Church Sues Plano, Texas Over Acreage Requirement for Churches

Yesterday's Plano (TX) Courier Star reports on a lawsuit filed by the 50-member Vietnamese Baptist Church against the City of Plano challenging the Board of Adjustment's denial of an occupancy permit to the church. The city will not permit the church to have electricity and water service at the building it recently purchased for $400,000. While the basis of the denial is not completely clear, apparently the issue is the city's zoning requirement that churches located in residential areas be on at least two acres of land. Filed in state court, the lawsuit alleges that the restriction violates the church's 1st and 14th Amendment rights.

In Russia, Course For Teachers Spreads "Blood Libel"

Two years ago, schools in four areas of Russia began teaching required courses in Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture. (See prior posting.) Last week the Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union reported on a troubling series of lectures presented at Tyumen State Oil-Gas University designed to train future teachers of the course. Professor Svetlana Shestakovaya taught students the Jewish blood libel-- the claim that Jews murder Christians to use their blood in making Matzoh. She also described Catholics are "a heresy," Protestants as "pseudo-Christian sects," and said that an "occult, evil spirit" inspired Muhammad to write the Quran.

Pro-Life Pharmacies Are New Trend

Monday's Washington Post reported on a new trend in accommodating the religious concerns of pharmacists-- the opening of "pro-life drug stores" like DMC Pharmacy in Chantilly, Virginia. These pharmacies do not stock some or all forms of contraceptives. Some of them also refuse to sell tobacco, rolling papers or pornography. The Post reports that while California, New Jersey, Illinois and Washington require pharmacies to fill all prescriptions or help women find an alternative source, some states exempt pharmacies that do not generally stock contraceptives. Some women's right advocates are concerned that the growth of this trend, particularly in rural areas, could result in regions where women are not able to obtain prescribed contraceptives anywhere.

Clash Between Religious Liberty and Same-Sex Equality Explored

As gay marriages began to be performed in California yesterday under a recent state Supreme Court ruling (New York Times), commentators focused on the potential clash between religious liberty and equality for gays and lesbians. Yesterday NPR reporter Barbara Bradley Hagerty produced a piece on Morning Edition focusing on the issue-- with special emphasis on the refusal of Ocean Grove, New Jersey's Methodist-run Camp Meeting Association to permit its Pavilion to be used for same-sex wedding ceremonies. In this morning's Los Angeles Times, Marc Stern of the American Jewish Congress published an op-ed piece titled "Will gay rights trample religious freedom?" He writes that while the California Supreme Court insisted that its recent decision would not infringe religious liberty, "there is substantial reason to believe that these assurances ... are either wrong or reflect a cramped view of religion." Meanwhile World Net Daily yesterday carried an article focusing on the same clash in the context of Colorado's new anti-discrimination law, SB 200, that now covers discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, particularly in public accommodations. The bill was signed by the governor last month.

Louisiana Legislature Passes Controversial Science Education Act

AP reports that the Louisiana Senate yesterday, by a vote of 36-0, passed and sent to the governor for his signature SB 733, the Louisiana Science Education Act. The bill provides that the state board of education shall, upon request from a local school board, assist schools in promoting "critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion of scientific theories being studied including, but not limited to, evolution, the origins of life, global warming, and human cloning." The bill goes on to provide however that this "shall not be construed to promote any religious doctrine, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion or nonreligion."

The bill says teachers may use materials to supplement standard textbooks to the extent permitted by the local school board. In a report last week, the Advocate quoted the House sponsor as saying that language added in the House would prevent "any kind of crazy materials from being thrown in there" to supplement textbooks. Americans United last week issued a release saying that if the new law is used to promote religion in Louisiana public schools, it will take legal action. AU fears that supplemental materials used will be anti-evolution books and DVDs created by fundamentalist Christian ministries.

Presumably Gov. Bobby Jindal will sign the bill since he told a Face the Nation interviewer on Sunday that he believes local school boards should decide curricular matters, and that both evolution and intelligent design should be taught. (Full text of interview.) Pressed on his own views on creationism, Jindal said as a Christian, he believes that God played a role in creating the earth and mankind.

