Pakistan Religious Minorities To Rally For Equal Rights

The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance is planning a massive rally on August 11-- the 60th anniversary of the founding of Pakistan-- to call for increased religious freedom for minority faiths. AsiaNews.it reported last week that organizers expect 100,000 Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsees and others to demonstrate in Lahore for protection of equal rights and abolition of Pakistan's blasphemy laws.

Baltimore Schools Investigate Church's Free Use of Building

Maryland law permits community groups, including churches, to rent space in public school buildings after school hours and on week ends. However, according to today's Baltimore Sun, city school officials in Baltimore are launching an investigation to make sure that churches are in fact paying the usage fees that they are supposed to be charged. Concern was triggered by reports that a Baltimore principal was permitting a church, run by his wife, to hold services without paying the $4140 in annual fees that are supposed to cover electricity and maintenance. Ronald N. Shelley, executive director of the Stadium School, says that he is providing janitorial services and security himself during the Friday night and Sunday services that the Holy Temple Holiness Church of Deliverance conducts in the school building. Stadium School is one of Baltimore's first small, innovative schools. Shelly, its principal, is also an ordained minister and missionary of the Church, a fact that appears on Stadium School's website.

Arabic Public School In NY Generates Continued Controversy

CNSNews today reports that controversy continues to surround the Khalil Gibran International Academy, a public middle school and high school in Brooklyn (NY) that will concentrate on Arab language and culture. (See prior posting.) Opponents, organized as the Stop the Madrassa Community Coalition, fear that the school which will open next month with its first 6th grade class will teach from a religious and political agenda. Officials say that the school's curriculum and textbooks will be the same as in other New York public schools. Joe Klein, chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, says the school is not religious and will be closed down if it becomes religious. The school's advisory board includes three imams, as well as Christian and Jewish clergy.

New Zealand Bishops Lose Appeal In Offensive "South Park" Case

In New Zealand, the High Court at Wellington has rejected an appeal by the Catholic Bishops' Conference challenging a controversial episode of the television show South Park shown by CanWest TV last February. The show, mainly about an alcoholic's struggle to stay sober, contained one scene-- the so-called "Bloody Mary" episode-- showing the Pope being squirted with menstrual blood from a statue of the Virgin Mary. (See prior posting.) Reporting on the decision, last week's New Zealand Herald said CanWest lawyers had defended the broadcast of free speech grounds. The Church, which argued that the program infringed good taste, decency and fairness, said that the court's opinion failed to consider the episode's denigration of women. The court also indicated that it would award $8000 in costs to CanWest.

Recent Prisoner Free Exercise Cases

In Hammons v. Jones, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55170 (ND OK, July 27, 2007), an Oklahoma federal district court rejected a challenge under RLUIPA to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections policy that prohibited in-cell possession of prayer oils. The oils could be used to mask the scent of drugs, and are lubricants that can be used in prohibited sex acts and to avoid or escape restraints. Permitting use of oils in prison religious facilities was found to be the least restrictive alternative to in-cell possession.

In Salgado v. Grams, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55129 (WD WI, July 30, 2007), a Wisconsin federal district court dismissed an inmate's RLUIPA and free exercise claims. Plaintiff alleged he was denied prayer oil, a prayer rug and prayer beads. However defendants explained that plaintiff never made a request for these items. Also plaintiff made no showing that he held sincere Muslim religious beliefs.

In Echols v. Ramos, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55248 (SD IL, July 31, 2007), an Illinois federal district court permitted a Rastafarian prisoner to proceed with his claim against prison officials (but not against the Department of Corrections) alleging that his First Amendment rights were infringed when he was informed he would be required to cut his dreadlocks.

In Toler v. Leopold, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55531 (ED MO, July 31, 2007), a Missouri federal district court refused to grant defendants summary judgment in a claim by a prisoner that the First Amendment and RLUIPA were violated when he was denied a kosher diet and instead limited to a vegetarian food option, the ability to self-select items from the menu, and the ability to purchase kosher food from the canteen.

In Barrett v. Williams, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 39882 (D OR, June 6, 2007), an Oregon federal district court adopted the recommendations of a federal Magistrate Judge (2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55824) that a prisoner's First Amendment and RLUIPA claims be rejected. Inmate Jacob Barrett was not permitted to purchase a book, The Secret of the Runes, because he owed fines. The Magistrate found that this did not impose a substantial burden on Barrett's free exercise rights.

