Religion & Law

Kagan vote approaches, Ginsburg comments on use of foreign law

Posted on August 02, 2010
WSJ Law Blog: "'Any doubt about the tradition of judicial reference to foreign and international law was (or should have been) laid to rest' by a study co-written by Steven Calabresi, a Northwestern University law professor who co-founded and now is chairman of the conservative lawyers network, Ginsburg said in remarks to the International Congress of Comparative Law, at American University?s Washington College of Law...

The enforceability of postnuptial agreements: Massachusetts weighs in, part one in a two-part series

Posted on August 02, 2010
Joanna L. Grossman writing at FindLaw: "Contracts between husband and wife have always had a tenuous position in American law. Once forbidden, postnuptial agreements now seem to have crept into the realm of enforceable contracts in most states, though they may not always be enforced on the same terms as other types of contracts are...

GA church not allowed to meet on leased property

Posted on August 02, 2010
Christian Web News: "ADF Senior Counsel [Kevin Theriot] said, 'Churches should not be singled out for discrimination by a city's zoning restrictions. Federal law and the Constitution prohibit city officials from targeting Christ Liberty. It is irresponsible for the government to create and enforce ordinances that can have the effect of shutting down religious ministries that serve the community...

FIRE celebrates victories for free speech in and out of the classroom

Posted on August 02, 2010
FIRE: "The case of June Sheldon at San José City College also came to a victorious end this week . . . You can read our coverage here; David French of the Alliance Defense Fund and the blog of the National Association of Scholars also notes FIRE's success in the case...

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Illiberal education

Posted on August 02, 2010
Kathryn Lopez writing at the Laurel Leader-Call: "[David French], a lawyer with the Alliance Defense Fund, which is representing Howell, underscores an important point. 'Dr. Howell?s case illustrates the absolute intolerance that?s long been emerging on campus towards any kind of dissent or disagreement against the prevailing sexual orthodoxy...

Catholic professor reinstated by University of Illinois for fall term

Posted on August 02, 2010
The Catholic Review (CNS): "The reinstatement came days after a deadline for suing the university set by the Alliance Defense Fund, which had taken on Howell?s case."

Diocese of Peoria applauds reinstatement of Catholic professor

Posted on August 02, 2010
Catholic News Agency: "[Chancellor Patricia Gibson] explained that the university has also asked to pay Dr. Howell's salary for university courses, a decision that 'was met with no objection from the Diocese, the Newman Center, or the Alliance Defense Fund, which has been actively involved in assisting Dr...

10 months after updated prayer policy, potential for lawsuit looms

Posted on August 02, 2010
Lodi News-Sentinel: "So far, religious leaders have greeted the Lodi City Council with Christian blessings, a Muslim prayer and even a call to civic responsibility from an atheist. But about 10 months after the council enacted a new prayer policy, the organization that originally complained about the council's policy still has its eye on Lodi for a lawsuit...

Blame game begins after Mass. casino bill failure

Posted on August 02, 2010
Associated Press: "The blame game swung into full fervor Monday as Massachusetts politicians tried to position themselves amid a stalemate over legislation proposing to bring casino gambling to the state."

DOJ report says child porn on the rise

Posted on August 02, 2010
Associated Press: "The spread of child pornography, fueled by technology and the Internet, is outpacing efforts to combat it, the Justice Department said Monday in a report to Congress that promises more arrests, prosecutions and better coordination among federal, state and local authorities...

Lakeland decides prayer continues, but disclaimer added

Posted on August 02, 2010
The Ledger: "In an attempt to strengthen its defense against the Atheists of Florida, the city plans to remove the word 'invocation' from its twice-monthly agenda and will add two sentences explaining that it is barred from endorsing religious beliefs...

Russia: Baptist And Jehovah?s Witness worship services raided

Posted on August 02, 2010
Eurasia Review: "A 9 July raid on a Jehovah's Witness service in Kirovo-Chepetsk (Kirov Region) is the latest in a series of raids on worship services, many involving the FSB security service, Forum 18 News Service notes. 'The unexpected arrival during a peaceful religious service of such a number of people in uniform disturbed the believers and obstructed its usual course,' the Jehovah's Witnesses complained...

?Banning Manning: Why one gay soldier compromised America?s mission?

Posted on August 02, 2010
FRC Washington Update: "In May, when U.S. authorities arrested Army Private Bradley Manning for leaking classified information to WikiLeaks.org, there were whispers that he was politically motivated. It turns out that Manning is an extreme homosexual activist, whose fury over the services' homosexual policy may have led him to publicize highly classified documents about the wars...

TN: Rutherford County land use rights for religious institutions to be discussed

Posted on August 02, 2010
The Daily News Journal: "The Rutherford County Commission?s Steering Committee will review land uses by right such as for religious institutions under the zoning resolution tonight."

