Article Says Apocalyptic Christians Place Pressure On Military

On Friday, Truthout.org carried an article by Thomas D. Williams and JP Briggs II titled Fringe Evangelicals Distort US Military Policy. The article asserts: "For decades, especially since the end of the Vietnam War, the US military has been wrestling with aggressive sects of doomsday Christians demanding control and conversions of those of other faiths as well as nonbelievers within the armed forces." The analysis is based in part on a 2006 US Army War College study by Air Force Lieutenant Colonel William Millonig: The Impact of Religious and Political Affiliation on Strategic Military Decisions and Policy Recommendations.

Austria's Right Wing Leaders Urge Anti-Islam Steps

In Austria, right-wing political leader Joerg Haider has proposed that Austria's Constitution be amended to prohibit construction of mosques and minarets in the country and to require religious groups use German in their services and sermons. M&C today reports that Haider, who is former leader of the BZ party and is governor of the province Carinthia, called for the changes over the week end, saying he was protecting Austria's western culture. Right-wing Freedom Party leader Heinz-Christian Strache, who is usually feuding with Haider, expressed his support for Haider's proposals, and urged also that headscarves be banned in schools, universities and public service, that radical preachers be deported and that the government issue an annual Islamization report.

California Cities Sue Woman For Painting God's Messages On Her Houses

Belmont, California officials are about to enforce the city's sign code against homeowner Estrella Benavides who has painted a "message from God" on the front of her house. Today's San Mateo Daily Journal reports that the sign exceeds the 12 square foot limit imposed by Belmont's city code. San Mateo officials have already sued Benavides because of signs with messages from God that she has plastered over another home she owns there. Benavides said, "I am not worried about anything. God is on my side."

Couple Claims State Removed Children Because of Father's Religious Beliefs

Last week, Stephen and Bedra Starkey filed a lawsuit in a Denver (CO) state court against the Boulder County Department of Social Services and several of its employees claiming that the county took temporary custody of Stephen Starkey's three children because of Starkey's fundamentalist religious beliefs. Today's Denver Post reports that Starkey makes similar claims in a pending federal court case. County officials say the children were removed in 2004 because of abuse, not religion. Police found that Starkey disciplined his children by forcing them to lie on the floor for hours while reading the Bible, withholding meals and hitting one child on the head. Starkey is quoted as saying: "Children should live in fear of their parents, the police and others to prevent them from an immoral life."

Recent Prisoner Free Exercise Cases

In Chambers v. Arpaio, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 60327 (D AZ, Aug. 16,2007), an Arizona federal district court dismissed an inmate's complaint that an Arizona jail permitted only 3 of its 70 inmates to attend church each week. The complaint lacked allegations that plaintiff was prevented without penological justification from engaging in conduct mandated by his faith.

In Said v. Donate, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55007 (MD PA, July 30, 2007), a Pennsylvania federal judge rejected a Magistrate's recommendation (2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 60658 (June 29, 2007)) that an immigration detainee's free exercise claim be dismissed. Instead the court permitted plaintiff to amend his complaint to identify defendants who deprived him of his request for a Halal meat meals, to describe those meals and how failure to receive Halal meat places a substantial burden on his religious exercise.

In Dye v. Lennon, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62123 (ED WI, Aug. 22, 2007), a federal district court held that an inmate stated colorable free exercise and RLUIPA claims. He alleged that defendants interfered with his right to practice his religion when they obtained a temporary guardianship over him based on his refusal to eat. He says that the guardianship interferes with his fasting for religious reasons.

In Hetsberger v. Department of Corrections, (N.J. Super. App. Div., Aug. 24, 2007), a New Jersey appellate court held that the trial court should have analyzed a plaintiff's claim under RLUIPA as well as under First Amendment standards. Plaintiff in the case, a member of the Nation of Gods and Earths, complained that the Department of Corrections' designation of the Nation as a security risk placed a substantial burden on its members' ability to participate in activities central to their religious beliefs.

In Searles v. Bruce, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 62451 (D KA, Aug. 23, 2007), a Kansas federal district court granted a directed verdict for defendants, finding that an inmate failed to prove his claim that he was denied apples and honey for the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, and failed to show any personal participation by defendants in the alleged denial.

Lebanese Paper Decries Lack of Civil Marriage Code

Lebanon's Daily Star today carries a lengthy report on Lebanese laws that impact women's rights. A significant portion of the article focuses on the absence of a civil code on marriage and family law. Instead each of the 19 religious denominations in the country has its own personal status code, and its own courts to enforce it. This preserves the cultural identity of each group, defenders say.

Vermont's Proposed Regulation of Prisoner Religious Practices Criticized

In July, the Vermont Department of Corrections issued for comment proposed Directive 380.01 on religious observances and programs in the state's correctional facilities. Last week the Becket Fund wrote the Department of Corrections objecting to a number of provisions in the proposal. (Full text of letter.) As summarized in its press release, the Becket Fund argued:

These new regulations are incredibly stringent, and in some cases ominous, such as the mandatory registration of an inmate’s religious identity.... In addition to mandatory registration, the regulations deny inmates the right to lead religious services--even if they are ordained clergy--and prohibit inmates from "demonstrative prayer" and prayer with others. The regulations also force inmates to wait for up to a year to change their religious affiliation, and prohibit them from attending interfaith religious services without applying for a permit first.