In Robinson v. Department of Corrections, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56355 (ND FL, June 6, 2007), a federal Magistrate Judge dismissed an inmate's Free Exercise claim, finding that the inmate failed to allege that withholding religious materials denied him a reasonable opportunity to pursue his religion. Also the court rejected the inmate's retaliation claim, finding he failed to show that withholding these materials was in retaliation for filing grievances.

"Adopt-A-School" Program For Churches Questioned

Yesterday's Visalia (CA) Times-Delta reports on a program operated by the Visalia (California)Unified School District that permits faith community organizations to "adopt" public schools. The guidelines for the program, published by the school board, call for groups to create a supportive presence at their adopted schools, for them to establish and nurture relationships and serve as a practical demonstration of personal faith. However, the guidelines prohibit groups from engaging in overt prayer with students, offering spiritual advice, wearing items that promote a particular faith, inviting students to religious events or arranging contact with then outside of school. Now some critics are questioning whether the church-state separation line has been crossed, especially by a summer sports camp operated by a church at one of the schools. The camp included Bible study. School officials say the church rented school premises for the camp, just as any non-profit group could rent the facilities.

Recent Articles and Book of Interest

From SSRN:
Anne K. Knight, Striking the Balance between Anti-Discrimination Laws and First Amendment Freedoms: An Alternative Proposal to Preserve Diversity, (Aug. 1, 2007).

From Bepress:
Asher Maoz, Religious Education in Israel, (Tel Aviv University Legal Working Paper Series, No.44, July 2007).

Multi-article issues:
From the State House to the Schoolhouse: Religious Expression in the Public Sphere, articles by Cynthia A. Baker, Kevin C. McDowell, Luke Meier, Mark Strasser, 40 Indiana Law Review 491-584 (2007).

Journal of Church and State, Vol. 49, No. 2 (Spring 2007) has recently been published.

From SmartCILP:
Robert Audi, Religion and Public Education In a Constitutional Democracy, (Reviewing Kent Greenawalt, Does God Belong in Public Schools?), 93 Virginia Law Review 1175-1195 (2007).

David Keane, Addressing the Aggravated Meeting Points of Race and Religion, 6 University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender & Class 367-406 (2006).

Andrew Koss, Anti-Semitism in Poland, Then and Now: A Review of Two Books, (Reviewing Jan T. Gross, Fear: Anti-Semitism After Auschwitz; and Joanna Beata Michlic, Poland's Threatening Other.) 1 Columbia Journal of East European Law 188-199 (2007).

Alenka Kuhelj, A Socio-Legal View on Multi-Culturalism and Religious Changes in Post-Communist EU States, 1 Columbia Journal of East European Law 114-141 (2007).

Jennifer M. Smith, Morse Code, Da Vinci Code, Tax Code and ... Churches: An Historical and Constitutional Analysis of Why Section 501(c)(3) Does Not Apply to Churches, 23 Journal of Law and Politics 41-88 (2007).

Mark Totten, The Politics of Faith: Rethinking the Prohibition on Political Campaign Intervention, 18 Stanford Law & Policy Review 298-323 (2007).

New book:
Bill Osinski, Ungodly: A True Story of Unprecedented Evil (2007),(reviewed by Fulton County Daily Report).

Scientology's Help In Disaster Areas Questioned

An ABC News report on Friday focuses on the Church of Scientology's large corps of ministers who appear at natural and man-made disasters around the world. Scientology says they are there to assist and console. Critics say that Scientology uses these disasters to convert people when they are most vulnerable. 20 Scientologists in the Minneapolis area headed to the site of the collapsed bridge last week to help the Red Cross. In recent years, Scientology volunteers have been at Virgina Tech, New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and Ground Zero after 9/11.

Trial Set To Begin In Suit To Recover Funds Donated To Church

Today's Palm Beach Post reports that jury selection is scheduled to begin Tuesday in a suit against a West Palm Beach (FL) Baptist church and its former pastor. Lucinda Bennett is seeking to recover $1.8 million she gave to the church and its pastors, claiming that the church's pastoral staff improperly obtained the funds from her, knowing that she was mentally ill at the time. The church argues that Bennett donated her recently-inherited funds freely in the exercise of her constitutional right to practice her religion.

