Custody Cases Increasingly Involve Religious Issues

Today's New York Times reports on the increasing number of custody cases in which religion has become an issue. Judges are reluctant to base decisions on parents' religious preferences. Many states are trying mediation as a way of resolving custody disputes. ABA Family Law Custody Committee chairman William Nelson attributes the increasing number of religious disputes in custody cases to a general growth in conflicts between parents along with the rise of intermarriage and religious conversions.

4th Circuit Finds Employer Adequately Accommodated Religious Observances

In Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Firestone Fibers & Textiles Co., (4th Cir., Feb. 11, 2008), the U.S. 4th Circuit court of Appeals, this week held that Title VII of the 1964 civil Rights Act only requires reasonable accommodation of an employee's religious practices, and not total elimination of the conflict between the religious practice and the work requirement. It held that an employer's pre-existing attendance policies, accompanied by certain other arrangements, reasonably accommodated an employee who was a member of the Living Church of God who wanted time off for Sabbath observance and religious holidays. [Thanks to Blog from the Capital for the lead.]

Archbishop of Canterbury Explains His Views On Sharia and British Law

After British Prime Minister Gordon Brown asked Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to clarify a lecture he gave last week about the relation of Islamic law to British civil law, Williams attempted to explain his remarks in a speech (full text) to the General Synod of the Church of England. (Ekklesia). He said in part yesterday:

The lecture was written as an opening contribution to a series on Islam and English Law.... [I]t posed the question to the legal establishment of whether attempts to accommodate aspects of Islamic law would create an area where the law of the land doesn't run.... I concluded that nothing should be recognised which had that effect. We are not talking about parallel jurisdictions; and I tried to make clear that there could be no 'blank cheques' in this regard, in particular as regards ... the status and liberties of women. The law of the land still guarantees for all the basic components of human dignity.

So the question remains of whether certain additional choices could and should be made available under the law of the United Kingdom for resolving disputes and regulating transactions.... If ... this were thought to be a useful direction in which to move, there would be plenty of work still to be done, with the greatest care, on what would and would not be possible and appropriate areas for such co-operation.

Today's London Times surveys reaction to Williams' latest statements.

Today Is Darwin Day

Today-- Charles Darwin's 199th birthday-- is "Darwin Day," sponsored by the Institute for Humanist Studies. In a press release, IHS says that the day promotes understanding of evolution and the scientific method. Massimo Pigliucci, professor of evolutionary biology at the State University of New York-Stony Brook, uses Darwin Day to teach about science "so people aren't just hearing about science from their local preacher." Churches around the country celebrated "Evolution Weekend" last Saturday and Sunday. The weekend is designed to discuss the compatibility of science and religion. Sunday's Times Union reported on planned events in Albany (NY).

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Look To Restrict Valentine's Day Celebrations

Saudi Arabia's religious police often clamp down before Valentine's Day-- seeing it as a day that encourages men and women to have relationships outside of wedlock. This year, according to Reuters, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has ordered Riyadh florists and gift shop owners to remove red roses and any other items colored scarlet. The color is seen as symbolizing love. Meanwhile, in Kuwait the head of National Assembly Committee Monitoring Negative Alien Practices wants to go further. Yesterday's Kuwait Times reports that MP Waleed Al-Tabtabae wants various government ministries to take steps to completely ban Valentine celebrations because they are in conflict with the traditions and values of Kuwaiti society. Islamist MP Jamaan Al-Harbash says Valentine's Day conflicts with the values and teachings of Islam. [Thanks to Matthew Caplan for the lead.]

New Website Suggests Jesus For 2008 White House Bid

In the latest intrusion of religion into the 2008 presidential contest, former newspaper reporter Stephen Heffner has created the web site "Jesus in 2008". As reported in Sunday's District Chronicles, visitors to the site may register as delegates. This entitles them to suggest practical Platform planks that Jesus might favor today, as well as to suggest appropriate vice presidential nominees to run on the ticket with Jesus.

Putin's Role In Reviving Orthodox Church Is Examined

Today's Moscow Times carries a long article on Russian President Vladimir Putin's role in the revival of the Russian Orthodox Church. The article is part of a series on Putin's legacy as his presidential term draws to a close. Here is an excerpt:

Under Putin, government officials have become more pious --at least outwardly --and have deepened their contacts with the church hierarchy, according to both supporters and critics of the church..... The apparent rise of clerical influence has alarmed secular critics, who charge that it threatens the separation of church and state mandated in Russia's 1993 Constitution. "Soon the church will be represented in all the places where there used to be cells of the Soviet Communist Party," said Vitaly Ginzburg, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist and outspoken critic of the church. "It wants to be everywhere." Yet at the same time, Putin has restrained some of the church's more controversial initiatives, such as an effort to add an Orthodoxy class to the nationwide school curriculum....

Damages, Staff Training, Imposed in Church in England Discrimination Case

In Britain last July, an Employment Tribunal in Cardiff found the Bishop of Hereford violated Britain's Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations when he blocked the appointment of John Reaney as a Church youth official. (See prior posting.) Last Friday, in a final ruling, the tribunal ordered the Bishop to pay Reaney damages of £47,345 , and said the diocese staff should receive equal opportunity training. (London Times.) [Thanks to Alliance Alert for the lead.]

Rep. Tom Lantos, Human Rights Advocate, Dies

California Rep. Tom Lantos, a strong human rights proponent and the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to Congress, died today at the age of 80 after a brief struggle with esophageal cancer. The Washington Post profiles his 14 terms in the House of Representatives. Eulogizing him, President Bush today said: "Tom was a living reminder that we must never turn a blind eye to the suffering of the innocent at the hands of evil men. I appreciate his vision in co-founding the Human Rights Caucus." Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern, said: "We have lost one of our best champions of religious freedom."

Florida Board Will Vote On Requirement To Teach Evolution

Today's Orlando Sentinel reports that Florida's State Board of Education will vote on new science standards on Feb. 19. For the first time, they will explicitly require the teaching of evolution in Florida's public schools. This is part of a broader reform to improve the deficient science curriculum in the state's schools. Currently less than half of high school students are proficient on the science section of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. However, particularly in northern Florida, parents are objecting, threatening to boycott state tests or move their children to private schools. Some state legislators are suggesting a new law that would require that evolution be taught as only a theory. A final public hearing on the science standards will be held today at 10:00 a.m. It will be webcast at the Florida Department of Education website. (See prior related posting.)

President Speaks At National Prayer Breakfast

Last Thursday, President Bush attended the 56th annual National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington Hilton Hotel. In his remarks (full text) he said:

Every President since Dwight Eisenhower has attended the National Prayer Breakfast -- and I am really proud to carry on that tradition. It's an important tradition, and I'm confident Presidents who follow me will do the same. The people in this room come from many different walks of faith. Yet we share one clear conviction: We believe that the Almighty hears our prayers -- and answers those who seek Him. That's what we believe; otherwise, why come? Through the miracle of prayer, we believe he listens -- if we listen to his voice and seek our presence -- his presence in our lives, our hearts will change. And in so doing, in seeking God, we grow in ways that we could never imagine.

Voice of America reported that the keynote speaker at the breakfast was Ward Brehm, head of the U.S. African Development Foundation, a federal agency that assists small businesses in Africa. The National Prayer Breakfast is advertised as non-denominational, though it is sponsored each year by The Fellowship Foundation, a Christian outreach group.

Pope Strains Interfaith Relations In Revised Tridentine Rite Prayer For Jews

Increasingly good Catholic-Jewish relations were strained a bit last week as the Vatican released a reformulated version of a Good Friday prayer for the conversion of Jews for the 1962 Roman Missal (the Tridentine rite). The Roman Missal-- a Latin version of the Mass-- is used only by a small number of Catholics world-wide. However last July Pope Benedict authorized somewhat wider use of the Tridentine rite. The new version of the prayer (full text) removes prior references to the "blindness" of the Jews, as well as a call for God to "remove the veil from their hearts". However the new version still calls for God to enlghten the hearts of the Jews so they will recognize Jesus. Catholic News Service and Reuters last week reported that Jewish leaders continued to be troubled by the prayer. The more generally used 1970 Roman Missal, revised after the Second Vatican Council, contains a Good Friday prayer that is much less offensive to Jews. It merely prays that "the people you first made your own may arrive at the fullness of redemption."