UPDATE: Reuters reported on June 27 that Gov. Bobby Jindal signed the Science Education Act into law.

Cert Granted In Case Charging Religious Discrimination In Arrest Conditions

Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in Ashcroft v. Iqbal, (Docket No. 07-1015) (Order List). The case involves claims by a Pakistani arrested in New York after the 9-11 attacks, who alleged that harsh conditions of confinement were imposed based on religious and ethnic criteria used to identify "high interest" suspects. The issue before the Supreme Court will be the extent of involvement by high ranking officials such as the Attorney General and the Director of the FBI that is necessary before such supervisors can be held personally liable for unconstitutional acts committed by their subordinates. The New York Times and AP report on the case. The opinion below is Iqbal v. Hasty, (2d Cir., June 14, 2007). Here is the Petition for Certiorari and Petitioner's Reply Brief.

Turkey's AKP Files Defense In Constitutional Court

Yesterday Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) submitted a 98-page defense response (full text) to Turkey's Constitutional Court in the prosecution charging it with undermining the secular principles enshrined in Turkey's Constitution. (See prior posting.) According to Today's Zaman , the defense statement argues that the prosecutor misunderstands the concepts of democracy and secularism. According to AKP, the indictment treats secularism as a philosophy of life, while it should be defined as "a political principle which accepts different religions and faiths as a sociological reality and aims at maintaining peaceful co-existence between them."

Kmiec Discusses Abortion Views of Obama and McCain

Catholic Online today publishes a fascinating interview with law professor Doug Kmiec who recently attended, along with some 30 religious leaders, a meeting with Barack Obama. (See prior posting.) Kmiec focuses on the two candidates' views on abortion. He says:

Senator Obama's position accepts the existing legal regime which leaves the abortion decision with the mother -- which is all right so long as the mother is persuaded to choose life. Senator McCain's position would leave the decision with the individual states -- which is all right so long as the individual states prohibit abortion. Since we are assured of neither, neither position is fully pro-life.

In truth, both positions are pro-choice, with the former focused on the individual and the latter focused on the state.... From a standpoint of subsidiarity and prudence, one can make an argument that the Obama position is preferable since it does not arrogate to a higher level that which can be done more effectively below in direct relationship with the mother.... I respectfully disagree with both Senator Obama and Senator McCain since the Constitution was intended as a means to enforce and guarantee the unalienable right to life....

Cert. Filed In Case On Parental Objection To School Talking About Gay Couples

A petition for certiorari in Parker v. Hurley was filed earlier this month according to the New England Blade. In the case, the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals rejected objections by parents that they were not given an opportunity to exempt their elementary school children from exposure to books depicting same-gender couples. (See prior posting.) The families say that their right to direct the religious upbringing of their children was infringed.

Iraqi Translator Told he Cannot Keep Two Wives In Denmark

Russia Today reported on Monday that an Iraqi translator who had been offered asylum in Denmark is now being told that he cannot say in Denmark unless he divorces one of his two wives. He married his both wives under Islamic law in Iraq and brought them with him to Denmark. The interpreter will face danger for his help to coalition troops if he returns to Iraq. His immigration lawyer says it may turn out that it is his second wife who will have to leave the country.

USCIRF Continues To Challenge Saudi Texts Used At Islamic Academy In Virginia

Last week (June 11) the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) issued a long press release indicating that Arabic-language textbooks used at a Saudi government school in Northern Virginia, the Islamic Saudi Academy (ISA), still contain a number of passages that incite religious intolerance and violence. USCIRF says that "the most problematic texts involve passages that are not directly from the Koran but rather contain the Saudi government’s particular interpretation of Koranic and other Islamic texts." USCIRF also urged the U.S. State Department to publicly release copies it has received of all the textbooks used at the school. ISA is one of 19 international schools run by the Saudi government. (See prior related posting.)