Italian Premier Wants Church To Help With Tax Compliance

Italy's Premier Romano Prodi has asked the Catholic Church to help the government in its attempt to crack down on tax evasion. In an interview with a religious weekly, Prodi said: "A third of Italians heavily evade taxes.... Why, when I go to Mass, is this issue, which is ethically charged, almost never touched upon in the homilies?" The AP reported last week that Prodi's appeal has led his opponents to charge that he is violating the principle of secularism that he has strongly defended in the past.

Some of Pastor's Defamation and Related Claims Dismissed

In Seung Jin Lee v. Tai Chul Kim, (Nassau Co. Sup. Ct., Aug. 2, 2007), a New York trial court dismissed several defamation claims brought by the Senior Pastor of the Korean Church of Eternal Life (Woodside, Queens) against two opponents of her serving in that position. It found the statements underlying those claims do not constitute defamation. However, the court permitted plaintiff to move ahead with her claim that certain other statements were defamatory. The court also dismissed the pastor's claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress, trespass, conversion and tortious interference with contract.

Complex Housing Discrimination Case Generates Multiple California Lawsuits

In Santa Monica, California, suits alleging housing discrimination on the basis of religion have been filed in both federal and state court by tenants about to be evicted from an apartment building and by the City Attorney's Office. Yesterday's Santa Monica Daily Press reports on developments. The suits claim that Or Khaim Hashalom-- whose status as a religious organization the suits are challenging-- has been attempting to evict current tenants so it can demolish the building in which they live and put up high-priced condominiums that would be sold only to Jewish refugees from the Middle East. The tenants' suit seeks compensatory damages of $5 million per tenant, plus punitive damages and attorneys' fees.

In the complicated dispute, the city has has declared the current building a "landmark" so it cannot be torn down. Or Khaim has challenged that in its own lawsuit, claiming both that the designation is not justified under the landmark law, and that as a religious institution it is exempt. (Cal. Govt. Code. Sec. 37361). Meanwhile, Or Khaim says it has given up on its plans to house Jewish refugees and instead plans to offer transitional housing for the poor. The suit filed by the city indicates that it is skeptical, saying that Or Khaim has already begun "ethnic and religious cleansing" of the apartment building. A more detailed account of the controversy appears in today's Iranian Jewish Chronicle.

UPDATE: On Aug. 6, a federal district judge issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting eviction of tenants. The Santa Monica Daily Press reported the court found that there may have been a violation of the Fair Housing Act.

Military Chaplain Imposter Sentenced To Probation and Community Service

Today's Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports on the sentencing of Reggie Buddle, who falsely posed as a military chaplain and Marine combat hero. Buddle convinced 19-year old Christopher Bearce to enlist in the Marines. Then he baptized Bearce and two of his friends before they left for basic training. Later on, Buddle performed the wedding ceremony for Bearce and his fiancée, and officiated at the funeral of Bearce’s grandmother. Buddle plead guilty last April to unlawful wearing of military medals and decorations, and now has been sentenced to two years' probation and 500 hours of community service in a military cemetery.

China Asserts More Control Over Tibet's Buddhists

Friday's Washington Post reports that China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs is attempting to increase its control over Tibetan Buddhism by mandating that it approve all future reincarnate lamas (tulkus) who generally lead religious communities in Tibet. China already insists on approving the best-known reincarnates, including the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama.

Court OK's Michigan Agency's Deletion of Bible Verses From Advocates' Profiles

Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) operates an Advocacy Program to provide representation to parties in administrative hearings. Advocates who wish to offer their services contract with UIA to submit biographical information that is then circulated to employers and employees. In Grosjean v. Bommarito, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56108 (ED MI, Aug. 2, 2007), a Michigan federal district court upheld the UIA’s decision to eliminate Biblical quotations that two advocates had previously included in their profiles. Even though the advocates had been hired by some clients on the basis of these quotations, the court held that the UIA was justified in removing the quotations as irrelevant to the individuals' qualifications. The court rejected Establishment Clause, Free Speech, Equal Protection, vagueness-overbreadth, and mootness challenges to the UIA’s action.

