Religion & Law

Texas Board of Education Panel Splits On Role of Religion In History Curriculum

Posted on July 15, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "The panel is evenly divided between social conservatives and more moderate or liberal in-state university faculty with expertise in education or social sciences."

Permit no longer required to share faith on N.J. town?s sidewalk

Posted on July 15, 2009
Alliance Defense Fund attorneys have obtained a settlement from city of Wildwood officials that will allow citizens to distribute religious literature on public sidewalks, in parks, and in all other public forums without obtaining a permit.

Maryland: Court Upholds University?s Facilities Use Policy

Posted on July 15, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "Rock for Life- UMBC v. Hrabowski, (D MD, July 8, 2009), a Maryland federal district court rejected claims by a student anti-abortion group that its 1st and 14th Amendment rights were violated by university restrictions on the location of a display sponsored by the group.

Interview with Justice Stephen Breyer

Posted on July 15, 2009
The Atlantic's Bob Cohn interviews Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. They discuss the departure of Justice Souter, Breyer's own confirmation hearings, the difficulty of being on the Supreme Court, the "flexible" interpretation of the Constitution, and the polarization of the Court.

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NEA flexes ?political muscle,? backs same-sex ?marriage?

Posted on July 15, 2009
One News Now: "The National Education Association has thrown its full support behind homosexual 'marriage.'"

Irish blasphemy bill passes by single vote

Posted on July 15, 2009
Jimmy Walsh reports in the Irish Times: "The Defamation Bill was passed by a single vote after the Government nearly suffered a defeat on an amendment by Fine Gael?s Eugene Regan which would have deleted the offence of blasphemy from the Bill."

Senator Reid backs repeal of ?Don?t ask, don?t tell?

Posted on July 15, 2009
Carl Hulse reports at the New York Times Politics and Government Blog: "With a possible fight brewing in Congress over repeal of the Pentagon?s 'don?t ask, don?t tell' policy on gays in the military, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, came down on Tuesday solidly in favor of eliminating the ban...

?Ukraine bans ?Bruno? for nudity, gay sex?

Posted on July 15, 2009
Reuters: "Ukraine has banned 'Bruno,' Sacha Baron Cohen's comedy about a gay Austrian fashion reporter, objecting to its scenes of nudity and homosexual sex, the culture ministry said on Wednesday."

Australia: Sydney Archdiocese offers $100k adult stem cell grant

Posted on July 15, 2009
The Australian reports: "Hoping to contribute to the end of the use of embryos in research, the Catholic Church is offering a $100,000 grant for research into the medical use of adult stem cells. The Sydney Archdiocese announced the grant today, saying it is still vehemently opposed to embryonic stem cell research but approves of the use of adult stem cells...

Kentucky: Parents voice concern over home school investigations

Posted on July 15, 2009
Marshall County-Tribune Carrier: "In last week?s issue of the Tribune-Courier, Marshall County School System?s Director of Pupil Personnel Ledonia Williamson outlined her concern for some of the area?s home schooled children. Williamson stated she intended to keep closer tabs on home schools and would be making random checks to those in the county...

Arizona Governor Signs Laws to Strengthen Two School Choice Programs

Posted on July 15, 2009
The Alliance for School Choice: "Brewer signed legislation that eliminated the ?sunset? provision on the state?s Corporate School Tuition Organization Tax Credit . . . In signing another bill, Brewer allowed individuals to make paycheck contributions to School Tuition Organizations on a weekly or monthly basis?instead of in just one sum of $500...

Google blocks blog exposing homosexual agenda

Posted on July 15, 2009
Drew Zahn reports at WorldNetDaily: "A day before the Massachusetts Legislature plans to review a controversial gender identity bill, Blogger.com blocked the blog of MassResistance, an organization that exposes the increasingly open agenda of the homosexual movement in Massachusetts, with a warning that some of the content may be 'objectionable,' requiring readers to confirm their intent to visit...

New campaign offers public schools helpful lessons in religious liberty

Posted on July 15, 2009
Gateways to Better Education and the Alliance Defense Fund are working together to promote greater awareness of the U.S. Department of Education?s guidelines on students? freedom of religious expression in public schools.

?Same sex ban draws controversy?

Posted on July 15, 2009
Mannix Porterfield reports in the Register-Herald: "But Jordan Lorence, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense, argued that West Virginians need to vote on the matter, and that it is wrong to assume DOMA will stand up in a court challenge. 'It?s like saying, we don?t need a vaccination for swine flu, because we haven?t had an epidemic yet,' he added...

Attention ?International? category subscribers: Change of Address

Posted on July 15, 2009
If you subscribe to the ADF Alliance Alert "International" category by either RSS or email, please note that the subscription address will be changing effective 11:30 am (MST) on Wednesday, July 15, 2009. The "International" category is being renamed to "Global"...

