Daily Archives: November 23, 2009

Google News (AP): “‘For the Court to grant the State’s motion to prohibit `any evidence’ in support of the necessity defense would be premature, and contrary to Kansas law,’ the defense wrote.”

AP: “Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt says that he has prostate cancer and expects to have surgery in January.”

Pam’s House Blend: “David Huebner, who served as the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’s general counsel, has been confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa.”

Americans United for Separation: “Americans United for Separation of Church and State has again warned the Cleveland City Council that it is violating the law by consistently opening its meetings with sectarian prayers . . . ”

ACLU: “The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of the Carter Center, Human Rights Watch and several other human rights and humanitarian organizations in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of a law that makes it a crime to provide ‘material support or resources’ to any organization that the Secretary of State has designated a ‘foreign terrorist organization’ (FTO).”

Townhall: “Last Friday I was privileged to stand with Chuck Colson, Jim Daly, Robert George, Archbishop Wuerl, Tony Perkins, Alan Sears, Cardinal Rigali, and over 20 others to represent the first 150 signers of a document called The Manhattan Declaration . . . Christianity is not merely a set of doctrines or beliefs; it lives out the ideals set forth in the Bible. This compels us as Christians to commit now, more than ever, to reaffirm the biblical truths that support the common good in our land.”

First Amendment Center: “A prime example is in Bridgeton, N.J., where school officials have refused to allow a student — known in court papers as C.H. — to distribute literature related to the Pro Life Day of Silent Solidarity. School officials also refused to allow the girl to wear a red armband with the word ‘life’ on it . . . The student — with legal assistance from the Alliance Defense Fund — has filed a federal lawsuit, C.H. v. Bridgeton Board of Education, claiming school officials violated her First Amendment rights.”

Jill Stanek: “The Alliance Defense Fund just filed an emergency injunction and restraining order in response to the decision a couple hours ago by an ‘ethics panel’ at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital to discontinue care of 9-month-old Gabriel Palmer.”

Charter Schools Examiner: “The controversy over Idaho’s Nampa Classical Academy’s alleged use of religious texts has turned into a tug-a-war between the Idaho Attorney General’s office and the Arizona based religious liberty group, The Alliance Defense Fund.”

Bay Windows: “‘In New York, the only relationship recognized as marriage is the committed union of a man and a woman,’ said Brian Raun, senior counsel for the group. ‘State and local officials should not attempt to use marriage laws from outside jurisdictions to place their political agendas ahead of the law.’”

The Pew Forum: “The evangelical Christian movement historically has been defined by its members’ distinctive doctrinal standards and practices. Yet in recent years many Americans have come to understand evangelicals more by their political, rather than religious, identity. The Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life invited Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., to discuss how this political association has affected the evangelical movement, what evangelicals’ most important concerns are today, and how the movement is evolving.” [transcript at the link]

Daily Mail: “A muslim who threatened to kill his wife and cut out her tongue after she blocked an arranged marriage for their daughter has been banned from seeing his family . . . But despite his chilling threats he escaped imprisonment and was given community service. Last night campaigners condemned the sentence, saying it sent out the wrong message.”

Christian Telegraph: “President of Mission India of Grand Rapids, Michigan Dave Stravers says the evidence comes from hardline Hindu groups. ‘We [received] a power point presentation from a Hindu extremist group warning people in the state of Karnataka that the Christians are growing so fast that they’re worried that the state might actually become a majority Christian state.’”

Europe News: “Allama Rjee Allah Khan, a Muslim cleric, told a Nov. 20 peace conference. ‘We do not want the Taliban’s version of Islam. A terrorist has no religion.’”

Washington Post: “Here it comes: Best Buy ran a national Black Friday ad inviting the world to celebrate Thanksgiving and Eid Al-Adha, the Muslim festival of sacrifice.”

The ad can be viewed at CrunchGear

CNN: “Alhough statistics on the depth of domestic trafficking are difficult to ascertain, the University of Pennsylvania conducted a study in 2001 showing that between 244,000 and 325,000 American children were at risk of sexual exploitation, including child pornography, juvenile prostitution and trafficking children for sexual purposes. The average age of a female victim’s first involvement in prostitution, according to the study, was between 12 and 14.”

CNSNews: “A convicted murderer who is seeking a taxpayer-funded sex-change operation has asked a judge to order Massachusetts prison officials to provide electrolysis treatments.”

Miami Herald (AP): “The lawsuit claims the Alachua County School District violated students’ rights by not allowing them to wear T-shirts with an anti-Islamic message.”

