Religion & Law

Organization offers guidance to Argentinean judges who object to same-sex ?marriage?

Posted on July 29, 2010
Catholic News Agency: "The pro-life office of the Fundar Movement in Argentina is offering a conscientious objection guide to justices of the peace who are opposed to gay ?marriage? and refuse to preside over same-sex 'weddings.'"

Court: Wisconsin man can sue over death of fetus

Posted on July 29, 2010
Chicago Tribune: "A Wisconsin man can sue a former girlfriend's insurer for the wrongful death of their fetus, which was stillborn after the woman was in a car accident, a court ruled Thursday . . . A Wood County judge had ruled that a woman has no legal duty to an unborn fetus, and therefore her insurer could not be held liable...

Civil unions debate heats up in Peru

Posted on July 29, 2010
Living in Peru: "The Homosexual Movement of Lima (MHOL) has expressed its surprise about lawmaker José Vargas proposal on legalization the civil union among people of the same sex. Christian Olivera, President of the MHOL, considers that a possible approval of this initiative may prevent the future approval of gay marriage in Peru...

?Professor fired for gay comments settles lawsuit?

Posted on July 29, 2010
Worldview Times: "A former professor at San Jose City College has received a favorable settlement of a federal lawsuit against the school. The former professor, June Sheldon, was represented by attorneys for Pacific Justice Institute as co-counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom...

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NC: EEOC alleges religious discrimination at Crabtree Belk store

Posted on July 29, 2010
WRAL: "The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Belk Inc. on Thursday, alleging that the chain's department store at Crabtree Valley Mall fired a woman because of her religious beliefs."

MA: Complaint about religious services at Sandy Beach

Posted on July 29, 2010
Wicked Local: "Selectmen gave short shrift this week to an anonymous letter they received from 'Concerned Beachgoers' that was postmarked July 20 complaining about religious services being held at Sandy Beach."

Casey Mattox: On second thought, Montgomery County won?t hold Christian business owner?s beliefs against her

Posted on July 29, 2010
ADF Attorney Casey Mattox writing at The Christian Post / Advancing Religious Liberty: "[The county] has decided that there is no 'church-state issue' with a public school patronizing a business operated by an admitted Christian. In response to a letter sent by an ADF allied attorney, Tim Bosson, and Rob Showers, both of the firm Simms & Showers, the county?s attorneys now state that we can 'be assured that it is not the position of the school system or Westbrook Elementary School that the personal religious references on your client?s website provides a basis for denying patronage of her business...

FL: Charter school to open at Coral Gables church

Posted on July 29, 2010
Miami Herald: "Somerset Gables Academy plans to open a 110-student charter school at University Baptist Church in Coral Gables, not the 675-student K-8 school it had envisioned . . . 'We gave them a certificate of use for 110 and that's the position we've taken,' she said...

?Mercy killing? mum to appeal murder conviction

Posted on July 29, 2010
The Christian Institute: "A mother who was given a life sentence for the 'mercy killing' of her brain damaged son is appealing against her conviction for murder. Frances Inglis killed her son Thomas by injecting him with a lethal dose of heroin in November 2008 after a previous attempt to kill him failed...

Scots IVF clinic makes move towards designer babies

Posted on July 29, 2010
The Christian Institute: "Doctors at the Glasgow Centre for Reproductive Medicine (GCRM) claim that the genetic screening of IVF embryos would lessen the risk of miscarriage and conditions such as Down?s syndrome which are more likely for babies carried by older women...

CBS vows to add more ?gay? characters on its shows

Posted on July 29, 2010
Boston Herald: "The network is also adding gay characters to a few of its shows. GLAAD recently gave the network a failing grade for its portrayal of gays. 'We?re very disappointed in our track record so far,' Tassler said. Alicia?s gay brother will be introduced on 'The Good Wife,' a recurring gay character will pop up on the William Shatner comedy 'S#*! My Dad Says,' and Jeff and Audrey will pick a lesbian surrogate on 'Rules of Engagement...

Scalia renders opinions about the original Constitution and moral decisions at MSU lecture

Posted on July 29, 2010
MSU News Service: "U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is not happy with the intrusion of politics into the selection process of justices for the Supreme Court, nor does he feel that he and his fellow jurists are any 'more qualified to decide cases involving the leading moral questions of the day than medical doctors, engineers or even Joe Six-Pack...

Judge OKs law requiring pornographers to keep age records

Posted on July 29, 2010
Law.com: "A federal judge has refused to strike down recent amendments to the federal Child Protection and Obscenity Enforcement Act that require photographers and filmmakers -- both professional and amateur -- to maintain records that verify the age and identity of anyone depicted in a sexually explicit film or photograph...

8th Circuit gives Minn. judge candidates campaign leeway

Posted on July 29, 2010
Minneapolis Star-Tribune: "A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that Minnesota's restrictions on fundraising and endorsements by judicial candidates violated their free speech rights, overturning parts of the state code of judicial conduct. A sharp dissent warned that the change could threaten public trust in impartial courts...

