Religion & Law

WY: Lawmakers seek to intervene in same-sex divorce

Posted on February 15, 2011
San Francisco Chronicle: The 13 lawmakers want permission to file a "friend of the court" brief with the Wyoming Supreme Court. They're represented by the Alliance Defense Fund, an Arizona-based Christian civil rights group that has litigated against same-sex marriage in California.

Members of Congress Press Sebelius on Moral Conscience Law

Posted on February 15, 2011
Christian Post: One of the two cases cited in the letter was that of registered New York nurse Catherina DeCarlo. DeCarlo alleged that she was forced by Mt. Sinai Hospital to participate in the abortion of an unborn baby against her moral and religious conscience...

Legislators want role in same-sex divorce case

Posted on February 15, 2011
Billings Gazette: The local attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund, Douglas Mason of Pinedale, said Monday that there is nothing to prevent the Lusk couple from returning to Canada to get a divorce or to get one from some other jurisdiction that recognizes same-sex marriage...

PA: City ends ?1st Amendment maze?

Posted on February 15, 2011
One News Now: The city ordinance on a floating and a fixed "100-foot bubble zone" prohibited pro-lifers' free-speech rights at virtually all Pittsburgh abortion clinics, but David Cortman of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) tells OneNewsNow the ordinance violates the Constitution...

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University motivated to make ?appropriate? changes

Posted on February 15, 2011
One News Now: Jeremy Tedesco of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) tells OneNewsNow his firm argued the constitutionality of the school's policy. "This is forced association. What if a club is a Christian club and the university appoints an atheist, or if you're a Republican club and they appoint a Democrat," he poses...

Sask physician guidelines outline numerous risks of abortion

Posted on February 15, 2011
LifeSiteNews: "Recently revised guidelines of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CPSS) outline many of the numerous risks of abortion and the duty of the counseling physician or abortionist to inform any woman contemplating abortion of these risks...

Ontario: Christians accused of participating in politics, influencing Conservative Party

Posted on February 15, 2011
LifeSiteNews: Rising in the House of Commons Thursday, Bloc MP Pierre Paquette (Joliette) questioned the Conservative government over the fact that some of its Christian MPs have met and worked with Christian groups - ?the fringe of the Conservative Party,? in Paquette?s words...

Population control advocate says Duggar family ?would make rabbits blush?

Posted on February 15, 2011
LifeSiteNews: "A commentator for a California population control group has issued a scathing indictment of the 19-child Duggar family, calling their openness to new life ?bad behavior? that contributes to the overpopulation of the planet."

WI: 10% turnout expected for Tuesday primary; Supreme Court race is only statewide contest

Posted on February 15, 2011
Journal Sentinel: "The high court race is the only statewide contest on the ballot. Incumbent Justice David Prosser is seeking his second full 10-year term. He's being challenged by Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg; Marla Stephens, director of the appellate division of the state public defender's office; and Madison lawyer Joel Winnig...

Bid to expand Arizona?s high court dies in committee

Posted on February 15, 2011
East Valley Tribune: "Without debate, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday refused to expand the Arizona Supreme Court from five to seven members."

AU: ?Louisiana Student Girds For Battle On Behalf Of Sound Science?

Posted on February 15, 2011
Americans United Wall of Separation Blog: Zachary Kopplin, a senior at Baton Rouge Magnet High School, wants to see the 2008 Louisiana Science Education Act repealed, and he?s working with state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson (D-New Orleans) to garner support for a bill she plans to introduce in April that will do just that ...

Michigan Bill Would Increase Penalties For Disturbing Religious Services

Posted on February 15, 2011
Religion Clause Blog: "The Livingston County (MI) Daily Press and Argus reports on passage by the Michigan state Senate last week of Senate Bill 19 which would increase the penalties for interrupting or disturbing services at any building that is clearly identified as one used for religious purposes...

Phyllis Schlafly: Free Trade With Protectionist China Cheats America

Posted on February 15, 2011
Phyllis Schlafly writes at Townhall: "Some people foolishly call our relationship with China "free trade." But there is nothing free or fair about it -- we are in a trade war between a militantly protectionist communist government and a U.S. shackled by obsolete illusions about trade...

Georgia Senate may block Sunday alcohol bill again

Posted on February 15, 2011
Atlanta J. Constitution: "The latest attempt at Sunday alcohol sales legislation in the state Senate appears to be in trouble. Opposition, especially from Christian conservatives, could prevent a Senate vote this year on a bill that would give Georgia communities a vote whether to allow Sunday beer, wine and liquor sales at stores...