CA: ?Hindu statesman? to offer prayer at Visalia council meeting

Posted on August 02, 2010
Visalia Times Delta: "Noted self-described 'Indo-American and Hindu statesman' Rajan Zed is scheduled to recite a Hindu prayer in Sanskrit, followed by an English translation, tonight before the start of the Visalia City Council meeting, Zed announced by e-mail Sunday...

Delays prevent appeal in faith-healing case one year after Dale and Leilani Neumann were convicted

Posted on August 02, 2010
Wausau Daily Herald: "Ten months after Dale and Leilani Neumann were sentenced to six months in jail each for the death of their daughter, the couple has not served a single day and their appeal process is bogged down by a series of delays."

ACLU doesn?t want Boy Scouts meeting in public schools

Posted on August 02, 2010
The Denver Channel: "A letter from the Boulder County ACLU was sent to the Boulder Valley School District Monday, claiming that Boy Scouts of America are a discriminatory group because it wants to exclude homosexuals from its membership."

Mexican drug cartel allegedly puts price on AZ Sheriff?s head

Posted on August 02, 2010
Fox News: "A Mexican drug cartel has reportedly put a hefty price tag on the head of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio."

U.S. Chamber doesn?t endorse Kagan

Posted on August 02, 2010
Blog of LegalTimes: "Robin Conrad, executive vice president of the Chamber's National Chamber Litigation Center, said in an e-mailed statement that 'our internal endorsement process did not generate a clear consensus that would support either a positive or negative view on her nomination...

3rd Circuit: PA prison can ban Muslim scarf

Posted on August 02, 2010
"Prison officials can ban employees from wearing religious headscarves out of concerns they pose a safety risk, a U.S. appeals court in Philadelphia ruled Monday in a split 2-1 decision."

MN pastor back in pulpit after homosexual report

Posted on August 02, 2010
CNSNews: "A Lutheran pastor in Minneapolis who opposes homosexuals being allowed to lead congregations says he is attracted to men but says he's not a hypocrite because he never acted on his urges."

UK to push abortion, contraception

Posted on August 02, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "The British government has pledged to place an 'unprecedented focus' on 'family planning,' including abortion, in its efforts to forward the UN?s Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). The government particularly focused on abortion in a July 27 press release, saying that 'safe' abortion is the solution to the estimated 70,000 deaths a year 'from an estimated 20 million unsafe abortions...

Video ? Alliance Defense Fund Weekly Update ? 2010 August 2

Posted on August 02, 2010
ADF's Weekly Update is on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqx4oW9nYo0

What social science does?and doesn?t?know

Posted on August 02, 2010
Jim Manzi writing at City Journal: "Over many decades, social science has groped toward the goal of applying the experimental method to evaluate its theories for social improvement. Recent developments have made this much more practical, and the experimental revolution is finally reaching social science...

Message to Rush Limbaugh: Civil unions are not compatible with conservatism or a free society

Posted on August 02, 2010
"Speaking on his radio show yesterday[July 28th], famed conservative talk show personality Rush Limbaugh said that he supports same-sex civil unions . . . "

Department of Health and Human Services ?encourages LGBT-inclusive sex ed?

Posted on August 02, 2010
HRC Back Story: "Late last Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released two funding announcements on sexuality education that included language focused on LGBT and questioning youth. For the first time, language in the funding announcements for federal sexuality education dollars encouraged states to consider 'the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth' and asked states to ensure that programs funded with these dollars are 'inclusive of and nonstigmatizing toward' LGBT and questioning participants...

UK: Labour leader hopeful David Miliband in favor of fully redefining marriage

Posted on August 02, 2010
The Christian Institute: "Labour leadership hopeful David Miliband has said he wants 'to change the definition of marriage'. Mr Miliband, MP for South Shields, said he was in favour of same-sex marriage, commenting it was the 'next step in our mission for equality'...

House Ethics Committee announces charges against Maxine Waters

Posted on August 02, 2010
Washington Examiner: "The House ethics committee on Monday announced it has found Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., in violation of the rules of the House. The panel did not release the details of the violations, but most believe the charges relate to the 71-year-old lawmaker's efforts to secure federal bailout funds for a bank tied to her husband...

Islamic feminists storm some barricades

Posted on August 02, 2010
Wall Street Journal: "Hoping to reform Islam by making it more women-friendly, Ms. Thompson?an American convert to Islam?has organized several 'pray-ins' at mosques in the D.C. area. These include the Islamic Center of Washington and the Dar Al-Hijra Islamic Center in Falls Church, Va...

David Cameron writes letter of support to UK ?gay community?

Posted on August 02, 2010
UK Prime Minister David Cameron writing in The Independent: "There's no single lever we can pull or even collection of measures that we can take to make that happen. The wall of prejudice is also chipped away by high-profile role models, by public celebrations, by a positive approach to diversity...

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