Daily Archives: March 19, 2010

Arizona Republic: “An abortion measure advanced in the House of Representatives. The bill, HB 2649, requires hospitals, other medical facilities, and health professionals who treat women with complications from abortions to submit a report to the state.” | HB 2649

CNBC: “Reports that some women in Nebraska plan to have abortions now that illegal immigrants can no longer get state-funded prenatal care haven’t changed Gov. Dave Heineman’s opposition to a bill that would allow them to get the medical attention. But anecdotal accounts of more women saying they will end their pregnancies because of the financial and emotional strain of not having state- and federal-funded care could revive the bill anyway.”

KMOV4: “Tom Dempsey’s new bill would require doctors and clinics to ask women for the reason that they are getting the abortion. Senator Dempsey thinks it would be useful to know if most abortions are wanted because of finances, health concerns, or other reasons.” | SB 792

Telegraph: “All internet providers in the United Arab Emirates have been ordered to block the unnamed user behind the site, after he alleged his claims were supported by verses of the Koran . . . After dozens of complaints about the Arabic-language site, titled ‘God and Prophets’, the country’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) announced this week it would ban the user from holding an internet account.”

Ekklesia: “The Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic’s ruling is very bad news for presently unregistered smaller churches and religious organisations, which under the present statute are required, inter alia, to have 20,000 adult members before they can be officially recognised by the Ministry of Culture . . . The current registration criteria, arguably the strictest among all participating states in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), has been criticised for compromising religious freedom by numerous non-registered religious groups as well as by some international observers.”

Irish Times: “The Minister for Justice will propose to the Cabinet a constitutional amendment deleting the constitutional prohibition on blasphemy when the children’s rights amendment comes up, according to his spokesman.”

Human Resources Magazine: “Nearly two thirds of people in the UK think the law should not prevent employees expressing their religious views in the workplace. According to a report from Christian think tank Theos, a further 32% of employees think religious freedom has been restricted over the past 10 years.”

Interfax: “The Committee of Representatives of Orthodox Churches to the European Union has initiated its work. As was reported in communique, adopted on the results of the Committee session in Brussels and conveyed to Interfax-Religion on Thursday, the new structure members believe that ‘the dialogue between the political community and the Churches is very welcome as a manifestation of mutual respect and as a sign of hope for a better Europe and a sustainable world.’”

Catholic League: ” . . . Then Pelosi lied. She said she is grateful for the support of 60 orders of nuns, not mentioning that the letter she received had a whopping total of 55 signatories. Worse, she had the gall to say that this represents ‘every order you can think of.’ Wrong. In fact, there are 793 religious communities, which means she heard from seven-and-a-half percent of them. Moreover, since there are approximately 65,000 nuns in the U.S., that means she was contacted by .0008 percent of them . . . Shameless is too kind a word to use to describe what Pelosi did today.”

Christian Post: “The 63-page draft statement was drawn up by the ELCA Task Force on Genetics and is designed to assist the church and its members to “reach informed judgments on social issues from a perspective of faith.” [links added to excerpt]

WQAD.com (AP): “It’s investigating whether officials violated the Constitution by displaying the Nativity scene for more than three months.”

Christians feel their freedoms are being eroded bit by bit and the government’s reaction to a Muslim girl’s conversion to Christianity is one example . . . When the girl decided she wanted to be baptized in a church, government officials said the foster parent failed in her duty to preserve the girl’s religion . . .

Times Online: “A headmistress forced from her job after a campaign by two Muslim governors to give Islam a greater presence in a state school is entitled to £400,000 damages, the Court of Appeal has ruled. Erica Connor, 57, left the New Monument primary school in Woking, Surrey, because of stress after she was accused of Islamophobia.”

Leagle.com: “An attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada has decided to ask the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider a recent decision that restores the state’s restrictions on brothel advertising.”