Orthodox church sues over temple destroyed on 9/11

Posted on February 15, 2011
AP: "The Greek Orthodox church sued the public agency that owned the World Trade Center on Monday, saying the agency reneged on a deal to rebuild a church that was destroyed in the 9/11 attacks."

Pa. man ordered to take down 24-foot cross in yard

Posted on February 15, 2011
AP:A western Pennsylvania man has been ordered to remove a 24-foot illuminated cross from his front yard following complaints by his neighbor, who claims the act of faith is actually an act of revenge.

TN: Former Jefferson County teachers can press church, state claim

Posted on February 15, 2011
Knox News: "A divided 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Friday opined that David Kucera and Vickie F. Forgety are entitled to sue federally as the victims of the school board's alleged violation of the U.S. Constitution's Establishment Clause, better known as the doctrine of separation of church and state...

More child porn cases, less law enforcement

Posted on February 15, 2011
One News Now: "Phil Burress, president of Citizens for Community Values (CCV), says child pornography and sexual abuse of children has escalated in the last 20 to 25 years. However, the federal government and the Justice Department have refused to crack down on hardcore pornography, he argues...

Bill to Yank Abortion Funding From Obamacare Wins Approval

Posted on February 15, 2011
"The bill that would ensure no loopholes in the Obamacare bill can authorize abortion funding under the federal law received a positive vote from House Energy and Commerce today. The legislation also protects conscience rights for medical workers . . .

Obama promises veto of GOP spending bill

Posted on February 15, 2011
AP: "The White House is issuing a thinly-veiled veto threat against a $1.2 trillion Republican spending bill that cuts about $60 billion from the budget for the ongoing fiscal year."

Quebec: Crucifix stays in Assembly

Posted on February 15, 2011
Montreal Gazette: "Despite a verdict by Quebec?s human rights tribunal that called on the city of Saguenay to end the practice of reciting a Christian prayer at the start of council meetings, the crucifix, a Roman execution instrument and a symbol of Christianity, is staying in Quebec's National Assembly...

Judges Rule Case Against Dutch Anti-Islam MP To Continue

Posted on February 15, 2011
Voice of America News: "A court in Amsterdam on Monday has ruled that the hate speech trial of Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders will go on, with new judges listening to the defense?s preliminary objections to the case. Those objections were already heard by a different panel of judges last year, but a retrial was ordered because of possible judicial bias against Wilders...

Euro judges ?will not have final say? on prisoner vote, vows Attorney General (as he hints of withdrawal from European court)

Posted on February 15, 2011
Daily Mail: "European judges will not have the final say on whether prisoners should be given the vote, the Attorney General said last night. In a sign of the Government?s growing anger over prisoner voting, Dominic Grieve hinted that Britain could seek to limit the power of the European Court of Human Rights over the issue ? and even withdraw from its jurisdiction altogether ...

Survey: Many Americans Favor Christian-Influenced Businesses

Posted on February 15, 2011
Christian Post: "A new Barna survey released Monday revealed that 43 percent of American adults say they would be open to buying a particular brand if they knew the company was run based on Christian principles."

Georgia: Lawmaker Pushes Abortion Restrictions

Posted on February 15, 2011
GPB.org: "Some lawmakers want to put it to voters?when the state of Georgia recognizes the beginning of life."

MT: Republicans put more social issues on the Legislature?s plate

Posted on February 15, 2011
Great Falls Tribune: "Republican lawmakers pitched new plans Monday to intervene in divorce, target abortion in the Montana Constitution and help parents deal with local sex education issues."

WY: Lawmakers seek to intervene in same-sex divorce

Posted on February 15, 2011
AP: "The Alliance Defense Fund represents the lawmakers, including House Speaker Ed Buchanan. The fund is an Arizona-based Christian civil rights group that has fought same-sex marriage in California."

ACLU joins Yale Law to launch ?Don?t Filter Me? Initiative to stop schools from filtering homosexual web sites

Posted on February 15, 2011
ACLU: "The American Civil Liberties Union, in partnership with Yale Law School, has launched a campaign called ?Don?t Filter Me? to assess censorship of web content in public high schools. The campaign asks students to check to see if web content geared toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities ? a frequent target of censorship in schools ? is blocked by their schools? web browsers...

NM: Dozens March In Support Of Traditional Marriage

Posted on February 15, 2011
KOAT.com (includes video): "Dozens rallied to defend the traditional definition of marriage in Santa Fe on Valentine?s Day."

Britain must recover its Judeo-Christian discourse, says Nazir-Ali

Posted on February 15, 2011
Christian Today: Mr Nazir-Ali, originally from Pakistan, said multiculturalism had created ?segregated communities? that were ?fertile? for extremists. He said: ?The reason multiculturalism came to be invented was the loss of public discourse rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition...

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