Fired U of I professor vindicated, will again be allowed to teach Catholicism class

Posted on July 29, 2010
The University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana confirmed to Alliance Defense Fund attorneys Thursday that it will once again allow popular professor Dr. Kenneth Howell to teach on Catholicism after recently firing him for explaining the Roman Catholic Church? position on human sexual behavior to members of his class.

Ethics panel brings 13 counts against embattled Rep. Rangel

Posted on July 29, 2010
The Hill: "The House ethics committee announced 13 charges Thursday against Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), who is accused of breaking House rules as well as federal statutes."

Fired for teaching the truth

Posted on July 28, 2010
Bryan Berry writes at the National Catholic Register: "Some of the professors teaching Islam are practicing Muslims. But unlike the Muslims, who also believe that homosexual sex is wrong, Howell was 'penalized for believing in what he?s teaching,' said [David Hacker], litigation staff counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom, which is defending Howell ...

?Federal judge upholds dismissal of counseling student who balked at treating gay clients?

Posted on July 28, 2010
The Chronicle of Higher Education: "The Alliance Defense Fund, a coalition of Christian lawyers that is helping to represent the student, Julea Ward, issued a statement on Tuesday saying it plans to appeal the judge's decision. 'Christian students shouldn't be expelled for holding to and abiding by their beliefs,' said [David French], a senior counsel for the group, which helped out in a similar lawsuit filed against Augusta State University, in Georgia, this month...

Christian ASU student threatened with expulsion because of her beliefs on homosexuality

Posted on July 28, 2010
The Underground: "[David French], senior counsel said, 'Jennifer Keeton has not been accused of mistreating a client. She?s being told, "You must change your beliefs or we?ll deny you a degree,"' The Augusta Chronicle said."

ADF increases global impact with new status at United Nations

Posted on July 28, 2010
Special consultative status will allow ADF to monitor, shape issues affecting religious freedom

Jordan Lorence on the Zeb Bell Show: State sponsored ?therapeutic? thought reform for your own ?good? ? the Jennifer Keeton Case

Posted on July 28, 2010
ADF attorney Jordan Lorence appeared on the Zeb Bell Show to discuss this: Augusta State Univ. to counseling student: change your beliefs or get out. | MP3 19:34 mins

Jordan Lorence and Dr. Kenneth Howell on KFUO: Fired for Catholic teachings in class on Catholicism

Posted on July 28, 2010
ADF attorney Jordan Lorence and Dr.Kenneth Howell appeared on KFUO with Roland Lettner to discuss his case. | MP3 24:11 | Related ADF press release

Arizona Sheriff Arpaio behind nearly 25% of all deportations from the U.S. since 2006

Posted on July 28, 2010
AP: "Statistics obtained by The Associated Press show that the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office was responsible for deportations or forced departure of 26,146 immigrants since 2007. That's about a quarter of the national total of 115,841 sent out of the U...

David French on the radio: The case of the Augusta State student who refuses to abandon her beliefs on homosexual conduct

Posted on July 28, 2010
ADF attorney David French appeared in several radio programs to discuss several cases including the Jennifer Keeton case reported in this ADF press release: ADF attorneys file suit after university officials require counseling student to abandon her beliefs to get a degree...

TN: 77?7? Kerrville Cross Raised on IH-10, Ending 9 Year Epic Struggle

Posted on July 28, 2010
OnlinePRNews.com: "Tuesday a two-million-dollar, 70-ton, 77'7" red-brown contemporary sculpture named The Empty Cross? was erected by The Coming King Foundation (TCKF) overlooking Interstate 10, half-way between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, on the transcontinental highway that connects California and Florida...

State Censorship of Religious High Schools Heads to Supreme Court

Posted on July 28, 2010
Pacific Justice Institute: "PJI has filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Catholic League and Ignatius Press in Association of Christian Schools International v. Stearns. This brief asks the Supreme Court to review a recent Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision, which approved actions by the University of California system that effectively prevent private Christian, Catholic, and Jewish high schools from teaching courses in accordance with their faith traditions...

Mass. Legislature approves plan to bypass Electoral College

Posted on July 28, 2010
Boston Globe: "The Massachusetts Legislature has approved a new law intended to bypass the Electoral College system and ensure that the winner of the presidential election is determined by the national popular vote."

New Pro-Life Group Launches Personhood Amendment in West Virginia?s Oldest County

Posted on July 28, 2010
Christian Newswire: "A new West Virginia prolife organization, PersonhoodWV, is springing to life in West Virginia this week. PersonhoodWV will hold their first meeting in Hampshire County, with PersonhoodUSA co-founder Cal Zastrow introducing the mission of the statewide personhood amendment and answering questions...

The new Federal Register: ?USA.gov meets USA Today?

Posted on July 28, 2010
The Hill: "The Open Government Initiative has a lot to do with telling people what's going on in Washington and providing way better return for the taxpayer dollar. One next step is the Federal Register 2.0, a site that communicates what's going on in ways that make for a more natural read...

Key Republican calls Kagan a ?dangerous? nominee

Posted on July 28, 2010
Associated Press: "Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the senior Republican on the Judiciary Committee, warned senators in unusually dire terms against voting for President Barack Obama's choice, saying, 'Be careful about it, because I'm afraid that we have a dangerous, progressive, political-type nominee...

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