Georgia university sued over free speech rights

Posted on July 15, 2009
Jake Jones reports in the Evangelical Examiner: "Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed the complaint in Bloedorn v. Grube with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. ADF-allied attorney Charles Stebbins, III, of the Augusta law firm Warlick, Tritt, Stebbins & Murray, LLP, is serving as local counsel in the lawsuit...

?Lawmakers get both sides on gay marriage?

Posted on July 15, 2009
Lawrence Messina reports for the Associated Press: ?But Dys and Alliance Defense Fund counsel Jordan Lorence both argued that the statute remains vulnerable to a lawsuit. Lorence targeted the sort of stance taken by Gov. Joe Manchin. While endorsing marriage as being between a man and a woman, the Democratic governor has questioned the need for a constitutional amendment absent any pending challenge...

Phoenix church bells declared disturbers of the peace

Posted on July 15, 2009
Nicholas Riccardi reports in the Los Angeles Times: "'It's frankly a little bit astonishing,' said alliance attorney Gary S. McCaleb, contending the case violates the church's 1st Amendment freedom to practice its religion. 'It's very clearly an expression and outworking of their faith...

Judge rules college can?t censor religious speech for being ?offensive?

Posted on July 15, 2009
Drew Zahn reports at WorldNetDaily: "'Professor Matteson clearly violated Mr. Lopez's free speech rights by engaging in viewpoint discrimination and retaliation because he disagreed with the student's religious beliefs,' said ADF Senior Counsel David French in a statement...

SD: Meade ?adult-oriented? business ordinance passes first reading

Posted on July 15, 2009
Rapid City Journal: "Meade County's ordinance regulating adult-oriented businesses passed first reading July 7, but some changes might be in order before the proposal is enacted. The ordinance would apply to a business that knowingly allows, encourages or advertises certain activities, including nudity or semi-nudity, within its boundaries...

?Episcopal Vote Reopens a Door to Gay Bishops?

Posted on July 15, 2009
NY Times: "The Episcopal Church voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to open the door to consecrate more bishops who are openly gay, a move that is likely to send shock waves throughout the Anglican Communion, the global network of churches to which the Episcopal Church belongs...

?Fort Worth mayor apologizes for raid on gay bar?

Posted on July 15, 2009
Houston Chronicle: "Mayor Mike Moncrief apologized for a raid on a gay bar that sparked claims of brutality and procedure violations after several members of a gay rights group were escorted out of a City Council meeting Tuesday."

5th protester removed from Sotomayor hearing

Posted on July 15, 2009
Breitbart.com (AP): "It took a half-dozen Capitol Police officers to remove the struggling protester from the hearing room Tuesday after he yelled, 'She's a baby killer.'"

Phony Originalism and the Establishment Clause

Posted on July 15, 2009
Northwestern University Law Review: "There is a serious originalist inquiry to be made into the meaning of the Establishment Clause, but none of the 'originalist' judges on the Court appear to have the slightest interest in undertaking that inquiry.Chief Justice Rehnquist and Justices Scalia and Thomas have each followed very different strategies in their efforts to unmoor the clause from its original purposes...

AZ: Planned Parenthood to fight abortion bill

Posted on July 15, 2009
Sandra Haros reports at KTAR: "A day after Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed a bill putting restrictions on abortions, Planned Parenthood is taking action."

More Sotomayor on Use of Foreign Law

Posted on July 15, 2009
Ed Whalen writes at the National Review Bench Memos Blog:  ”A follow-up to my post about Judge Sotomayor?s remarkably confusing answer yesterday: Below (in full) is the exchange this morning between Senator Coburn and Judge Sotomayor on use of foreign law...

Indiana: ?Adult-business rules on hold: New Haven Council to study first?

Posted on July 15, 2009
Journalgazette.net: "City Council delayed introducing a series of ordinances that would require massage businesses, adult novelty shops and strip clubs to obtain licenses from the city to operate . . . Instead, they asked for more time to study the proposals and to send comments or suggested changes to the city attorney before introducing them...

?Colo. Springs Leader Supports Gay, Lesbian Event?

Posted on July 15, 2009
CBS4denver.com: "Vice Mayor Larry Small has issued a personal letter of support for PrideFest, which will include a parade and interfaith religious service Sunday."

Study: ?Memory forms at 30 weeks in the womb?

Posted on July 15, 2009
Forbes: "Fetuses that are only 30 weeks old may already possess short-term memory, Dutch researchers report."

Government PR campaign targets Chinese Muslims

Posted on July 15, 2009
Boston Globe (AP): "The chorus of smiling Muslims and Han Chinese wore matching yellow polo shirts and appeared on television Wednesday, singing: 'We are all part of the same family.'"

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