Religion & Law

Nancy Pelosi ditches Catholic credentials, can?t say if Jesus has right to life

Posted on August 04, 2010
LifeNews: "Nancy Pelosi further ditched her Catholic credentials again as she was unable to answer a reporter's question about whether Jesus Christ should have had his right to life protected from conception. Earlier this year, Pelosi said she has an obligation to pursue public policy 'in keeping with the values' of Jesus...

Preliminary Round-up on Proposition 8 ruling

Posted on August 04, 2010
" . . . federal judge has overturned California's same-sex marriage ban in a landmark case that could eventually land before the U.S. Supreme Court."

Hadley Arkes: The lure of sewing on alligators

Posted on August 04, 2010
Hadley Arkes writing at The Catholic Thing: "I?ve been making the case in these columns for a design of pro-life legislation that keeps its focus on the victim . . . I?ve entered the plea that there is a danger of subtly shifting from the central moral question when we concentrate on the harms absorbed by the pregnant woman and take the focus away from that small being who is being poisoned or dismembered ...

Case highlights inconsistency between N.Y. statutory rape laws, federal child porn laws

Posted on August 04, 2010
Law.com: "A federal appeals panel has thrown out a child pornography conviction that was based on explicit photographs texted by a 17-year-old to her field-hockey coach. The 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals held there was no evidence that defendant Todd Broxmeyer asked 17-year-old 'A...

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?Abortion ban leading to crisis in Philippines: rights group?

Posted on August 03, 2010
ABS-CBN News: "The New York-based Centre for Reproductive Rights issued a report this week saying about 1,000 women died annually in the Philippines after having backstreet abortions."

Sen. Boxer highlights abortion in CA race

Posted on August 03, 2010
Mercury News (AP): "Boxer is intent on highlighting the distinction between Fiorina and herself on the right of choice, even as the state struggles with an unemployment rate above 12 percent . . . Abortion rights, she knows, can help drive voters her way"

Protesters in Poland block cross from being moved

Posted on August 03, 2010
Breitbart (AP): "Protesters shouting 'Defend the cross!' scuffled with police Tuesday but managed to prevent Polish officials from moving a cross erected outside the presidential palace in memory of the late President Lech Kaczynski."

Pro-lifers to challenge prayer ban on walkway in front of D.C. Planned Parenthood

Posted on August 03, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "A number of pro-life activists have announced that they will pray on the public walkway in front of the Washington, D.C. Planned Parenthood (PP) on Saturday, August 14 as part of an event called 'A Time to Stand' - even if doing so means arrest and going to jail...

ACLU praises Muslim center near Ground Zero

Posted on August 03, 2010
The Hill: "On Tuesday, the New York Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) praised the center?s progress, saying that it represents the core of American values."

New York mosque controversy fires up national campaign

Posted on August 03, 2010
Fox News: "The debate over Park 51's construction has grown beyond the borders of downtown Manhattan into a national controversy, demonstrated by a television ad produced by the National Republican Trust Political Action Committee, which uses graphic imagery from the Sept...

Baptist World Alliance confirms new president

Posted on August 03, 2010
Christian Today: "Virginia native John Upton was elected Saturday to lead the Baptist World Alliance as its new president."

ACLJ poised to file court challenge to proposed Ground Zero mosque after NYC declines to landmark historic building

Posted on August 03, 2010
ACLJ: "The ACLJ is planning to file an Article 78 petition in state court to challenge the city's actions. The ACLJ will allege that there's been an abuse of discretion in the Commission's decision and that filing is expected to occur tomorrow."

400,000 voters mistakenly voted against Prop 8?

Posted on August 03, 2010
As many as 400,000 voters cast 'no' votes on the measure because they thought a 'yes' vote meant they favored gay marriage, according to the study released by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Mentoring Project."

New York Times lauds judicial use of foreign law

Posted on August 03, 2010
NYT Editorial, "A Respect for World Opinion": "Nativism in American politics has become so rampant that it is considered scandalous in Republican circles for a judge to acknowledge paying any attention to foreign courts and their legal rulings. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the few prominent jurists to speak out against this trend in recent years, gave an on-the-money speech last week pointing out the xenophobia on recent display in the confirmation hearings of Elena Kagan...

America?s first Muslim college opens this fall

Posted on August 03, 2010
VOAnews.com: "Zaytuna College's motto is, 'Where Islam meets America.' It's the first Muslim college in the United States."

Senators make climactic arguments on Elena Kagan

Posted on August 03, 2010
Associated Press: "Supporters and opponents of Elena Kagan painted vastly different portraits of the Supreme Court nominee on Tuesday, as they got their final say on the Senate floor before a near-certain vote to confirm her later this week."