Recent Articles and Books of Interest

From SSRN:

• Benjamin L. Berger, Moral Judgment, Criminal Law and the Constitutional Protection of Religion, (Supreme Court Law Review, Vol. 41, No. 2, 2008).


• Ira C. Lupu & Robert W. Tuttle, The Cross at College: Accommodation and Acknowledgment of Religion at Public Universities , (William & Mary Bill of Rights, Vol. 16, 2008).


• Frederick Mark Gedicks, Three Questions About Hybrid Rights and Religious Groups, (Yale Law Journal Pocket Part, Vol. 117, Forthcoming).

From SmartCILP:

• Patrick McKinley Brennan, The Contributions of Catholics to the Socio-Political Order, 56 Catholic University Law Review 1221-1235 (2007).


• Charles P. Kindregan, Jr., Religion, Polygamy, and Non-Traditional Families: Disparate Views On the Evolution of Marriage In History and In the Debate Over Same-Sex Unions, 41 Suffolk University Law Review 19-48 (2007).


• Samuel J. Levine, Reflections On Responsibilities In the Public Square, Through a Perspective of Jewish Tradition: A Brief Biblical Survey, 56 Catholic University Law Review 1203-1219 (2007).


• Gregory P. Magarian, The Jurisprudence of Colliding First Amendment Interests: From the Dead End of Neutrality to the Open Road of Participation-Enhancing Review, [Abstract], 83 Notre Dame Law Review 185-264 (2007).

The Journal of Law and Religion, Vol. XXIII, No. 1 (2007-08) has recently been published. It includes articles on Evangelicals and Politics, on the 60th Anniversary of the Everson Decision, and the AALS Jewish Law Section Papers.

Recent Books:

• Amy Sullivan, The Party Faithful: How and Why Democrats Are Closing the God Gap, (Scribner, Feb. 2008), (Reviewed by New York Times).
  
• E. J. Dionne Jr., Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith and Politics After the Religious Right, (Princeton University Press, Jan. 2008), (Reviewed by New York Times).
  
• Stephen Paine, A Crisis in America: An Urgent Message to My Fellow Americans, (Outskirts Press, Jan. 2008), (Review by Publisher).

In Lithuania, Pre-Lent Carnival Has Anti-Jewish Overtones

Last week, the Forward reported on pre-Lenten "Carnival" in Vilnius, Lithuania. Known as "Uzgavenes" in Lithuanian, participants in the annual festivities masquarade "eiti zydukais", i.e. they "go as Jews". This often means masks with grotesque features, beards and visible ear locks, accompanied by stereotypical peddling and speech patterns. Some participants dress as farm animals or monsters. Others dress as Roma. Not only is there a parade, but afterwards children often engage in Halloween-like trick or treating. Last year, the executive director of the Jewish Community of Lithuania opened his door to to be faced with two children dressed in horns and tails, reciting a song (that rhymes in Lithuanian) that translates as: "We’re the little Lithuanian Jews/We want blintzes and coffee...." Lithuania was a leading center of Jewish religious scholarship before World War II, but most of the country's Jewish population was wiped out in the Holocaust. Today's small Jewish community in the country has been hesitant to speak out on the Carnival issue in order to avoid conflict with their neighbors.

District Court Nominee's Religious Views Generate Opposition

On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will consider the nomination of attorney Richard H. Honaker to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming. Americans United is urging the committee to reject the nomination because of Honaker's extreme views on religious liberty. (Press release, Feb. 7). In a Jan. 31 letter (full text), AU says:

Mr. Honaker rejects the well-settled principle of neutrality in Establishment Clause cases.... He chastises the "nation’s highest court ... [for] hav[ing] moved radically away from a Christian base, toward a secular base in which man, not God, is the creator of values, of rights, of law, and of justice." He further criticizes the Supreme Court because it "no longer talks about America as a Christian nation or about the Christian underpinnings of the law."... [S]uch statements imply that he will not look to the United States Constitution and federal statutes to resolve cases but instead will look to his understanding of God’s law.

... Honaker has shown a bias against non-Judeo-Christian faiths in his public speeches.... He argued that the Islamic faith should not have been recognized by the President in his inaugural address, as Islam has "played no role" in American freedoms.... Freedom, according to Honaker, is not only unattainable for non-Christian societies, but non-Christians in a democratic society may be a threat to that free society.

On Friday, the Billings (MT) Gazette reported that a number of groups also oppose Honaker's nomination because of his anti-abortion views. Honaker is past president of the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association and of the Wyoming State Bar.

Court Rejects Challenge To Tennessee Charitable Solicitations Act

In Free the Fathers, Inc. v. State of Tennessee, (TN Ct. App., Feb. 7, 2008), a Tennessee appellate court rejected a number of constitutional challenges to the state's Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act raised by a non-profit organization devoted to freeing Roman Catholic priests jailed in foreign countries. An enforcement action was filed against the group after it failed to apply for an exemption as a religious institution. The court rejected claims that the law acts as a prior restraint, that it vests overly broad discretion in the Secretary of State, and that the Secretary of State exceeded its statutory authority in creating an exemption process. The court also rejected 14th Amendment and commerce clause challenges to the statute, as well as a challenge under the free exercise clause of the Tennessee Constitution.

Suit Challenges Literature Distribution Ban On Behalf of Evangelist

The Alliance Defense Fund announced on Friday that it had filed suit in federal district court challenging an ordinance of Kewaskum, Wisconsin that prohibits the distribution of literature on public or private property, except to individuals willing to accept handbills. The complaint in Foht v. Village of Kewaskum, (D WI, filed 2/8/2008), alleges that the ordinance acts as a prior restraint in preventing traveling evangelist Michael Foht from leaving religious information at homes and on cars. An AP story on Friday reports on the lawsuit.

Recent Prisoner Free Exercise Decisions

In Patel v. United States Bureau of Prisons, (8th Cir., Feb. 4, 2008), the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a Muslim inmate's free exercise, RFRA and RLUIPA claims. It held that the dietary accommodations offered to him were sufficient, and therefore his religious exercise was not substantially burdened. The court also rejected plaintiff's equal protection and establishment clause claims.

In Furnace v. Sullivan, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9187 (ND CA, Jan. 9, 2008), a California federal district court permitted an inmate to proceed with his First Amendment, RLUIPA and equal protection claims that correctional officers denied him a breakfast tray meeting his religious dietary requirements, and when he objected, they sprayed him with pepper spray.

In Shaw v. Frank, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7422 (ED WI, Jan. 31, 2008), a Wisconsin federal district court held that denying an inmate the right to use his religious name does not substantially burden his practice of religion. As to another claim-- that he was forced to engage in a sexual offender treatment program that violated his religious beliefs-- the court found that plaintiff failed to exhaust his administrative remedies. (See prior related posting.)

In Shidler v. Moore, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8872 (ND IN, Feb. 4, 2008), an Indiana federal district court permitted a Muslim prisoner to proceed with a claim under RLUIPA that he was denied prayer oil, but not with a claim that he was denied non-allegenic prayer oil. He was also permitted to proceed with a claim under RLUIPA, but not under the First Amendment, that he was denied communal worship. Authorities believed he was a Christian who wished to attend Muslim services. It said: "Though preventing an inmate from engaging in communal worship with a different faith group doesn't violate the First Amendment, RLUIPA is different." A number of other claims were also rejected, including claims he was denied participation in Ramadan activities, that he was inaccurately classified as a Christian, and that he was not permitted to use his religious name on his mail.

In West v. Overbo, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8515 (ED WI, Feb. 5, 2008), a Wisconsin federal district court rejected a claim by a Muslim prisoner that his First Amendment rights were violated when prison authorities limited his Eid-ul-Fitr feast meal to merely the regular institutional meal plus an extra desert.

Oregon Court Orders Game Times Changed To Accommodate Sabbath Observers

The Oregonian reports that on Friday, an Oregon state Circuit Court judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring the Oregon School Activities Association to modify the starting times of certain games in the Class 3A state basketball tournament to accommodate the religious beliefs of players from the Portland Adventist Academy. Currently some games are scheduled between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday (Feb. 29 to March 1), the time when Adventists observe their Sabbath. Judge Henry Kantor ruled that the OSAA had not shown that moving the game time would cause undue hardship if one of the Adventist Academy teams advances to that point in the tournament.