In response to these objections, as well as concerns expressed by the ACLU, Vermont Corrections Commissioner Rob Hoffman has already made some changes, according to yesterday's Boston Globe.

Prof Suggests New Approach To Religious Accommodation In Education

Universal Faith is the title of a piece by Harvard Law Professor Noah Feldman in today's New York Times Magazine. In it he suggests a new approach to accommodating religion in public education:

The source of the confusion is the mistaken notion that the categories "religious" and "secular" are strictly binary, like an on-off switch. It's true that some things are inherently religious... But it's also true that many things that are not inherently religious are not inevitably secular either: they can be infused with religious meaning through the intention of a believer. A gymnasium or a warehouse has a perfectly secular use but also can be consecrated by worshipers who invoke God's name there for purposes of worship. Examples of what you might call "dual use," such things can be at once secular to one person and religious to another.

The most convincing interpretation of our constitutional tradition is that the government may not engage in or pay for conduct that is inherently religious but may accommodate religion when the steps taken to do so are not inherently religious in themselves. The phenomenon of dual use suggests a helpful way of restating this requirement: the state may expend resources to accommodate activities that are religious in the eyes of the believers as long as those activities can still be performed by the general public that interprets them as secular.

More Developments In San Diego Diocese Bankruptcy Case

There has been another development in the bankruptcy reorganization of the Catholic Diocese of San Diego, according to yesterday's San Diego Union-Tribune. While not yet formally lifting the stay on lawsuits, Bankruptcy Judge Louise DeCarl Adler ruled Friday that abuse victims in 42 of the 127 pending lawsuits have a constitutional right to a state jury trial on their claims. Pressing the Diocese to settle, Adler also said that the Church’s current settlement offer is well below the state average for abuse claims. The Diocese had sought, instead of a jury trial, to have the federal bankruptcy court place a value on the abuse claims and then let the victims accept or reject that amount. Meanwhile, a hearing is scheduled for Sept. 6 to decide whether the entire bankruptcy case should be dismissed. Bankruptcy professor Scott Erlich said: "If I were the judge, I would dismiss this action. The only reason to be in Chapter 11 is that the debtor is willing to come up with a plan that the victims can agree to. That is not happening here, and we are wasting our time." (See prior related postings 1, 2.)

China Begins Campaign Targeting Christian Proselytizing Ahead of Olympics

Bos News reported yesterday that China's Ministry of Public Security has urged local officials to undertake a month-long campaign against "illegal religion and evil religious activities" to eliminate "political unstable elements" in the countryside. The crackdown is especially targeting Christians, including leaders of unregistered "house churches". Rights groups say that new arrests and harassments are an attempt to discourage Christian groups from engaging in proselytizing at next year's Beijing Olympic Games.

Justice Department Files Amicus Brief In Support of Mormon Student

The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division has filed an amicus brief in support of a Mormon college student, David Haws, who is suing West Virginia's PROMISE Scholarship Board for religious discrimination. (Yesterday's Washington Post.) Represented by the ACLU, Haws is challenging the Scholarship Board's policy that led to the loss of his scholarship when he left school temporarily to serve a two-year church mission. The Scholarship Board argues that since Haws' church mission was not a required tenet of his faith, but was only encouraged, he was not compelled to choose between his faith and receipt of the scholarship.

Irish Sikh Group To Challenge No-Turban Policy of Police Reserve

Ireland's Sikh Council is planning to sue to challenge a policy of the Garda Reserve that prohibits Sikh members from wearing turbans while on duty. The Garda Reserve is a volunteer section of Ireland's police force. Today's Malaysia Sun says the planned action stems from a complaint by a Sikh IT professional who had wanted to volunteer for the Reserve.

Tie Vote Means No En Banc Review of "7 Aphorisms" Cases In 10th Circuit

The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals split 6-6 on a motion to review en banc two decisions by a 3-judge panel handed down last April. The decisions ruled in favor of members of the Summum faith who sought to put up displays of their Seven Aphorisms in parks where Ten Commandment displays already exist. The en banc ruling is Summum v. Pleasant Grove City, (10th Cir., Aug. 24, 2007). Plaintiffs had argued that parks in Pleasant Grove City and Duchesne City, Utah were public forums. The 3-judge panel agreed as to Pleasant Grove, and sent the Duchesne case back for further fact finding. The en banc split results in no review of those decisions.

