Religion & Law

R.I. AFL-CIO board supports gay marriage bills

Posted on March 23, 2011
Providence Journal: The Rhode Island AFL-CIO executive board has for the first time voted to endorse legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry in the state.

Uganda: Parliament to pass marriage bill

Posted on March 23, 2011
New Vision Online: THE controversial Marriage and Divorce Bill will be passed before the end of the eighth Parliament, Speaker Edward Ssekandi has said. The proposed legislation recognises cohabitation in terms of property rights, abolishes forced marriage, prohibits same sex marriage and allows women to divorce their husbands on grounds of cruelty.

Delaware government: Civil unions bill filed in Dover

Posted on March 23, 2011
Delaware Online (includes video): "Lawmakers by the baker's dozen stood together with Gov. Jack Markell on the east steps of Legislative Hall on Tuesday afternoon, endorsing the first legislative effort to give same-sex couples the same legal protections and obligations now in place for married couples...

Immigration Judge delays deportation until status of Federal DOMA ?becomes clearer?

Posted on March 23, 2011
An immigration judge agreed Tuesday to delay the deportation of a Queens woman until the legal status of the Defense of Marriage Act becomes clearer.

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UK: Christian publisher forced to cancel launch of ?gay cure? book

Posted on March 23, 2011
Anglican Mainstream: "Eileen Mohr, who owns Crossbridge Books, said that a hotel in Worcester refused to host the launch after learning of the demonstration."

Two Christians killed in attack on Pakistani church

Posted on March 23, 2011
Christian Today: "Muslim youths shot dead father of four Yunis Ilyas, 47, and newly-wed Jameel Masih, 21, in a church in Hoor Camp, Hyderabad."

AP: ?Wave of anti-abortion bills advance in the states?

Posted on March 23, 2011
"What's different this year is not the raw number of anti-abortion bills, but the fact that many of the toughest, most substantive measures have a good chance of passage due to gains by conservative Republicans in last year's legislative and gubernatorial elections...

Pro-Lifers to Seattle U: Stop Promoting Pro-Abortion Groups

Posted on March 23, 2011
LifeNews: More than a dozen pro-life groups are banding together for a letter to the president of Seattle University asking that the Catholic institution end its promotion of the Planned Parenthood abortion business.

Millions of images seized in New Brunswick child porn arrests

Posted on March 23, 2011
Toronto Star: Police say they have arrested four people and seized millions of child sexual abuse images in New Brunswick as part of a targeted effort to reduce child pornography and the exploitation of children via the Internet.

Civil unions pass in Colo. Senate, tougher road ahead in House

Posted on March 23, 2011
Denver Post: The fate of the bill was never in doubt in the Senate, where Democrats have a 20-15 edge. The question is what happens when it goes to the House, where Republicans have a one-vote edge. Convention wisdom said the bill would pass it if it made it to the floor but likely will be sent to a ?kill? committee.

Transgender New Yorkers sue over birth certificates

Posted on March 23, 2011
Reuters: "A group of transgender residents filed a lawsuit against New York City over what they say are burdensome requirements for them to change the gender on their birth certificates."

Viable sperm grown in laboratory

Posted on March 23, 2011
Japanese researchers cultivated small pieces of tissue from the testes of baby mice on a gel bathed in nutrients. After several weeks they collected viable sperm from the tissue.

Texas Medical Board Gets Complaints on Problem Abortionists

Posted on March 23, 2011
LifeNews: The Texas Medical Board, which oversees licensed physicians but not abortion centers, has received complaints about a dozen abortion practitioners after a massive statewide investigation.

Rand Paul for president? Maybe.

Posted on March 23, 2011
Washington Post: "Only a few months into his political career, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is considering a presidential bid."

Kansas Senate Passes Fetal Pain-Based Late Abortion Ban

Posted on March 23, 2011
LifeNews: Today, the Senate approved the bill on a voice vote and, once the bill the House approved 91-30, is given final approval, it will go to pro-life Gov. Sam Brownback, who has promised to sign the measure into law. Republicans rejected weakening amendments from Sen...