UPDATE: The Oregonian reported on Tuesday that the OSAA executive board has voted to appeal the court's decision.

Indonesian Christian Group Sues Magazine For Blasphemy

Sunday's Jakarta Post reports that Indonesia's Alliance of Christian Students and Youths (AMPK) has filed a lawsuit charging Tempo magazine with blasphemy. A lawsuit was filed after a Feb. 4 special edition of the magazine featured a cover depicting the late president Suharto having dinner with his six children in the same poses as figures in Leonardo Da Vinci's painting, The Last Supper. The magazine has apologized, but AMPK wants copies of the magazine withdrawn. It also wants the apology run in three successive editions, in the Koran Tempo newspaper and on Tempo's website. Catholic leaders, however, said the public should not blow the incident out of proportion. It also appears from the magazine's website that it has met many of AMPK's demands. Apparently it has changed the cover, has placed its apology online and will run it in Koran Tempo.

Egypt's High Court Says ID Papers Can Reflect Conversion Back To Christianity

On Saturday, according to Reuters, Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court held that twelve individuals who had converted to Islam and then back to Christianity were entitled to have their birth certificates and government identity papers reflect that they are Christian. The ruling reversed a lower court decision that had rejected the applications for new identity documents because the conversion back to Christianity violated Islam's ban on apostasy. (See prior posting.) However, under Saturday's ruling, the individuals' previous conversion to Islam will also be noted on their papers. About 450 similar cases brought by Christian Copts are pending in Egyptian courts.

US Agency Holds Hearings On Anti-Semitism In US and Europe

On Thursday, the U.S. Helsinki Commission held the second of two hearings on "Taking Stock: Combating Anti-Semitism in the OSCE Region". Transcripts of the Jan. 29 hearing and the Feb. 7 hearing are available online. The press release announcing the hearings billed them as: "a two-part series that will review U.S. government and civil society efforts to combat anti-Semitism in North America and Europe."

Turkish Parliamentary Vote Approves End To University Headscarf Ban

The Turkish Daily News reports that after 13 hours of heated debate yesterday, Turkey's Parliament passed a constitutional amendment that will permit Muslim women to wear headscaves at universities. (See prior posting.) By a vote of 404 to 92, the legislators approved an amendment to Article 42 of the Constitution that will provide that no one can be deprived of their right to a higher education. A final Parliamentary vote on the Constitutional provisions is expected tomorrow. In today's New York Times, Harvard Law Professor Noah Feldman discusses the controversy in Turkey, placing it in the context of proposed broader constitutional liberalization in the country.

UPDATE: On Saturday, Turkey's Parliament gave its final approval to the constitutional amendment permitting women students to wear Muslim headscarves at universities. The vote was 411-103. President Gul is expected to sign the amendment quickly. However a law governing the supervisory body for higher education must also be amended before the headscarf ban is finally lifted. (The Age, Feb. 10).

Romney Campaign Said To Revive Anti-Mormon Views

Today's Wall Street Journal carries a front-page article concluding that Mitt Romney's now-ended campaign for the presidency "exposed a surprisingly virulent strain of anti-Mormonism that had been largely hidden to the general public." The article points in particular to statements made in December by political commentator and actor Lawrence O'Donnell Jr. on the "McLaughlin Group" television talk show. Of particular concern has been O'Donnell statement that: "Romney comes from a religion founded by a criminal who was anti-American, pro-slavery, and a rapist. And he comes from that lineage and says, 'I respect this religion fully.'" Here is the full transcript of that McLauglin Group broadcast.

9th Circuit Hears Arguments In Tax Dispute Over Tuition Deductions

Today's New York Sun reports on last Monday's oral arguments before the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Sklar v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue. An Orthodox Jewish couple is claiming that they should have been permitted to deduct for tax purposes the amount by which the tuition they paid to Orthodox Jewish schools exceeded the market value of the secular component of the education their children received. They base their claim on a closing agreement that the IRS reached with the Church of Scientology in 1993 to settle disputed tax liabilities. The agreement allowed Scientologists to deduct 80% of the fees paid for religious training and services, at least through the year 1999. The Sklars argue that it is a violation of the First Amendment for the IRS to give special benefits only to Scientology. The IRS agreement with Scientolgy has been made avaialble only through publication of it by the Wall Street Journal in 1997 (full text). An audio recording audio recording of the oral argument before the 9th Circuit is available from the court's website. (See prior related posting.) [Thanks to Josh Gerstein for the lead.]

Bill Introduced In Congress To Permit Church Super Bowl Parties

As previously reported, the National Football League again this year told churches that the copyright law limited their ability to host Super Bowl parties in auditoriums larger than 2000 square feet if the bowl game was shown on TV screens larger than 55 inches. This creates problems for churches that wish to offer an alcohol-free family-friendly alternative for watching the game. So this week, Sen. Arlen Specter introduced S.2591, a bill to permit churches to display televised professional football contests free of copyright concerns, so long as no direct charge is made for viewing the game, no money is received by the church during the broadcast, and the game is not further retransmitted by the church. Yesterday's Christian Post reports that Rep. Heath Shuler plans to introduce a similar bill in the House of Representatives.

Archbishop of Canterbury Suggests Role for Sharia In British Legal System

In Britain, the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams has provoked a firestorm of controversy by suggesting that British law should give some level of recognition to Sharia. Williams delivered the foundation lecture in the Temple Festival Series at the Royal Courts of Justice on Thursday. The title of the series is "Islam in English Law". The Anglican Communion News Service reprints the full text of Rowan's talk titled Civil and Religious Law in England: A Religious Perspective. It notes that Rowan "will look at what space can be allowed alongside the secular law of the land for the legal provisions of faith groups." Rowan also was interviewed by the BBC (full text). He told interviewer Christopher Landau that "there is a place for finding what would be a constructive accommodation with some aspects of Muslim law as we already do with some kinds of aspects of other religious law."

The Guardian, the AP and Ekklesia all report on the widespread criticism that followed Rowan's talk. A spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "The prime minister believes British law should apply in this country, based on British values." A more stinging criticism by Ekklesia argues that "the Church of England, recognising the untenability of privileges it still claims as an Established Church, is now seeking to create a broader 'multi-faith establishment' where 'the same problems will be replicated across a wider and more complex arena.'"

Simon Barrow on the blog Our Kingdom, however writes of Rowan's proposal: "It’s not quite such an outlandish suggestion as the headlines and knee-jerk reactions of politicians who haven’t read his nuanced speech might make you think, but I still think it’s heading in precisely the wrong direction – though thankfully, without a prayer."

In Property Dispute, Court Finds Assemblies of God Is Hierarchical Church

In Leach v. Johnson, (Macomb Co. MI Cir. Ct, Jan. 25, 2008), a Michigan trial court held that the Assemblies of God is an hierarchical religious organization. Based upon this, the court concluded that the decision of the parent body to assert control over the property of the Gospel Lighthouse Church in Warren, Michigan is binding upon the courts. The parent body found that Gospel Lighthouse Church had defected from the Church's tenets of faith, and was therefore required to transfer its property to the District Council. Under the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine, the court may not review the correctness of the parent body's decision. The court's decision followed a remand of the case last year by the Michigan Court of Appeals. (See prior posting.)

Two ADF Suits Settled; Student Religious Groups Prevail

Settlement has been reached in two separate lawsuits that were filed by the Alliance Defense Fund challenging restrictions imposed on student religious groups. In one case, Georgia's Savannah State University has agreed to allow the Christian student group "Commissioned II Love" to return to campus. (Feb. 1 Release). Suit was filed after the University claimed the group violated university rules by badgering members of fraternities and sororities to accept Jesus, and by activities at a retreat where current members, imitating Jesus, would wash the feet of new members. (See prior posting).

In a second unrelated case, a Vermont school district has agreed to furnish the Youth Alive religious club with an advisor, a minimal budget and recognition in the school district’s list of activities. Yesterday's Addison County (VT) Independent reports that under the settlement, nearly finalized, Middlebury Union High School will grant Youth Alive essentially the same benefits as other co-curricular clubs. A lawsuit filed last October charged the school district with violations of the Equal Access Act as well as the 1st and 14th Amendments. (See prior posting.)