Kentucky Churches Press Courts For Tough Drug Sentences

The AP reported Friday on a program in eastern Kentucky known a Church Watch. Christian churches enlist volunteers to monitor court hearings in drug-related cases to see whether officers are showing up to testify and judges are handing out severe enough sentences. The group complains to law enforcement or courts if they believe that courts are not doing the right thing. They also collect data in order to track trends in drug crimes. Clay County (KY) judges say that Court Watch observers are welcome in their courtrooms.

DoD Inspector General Finds Fault In Military Support of Christian Embassy

In a press release issued today, Military Religious Freedom Foundation founder Mikey Weinstein drew attention to a July 20 report by the Department of Defense Inspector General that found wrongdoing in connection with the appearance by military officials in a video promoting Christian Embassy. (See prior posting.) The Inspector General's Report (full text via Truthout.org) found that seven military officers violated various military regulations through their actions:

The seven officers participated in interviews with Christian Embassy, excerpts of which were also included in the promotional video. The officers were filmed during the duty day, in uniform with rank clearly displayed, in official and often identifiable Pentagon locations. Their remarks conferred approval of and support to Christian Embassy, and the remarks of some officers implied they spoke for a group of senior military leaders rather than just for themselves. None of the officers sought or received approval to participate in the interview in an official capacity or in uniform....

Chaplain Benson requested and obtained limited approval for Christian Embassy to film in the Pentagon by mischaracterizing the purpose and proponent of the video. His request implied that the video was being produced to document the Pentagon chaplain's ministry rather than to promote a non-Federal entity....

[Thanks to Michael Lieberman for the information. ]

UPDATE: Saturday's Washington Post covers the Inspector General's report. Truthout.org also has the story and the video.

Plans For Jewish Charter School Continues To Generate Debate

Philadelphia's Jewish Exponent carries a long article today discussing the controversy surrounding the Ben Gamla Charter School opening in Hollywood, Florida this month. (See prior posting.) At issue is whether the school will truly be a secular institution focusing on Hebrew language and Jewish culture, or whether its offerings will in fact be religious. Much of the controversy is within the Jewish community of Broward County, which includes a large concentration of Israelis. Critics say the school provides a road map for other religious groups to use to get around church-state restrictions. The school's director, Orthodox Rabbi Adam Siegel, says students will learn Hebrew, Jewish culture and Jewish history for two hours a day, but that there will be no teaching of prayer or Torah. The school will serve kosher meals, and students can organize their own worship services.

Sigel said, "I didn't get hired for this job because I'm a rabbi. Plenty of Orthodox Jews work as stock brokers and lawyers without converting people. If you're a math teacher, you focus on the math. It's not my job to chase people and make them Jewish." Meanwhile Reform Rabbi Allan Tuffs, a critic of the school and a strong supporter of church-state separation, says that the school is being marketed through Chabad Lubavitch congregations as providing the equivalent of a Jewish day school education.

3rd Circuit Defines "Substantial Burden" Under RLUIPA

In Washington v. Klem, (3d Cir., Aug. 2, 2007), the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals settled on a definition of "substantial burden" under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. It held: "For the purposes of RLUIPA, a substantial burden exists where: 1) a follower is forced to choose between following the precepts of his religion and forfeiting benefits otherwise generally available to other inmates versus abandoning one of the precepts of his religion in order to receive a benefit; OR 2) the government puts substantial pressure on an adherent to substantially modify his behavior and to violate his beliefs."

Inmate Henry Washington's religion requires him to read four Afro-centric books each day. The court found that prison authorities substantially burdened Washington's religious exercise by limiting him to having 10 books at any time in his cell. Further, the state failed to show how its policy furthers its interest in safety and health of prisoners and staff.

Alabama School Sued On Behalf of Good News Clubs

In Alabama yesterday, Liberty Counsel filed suit against the Gadsden City School District for its refusal to permit Good News Clubs to meet on school premises. Liberty Counsel says that School Superintendent Rob Russell refused to respond to letters, telephone calls and e-mails seeking a meeting about use of school facilities on an equal basis with other groups. Good News Clubs hold meetings after school for elementary school children and teach them Bible lessons, character development, interpersonal skills and moral values.