Telegraph: “As Ed Balls proposes to abolish the remains of old-school history, the EU proposes to make the teaching of its own history compulsory, says Christopher Booker.”

LifeSiteNews: “Specifically, Hoffman targeted ‘ACORN and the unions’ as groups that may have tampered with the election, adding that ‘inspectors who read numbers incorrectly when phoning in results … sounds like a tactic right from the ACORN playbook.’ Election officials had discovered in a recanvassing effort over 2,000 misreported or uncounted votes for Hoffman, which they attributed to ‘human error,’ shrinking Democrat Bill Owens’s lead over Hoffman from 5,335 votes to 3,026 votes.”

LifeNews: “Tianyong, of Beijing Global Law Firm, had requested a meeting with President Obama with other human rights lawyers during Obama’s visit this week, but was turned down. Smith’s office informed LifeNews.com late Friday that, after Obama left the country, Tianyong’s wife was beaten and he was hauled off by Chinese officials.”

Christian Web News: “‘Rarely before have so many American Christian leaders, from across the theological spectrum, come together in one accord to stand in support of religious liberty, life, marriage, and the family,’ said Sears. ‘ADF attorneys are in courtrooms across America tirelessly defending these principles from constant attack. That’s why it’s a great privilege for me to join with Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christians in adding my signature, as an individual, to this historic document, and I hope others will join in support of this effort.’”

Wall Street Journal: “The Reid bill also assaults health savings accounts, or HSAs, which allow individuals to accumulate tax-free funds for future medical expenses when coupled with low-premium, high-deductible insurance. The Reid bill changes tax provisions to make HSAs less attractive, but the real threat comes via increased regulation.”

Brussels Journal: “Herman Van Rompuy. Get used to the name. He is the first President of the European Union, which with the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon by all the 27 EU member states in early November was transformed into a genuine United States of Europe.”

LifeSiteNews: “A new homosexual website, ChurchOuting.org, is intent on publicly disclosing who the gay priests are in the Archdiocese of Washington. The goal of this outing is to intimidate gay priests, as well as heterosexual priests who may be ‘romantically involved,’ into voicing objections to the Catholic Church’s opposition to gay marriage. ”

Times Online: “A Vatican scholar claims to have deciphered the ‘death certificate’ imprinted on the Shroud of Turin, or Holy Shroud, a linen cloth revered by Christians and held by many to bear the image of the crucified Jesus.”

Law.com (NY Law Journal): Despite its recognition of the “frustration” among matrimonial attorneys regarding New York’s continued status as the only state in the country without no-fault divorce, a Brooklyn appellate panel has declined to broaden the grounds for divorce by recognizing a “social abandonment” cause of action.

Davis v. Davis, 203111/07.

ADF attorneys representing mother file emergency motion to save child’s life

The Church Report: “‘Courts can settle disputes, but they cannot legitimately order a child into a government-run school on the basis that her religious views need to be mixed with other views. That’s precisely what the lower court admitted it is doing in this case, and that’s where our concern lies,’ said ADF-allied attorney John Anthony Simmons of Hampton.”

Houston Chronicle (AP): “‘The Army has successfully integrated women into the most effective military force in history,’ Steven H. Aden, ADF’s senior legal counsel, said in a letter to Obama urging a 14th murder charge against Hasan. ‘It would cause a severe and negative impact on morale if Army women were made to believe that the Army valued their children less than they did adult victims of crime.’”

Palm Beach Post: “Seeking the ideal case to challenge the ban, lawyers for gay rights groups and the American Civil Liberties Union found it in Gill and the children. The boys live with Gill, a flight attendant, his partner of nine years and the partner’s own son. All the social workers monitoring the foster family agreed: The brothers thrived with Gill, and he would be approved for adoption but for the law, according to court records.”

“. . . the Ohio Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision held that property used only as the regional administrative headquarters of a denomination’s local churches is not tax exempt.”

Times-Picayune: “Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., will host a fundraiser for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in New Orleans next month, an event that comes on the heels of Reid’s assistance getting Louisiana a windfall of Medicaid money in the health care reform bill.”

Hurriyet Daily News: “Greek Cyprus’ Orthodox Church said it has sued Turkey for allegedly preventing worship at religious sites in Turkish Cyprus.”

Sydney Morning Herald: “Labor’s state conference overwhelmingly passed a resolution at the weekend calling for gay and lesbian couples to be given the same rights as heterosexual couples, including the right to state-sanctioned marriage.”