Denial of Variance For Church Sign Upheld Under RLUIPA

In Trinity Assembly of God of Baltimore City, Inc. v. People's Counsel, (MD Ct. Spec. App., Feb. 6, 2008), a Maryland appellate court upheld Baltimore City's denial of a zoning variance for a large sign that a church proposed to erect near an expressway. The center part of the sign would carry electronically changeable messages. Rejecting the church's RLUIPA challenge to the zoning denial, the court said:

[T]he Church has not been denied any use of a sign as a means of evangelism, but only the non-conforming use of a sign that cannot be as large and eye-catching as the Church might desire. Denial of its variance request burdens the Church’s religious exercise, but not substantially, so as to make any use of a sign for uplift and recruitment "effectively impracticable" or to compel the congregants to "violate [their religious] beliefs.” The Board properly interpreted the “substantial burden” standard in RLUIPA; and, on the record before it, did not err in concluding that the Church did not meet that standard.

Reporting on the decision, yesterday's Baltimore Sun said that opponents of the sign were concerned about visual clutter and distraction of motorists. [Thanks to Alliance Alert for the lead.]

Real ID Photo Requirement Creates Problems For Religious Objectors

CNet News yesterday reported on the problem created for a number of religious groups by new drivers' license and identification card standards imposed by the federal Real ID Act. New regulations (full text) being phased in require states to have a full facial digital photo of the licensed driver on each license. 37 CFR Sec. 37.17 also provides that veils, scarves or headdresses must not obscure any facial features and not generate shadow. Beginning May 11, 2008, federal agencies will only accept drivers' licenses and identity cards from states that have been determined to be in compliance with the new federal regulations. A number of states presently allow religious exemptions from photo requirements for groups such as some Amish or Old Order Mennonites who object to being photographed, and for others who insist for religious reasons on keeping their faces veiled. The new federal regulations have no religious exeptions. The National Committee for Amish Religious Freedom has met twice with Homeland Security officials to talk about a compromise-- such as using fingerprints instead of photos-- but so far there has been little progress.

First Orthodox Jewish Member of New Hampshire Legislature Profiled

Today's Concord Monitor carries an interesting profile of New Hampshire state representative Jason Bedrick, the first Orthodox Jew elected to the New Hampshire legislature. Growing up as a non-observant Jew who attended a Catholic high school, Bedrick became religiously observant in college. One of his most complicated challenges has been campaigning while following the religious mandate that prevents him from shaking hands with women. Bedrick's main legislative issue is school choice, and he has endorsed Mike Huckabee, an evangelical Christian, for president.

Dutch Government Cited By EC For Anti-Discrimination Exception

Last week, the European Commission notified eleven member states that they have failed to fully implement the EU's rules prohibiting discrimination in employment. (Press release.) Yesterday Radio Netherlands reported on the problem the EC found with the Dutch antidiscrimination law. The law allows religiously sponsored educational instituitons to refuse employment to teachers whose lifestyle conflicts with the principles of a school. In practice, this means that Christian schools can refuse to hire gays and lesbians. The government has two months to respond to the EC's complaint, after which it could be referred to the European Court.

Website Tracks References To Faith By Presidential Contenders

Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs has created a web page titled Faith 2008. It tracks references to faith and religion in the statements of the candidates of both parties in the 2008 race for U.S. President. Quotes can be sorted by candidate, topic area or date.

Israel Creates New State Conversion Authority

In Israel, according to yesterday's Jerusalem Post, the Ministerial Committee on Immigration, Absorption and the Diaspora has approved creating a new State Conversion Authority to speed up the conversion process for some 150,000 immigrants who would like to become Jews. These are individuals who came to Israel as family members of Jews, but who are not Jewish by halachic (Jewish law) standards. In a related step, ten new salaried rabbinic judges were added to the 22 already serving in conversion courts. However, the Cabinet has not yet implemented another recommendation-- that 50 volunteer rabbinic judges also be added. The new judges would be appointed by Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar, who would select judges who would be more lenient in approving conversions. The current conversion court judges have often been criticized for insisting on too stringent a level of religious observance from conversion candidates. The appointment of the additional judges has been delayed over concern about the legality of using unpaid government officials.

Petition For En Banc Rehearing Filed In Curry v. Hensinger

A petition for en banc rehearing (full text) has been filed with the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Curry v. Hensinger. In the case, a 3-judge panel last month upheld a school principal's decision barring a fifth-grader from selling candy canes with religious material attached as part of a classroom project to learn about marketing. (See prior posting.) In a release announcing the filing of the petition, the Alliance Defense Fund argued that the panel decision was an "astonishing departure from fundamental First Amendment principles."

Pakistan Plans Non-Muslim Worship Facilities In Prisons

Asia News reported yesterday that Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Ansar Burney, toured several of his country's prisons and announced a number of reforms. Among them were plans to construct places of worship for non-Muslims inside Pakistan's correctional facilities. Before the project can begin, Pakistan's finance minnister must approve funding for it.

British Court Refuses Temporary Relief For Sikh Teenager Seeking To Wear Bangle

In Britain, London's High Court has refused to grant temporary relief to a Sikh school girl who wishes to be able to wear a religious wrist bangle to school, in violation of the school's rule against wearing jewelry other than a wrist watch and plain earnings. (See prior posting.) Yesterday's Daily Mail reports that lawyers for Sarika Watkins-Singh argued that she should be permitted to wear her Kara bangle on her wrist under a long-sleeved jumper until there is a final ruling in her challenge to the school's dress code. Lawyers for Aberdare Girls School in south Wales said that even a temporary exception to its dress code would cause disruption, and the judge agreed.

Kansas Supreme Court Temporarily Quashes Subpoenas In Abortion Probe

In Wichita, Kansas, an unusual voter-initiated grand jury is investigating whether abortion provider George Tiller violated Kansas law by performing late-term abortions. (See prior posting.) Yesterday, the Kansas Supreme court issued a temporary order (full text) quashing subpoenas for medical records of 2000 women who have sought late-term abortions at the Women's Health Care Services clinic. The court said that petitioners have raised significant isssues of patient privacy, as well as issues of a judge's role in grand jury proceedings and a grand jury's authority to issue subpoenas. Today's Wichita Eagle reports that while the subpoenaed records were to have the women's names removed from them, Tiller's lawyers argued that this does not assure patient privacy. Apparently in an earlier investigation, former state Attorney General Phil Kline was able to cross-reference information in redacted medical files with a guest roster at a motel near the Tiller's clinic to find patients' names.

UK's Charity Guidelines Published; Religious Groups Lose Public Benefit Presumption

In Britain today, the Charity Commission-- the regulatory body governing charities in England and Wales-- issued lengthy guidelines interpreting the requirement in the Charities Act of 2006 that all charities must establish that they are created for "public benefit". (Press release.) The full text of the Guidance, Charities and Public Benefit, along with three other documents explaining an analyzing the Guidance are available at the Commission's website. The new policies go into effect April 1, 2008. Previously there was a presumption that charities devoted to advancing education or religion or relieving poverty met the public benefit requirement. As required by the Charities Act, under the new Guidelines this presumption is removed and every organization wishing to be recognized as a charity must demonstrate explicitly that its aims are for the public benefit. Of particular interest to religious groups is this exceprt from the Guidelines (Part D.6.) :

Our approach to decisions about what is charitable, and what is or is not for the public benefit, will be influenced by what is relevant and appropriate for current social and economic conditions....

This does not mean that we would regard anything that is seen as ‘old’ or ‘old-fashioned’ as necessarily ‘bad’ or ‘wrong’, nor does it just mean recognising as charitable things that are popular today. For example, it is not within the Charity Commission’s remit to look into traditional, long-held religious beliefs or to seek to modernise them.

(See prior related posting.)

Minnesota Court Says Concealed-Carry Law Cannot Be Enforced Against Churches

Yesterday in Edina Community Lutheran Church v. State of Minnesota, (MN Ct. App., Feb. 5, 2008), a Minnesota state appellate court upheld the objections of two churches to enforcement against them of the Minnesota Citizens' Personal Protection Act of 2005. The law requires that before a church can refuse entry to someone carrying a firearm, it must post a specific sign at each entrance or personally inform each person that guns are prohibited. The law also prevents churches from banning guns in their parking lots and from prohibiting tenants from carrying guns on church property. The churches argued that the law's requirements interfere with the churches' belief in welcoming visitors, and prevent churches from limiting tenants' use to those consistent with the churches' commitment to nonviolence.