KS: Family group fights for limits on sex businesses

Posted on March 23, 2011
One News Now: "Earlier in the month the Kansas House overwhelmingly approved restrictions on strip clubs, adult video stores, and other sexually oriented businesses. The Community Defense Act (H.B. 2107) would prohibit new sexually oriented businesses within 1,000 feet of a school, library, daycare center, or house of worship...

ACLU: Louisiana school orders student to remove ?pro-gay? shirt

Posted on March 22, 2011
WWLTV.com: The American Civil Liberties Union is defending a student from Desoto Parish Middle School after the principal ordered her to go home or to change her t-shirt which said ?Some Kids are Gay. That's OK.?

Pro-Life Attorney Takes on USA Today on Promoting Abortion

Posted on March 22, 2011
LifeNews: And USA Today doesn?t like laws protecting taxpayers from having to pay for abortions in the new state taxpayer-funded health insurance exchanges the Obamacare law created. Mary Spaulding Balch, an attorney for the National Right to Life Committee, responds in her own opinion column the newspaper published.

Court Hears Claim Of Forced Roma Sterilization in Slovakia

Posted on March 22, 2011
NPR: Europe's human rights court opened a hearing Tuesday into a Gypsy woman's allegation that she was wrongly and forcibly sterilized at a state-run hospital in her native Slovakia because of her ethnicity.

NARAL praises Brown for opposing full defunding of Planned Parenthood

Posted on March 22, 2011
Boston Globe: The abortion-rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America today praised US Senator Scott Brown for pledging to oppose a House Republican effort to eliminate federal grants and contracts that benefit the women?s health services provider Planned Parenthood.

Canada: ?Gay-straight groups not mandatory, education ministry says?

Posted on March 22, 2011
ParentCentral.ca: "Premier Dalton McGuinty is refusing to order Catholic schools to allow gay-straight clubs because it is too politically risky before an election, say Ontario same-sex rights advocates. But a government spokesperson said Monday the province does not compel schools to create gay-straight alliances if a student asks, as long as there is some other group providing student support to help students feel safe and welcome...

?Netherlands: Gay couple sues mayor, police for failing to protect them from Muslim violence and intimidation?

Posted on March 22, 2011
Jihad Watch: "A gay couple from Utrecht is holding the municipality, the police and central government liable for the financial and emotional damage they suffered as a result of intimidation and violence of Moroccan youths."

UK: Anti-Christian ?Equality commission to be restricted, says Home Office?

Posted on March 22, 2011
Christian Institute: "The Government?s controversial equalities watchdog is set to be stripped of a number of its responsibilities, the Home Secretary announced yesterday."

Irish church wins court case over banned Bible ad with word ?sodomy?

Posted on March 22, 2011
A church in Northern Ireland, which had a newspaper ad banned for using the biblical word ?sodomy?, has had the ban overturned in the High Court today."

Why Do We Let Them Dress Like That?

Posted on March 22, 2011
All of which brings me to a question: Why do so many of us not only permit our teenage daughters to dress like this?like prostitutes, if we're being honest with ourselves?but pay for them to do it with our AmEx cards?

Alaska bill would restrict collective bargaining for public unions

Posted on March 22, 2011
AP on Yahoo: "Collective bargaining rights would be restricted for many Alaska public employees under a bill introduced Monday by a state lawmaker."

Fiscal groups call for Planned Parenthood defunding

Posted on March 22, 2011
The Hill: A group of 29 fiscally conservative organizations have written to Congress calling for the immediate defunding of Planned Parenthood, adding to the chances the GOP will push for this in negotiations with Democrats over a 2011 funding bill.

Arizona Senate Toughens Proposed Ban on Abortions Based on Race, Gender

Posted on March 22, 2011
Fox News: The Arizona Senate is toughening a proposed ban on abortions for people who want them because of race or gender.

PA: Union rallies against proposed cuts to higher education

Posted on March 22, 2011
ABC27.com: "Faculty and students at Shippensburg University rallied Tuesday morning in protest of Gov. Tom Corbett's state budget proposal."

Fox News: ?To Avoid Offense, Should Apple Avoid Religion??

Posted on March 22, 2011
Jeremy Kaplan at Fox News: An iPhone app by a religious group that disagrees with homosexuality has gay-rights groups seeing red -- and Apple in the hotseat.

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