Related: 9th Circuit: Nevada has right to ban brothel advertising

la Croix: “The High Council for Integration shall make proposals aimed at extending the regime of neutrality of public space. Prohibit elected to wear a sign or religious dress in the deliberative public bodies. Prohibit mothers who wear the veil to accompany students during a school outing. The High Council for Integration (HCI) is preparing to make recommendations that are consistent with a limitation of freedom of religious expression and an extension of the principle of neutrality [as far as] utilities or government officials.” [Google Translation]

Daily Nation: “Churches softened their position on the abortion clause in the draft constitution yesterday, averting a showdown with MPs opposed to any amendments to the document. The church leaders, who had vowed to mobilise their flock to reject the draft constitution if abortion was not outlawed, agreed to an amendment proposed by Pubic Health Minister Beth Mugo providing that expectant women can get emergency treatment if their lives are threatened.”

LifeNews: “[Rep. Nita Lowey] The new York Democrat and prominent abortion activist in the House has unveiled new legislation designed to make permanent Obama’s executive order revoking the Mexico City Policy.”

Boston Globe: “Malawi church leaders say that homosexuality is ‘sinful’ and urge Western nations to withdraw threats to halt aid to this southern Africa country over a court case that could send two gay men to jail for up to 14 years.”

Chicago Now: “Tapper asked VP Biden what he’d been hearing from the members of the Democrat Congress that are vulnerable over this healthcare debate and Biden’s reply let slip the administrations ultimate goal; full government control of the insurance industry . . . ” (includes Biden quote)

The Hill reports and provides the latest vote count estimates.

Telegraph: “Speculation is mounting that Gen David Petraeus could run as the Republican presidential candidate in 2012.”

Boston Globe: “In response to neighborhood reports of a topless gardener, the housing authority in a Colorado town plans to amend its rules so that tenants cover up when they’re outside.”

LifeSiteNews: “White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs revealed to reporters today that President Barack Obama actively promoted the Catholic Health Association’s public break with the American Catholic bishops to support his health care legislation . . . ”

The case stems from legislation by the Labour government, the Sexual Orientation Regulations (SORs) of the Equality Act, that force all services, businesses and charities to consider homosexuality a category especially protected from ‘discrimination’.

LifeSiteNews: “‘The existing programs of family planning are imposing Western views on people who have a different view of life and very different desires for family size,’ he said. The approach taken by such groups as UNFPA and Planned Parenthood is ‘contraceptive imperialism,’ according to Mosher, ‘exporting the mentality of Manhattan … or Hollywood to relatively innocent, untouched corners of the world.’”

E. Christian Brugger writes at the Culture of Life Foundation:  ”. . . as of 2003 the estimated number of frozen embryos at IVF clinics in the United States was approximately 400,000.[1] I add that that number increases annually by approximately 19,000 [2], which puts estimates in 2010 at between 500,000 and 600,000 frozen human embryos.”

In a busy week of debate in Washington over health care reform, attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund are moving forward with efforts in four different lawsuits to ensure that conscience protections for health care workers are not ignored.

Reuters: “Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende attacked on Friday claims by a retired U.S. general that Dutch forces were overrun in Srebrenica in 1995 because of the presence of gay soldiers . . . In his remarks which also provoked angry reactions from unions and gay military groups, Sheehan blamed a post-Cold War effort by European nations to “socialize” their armed forces by, among other things, allowing openly gay soldiers to serve.”

Times Online: “Chantal Brunel, who was appointed last month to head the national watchdog on sexual equality, is arguing that crime would be cut and sex workers would benefit from ‘sexual services centres’ similar to those run by most of France’s neighbours. A national poll by the CSA agency found that 59 per cent of the French public approved the reopening of the regulated brothels that were a fixture of French life and culture until they were abolished in 1946. The proposal was supported by 70 per cent of men and 49 per cent of women. Only 13 per cent of women were opposed, with 38 per cent undecided, according to the poll for Le Parisien newspaper.”

Telegraph: “The New South Wales government this week said the official document had been withdrawn after legal advice suggested the registry did not have the power to issue such a certificate.”