Invoking the state constitution's freedom of conscience clause, the court held broadly that these requirements burden a church's exercise of religious belief. It concluded that the state failed to show a compelling interest in enforcing the provisions against churches. It also held that the trial court's grant of an injunction against enforcement of the law did not violate the Establishment Clause of the state and federal constitutions. Finally the court conluded that the state's carry-concealed law is not a "land use regulation" covered by RLUIPA. Yesterday's Minneapolis Star Tribune reports on the decision. (See prior relataed posting.)

Omaha Rejects Street Sign Honoring Madalyn Murray O'Hair

The Omaha (NE) City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to reject a request to put up a commemorative street sign to honor Madalyn Murray O'Hair, founder of American Athiests. O'Hair was the plaintiff in Murray v. Curlett, the 1963 Supreme Court case (decided together with Abington School District v. Schempp) that struck down prayer and Bible reading in public schools. Yesterday's Omaha World Herald reports that Raymond Zbylut had asked Council to erect the sign to honor O'Hair's work to protect civil rights. O'Hair is not from Omaha. Explaining the Council vote, Councilman Jim Vokal said: "Most people in Omaha believe in God, and naming a street after this individual didn't match the community." [Thanks to Scott Mange for the lead.]

In Spain, Church Is At Odds With PSOE Party As Elections Appoach

CNS News and the World Socialist Web Site today both report on the growing tensions in Spain between the Catholic Church and the country's ruling Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), as the country's March 9 elections approach. The Catholic Bishops have been attacking the PSOE's policies on abortion and same-sex marriage, as well as the government's dealings with the Basque separatist group ETA. Under Church pressure the PSOE has removed from its platform a call for extending aboirtion rights. Meanwhile, on January 30, the Spanish Bishops Conference issued a statement declaring that although: "Catholics may support and join different parties, it is also true that not all [electoral] programmes are equally compatible with the faith and Christian demands in life."

Punitive Damages Reduced In Funeral Picketing Case

Yesterday in Snyder v. Phelps, (D MD, Feb. 4, 2008), a Maryland federal district judge ruled on a number of post-tial motions filed by Westboro Baptist Church and its leaders in the suit brought against them for their picketing of the funeral of Marine Lance Corporal Matthew A. Snyder. (See prior posting.) In November, a jury awarded compensatory damages of $2.9 million and punitive damages of $8 million for invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress growing out of the anti-gay picketing and website postings by defendants.

The court rejected defendants' claim that Lance Cpl. Snyder had become a public figure and his funeral a public event when his father filed a notice of the funeral in the obituary section of the local newspaper. A finding that he had become a public figure would have given greater First Amendment protection to defendants' speech. The court also rejected defendants' claim that their comments and actions were protected by the Free Exercise clause. However the court, on due process grounds, reduced the amount of the punitive damages award against each of the four defendants from a total of $8 million to a total of $2.1 million.

Yesterday's Baltimore Sun, reporting on the decision, indicated that a pending appeal to the 4th Circuit remains on hold until the district judge decides that amount of bond that defendants must post in order to proceed with the appeal. A hearing on that issue is scheduled for March 6.

Proposed Iran Penal Law Mandates Death For Apostasy

The Institute on Religion & Public Policy reported yesterday on the draft Islamic penal code that is being considered by Iran's Parliament (Majlis). Among its provisions is one that mandates the death penalty for anyone who converts from Islam to another religion. However, an individual who was born of non-Muslim parents who converts to Islam but then leaves Islam is given three days after sentencing to recant before the death penalty becomes final. Other provisions of the proposed law-- especially those relating to actions against the security of the country-- are of particular concern to Baha'is. The IRRP article carries the full text of the proposed amendments.

California Episcopal Diocese Sues Breakaway Church

Yesterday the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California filed suit against the breakaway St. John's Anglican Church in Sonoma County (CA) Superior Court seeking a declaration that the building and property of the congregation are held in trust for the Diocese and that purported amendments to the corporate articles and bylaws of St. John's were invalid. A release by the Diocese announced the filing of the lawsuit. The complaint in Episcopal Church v. St. John's Anglican Church, sets out eleven related causes of action against the Petaluma congregation.

University of Wisconsin Catholic Group Can Try Again For Funding

Even though a federal district court last month rejected a complaint by the Roman Catholic Foundation at the University of Wisconsin Madison protesting its denial of student activity fee funding for 2008-10, the school's Student Judiciary has now ruled that a new presentation can be made by the group. The court did find that the school's refusal of funding for 2007-08 violated the Establisment Clause. Yesterday's Daily Cardinal reports that in an appeal, the UW-Madison Student Judiciary found that the 2008-10 denial was based on the same unconstitutional standards. This prevented the Foundation from highlighting its unique Roman Catholic perspective as a basis for receiving university fuding eligibility.

Court Upholds Pastor's Firing Over Challenge To Procedures

The decision in Doles v. Rodgers, 2007 Va. Cir. LEXIS 210 (Portsmouth VA Cir. Ct, May 3, 2007), while handed down some months ago, has just become available through LEXIS. The decision rejected a challenge to a meeting of the congregation of New First Baptist Church in Taylorsville, Virginia. The church has no written constitution or bylaws. The notice of the congregational meeting was given one day in advance through a hand-out at church services. At the meeting, the congregation affirmed the decision of the church's "unified board" to dismiss the pastor. The court concluded that it was proper for it "to conduct a limited review of the process only and then make a determination that the basic 'fundamental principles of democratic government' have been observed." The court found that the unified board meeting was defective because five members were excluded. However, the follow-on congregational meeting was valid and therefore "the congregation acted, the majority had its say, and there is nothing further for this court to do."

Military Court Upholds Conviction of Muslim Soldier For Iraq Refusal

In United States v. Webster, (Army Ct. Cr. App., Jan. 30, 2008), the Army Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the court martial conviction and eleven-month sentence of an Army sergeant who refused to deploy to Iraq. Abdullah Webster, a convert to Islam, claimed that his understanding of Muslim teachings prelcuded him from killing a fellow-Muslim in the circumstances presented by the war. The court held that the military judge's acceptance of Webster's guilty plea was not an abuse of discretion. The court rejected Webster's assertion that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act required reversal of his conviction.

In its opinion, the court developed an interesting reconciliation of the strict scrutiny test imposed by RFRA and the pre-RFRA holding by the U.S. Supreme Court in Goldman v. Weinberger, that "review of military regulations challenged on First Amendment grounds is far more deferential than constitutional review of similar laws or regulations designed for civilian society." The Army Court held that:

while strictly scrutinizing the Army’s burden on free exercise of religion, we apply judicial deference to "the professional judgment of military authorities concerning the relative importance of a particular military interest."

Employing this test, it found that the Army has a compelling interest in requiring soldiers to deploy with their units, and that this interest was furthered by the least restrictive means in that Webster was offered a number of accommodations as well as the opportunity to seek conscientious objector status.

President's New Limits On Earmarks May Affect Religious Groups

Last week, President Bush signed an Executive Order titled Protecting American Taxpayers From Government Spending on Wasteful Earmarks (full text). It provides that future earmaks contained in committee reports, and not in statutory language, will be ignored unless the federal agency involved decides under merit-based standards that the earmarked project is the best expenditure of taxpayer dollars. Members of Congress may express their views in this process, but their comments will be made avaialble on the Internet for public examination. (White House Fact Sheet.) The White House says that these changes are directed at wasteful and excessive pork-barrel spending. The Executive order may have a significant impact on religious groups. A study last year by the New York Times found that between 1989 and January 2007, Congress approved nearly 900 earmarks for religious groups, totaling more than $318 million. Yesterday's Kansas City Star reports on $2 million in earmarks in the 2008 appropriations bill for World Impact, a Christian group that conducts outreach programs directed at the urban poor.

Presidential Hopefuls Reach Out to Latino Evangelicals

Yesterday's Kansas City Star reports on the outreach by Presidential candidates-- both Republican and Democratic-- to Latino evangelicals. Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, head of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, is described as "the go-to pastor" for candidates seeking their votes. NHCLC is launching a voter registration drive. Christianity Today in Sept. 2006 published a lengthy profile of Rodriguez and his work.

Recent Law Review Articles of Interest

From SSRN:

• Tarum Jain, General Principles of Intestate Succession Under Hindu Law, (2008).
• Timothy Sandefur, Reason and Common Ground: A Response to the Creationists' "Neutrality" Argument, (Chapman Law Review, Vol. 11, No. 1, 2008).
• Dr. Dipa Dube, Some Reflections on Interplay of Law and Morality in Contemporary India, (January 29, 2008).