KS Supreme Court Chief Justice Davis retires

Posted on August 03, 2010
Boston.com (AP): "Chief Justice Robert Davis has retired from the Kansas Supreme Court, citing health concerns. His resignation is effective immediately."

Kagan?s notes blasted homeschoolers

Posted on August 03, 2010
WorldNetDaily: "Elena Kagan, whose nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court likely will be before the full U.S. Senate for a vote soon, has suggested state regulations are 'little' burden for homeschoolers, according to notes she made on a case while she was clerking for Justice Thurgood Marshall...

HI: Judges? ?unqualified? rating is slammed

Posted on August 03, 2010
Honolulu Star Advertiser: "The Hawaii State Bar Association's board of directors' rating of appeals Judge Katherine Leonard as 'unqualified' to be Hawaii's next chief justice drew strong criticism last night from Gov. Linda Lingle. The association's board gave Leonard the rating by a secret vote and did not disclose the reasons as part of its confidential policy to help ensure that the lawyers on the board vote freely on appointees...

PA working to outlaw teen sexting

Posted on August 03, 2010
The Philadelphia Inquirer: "Earlier this month, Pennsylvania joined 20 other states to consider legislation prohibiting minors from sexting - electronically sending sexually explicit photos or text. Grove's bill would impose a range of penalties, from a summary offense much like a traffic ticket to felony charges...

Senate Committee again votes to permanently repeal Mexico City Policy

Posted on August 03, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "A year after the same maneuver ended in defeat, a Senate committee has again approved an amendment to the foreign appropriations bill that would codify President Obama's repeal of the Mexico City Policy. The measure would make international non-governmental organizations that perform or promote abortion permanently eligible for U...

Tajik officials keep sharp eye on Islamic teaching

Posted on August 03, 2010
Radio Free Europe: "A graduate of a local religious school, or madrasah, himself, Ahmadov has an official license to teach in such Islamic schools and to conduct private courses. His classes, which take place inside the grand mosque is the village of Ponghoz, in Tajikistan's northern Sughd Province, are registered by local authorities...

TX: Court says redacted holiday card form violated free speech

Posted on August 03, 2010
Religion Clause: "In Pounds v. Katy Independent School District, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 77175 (SD TX, July 30, 2010), a Texas federal district court granted a motion to reconsider its earlier decision involving a First Amendment challenge to a holiday card fundraising project at a Texas elementary school ...

Letter has 200 military physicians opposing abortions on military bases

Posted on August 03, 2010
LifeNews: "More than 200 physicians who have served U.S. soldiers have signed a letter to members of the Senate protesting a Senate bill amendment that would turn U.S. military base hospitals into abortion centers."

Kagan?s nomination to Senate floor Tuesday

Posted on August 03, 2010
Fox News / Live Shots: "The final debate on Elena Kagan's nomination to the Supreme Court will start Tuesday according to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev."

Supreme Court Justices are chummy even in death

Posted on August 03, 2010
Associated Press: "At Arlington National Cemetery, just over the Potomac River from Washington, eight justices rest together in one section - one justice short of a full court. In all, 12 justices are buried at Arlington, and another 18 lie at other nearby cemeteries...

AFL-CIO president urges unions to step up for Dems

Posted on August 03, 2010
Associated Press: "The head of the nation's largest labor federation on Tuesday urged union leaders to step up support for Democrats in the November elections, despite some frustration with the pace of gains on labor's agenda."

Panel?s landmark denial frees NYC mosque site

Posted on August 03, 2010
Associated Press: "The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted 9-0, saying the 152-year-old building blocks from the site of the Sept. 11 attacks wasn't special or distinctive enough to meet criteria to qualify as a landmark. Commissioners also said that other buildings from the era were better examples of the building's style...

U.S. AG needs broader effort to stop child porn

Posted on August 03, 2010
Press Release from Patrick A. Trueman at PornHarms.com: 'Attorney General Holder would be well advised, however, to also vigorously prosecute illegal adult pornography and not just child pornography, Trueman urged. 'This would prevent many from ever getting involved with child pornography because many child pornographers today are not pedophiles and likely did not have a natural attraction to child pornography prior to their involvement with pornography...

Rep. Kevin Brady: America?s new health care system revealed

Posted on August 03, 2010
Press Release from Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas): 'For Americans, as well as Congressional Democrats who didn?t bother to read the bill, this first look at the final health care law confirms what many fear, that reform morphed into a monstrosity of new bureaucracies, mandates, taxes and rationing that will drive up health care costs, hurt seniors and force our most intimate health care choices into the hands of Washington bureaucrats,' said Brady, the committee?s senior House Republican...

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