Despite election results in 30+ states, the New York Times Editorial begins: “Gay people will eventually win full civil rights — including the right to marry — throughout the United States. Between now and then, there will be many more disputes like the one unfolding between the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and the District of Columbia City Council over a bill recognizing same-sex marriages that could be voted on as soon as next week . . . ”

Nevertheless, the editorial suggests compromise may be possible on the issue of benefits where they are granted irrespective of whether a “romantic” relationship exists between the adults.

City News: “In an effort to curb the ever-growing number of child pornography websites, the federal government plans to propose legislation that would require internet service providers (ISPs) to tell authorities about the illegal online activities.”

KRQE: “Messages questioning religion are popping up across the city of Albuquerque just weeks before the biggest religious holidays in the world.”

CBS Atlanta: “The Lilburn City Council voted against a proposed mosque. Dar-E-Abbas is planning to take the decision to Federal Court. They say the decision violates their religious rights.”

Religion Clause Blog: “The Internal Revenue Service announced this week (Federal Register) that it is scheduling a public hearing for Jan. 10, 2010 on proposed amendments . . . ”

“Britain currently exempts religious organizations that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, so long as they are doing so to comply with their religious doctrines (or with the strongly held religious convictions of its followers).”

AP: “The photo also gave Iran’s leaders an opportunity to silence the Hamshahri daily, which mostly reports on social issues but which has been critical of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.”

“The New Hampshire Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case of a 10-year-old home-schooled New Hampshire girl ordered into a government-run school.”

Religion Clause Blog: “At Norway’s University of Oslo, Muslim students are encountering resistance to their request to use a university gymnasium for a half hour each Friday for prayer services. Europe News reported . . . ”

ADF represents parents who plan to speak at school committee meeting to object to ban on donations of Christmas items for gift sale

Portland Press-Herald: “A Nokomis Regional High School guidance counselor is asking the state Office of Licensing and Registration to toss out a complaint filed against him that seeks to revoke his license as a social worker because of statements he made in a TV commercial against same-sex marriage . . . Mendell is being represented by lawyers from the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Alliance Defense Fund.”

AP: “West Virginia will likely be sued by most – if not all – of its 55 county school boards, after the Legislature shot down Gov. Joe Manchin’s offer of short-term relief from retiree health costs.”

Mister-info.com: “Erik Stanley, a legal adviser with the ADF, said the group would be sending copies of the sermons to the IRS and would be seeking a Supreme Court case. The law, he said, was unconstitutional because ‘being tax-exempt is part of freedom of religion; otherwise the government could tax churches out of existence.’”

The headline leads one to question the AP’s agenda. “In total, there were 7,783 hate crimes reported to the FBI last year, and seven murders were categorized as hate crimes.” According to the AP, half of these were motivated by race. Only 1 of 6 (approx. 1300 total in a nation of just over 300 million) was motivated by “sexual orientation.”

“In light of the Church’s clear teaching, and your consistent actions, therefore, I believe it is inappropriate for you to be receiving Holy Communion . . . ”

Law.com (The Recorder): “Not one to be left out of a constitutional thicket, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Alex Kozinski granted health benefits Thursday to the same-sex partners of court employees. Kozinski’s order comes a day after his colleague, Judge Stephen Reinhardt, issued his own published directive that a federal public defender be awarded back pay because his same-sex partner’s benefits had been denied.”

TheLeafChronicle.com: “The pastor at Grace Church of the Nazarene says he and his congregation will present their ‘Christmas on the Cumberland’ Nativity scene despite objections from the American Civil Liberties Union.”

LifeNews: “The level of support for a health care bill has plummeted to below 40 percent for the first time in a new Rasmussen poll. The numbers showing health care support at its lowest levels all year come after the Senate on Saturday approved a bill that contains massive abortion funding and other pro-life concerns.”

Salt Lake Tribune: “The Idaho Attorney General’s office has told Nampa Classical Academy officials the state won’t back down from pursuing information about the charter school’s possible use of the Bible and other religious texts . . . The Alliance Defense Fund said the school doesn’t have to hand over anything because of a federal lawsuit it filed in September against the state concerning the school’s plan to use the Bible.”

Times Record Online: “The Ten Commandments monument proposed for the LeFlore County Courthouse lawn is supposed to arrive Dec. 5, and an unveiling is planned for 9 a.m. Dec. 7 — Pearl Harbor Day, Charlie Horsley said . . . In October, attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund asked the Supreme Court to review the appeals court ruling. Based in Arizona, the nonprofit legal alliance of Christian attorneys defends religious freedom cases.”