From SmartCILP:

• Monica K. Miller, Alayna Jehle & Alicia Summers, From Kobe Bryant to Saddam Hussein: A Descriptive Examination and Psychological Analysis of How Religion Likely Affected Twenty-five Recent High-Profile Trials, 9 Florida Coastal Law Review 1-33 (2007).


• Mark G. Toews, Mennonites, the First Amendment, and the Role of Selective Conscientious Objectors in a Democratic Society, 9 Florida Coastal Law Review 35-64 (2007).

NH Federal Court Holds Prison Anti-Violence Program Is Secular

In Bader v. Wren, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6952 (D NH, Jan. 30, 2008), a New Hampshire federal magistrate judge rejected an Establishment Clause challenge to the "Alternatives to Violence Program" offered to inmates at the New Hampshire State Prison. He concluded that the program is not religious, even though it is rooted in Quaker philosophy. Unlike religion-based 12-step programs, AVP's identification of "Transforming Power" is much closer to "the non-religious idea of willpower within the individual." He explained: "AVP teaches that Transforming Power has a unique meaning to each participant.... It could mean the same thing, or diametrically opposite things, to a Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or atheist participant. While the program teaches an ideology of the power within each individual to transform his or her perspective. It seeks to accomplish this without reliance on, reference to, or invocation of, any theology. Transforming Power, as utilized in the AVP, is not part of any religion and cannot be understood as religious."

Malaysian and South African Muslims Warned Not to Use Botox

In both Malaysia and South Africa, influential Muslim legal bodies have banned the use of botox for cosmetic purposes. They have ruled it can be used only in emergency situations or situations of great necessity. In Malaysia, according to a report today by Religious Intelligence, the ban was issued by the National Fatwa Council, made up of Islamic scholars chosen by Malaysia's Sultans, the constitutional monarchs of nine Malay states. Today's Johannesburg Times reports that South Africa's Muslim Judicial Council, based in Cape Town, followed suit this week. (The Times story says that Malaysia's ruling was made two years ago.) The ban was issued after it was discovered that the manufacturing process for botox includes growing bacteria in a culture containing an enzyme derived from pig's milk.

Recent Prisoner Free Exercise Cases

In Rainer v. Calderon, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5591 (ED CA, Jan. 25, 2008), a California federal magistrate judge recommended dismissal of an inmate's claim that "he was denied services to study and follow the life of his Prophet (Muhammad)…" The court said plaintiff failed to link the alleged denial to the conduct of any of the named defendants.

In Wesley v. Muhammad, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6248 (SD NY, Jan. 28, 2008), a New York federal district judge accepted a magistrate's recommendation in a case in which a Muslim inmate challenged the selling of pork-based products in a prison's commissary without clearly labeling which products comply with Muslim dietary restrictions. The court dismissed claims against officers who merely worked at the commisary, but permitted them to go forward against supervisory officials. Plaintiff had objected to dismissal of the commissary workers, arguing that they were "like Nazi concentration camp guards, relying on a defense that they followed the orders of superiors to avoid liability...." The court said that argument reflected both a lack of any sense of proportion, and the weakness of plaintiff's case.

In Joseph v. Arpaio, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6227 (D AZ, Jan. 28 2008), an Arizona federal district court dismissed a claim by a Muslim inmate that he was being given pork products in his meals. Defendants demonstrated that he was receiving a no-pork diet.

In Grissom v. Cole, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7169 (D AK, Jan. 30, 2008), an Arkansas federal magistrate judge found that there were factual disputes that prevented dismissal of a prisoner's claim that defendants denied him the right to bring his Bible into the day room at the Clay County Detention Center.

SMU Siting of Bush Institute Sparks United Methodist Church Procedural Wrangle

After George W. Bush leaves office next January, his Presidential Library will be built on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Now, according to a Friday report from Ekklesia, the George W. Bush Foundation would also like to build a partisan institute devoted to "promoting the views of George W. Bush on international and domestic matters" at SMU. The United Methodist Church's 21-member Mission Council last March approved a 99-year lease on SMU land for the Institute. The 290 delegates to the Church's upcoming South Central Jurisdictional Conference plan to review that decision at their July 2008 meeting. Urging rejection of the lease, retired Bishop C. Joseph Sprague says that Bush administration polices "are in direct conflict with the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church on issues of war and peace, civil liberties and human rights, care for the environment, and health care. Our United Methodist identity and its moral authority would be seriously compromised were it to be identified with the policies of George W. Bush in this way." Concerned over this kind of criticism, the George W. Bush Foundation has now asked the eleven active United Methodist Bishops in the United States to rule that the decision of the Mission Council approving the lease was final and is not subject to review by the Jurisdictional Conference.

Romney's Attendance At Mormon Leader's Funeral Analyzed

Today, funeral services were held in Utah for Mormon Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. The AP carries an interesting political analysis of Mitt Romney's attendance at the funeral:

The death of Mormon church President Gordon B. Hinckley renews attention on Mitt Romney's little-known religion — yet rather than being reluctant to discuss it, he's making a public embrace that shows some shifting political attitudes....

The death of Hinckley, and Romney's decision to attend his funeral on Saturday, underscores his connection to and stature within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at a pivotal time for him: He is reaching out to conservatives for their support after a series of high-profile wins and endorsements have boosted rival John McCain's campaign.

The difference now is that Romney approaches both his ongoing campaign and the funeral rites with less tension over his religion. Contests in Iowa and South Carolina, which both have significant evangelical voting blocs, are behind him.

India Arrests Two Sikh Separatist Leaders

The blog Unique Pakistan reports on the arrest in India earlier this month of two Sikh separatist leaders, Sardar Kanwarpal Singh Dhami and Dr. Jagjit Singh Chohan. In 1987, Khalistan (an area comprising pre-1966 Punjab) declared its independence from India in a so-far unsuccessful attempt to become an independent Sikh homeland. The two Sikhs arrested spoke out and organized events in support of a free Khalistan. They were charged by authorities with "sedition, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration and statements conducing to public mischief."

Russian Authorities Ban Moderate Islamic Text As Extremist

Forum 18 reports today that Russian authorities have banned as "extremist" a moderate Islamic theological text that gives Koran-based advice on family and social relationships. Russia's 2002 Extremism Law prohibits mass distribution, or preparation or storage with the aim of mass distribution, of books found to be extremist. Last August, the Bugurusla City Court found 16 books to be "extremist". One of those was the moderate publication, "The Personality of a Muslim" by Muhammad Ali al-Hashimi. Now the latest Federal List of Extremist Publications, released in December 2007, also contains al-Hashimi's book. If the ban is not reversed, local Muslims face a problem of how to dispose of the tons of copies of the book that they have. Islamic law calls for holy books to be disposed of by Muslims burying or burning them.

British Lawsuit Claims Definition of Who Is A Jew Amounts To Racial Discrimination

A lawsuit has been filed against Britain's largest government-funded Jewish school challenging its admission standards as violating prohibitions against racial discrimination. Today's Jewish Chronicle reports that the action brought in the High Court challenges the policy of JFS to give preference only to Jewish students who are recongized as such under Orthodox Jewish law. In the case the school refused to recognize as valid the conversion to Judaism of the mother of the child applying for admission. She was converted by a rabbi from the Progressive stream of Judaism. However, even Rabbi Tony Bayfield, head of the Reform movement, was concerned about the implications of the case. Every stream of Judaism as some definition of who is Jewish that requires either Jewish parentage or conversion. Bayfield fears that if the plaintiff is successful in contending that this amounts to racial discrimination, the court will impose upon Judaism a definition that turns solely on religious belief. That, he says, is a Christian notion.

1st Circuit Rejects Parents' Objections To Books Depicting Gay Couples

In Parker v. Hurley, (1st Cir., Jan. 31, 2008), the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a claim by two sets of parents that their free exercise and parental privacy-due process rights were violated when they were not given an opportunity to exempt their elementary school children from exposure to books that offended their religious beliefs. In one case, kindergarten and first grade children had available as supplemental reading the books Who's In a Family?. and Molly's Family. Both include depictions of families with same-sex parents. In the other case, a second grade teacher read aloud to her class the book King and King, the story of a prince who falls in love with another prince. The court also rejected a claim that exposure to these books violated the school children's free exercise rights. The ACLU issued a press release discussing the decision. (See prior related posting.) [Thanks to Marty Lederman via Religionlaw for the lead.]