In a June 13 response to USCIRF published on its website, ISA says: "The Academy has repeatedly extended invitations to the USCIRF to visit its campus, review materials and meet with teachers and administrators, in order to establish a constructive dialogue. But the USCIRF has refused to accept these invitations, which speaks volumes about the seriousness of the commission’s intentions."

Q&A Discusses Church Property Dispute Cases

Last week, the Pew Forum published an informative Q&A with George Washington University Prof. Robert Tuttle on church property disputes. In it Tuttle discusses the two legal approaches-- deference to church hierarchy and neutral principles-- that courts may constitutionally apply. He estimates that around 100 lawsuits involving break-away churches are pending around the country.

Saudi Religious Police Challenged In Lawsuits By Human Rights Lawyer

In Saudi Arabia, human rights lawyer Abdel Rahman Al-Lahem says that he has filed an appeal to challenge the acquittal of two members of Saudi Arabia's Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. Yesterday Reuters and AFP reported that Lahem said he filed the appeal on June 4 after the verdict in the case of the death of Suleiman al-Huraisi was confirmed. Al-Huraisi died after being beaten by members of the religious police who raided his home seeking to prove that he was distributing alcohol. The appeal is based on the United Nations Convention Against Torture, signed by Saudi Arabia in 1997, as well as on the judges' definition of murder that came from their reading of Islamic law. (See prior related posting.)

Al-Lahem has also filed a defamation suit against two newspapers on behalf of al-Huraisi's family after the papers last month reported that religious police had arrested al-Huraisi's brother and others for selling alcohol. Today's Arab News reports on the lawsuit. It claims the news articles violate the Saudi Publication and Printing Law in identifying the brother.

Meanwhile Abdul Rahman Al-Lahem is also representing Umm Faisal who is suing for damages in the Court of Grievances because of her treatment by Saudi Arabia's religious police. Arab News reported yesterday that two members of the religious police detained Faisal and her two daughters in Riyadh in 2004 because the girls, in their automobile, were not covering their faces with the niqab. The police allegedly threw the driver out of the vehicle, drove off with the women, and had an accident, after which they left the women beside the road.

Recent Scholarly Articles and Book of Interest

From SSRN:

• Adrien K. Wing & Ozan O. Varol, Is Secularism Possible in a Majority-Muslim Country?: The Turkish Example, (U Iowa Legal Studies Research Paper No. 08-17, 2008).
• Nina J. Crimm, The Moral Hazard of Anti-Terrorism Financing Measures: A Potential to Compromise Civil Societies and National Interests, (Wake Forest Law Review, Vol. 43 (Symposium Issue), 2008).

From SmartCILP:

• Nancy K. Kubasek, Daniel C. Tagliarina & Corrine Staggs, The Questionable Constitutionality of Conscientious Objection Clauses for Pharmacists, 16 Brooklyn Journal of Law & Policy 225-264 (2007).
• Pope John Paul II and the Law, Part II. Articles by Edward N. Peters, Gerard Bradley, Richard S. Myers, James Parry Eyster and Howard Bromberg. 6 Ave Maria Law Review 1-154 (2007).

New Book:

• Barbara Dianne Savage, Your Spirits Walk Beside Us: The Politics of Black Religion, (Belknap Press, forthcoming Nov. 2008).

Fall-Out From Obama's Church Resignation Continues

Today's Washington Post carries an interesting front page story on the aftermath of Barack Obama's resignation from Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. The church's new pastor, Otis Moss III, released a statement earlier this month reflecting the church's view of events: "We are a wounded people and our wounds, the bruises from our encounter with history, have scarred our very souls." Rev. Barbara Reynolds, a lecturer at Howard University's School of Divinity, gave her interpretation of events: "If a politician wants to move up in government, he can come to church and jump and shout. But it is not okay to go to a church where they are speaking truth to power and talking about racism, sexism and capitalism."

Church members feel the church has been unfairly portrayed on the basis of a few negative events, while its broader devotion to battle racism and its creation of a community center with child care, couples counseling and service trips to Africa have been ignored. Meanwhile, some confusion exists over who is senior pastor at the church. Jeremiah Wright, who had supposedly retired, is still listed as senior pastor on last week's service program, but his successor Otis Moss III delivered the sermon.

