance' . . . We also conclude that Medi-Share does not fall within the Religious Publications Exemption."

Kansas Voters Challenge Process for Filling Supreme Court Spot

Posted on August 26, 2010
"Only candidates nominated by the Commission may be appointed by the Governor. Since all nominees allowed to move forward by the Commission may be opposed to the Governor, the Judicial Council, and not the people, has complete control over who becomes a judge in Kansas...

England: ?Truro to host gay pride parade?

Posted on August 26, 2010
The Falmouth Packet: " The third gay pride festival will parade through the streets of Truro in a riot of colour and music on Saturday."

Finland: Same-sex ?marriage? may prevent Christian Democrats from entering into next government

Posted on August 26, 2010
Helsingin Sanomat: "If the next Finnish government makes it a part of its programme to grant homosexuals the right to marry by changing the law on marriage, the Christian Democrats may not be seen in that government, always assuming they do enough at the polls to be in consideration for a seat in the coalition that is formed after next April's elections...

Finland: Lutheran Church open to discussing same-sex unions

Posted on August 26, 2010
Mikko Heikka, Lutheran Bishop of Espoo, writing at Helsingin Sanomat: "Gender-neutral marriage laws have been passed in several European countries. There have been calls for similar legislation in Finland as well. In the debate that has taken place views have been put forward that a gender-neutral marriage law would be something negative from the point of view of the Church ...

NC: Planners OK rezonings for new mosque

Posted on August 25, 2010
WXII 12: "The High Point Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended the approval of two zoning requests that could allow a new mosque to built in the city after a lengthy public hearing that included several testimonies of support and several in opposition to the requests...

UK: Transsexual worker to sue over dismissal

Posted on August 25, 2010
The Independent: "The 24-year-old claims bosses at Housing and Support Solutions Limited, in Cleethorpes, terminated her contract without reason just days after she announced her gender change decision."

Virginia AG?s advisory on religious displays may lead to lawsuits, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Posted on August 25, 2010
Americans United for Separation of Church and State: "Said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, 'This opinion reads more like an op-ed than a legal advisory. Cuccinelli is encouraging local governments to wade into a deeply controversial arena of the law without adequate guidance ...

?Blasphemy? threats send Pakistani worker, couple into hiding

Posted on August 25, 2010
The Christian Post (Compass Direct News): "In separate cases typical of how Pakistan?s blasphemy laws enable the predominantly Sunni Muslim society to terrorize lower-class Christians, the cleaning worker in Bahawalnagar district, Punjab Province was forced to leave his job and flee with his family, and the married couple in Karachi, Sindh Province are running from threats from the Muslim bride?s parents...

IRS fraud cases against tax-exempt organizations on the decline

Posted on August 25, 2010
The Blog of LegalTimes: "A report released today by the Treasury Department?s Inspector General for Tax Administration details some of the problems the IRS has in managing [tax-exempt organizations] cases, which have declined in the past three years and tend to yield low rates of conviction...

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