Large Church Super Bowl Parties Violate Copyright Law

Again this year, the NFL is objecting to large churches hosting Super Bowl Parties this Sunday if the game is screened on a TV screen larger than 55 inches. According to World Net Daily and the Christian Post, the copyright law (17 USC 110(5)(A)) grants only limited exceptions for the showing of copyrighted broadcasts, such as the Super Bowl. Sports bars with under 3750 square feet of space may freely show the broadcasts, but other establishments can do so freely only if they have less than 2000 square feet. Widespread showings to large audiences would cut into TV network ratings, and would in turn reduce advertising revenues. The NFL appears to be showing some flexibility this year, especially as home receivers now often exceed 55 inches. (See prior related posting.)

School District Sued For Refusing Student Group's Announcement of Prayer Meeting

Alliance Defense Fund announced yesterday the filing earlier this week of a lawsuit against the Deer Valley (AZ) Unified School District. The suit, brought on behalf of a high school student challenges the refusal by officials of Mountain Ridge High School to accept written and video annoucements by a student group, Common Cause, of one of its upcoming activities. The group wished to announce its before-school prayer gathering. Even though student groups generally are permitted to have such announcements broadcast to the student body, the school policy precludes announcements that use the word "prayer", out of concern over violating required separation of church and state. Common Cause could have the date, time and location of its meetings announced, but not the fact that religious activities will take place. In its complaint (full text) filed in Arizona federal district court, plaintiff alleged this refusal violates the federal Equal Access Act, the First and Fourteenth Amendments, and Arizona's Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

British Groups Challenge Mention of "God" In Scout Oath

In Britain, according to a report in today's London Telegraph, the National Secular Society and the British Humanist Association have filed a complaint with Britain's Equality and Human Rights Commission over the oath that the Boy Scouts require of all members. Scouts are required to promise to "do their best to do their duty to God and to the Queen." While Scout guidelines allow "God" in the oath to be replaced by "Allah" or "my Dharma", a member must still have some belief in a Supreme Being. The two groups filing the complaint say that this requirement is discriminatory and want it made optional.

Penn State Settles Suit: Will Permit Biblical Reference On Alumni Brick

The Alliance Defense Fund announced yesterday that it had reached a settlement in a lawsuit it had filed against Penn State University challenging its refusal to place a Biblical reference on personalized brick purchased by an alumnus. Last year, to raise funds the University offered alumni bricks and stone pavers that would be placed on the university’s new Alumni Walk. The $250 brick could be inscribed with three lines of copy. Alum James Pursley requested that his brick carry his name, his graduation year and the notation "Joshua 24:15". The University rejected his order because of its policy against permitting religious messages. Pursley then filed suit alleging that the rejection violated his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. (Full text of complaint in Pursley v. Pennsylvania State University, (MD PA, filed 12/12/07).) ADF says that under the settlement, the school will now permit the Biblical reference.

New York Court Finds Synagogue With Clergy Residence Is Tax Exempt

In Sephardic Congregation of South Monsey v. Town of Ramapo, (NY App. Div., Jan. 29, 2008), a New York appellate court held that a building housing both a synagogue and a rabbi's residence qualifies for a full property tax exemption. The 3-story building is in Monsey, NY. Reversing the trial court, the appellate court held that even though more than half of the building was used as Rabbi Arash Hakakian's residence, this use is necessary and incidental to the building's tax exempt religious purpose. Rabbi Hakakian testified that he devotes 40 to 45 hours per week to the Congregation on premises and that he is available on-call to members 24 hours per day. [Thanks to J.J. Landa for the lead.]

Brooklyn Anglican Church Settles Lawsuit; Keeps Building For Below-Market Price

Virtue Online reported yesterday that St. Joseph's Anglican Church (formerly Trinity Church of East New York) has settled the lawsuit brought against it by the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. St. Joseph's broke away from the Diocese in 1977, and is now affiliated with the Anglican Church in America. Much of the congregation had come from the British West Indies where they were members of the Church of England, and they were upset with liturgical changes made in the 1970's. The Diocese sued to obtain ownership of the church's historic building in Brooklyn. Under the terms of the settlement, St. Joseph's will pay $275,000-- a below market value price-- and will retain ownership of its property.

First Lady Marks Catholic Schools Week

The First Lady, Laura Bush, spoke yesterday at Washington, DC's Holy Redeemer Catholic School to mark Catholic Schools Week. She used the occassion (full text of remarks) to praise Washington, DC's Opportunity Scholarship program and to focus attention on President Bush's State of the Union speech that called for a Pell Grants for Kids Program and a White House Summit on Inner-City Children and Faith-Based Schools. (See prior posting.) [Thanks to Mirror of Justice for the lead.]

White House Marks 7th Anniversary of Faith-Based Initiative

Yesterday President George W. Bush marked the seventh anniversary of the Faith-Based and Community Initiative by visiting an orgaization in Baltimore (MD) sponsored by the Episcopal Church. The Jericho Project helps released non-violent prisoners-- many fighting alcohol abuse-- to develop skills that permit them to find jobs and successfully re-enter society. (Baltimore Sun.) In his remarks (full text), Bush explained the problems he saw that led him to begin the FBCI:

Unfortunately, in some instances where there was an interface with government, people were told that in order to interface you have to take the cross off the wall, or take down the Star of David. In other words, you had to abandon the very principle by which you existed in the first place. And it made no sense. If a program was effective because they were willing to recognize a higher power, if a program was effective because people responded because they felt a call from a higher power, than to deny the higher power really reduced the effectiveness of the program.

The White House yeterday also released a Fact Sheet on the Faith-Based and Community Initiative. [Thanks to Steven H. Sholk for the lead.]

California College Trustee Attacks Islam In Her Opposition To Course Proposal

A trustee of California's College of the Siskiyous has created a furor by a statement she made at a January 15 Board meeting expressing her opposition to a proposed new course in Beginning Arabic and the History of the Middle East. Yesterday's Mt. Shasta News, reports that Dorris Wood, a trustee of the public community college, said in a prepared statement: "

We know all we need to know about Arabs and Islam. They are our enemies pure and simple. There is no getting away from that. They have declared war on the United States and they are committed to our destruction.... Instead of trying to understand our sworn enemies, we need to teach our people about this country. Muslims have over the century invaded other countries and forced their religion by killing, plundering and ravaging. This is nothing new, [this course] is just a new way of invading. They are invading Christian countries of the world from the inside, one method being through our schools and universities.... If you want to give yourselves to Islam, I have no problem with that,you have the right and the freedom to do that, but don't give my country to them.

Faculty and student groups are calling for Wood's resignation.

Massachusetts Church Seeks Tax Funds for Roof Repairs

The Northampton, Massachusetts, First Churches has received support from the town's Historical Commission in its bid to obtain $250,000 from the Community Preservation Committee toward roof and ceiling repairs. The Community Preservation Committee distributes funds collected under a local real estate tax surcharge and matching state monies. Church leader see the Historical Commission support as important in countering any church-state concerns about the grant. The church's pastor, Rev. Peter B. Ives, says the building often hosts public activities, such as First Night events and political rallies. He hopes the building will be treated as a "meeting house". Today's Springfield (MA) Republican reports on the church's request.

Turkey's Headscarf Proposal Faces Fierce Opposition

As previously reported, the major political parties in Turkey are taking steps to reverse the country's traditional ban on university women wearing the Muslim headscarf. Today's Toronto Globe and Mail carries an article on the passionate opposition to the proposal among secularists and the military:

[T]he head scarf has become an issue that is threatening to split Turkey in two. The bill received an explosive response yesterday from Turkey's secular establishment, who see it as a menacing incursion of Islam into a country that has kept religion at bay since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's democratic revolution in 1925. "Turkey is headed step by step toward becoming a theocratic state," one MP, Onur Oymen, said during the parliamentary debate. The head of Turkey's army issued a veiled threat yesterday. "All segments of Turkish society know very well the position of the military on this issue," General Yasar Buyakanit told reporters, somewhat cryptically.

