Religion & Law

Prospects of religious freedom appear grim in Islamic Maldives

Posted on August 12, 2010
The Christian Post: "After Saudi Arabia, the Maldives is the only nation that claims a 100-percent Muslim population. The more than 300,000 people in the Maldives, an Indian Ocean archipelago featuring 1,192 islets 435 miles southwest of Sri Lanka, are all Sunnis...

NRO interview with Bill Bennet: Taking the sex out of texting

Posted on August 12, 2010
National Review Online: "National Review Online's Kathryn Jean Lopez talked to Bennett about this private-sector effort to help families . . . KATHRYN JEAN LOPEZ: Shouldn?t parents know who is texting their children, and what the communications are about? WILLIAM J...

UK: Did the Conservative Party alienate Christian voters at the election?

Posted on August 12, 2010
Conservative Home: "In Part 1 we examined Labour?s sustained attack on Christian liberties in Britain and in part 2 the how the Conservative opposition in the Lords had led the defence of Britain?s historic heritage freedom of belief and the right to express it...

John W. Whitehead: Why conservative Christians ?should rethink their blame game? on decline of marriage

Posted on August 12, 2010
John W. Whitehead writing at The Huffington Post: "There can be no easy fix for these problems. Certainly, there are no legislative or governmental solutions, and fighting gay marriage isn't going to do it. Morality and the decline of the family have become convenient platforms for those on both sides of the political aisle...

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Hispanic media turn on President Obama

Posted on August 12, 2010
Politico: "Univision?s Jorge Ramos, an anchor on the nation?s largest Spanish-language television network, says Obama broke his promise to produce an immigration reform bill within a year of taking office. And Latinos are tired of the speeches, disillusioned by the lack of White House leadership and distrustful of the president, Ramos told POLITICO...

Truth stranger than fiction: Christian author can?t discuss book at Tenn. library

Posted on August 12, 2010
"Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Putnam County Library on behalf of an author whom officials denied access to a public meeting room for a discussion about a Christian book she wrote. Library officials told Ilene Vick that the meeting rooms could not be used for anything religious because library policy forbids it...

Cash strapped Scots council is still funding gay festival

Posted on August 12, 2010
The Christian Institute: "A Scottish council is set to shower thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money on a controversial homosexual arts festival despite facing large budget cuts, according to the Scottish Daily Mail."

UK: Gov?t to expand promotion of abortions abroad

Posted on August 12, 2010
The Christian Institute: "The Government is planning to expand its promotion of abortion services in developing countries, according to the International Development Secretary. Andrew Mitchell launched a public consultation on the Government?s controversial plans to increase the availability of 'family planning' last month...

Adventures in hiring and not hiring at Marquette and Seton Hall

Posted on August 12, 2010
Catholic World Report: "Marquette University?s decision to withdraw an administrative appointment to an openly lesbian faculty member whose publications have denigrated Catholic teachings on marriage, sexuality, and the family gave faithful Catholics a glimmer of hope that those running Catholic colleges are beginning to notice the problems there ...

Daniel Blomberg on the Jody Hice Show: Update on efforts to normalize homosexual behavior in the military

Posted on August 12, 2010
Daniel Blomberg appeared on the Jody Hice Show to provide an update on efforts to normalize homosexual behavior in the military.  | MP3 16:50 mins | ADF Media resource page

Pro-life group urges boycott of Urban Outfitters condom sales

Posted on August 12, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "American Life League?s Stop Planned Parenthood project (STOPP) is mobilizing parents to counter Urban Outfitters Inc., the youth-oriented retailer selling Planned Parenthood?s 'Proper Attire' condoms on its web site."

WI: Contraception coverage collides with Catholic Church

Posted on August 12, 2010
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Thousands of Catholic Church employees in Wisconsin are now eligible for birth control coverage through their health insurance plans, under the budget bill passed by the Legislature last year. But because the church considers artificial contraception 'gravely immoral,' at least some of those workers - including non-Catholics - could face sanctions, even termination, if they use it, one church official said Wednesday...

Statement by the President on Ramadan

Posted on August 12, 2010
"[H]ere in the United States, Ramadan is a reminder that Islam has always been part of America and that American Muslims have made extraordinary contributions to our country."

Muslims turn to smartphone apps for spiritual help

Posted on August 12, 2010
The Globe and Mail: "The most ancient traditions of Islam are going high-tech, with a slew of modern offerings for those observing the holy month of Ramadan, which began Wednesday. Cellphone applications such as 'iPray' or 'iQuran' offer a beeping reminder of requisite prayer times, while the 'Find Mecca' and 'Mosque Finder' programs help the Muslim traveller in an unfamiliar city find the nearest place to pray...

Vander Plaats touts campaign to oust Iowa justices over marriage ruling

Posted on August 12, 2010
Chicago Tribune: "Gay rights opponents on Wednesday promised an intense and well-financed campaign to oust three Iowa Supreme Court justices who joined last year's unanimous decision that legalized gay marriage in the state."