Artist Changes Name to "In God We Trust"

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, a Lake County, Illinois judge on Friday approved Steve Kreuscher's petition to change his name to "In God We Trust". The former Mr. Kreuscher says he was looking for a sign from God that the name change was a good idea. He found it when his tax rebate for $600 matched the expenses of getting his name change. We Trust, an artist, has begun signing his paintings with his new name. He said: "There are billions of artists out there. If you don't do something to stand out in the crowd the world won't recognize you." (See prior related posting.)

New Blog On Religious Liberty Launched

Welcome to the blogosphere to a new blog of interest-- ReligiousLiberty.TV. Its editor, Michael D. Peabody, describes it as an "independent online resource for news, information, commentary, and insights on contemporary issues involving the free exercise and establishment clauses of the United States Constitution." A link to it also appears in Religion Clause's sidebar under Blogs.

DC Circuit Says Chabad Can Proceed Against Russia On Claims To Two Book Collections

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday held that the parent organization for the Orthodox Jewish Chabad movement can pursue its claims against the Russian government to recover two historic collections of Jewish religious books and manuscripts. One collection, known as the "Library", was seized by Russia's Bolshevik government in 1917. The other, known as the "Archive" was taken by Soviet military forces in 1945. In Agudas Chasidei Chabad of United States v. Russian Federation, (DC Cir., June 13, 2008), the court held that Chabad satisfied the jurisdictional requirements of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act both as to the Library and the Archive, reversing the district court's holding (see prior posting) that it lacked jurisdiction over the Library claim. The district court had found no violation of international law because the Library was taken from a Soviet citizen-- the Fifth or Sixth Rebbe. However the Court of Appeals found there is a substantial claim that the Library was property of the worldwide Chabad organization, and alternatively that the Library was retaken in government actions in 1991-92 after a legal recovery of the Library by Chabad.

The appellate court also agreed with the district court's rejection of a forum non conveniens motion. Finally the court dealt with Russia's Act of State defense. It agreed with the district court that the defense was not available as to the Archive, and vacated the lower court's holding that the Act of State doctrine was an alternative ground for dismissing the claim as to the Library. The court found that while the events of 1917-25 create substantial questions about the applicability of the Act of State doctrine, Soviet actions in 1991-92 that arguably amounted to a retaking of the Library would not be subject to that defense. Judge Henderson concurred in the judgment, but disagreed with the majority's analysis of what must be shown to prove jurisdiction under the FSIA. The decision is discussed by Jurist and in a press release by Bingham McCutchen, attorneys for plaintiffs

Preacher Sentenced For Demonstrating In Restricted Area

Michael A. Marcavage, director of Repent America, was fined $420 and placed on one year's probation after a 2-day bench trial by a magistrate in a Pennsylvania federal court. Today's Wilkes Barre Times Leader and yesterday's Philadelphia Daily News report that Marcavage was charged with violating a verbal permit and interfering with park rangers after demonstrating last October on a sidewalk in Philadelphia near the Liberty Bell. He refused to move his preaching and protest against abortion to a nearby alternative site at Independence National Historical Park. The National Park Service restricted demonstrations on the sidewalk by the Liberty Bell after the 9-11 attacks. Marcavage's attorney, C. Scott Shields, called the sentence a "travesty of justice" and said he would appeal to a district court judge.

Sikh Sues Disney Over Firing

Friday's Orlando (FL) Business Journal reports that Sukhbir Channa, a Sikh, has filed suit in state court against Walt Disney World alleging he was discriminated against because of his turban, beard and long hair required by his religious beliefs. Originally hired as a seasonal college musician, Channa says he was fired because he did not have the "Disney look". Channa says he wore a toy soldier hat over his turban in his parade performances, and originally was allowed to wear a red turban instead of a beret in atmospheric performances, but supervisors decided this was not sufficient. The suit alleges violations of the Florida Civil Rights Act. It seeks damages of at least $1 million and an injunction preventing Disney from discriminating against Sikh employees and prospective employees in the future.