OneNewsNow: “‘Here in New York we have executives trying to make law to try to subvert the definition of marriage in New York,’ Nimocks explains. ‘[Marriage] is [between] one man and one woman. The legislature has not changed that, and unfortunately, the New York high court has allowed state executives to try to redefine that and extend benefits to same-sex couples.’”

Austin American-Statesman: “‘The Army has successfully integrated women into the most effective military force in history,’ Steven H. Aden, ADF’s senior legal counsel, said in a letter to Obama urging a 14th murder charge against Hasan. ‘It would cause a severe and negative impact on morale if Army women were made to believe that the Army valued their children less than they did adult victims of crime.’”

Local News 8 (AP): “In an e-mail sent Friday to school officials and obtained by the Idaho Press-Tribune, deputy attorney general Mike Gilmore says the Idaho Public Charter School Commission and its program manager, Tamara Baysinger, will not comply with a Wednesday letter sent by the Alliance Defense Fund to the commission.”

KGUN-9 (AZ Republic): “Alliance Defense Fund attorney David Cortman, who represents the church, says he’s disappointed that the injunction was denied, but is pleased the case will go to court.”

The Church Report: “‘Churches shouldn’t be discriminated against by a city’s sign ordinances,’ said ADF Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman, who argued the case before the 9th Circuit on April 15. ‘The government cannot require churches to abide by stricter rules than it places on other non-commercial signs. The Constitution prohibits government officials from singling out religious groups for that kind of discrimination.’”

Idaho Press Tribune: “Nampa Classical Academy’s attorney has advised the school to defy an order from the state’s Public Charter School Commission and use religious texts in its classrooms . . . The Wednesday letter from ADF says the Charter Commission’s recent reprimands of the school are in direct ‘retaliation’ for the lawsuit.”

East Valley Tribune: “Alliance Defense Fund lawyer David Cortman said in a statement Friday: ‘The government cannot require churches to abide by stricter rules than it places on other non-commercial signs. The Constitution prohibits government officials from singling out religious groups for that kind of discrimination.’”

Metro Weekly: “As expected, the faction fighting against marriage equality in the District, led by Bishop Harry Jackson of the Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Md., filed suit Wednesday, Nov. 18, against the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics . . . They are represented by Cleta Mitchell of Foley & Lardner LLP in D.C., along with attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF).”

NY Times: “. . . With the national debt now topping $12 trillion, the White House estimates that the government’s tab for servicing the debt will exceed $700 billion a year in 2019, up from $202 billion this year, even if annual budget deficits shrink drastically. Other forecasters say the figure could be much higher . . . ”

LifeSiteNews: “The U.S. Center for Disease Control announced Friday that starting December 14 it will no longer require female immigrants, ages 11 to 26 seeking permanent resident status, to receive the controversial human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil before entering the United States . . . In response to the CDC announcement, ADF Senior Legal Counsel Joel Oster told LSN, ‘We are pleased that the path has now been cleared for the government to grant Simone citizenship without forcing her to violate her religious beliefs.’”

Arizona Republic: “The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed an Arizona District Court decision to deny Good News Presbyterian Church, represented by the Alliance Defense Fund, an injunction against a signage code that it says violates its First Amendment rights . . . ‘Obviously we’re disappointed that the court affirmed the injunction denial but we’re pleased that it remanded (the case to district court),’ said Defense Fund attorney David Cortman.”

Baptist Press: “A diverse group of Christian leaders joined together Nov. 20 to declare a commitment to defend the sanctity of human life, biblical marriage and religious liberty without compromise . . . [including] Alan Sears, president of the Alliance Defense Fund.”

” . . The disclosure will also renew the right-to-die debate over whether people in comas are truly unconscious.”

The National Law Journal: “The resignation last week of Henry “Hank” White Jr., the American Bar Association’s executive director, follows other recent staff departures amid a reorganization set in motion by the ABA’s new president, Carolyn Lamm.”

Baptist Press: “‘All murder victims — born and preborn — deserve equal justice,’ ADF senior legal counsel Steven Aden said in a written release. ‘Women who volunteer to protect our country deserve to know that the government will enforce the laws that protect their children.’”

Cathy Lynn Grossman writes at USA Today: “Religion writers, bloggers and assorted pop-culture watchers this year are seizing on the new holiday ad from trendy clothing store The Gap as evidence that holiday inclusiveness has officially gone too far.”