Chronicle of Higher Education: “College students who describe themselves as politically ‘far right’ arrive on campuses across the country supporting legal same-sex marriage significantly more than do conservative Republicans nationwide, according to new data released by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles.”

The Christian Institute: “Police in Kent have been banned from asking for a person’s ‘Christian’ name, in case it offends people from other faiths.”

The Christian Institute: “A 19th century Cambridgeshire church has been gutted following a massive fire, reportedly started when yobs set Bibles and prayer books alight. The news comes in the same week as it emerged youths disrupted a Roman Catholic church service, running to the front and intimidating the congregation.”

Chicago Tribune: “Offenders would not face criminal charges, but would get juvenile court supervision that could result in counseling or community service. The bill doesn’t address youths who send or receive racy photos if they don’t distribute them.”

Tres Baldas writes at the National Law Journal: “In a decision that could having a chilling effect on nonprofit hospitals, the Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a Catholic hospital wasn’t charitable enough, so it took away the hospital’s tax-exempt status.”

Nadya Labi writes at Mother Jones: “Is Iran’s mullah-backed system of temporary marriage a godsend for the sexually frustrated—or religious prostitution?”

“A New York woman ordered to pay $9 million to her lover’s wife in North Carolina says she plans to appeal the judgment.”

Public Information Office of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit: “The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will offer remote viewing of en banc court proceedings scheduled for March 23-25 at the James R. Browning U.S. Courthouse here.” Hat tip: How Appealing

NCPA: “The latest posting from the Treasury Department shows the national debt has increased over $2 trillion since President Obama took office.”

Religion Clause Blog: “A Connecticut trial court ruled this week that the real and personal property of Bishop Seabury Episcopal Church in Groton, Connecticut, belongs to the Diocese of Connecticut and the Episcopal Church . . . ”

Religion Clause Blog: “Yesterday, Belgium’s Council of State suspended a ban on Islamic headscarves that had been imposed on Muslim school girls in the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders.”

ADF attorney Matt Bowman appeared on the Hugh Hewitt Show to discuss how much abortion is in the “healthcare” bill.

The MP3 runs just over 5 minutes.

Related:

Matt Bowman: $11 Billion buys a lot of abortions

Matt Bowman: $11 Billion for “community health centers” that won’t promote abortion? Don’t bet on it.

Religion Clause Blog: “In Bethel v. City of Montgomery, No. 2:04cv743-MEF, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24949 (MD AL, March 2, 2010), two street preachers challenged the requirement imposed by Montgomery, Alabama that they obtain a permit before preaching on public streets.” [citation information altered by Alliance Alert editor]

Miami Herald: “Thomas Pinder, chairman of the city’s multicultural committee — which presented its report recommending the proclamation policy to councilmembers on Tuesday — said committee members were trying to be inclusive. According to the proposal, the city council would recognize one main holiday for every religion in the form of an official proclamation.”

Atlanta Journal Constitution: “President Barack Obama on Wednesday nominated former school board attorney Amy Totenberg to the U.S. District Court bench in Atlanta. At the same time Wednesday, Obama nominated Leonard Stark to the U.S. District Court in Delaware.”

The Christian Institute: “Scores of viewers have expressed outrage after witnessing actors demonstrating sex positions live on ITV’s flagship daytime television show, This Morning. Members of the public have flooded internet message boards and complained to media groups saying the explicit sex topics were ‘inappropriate’ for a morning show.”

The Christian Institute: “A tiny but increasing number of non-Muslims are turning to Sharia courts to resolve civil disputes, but critics fear that the courts are inherently discriminatory. The Muslim Arbitration Tribunal (MAT) is reporting a 15% increase in the number of non-Muslims resorting to Islamic courts to settle commercial disputes this year.”