Beck tells O?Reilly that he doesn?t oppose same-sex ?marriage?

Posted on August 12, 2010
The Raw Story: "Beck told Fox News host Bill O'Reilly why he didn't devote airtime to the issue. 'Honestly I think we have bigger fish to fry,' said Beck. 'You can argue about abortion or gay marriage or whatever all you want. The country is burning down' ...

Imam leading efforts to build Ground Zero mosque will be State Department Speaker in Middle East

Posted on August 12, 2010
Religion Clause: "At Tuesday's State Department daily press briefing (full text), Assistant Secretary Philip Crowley discussed the travel of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, leader of the group planning to build the controversial mosque near Ground Zero in New York City, as part of the State Department's International Information Program...

David Aikman: Mosque issue not about freedom of religion

Posted on August 12, 2010
David Aikman writing at OneNewsNow: "It is as absurd to claim that the issue is one of First Amendment religious freedom as it would be to make the same argument if a Japanese group wanted to erect a Shinto shrine within yards of the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii's Pearl Harbor ...

Wyo.?s chief federal judge to retire next year

Posted on August 12, 2010
Associated Press: "U.S. District Chief Judge William Downes plans to retire next July, ending 17 years on the bench in Wyoming and a career that includes decisions on the return of wolves to the region and freedom of speech issues."

IL: Atheist sues cross landmark over state grant

Posted on August 12, 2010
CBS (AP): "A Chicago-area atheist is making good on his pledge to sue administrators of a towering southern Illinois cross about $20,000 the landmark received from the state." Complaint is here.

Legal commentary on today?s Cal. marriage stay order

Posted on August 12, 2010
" The judge raised the possibility that the backers of Proposition 8 ? the ban approved by the state?s voters in 2008 ? may not have a legal right to appeal his decision, since state officials have declined to defend the ban and seem unlikely to pursue their own appeal...

Immigration court backlogs continue to climb

Posted on August 12, 2010
Blog of LegalTimes: "In the last nine months, the backlog of cases in the immigration court in Harlingen, Texas?a city in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley? has grown 67 percent?the biggest jump as immigration case backlogs and wait times generally continued their upward drive, according to a university tracking program...

?Judge blocks release of petition signers? names in gay rights case?

Posted on August 12, 2010
Blog of LegalTimes: "A court battle over releasing the names of petition signers on a Washington gay marriage-related referendum has moved from the U.S. Supreme Court to a federal district court. U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle on Wednesday ordered the state of Washington to keep private the names and addresses of signers of the referendum to repeal the state?s domestic partnership law...

IL: Green Party candidate for Treasurer wants to shutter law schools

Posted on August 12, 2010
ABA Journal: "A candidate for Illinois state treasurer has a plan to save money: Eliminate two of the state?s three law schools, including his alma mater."

Frank Turek: ?Top ten gay marriage false facts Part 1?

Posted on August 12, 2010
Frank Turek writing at the AFA's Rightly Concerned blog: "Before we address the top ten false 'facts' asserted by Judge Vaughn Walker, there is one real fact in his opinion that defeats the entire case for his opinion. Here it is: 'The evidence at trial shows that marriage in the United States traditionally has not been open to same-sex couples...

?Professor claims NY college favored gays over him?

Posted on August 12, 2010
Associated Press: "A New York college professor says he was passed over for promotions for being heterosexual and then was fired for complaining. Dr. Csaba Marosan is awaiting a hearing after investigators for the state Division of Human Rights found probable cause to support his claims against Trocaire College in Buffalo...

Sperm-donors? kids seek more rights, want to end anonymous sperm donation

Posted on August 12, 2010
APP.com: "Greenawalt, who lives near Cleveland, and Clark, a college student in Washington, D.C., are part of an increasingly outspoken generation of donor offspring. They want to transform the dynamics of sperm donation so the children's interests are given more weight and it becomes easier to learn about their biological fathers...

Fiorina widens lead over Boxer

Posted on August 12, 2010
CBS: "The CBS 5 poll, conducted by the research firm SurveyUSA, showed Fiorina edging Boxer 47 percent to 42 percent, compared to a CBS 5 poll one month ago showing Fiorina over Boxer 47 to 45 percent."

Barack Obama?s image in Kenya tarnished by abortion battle

Posted on August 12, 2010
C-FAM: "Barack Obama?s sterling image among Kenyans has dimmed in the wake of a $23M U.S. campaign to promote a draft constitution that included abortion rights. The U.S. promoted the new constitution as a way to stop gross presidential power and corruption...

Russian dairy to fire women who have abortions

Posted on August 12, 2010
Toronto Sun: "The head of a prominent Russian dairy said on Thursday he will fire employees who have abortions or refuse to be married in Russian Orthodox Church ceremonies. Critics said the rules set out by the president of Russkoye Moloko, Vasily Boiko-Veliky, violated the constitution and labour laws...

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