Connecticut Supreme Court Rejects Buddhist Temple's RLUIPA Appeal

Yesterday, the Connecticut Supreme Court in Cambodian Buddhist Society of Connecticut, Inc. v. Planning and Zoning Commission of the Town of Newtown, (CT Sup. Ct., official release date Feb. 12, 2008), upheld the denial of a building permit to a Buddhist Temple. It rejected a RLUIPA and state law challenge to the denial of a special exception sought so the Temple could be built on 10 acres near Newtown (CT). The court held that

the substantial burden provision of RLUIPA does not apply to neutral and generally applicable land use regulations that are intended to protect the public health and safety, such as those at issue in the present case.....

[T]he provisions of the town’s regulations allowing religious facilities to be built in a residential zone by special exception treat such uses more, not less, favorably than certain other nonresidential uses that are not allowed by special exception. Moreover, although the commission has some discretion to determine whether a proposed specially permitted use is consistent with residential use, the regulations do not grant the commission the discretion to apply the standards differently to religious facilities than it applies them to the other uses allowed by special exception, such as clubs, private schools, seasonal camps, certain public utility buildings, hospitals, sanitary landfills, nurseries and horse boarding stables.

The court also concluded that under the state's Religious Freedom Act (Sec. 52-571b), the legislature did not intend that construction of a place of worship would constitute "religious exercise" nor did it intend that the non-discriminatory application of land use regulations would be subject to strict scrutiny under the Act. Yesterday's Hartford Courant reports on the decision and the facts behind it. (See prior related posting.) [Thanks to Jeffrey Struski for the lead.]

Tennessee Supreme Court Will Hear Case of Cult Leader Charged With Child Neglect

According to today's Knoxville News, the Tennessee Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal in the criminal case of State v. Sherman, (TN Ct. Crim. App., July 12, 2007). At issue is whether a religious cult leader can be convicted of child neglect for the death of a teenage girl after the girl's mother followed the advice of leader, Ariel Ben Sherman, to rely on spiritual treatment for the girl's cancer. Sherman, a minister in the Universal Life Church, was not married to the girl's mother nor had he adopted the girl. However the mother and daughter lived with him, as did several of his other followers. The state argues that Sherman can be charged with neglect because of his informal custodial or in loco parentis role. The mother, who is also being prosecuted, is raising a free exercise of religion defense.

Voter Complains About Polling Place At Church with Anti-Abortion Display

The Daytona Beach (FL) News-Journal reports that Ormond Beach (FL) resident Amy Murphy-DeMeo is complaining that her polling place in yesterday's Florida primaries was at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. The Church opposes abortion by a display of rows of white crosses symbolizing aborted fetuses, and two banners reading: "Pray for the innocent . . . 4,000 babies aborted daily in the USA." The Volusia County Department of Elections says that because it merely rents space in the church, it cannot tell the church what to do. The election board does not like to use schools as voting locations because to do so it would have to run a background check on every poll worker.

Egyptian Court Decides 3 Cases On Listing Religion On ID Cards

In Egypt yesterday, Cairo's Court of Administrative Justice decided three cases involving the disclosure of religion on official Egyptian identity cards that must be carried at all times and that are needed to apply for a job, open a bank account, or register children for school. In two of the cases, the court agreed that members of the Baha'i faith could leave blank the line calling for religious affiliation. Previously the government had required individuals to select one of three religions-- Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Yesterday's decisions are a compromise after an earlier Supreme Administrative Court ruling that the Baha'i religion could not be explicitly listed. Yesterday's decisions are discussed by the AP and by the Baha'i World News Service.

In a third case, the same court refused to permit a Christian convert from Islam to list his new religion on his identity papers. IOL News yesterday reported that the court held that Mohammed Higazi (Hegazy) had not followed the proper procedures and, in any event, could not convert "to an older religion." The court wrote: "Monotheistic religions were sent by God in chronological order... As a result, it is unusual to go from the latest religion to the one that preceded it." The AP reports that Hegazy has been the subject of police torture and death threats from his father and from an Islamist cleric after his 1998 conversion was discovered and when he was pictured in a newspaper posing with a poster of the Virgin Mary.

Suit Settled; Student Gets Credit For Volunteer Hours At Church Program

Liberty Counsel announced yesterday that it had settled a lawsuit it had filed against the Long Beach (CA) Unified District School Board. The suit was filed after student Christopher Rand was denied Community Service Learning credit for volunteer work he performed because the work was performed for his church. (See prior posting.) Under the settlement, Rand was given full credit for his work in leading a children's activities program, and the school's policy was revised to allow students to complete mandatory community service hours at either secular or religious organizations on the same terms.

Progressive Muslim Group Blasts Canadian Agency's Study of Sharia Banking

Today's Toronto Star reports that a progressive Muslim group, the Muslim Canadian Congress (MCC), has criticized the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) for undertaking a study of Sharia banking. In a letter yesterday, the MCC told CMHC chief executive Karen Kinsley that religion has no place in the banking or mortgage industry, and that the organization should scrap its $100,000 study. The MCC said that most Canadian Muslims already use conventional mortgages. In a strong statement, MCC argued that: "Islamic Banking is nothing more than an attempt by Islamists, with backing from Middle Eastern Financial Institutions and their Western partners, to scare Muslim Canadians into believing that they should pay more to the banks and demand less in return as an act of religiosity." Douglas Stewart, the CMHC's vice-president of policy and planning, said the study was part of the agency's mandate to promote research to understand all parts of the Canadian housing system.

State Hears Religious Defense To Sexual Orientation Discrimination

An Alliance Defense Fund release reports that a hearing was scheduled for yesterday and today before the New Mexico Human Rights Division on a complaint by a lesbian couple that a photographer discriminated against them when she refused to photograph their commitment ceremony. The photographer apparently cited her Christian religious beliefs as the reason for the refusal. New Mexico law prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. [Thanks to Eugene Volokh via Religionlaw for the lead.]

Colorado Senate Opens With Hinud Prayer for First Time [Corrected]

Yesterday, for the first time in its history, a Hindu clergyman delivered the opening prayer in the Colorado state Senate. The AP reports that Rajan Zed of Reno, Nev., began by saying "om" to represent the universe and then read passages in Sanskrit and English from he Rig-Veda and Bhagavad-Gita. Last July Zed made history by becoming the first to deliver a Hindu invocation in the United States Senate. He has been invited by three other state legislatures as well.

UPDATE: Following Zed's appearance, state Senator David Schultheis told WorldNet Daily that he was shocked. He said: "I don't know of any Hindus or individuals from India actually in the legislature.... I think the most troubling thing [is] we have this appearance, and yet the bulk of our population is Christian ... and we are not allowed to mention 'Jesus' in any prayer."

Archbishop of Cantebury Suggests New Law To Replace Blasphemy Ban

Yesterday in London, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams delivered the James Callaghan Memorial Lecture, according to Times Online. In his remarks, Williams conceded that Britain's current blasphemy law "is unworkable and that its assumptions are not those of contemporary lawmakers and citizens overall." However, Williams urged replacing it with broader legislation to protect religious sensibilities. He argued that a new law should punish "extreme behaviors" that have the effect of silencing arguments. The government is in the process of consulting with the Church of England about a government proposal to abolish Britain's existing blasphemy prohibitions. (See prior posting.)

Chaplain Objects To Policy Allowing Prisoner to Choose Multiple Faiths

The Tacoma, Washington News Tribune today carries an interesting article about a 63-year old Catholic prison chaplain who is distressed over the Washington Department of Corrections new policy that allows prisoners to practice dual faiths. The policy change came in the settlement of a RLUIPA lawsuit brought by a prisoner who insisted that he be permitted to worship as both a Native American practitioner and as a Seventh-Day Adventist. The prison chaplain, Tom Suss, who is also a Catholic priest, has taken a voluntary leave of absence from his job after an inmate, under the new policy, requested to be classified as both Catholic, and as a member of the pagan Asatru movement. Suss says he cannot, as the new state policy requires, endorse a person being a Catholic and a pagan at the same time.

State Senator Mike Carrell is introducing an amendment to an existing prison bill to protect the jobs of prison chaplains whose duties conflict with their religious beliefs. Carrell argues that inmates will chose multiple religions in order to exploit the system and get various advantages. Department of Corrections policy already excuses chaplains from performing ecclesiastical duties that conflict with their religious tenets. Suss' problem however is with chaplains' nonreligious duties, such as giving prisoners access to religious items.