Two interesting dissents to the denial of an en banc rehearing were filed along with the ruling. Judge Lucero argued that parks are public forums for temporary events such as protests and concerts, but not for permanent monuments. Judge McConnell, joined by Judge Gorsuch, argued that managers of city parks should be able to make reasonable content-based judgments on the kinds of monuments that will be in the parks. Accepting the donation of a war memorial for the park from the VFW should not open the park to "an influx of clutter", they wrote. Yesterday’s Salt Lake Tribune reported on the en banc determination.

More New Jersey Schools Rent Space To Churches

Today's Washington Post carries a story from Northern Jersey's Record pointing out the large number of New Jersey public schools that rent out space to churches for use on Sundays. The practice is encouraged as space becomes more limited, congregations grow and zoning requirements become more difficult to meet. The rent is also an attractive income source for schools. Schools also rent out space to churches on a more temporary basis when they are displaced by a fire, or when they are in the process of constructing a new building. Synagogues sometimes rent school space for overflow services for the High Holidays.

High School's Refusal to Recoginze Bible Club Limited to Christians Upheld

In Truth v. Kent School District, (9th Cir., Aug. 24, 2007), the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a decision made by the Associated Student Body Council in a Washington state high school. The Kentridge High School Council refused to grant official recognition to a student Bible club that limited its membership to those "complying in good faith with Christian character, Christian speech, Christian behavior and Christian conduct as generally described in the Bible." The school argued that state anti-discrimination laws precluded recognition of the club. The court held that the denial of recognition violated neither the federal Equal Access Act nor the club’s First Amendment rights. The court said that the club's policy of excluding those who do not meet Christian criteria did not have an expressive function, and forcing the group to include them as non-voting general members would not convey a message in conflict with the club’s views. Yesterday’s Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports on the decision.

Lesson Learned—This Year’s Jacksonville Prayer Rally Gets No Government Funds

Last year, Jacksonville, Florida ended up in litigation when it spent over $100,000 to support a Day of Faith anti-violence rally. The city settled the lawsuit, agreeing that in the future it would sponsor only secular programs. This year, 50 churches in Duval county are holding a similar prayer service, but without government funding. The mayor and other officials will be invited to the Sept. 8 "It’s Time To Pray Jacksonville" event, but this year the faith community will have "entire ownership" of the event, according to one of its organizers, Rev. Gary Wiggins. Yesterday's Florida Times-Union reported on plans by the organizers to invite 1,400 houses of worship—including synagogues and mosques—to attend.

Two Miliary Chaplains Discuss Their Roles

Yesterday's Bucks County (PA) Courier Times carries an interesting interview with two military chaplains—one recently back from Iraq and one about to go there. Army National Guard Chaplain Douglas Etter, a Presbyterian, talked about how he prayed with soldiers before each mission. He said that the dominant problem soldiers faced was loneliness in being far from home and the strain on relationships with spouses that this separation imposed. Etter also reached out to Muslim leaders while he was in Iraq. Navy Chaplain Rabbi Jon Cutler-- deploying in November-- says he will spend a good deal of time counseling service members dealing with family problems. More than 90% of the troops he counsels are not Jewish. Previously Cutler spent four months in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm and was called to duty at the Pentagon following 9-11 to help counsel grieving families and to assist the mortuary team.

Suit On Native American Graves In Highway Construction Dismissed

A Tennessee suit involving the appropriate treatment of Native American graves discovered during highway construction was dismissed on the basis of mootness and res judicata on Friday. In re: Order To Encapsulate Native American Gravesites, (TN Ct. App., Aug. 23, 2007) [WordPerfect document], was one in a series of suits against the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Initially the Department proposed to relocate remains found in three Native American grave sites. A Native American group and three individuals objected to this proposal, arguing that disturbing the graves would violate their rights of conscience and free exercise of religion. While litigation was pending, the Department decided instead to re-inter the remains in place and encapsulate the graves in concrete. This too was challenged in litigation, but while the lawsuit seeking an injunction was pending, the construction was completed. So the court dismissed the claims as moot. This suit was then filed seeking declaratory relief, instead of the injunction that was sought in the first litigation. The Court of Appeals agreed with the trial court that this suit is "Plaintiffs' second bite at the very same apple."

Sikh Charges California Night Clubs With Discrimination

In Carlsbad, California, 22-year old Dave Bindra has filed a religious discrimination complaint after he was denied entry to two night clubs because he was wearing a patka, a tighter fitting version of the traditional Sikh turban. The clubs have strict rules against headgear associated with gangs, and apparently his patka resembled the banned do-rag. Eventually a heated exchange between club personnel and three female friends of Bindra's ensued. Yesterday's San Diego Union-Tribune says that the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund has contacted the Justice Department’s Community Relations Service to ask them to mediate.

Head Of Civil Rights Division of Justice Department Resigns

Assistant Attorney General Wan J. Kim, head of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, has resigned effective the end of this month. (DOJ release, 8/23). Reporting on the resignation, Thursday's New York Times emphasizes that this adds to the vacancies in top posts at the Department. Blog from the Capitol points out that it was under Kim's leadership that the Division began the First Freedom Project that placed a new emphasis on religious freedom cases.