Mike’s Blog: “Hurrah for the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals for disallowing a lesbian divorce case in the state of Oklahoma. How can you issue a divorce for what was never a legitimate marriage? Legal Counsel Tim Tracey of the Alliance Defense Fund rightly asserted that this was a back door attempt to undermine the marriage amendment of Oklahoma that was passed by 76 percent of the voters.”

Bio: Timothy J. Tracey

The Emerging Scholars Blog: “Evaporating First Amendment? (Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed, March 18) – Jaschik takes a look at the case of Mike Adams, the conservative criminology professor at UNC-Wilmington who argues that he was denied promotion because of his conservative Christian beliefs. His lawsuit against the school was recently rejected by a federal judge. (See the Alliance Defense Fund’s statement on the ruling.)”

Evangelical Examiner: “It’s not only the secular world that is fed up with the Fed, it appears that it is also the Christian world. All one needs to do is visit the Alliance Defense Fund, Pacific Justice Institute, the Center for Bio-ethical Reform and others.”

One News Now: “A national defense analyst and Pentagon advisor says a recent report concerning the alarming rate of male-on-male sexual assaults in the military should create a roadblock to President Obama’s efforts to repeal the 1993 law banning homosexuals from military service.”

OneNewsNow: “The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) has intervened in a case in which the family of a mentally disabled man wants life-sustaining treatment halted, even though he is stable and conscious . . . ‘The family in this case is arguing that just because this patient has a mental disability, they should be able to determine that he’d be better off dead. But a person’s value is not based on his or her mental or physical abilities,’ [Matt] Bowman contends. ‘No one should be able to decide that a person’s life is not worth saving just because they have a disability.’”

ADF News Release: Word to Pa.’s highest court: People with disabilities not better off dead

About Matt Bowman

Denver Post: “A coalition that includes Colorado Family Action and the Colorado Catholic Conference has taken the first step toward amending the state constitution to prohibit the government from infringing on the religious liberty of an individual or a religious organization . . . Douglas Napier, senior legal counsel with the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Alliance Defense Fund, sponsored by church ministries to defend and advocate religious freedom, said attacks on religious liberties, in his group’s experience, have been directed predominantly against Christians.”

About Douglas Napier

Catholic News Agency: “Jose Luis Bazan of Professionals for Ethics announced during a press conference this week that 300 conscientious objectors to the Socialist course, ‘Education for the Citizenry’ have filed 105 lawsuits in the EU Court against the Spanish government for violating ‘the fundamental rights of parents and their children’ . . . The lawsuit, which is being filed by lawyers from the Alliance Defense Fund and Professionals for Ethics, will be submitted on March 19 in Strasbourg, France.”

Christian Post: “Officials at West Shore School District in Pennsylvania have agreed to lift a ban that prevented at least one middle school student from wearing an ‘Abortion is not Healthcare’ T-shirt . . . ‘Public schools should not censor pro-life students for their views,’ said ADF Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman, in a statement. ‘School district officials have done the right thing in recognizing this young man’s First Amendment right to express his beliefs. We commend the revision of their unconstitutional policies so that students can engage in free speech protected by the First Amendment.’”

ADF attorney Matt Bowman on Sound Off Connecticut with Jim Vicevich to discuss the issue of whether the pending healthcare legislation includes abortion.

The MP3 runs approximately 11 minutes.

Related:

Matt Bowman: $11 Billion for “community health centers” that won’t promote abortion? Don’t bet on it.

Matt Bowman: $11 Billion buys a lot of abortions

ADF attorney Daniel Blomberg appeared on the Jody Hice Show to discuss Gilbert, Arizona’s zoning restrictions on church activities in homes.

The MP3 runs just over 16 minutes. Related ADF Media information.

LifeNews: “‘There’s still no change,’ he said of a deal and how he and about 10-12 other pro-life Democrats stand against the bill because of it. ‘My group is holding firm.’”

AP: “Cambodia has temporarily barred its citizens from marrying South Korean men after two dozen women were sold into marriage by matchmakers – the second time the government has imposed such a ban.”