Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Prisoner May Proceed On Communal Worship and Religious Name Allegations
Friday, January 13, 2006
NY Appellate Court Rejects Challenge To Required Contraceptive Coverage
SC Legislator Proposes Mandatory Cadet Prayer At Citadel
Governor's Grant To Rebuild Historic Church Questioned
Some are still questioning the legality of the Governor's move. Eric Zorn wrote in yesterday's Chicago Tribune: "Forget for a moment that the Illinois Constitution explicitly forbids funding schools that are controlled by churches. Reflect instead that any dollar the church doesn't have to spend rebuilding its school is a dollar it does have to spend rebuilding its sanctuary for Christian worship."
Scout Troops Feel Impact of Earlier Court Decision
There is no problem with scout groups meeting in schools, when the facilities are open to other groups as well. But, according to Ben Stone, executive director of the Iowa ACLU, "Chartering creates a special status and gives (the BSA) special treatment. Government should exercise their discretion and make the decision to not allow local taxpayer funds to be used to subsidize religious discrimination and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation."
Jewish Group Denies Wrongdoing In Ties To Abramoff
Jack Abramoff's Plea Agreement included an Attachment setting out the factual basis for the plea. It included the following paragraph:
...Abramoff and others sought Staffer A's agreement to perform a series of official acts , including assisting in stopping legislation regarding internet gambling and opposing postal rate increases. With the intent to influence those official acts, Abramoff provided ... ten equal monthly payments totaling $50,000 through a non-profit entity to the wife of Staffer A.Lapin says that the non-profit referred to was Toward Tradition. However, he says, the payments were for work actually done for the group in organizing conferences; and the amounts were typical of fees charged for this kind of work. Lapin said that it is not uncommon for donors to make specific gifts for specific purposes, so they thought that this was a completely legitimate arrangement.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Alito Discusses Religion Clause Views At Hearing
City Councilman Challenges Council's Prayer Policy
Trial of Muslim Cleric For Soliciting Murder Begins In Britain
Roy Moore Officially Enters Alabama Gubernatorial Race
Israel May Not Give Robertson Land For Center After His Remarks
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Navy Chaplain Ends Protest Fast
Concerned Women Group Supports Alito, Citing Religion Views
Yesterday, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee tried to make Justice O’Connor the gold standard to which they will hold Judge Alito. Nothing could be worse, especially when it comes to protecting our first liberty, religious liberty. After all, O'Connor thinks it violates the Establishment Clause to publicly display the Ten Commandments.
Judge Alito has consistently protected the free exercise rights of all religious people, including Christians, Jews, Muslims, Native Americans and the artwork of a young school boy thankful for Jesus. He has ruled against government actions that discriminate against or unfairly burden religion, and he has rejected government attempts to use the Establishment Clause to remove all things religious from the public square.
Ohio Board Refuses To Change Standards For Teaching Biology
The Columbus Dispatch reports that at yesterday's meeting of the Ohio Board of Education, a member raised the issue of dropping state guidelines on teaching of biology. After a bitter exchange between board members on whether Ohio's model lesson plan was intended to promote Intelligent Design, the board by a vote of 9-8 refused to reconsider the standards. Two board members were absent. Critics of the standards made their point by having a man dressed as a panda outside the board meeting, carrying a copy of the book Pandas and People. The board's vote appears to open the way for threatened litigation by Americans United for Separation of church and State. (See prior posting.)
Pope Emphasizes Religious Freedom In Address To Diplomats
by its very nature the Holy See's diplomatic activity is concerned with promoting, among other forms of freedom, the aspect of freedom of religion. Unfortunately, in some states, even among those who can boast centuries-old cultural traditions, freedom of religion, far from being guaranteed, is seriously violated, especially where minorities are concerned.
Here I would simply recall what has been laid down with great clarity in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Fundamental human rights are the same on every latitude; and among them, pride of place must be given to the right to freedom of religion, since it involves the most important of human relationships: our relationship with God. To all those responsible for the life of nations I wish to state: If you do not fear truth, you need not fear freedom! The Holy See, in calling for true freedom for the Catholic Church everywhere, also calls for that freedom for everyone.
Kentucky Governor Urges Teaching of Intelligent Design
Lessening Church-State Ties Recommended In Norway
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Ohio May Be Next Battlefield On Intelligent Design
Ohio State University Trustee Brian Hicks lobbied the Ohio Board of Education for the current science curriculum, which encourages the teaching of alternatives to evolution, when he was chief of staff to Governor Bob Taft. However, Ohio State University's Senate, and Faculty Council, as well as the Inter-University Council of Ohio (on which OSU President Karen A. Holbrook sits), have all passed resolutions opposing the state board's science standards and curriculum. Currently trustee Hicks will not answer questions about his position on intelligent design or the state board's science curriculum unless the same questions are presented to every member of the Board of Trustees.