Italian Party Seeking To Restrict Building of Mosques

PoliGazette yesterday reported on efforts in Italy by the Lega Nord party to refuse Muslims permission to build mosques in Italian cities. A new law being proposed would prohibit building of a mosque within 1 kilometer of a church and would make it illegal for Imams to speak to their congregations in Arabic. It would also ban calls to prayer by muezzins. It would mandate a regional referendum before a mosque could be built and would ban building of minarets. Referenda are already being used in some northern Italian cities, and usually proposals for mosque construction are defeated. Religious Intelligence yesterday also reported on the new proposed legislation.

Chinese House Church Sues County Religious Affairs Bureau

Human Rights in China reported yesterday that for the first time a lawsuit has been filed against a government religious authority in China. Wang Yi filed suit on behalf of a Christian house church in Chengdu city-- the Qiuyu Blessings Church. They are suing the Shuangliu County Bureau of People's Religious Affairs for raiding and later banning a religious gathering held by the church in May at a resort hotel. Wang says the order banning the event failed to specify what regulations were violated. However this week when the complaint was filed, the judge refused to accept it saying that Wang furnished insufficient evidence to support the claim. The government often relies on a ban on religious activities taking place in "non-religious" locations, found in 2005 Regulations, to raid house churches.

"Rabbis for Obama" Group Formed

Yesterday's New Jersey Jewish News reports on the formation last week of a first-of-its-kind organization-- Rabbis for Obama. Some 300 rabbis have signed onto a letter that says Obama "will best support the issues important to us in the Jewish community." This kind of personal endorsement of a candidate by clergy in their personal capacity is permitted by IRS regulations. Rabbis are listed on the letter by their home towns instead of their synagogues to make clear that they are speaking in their personal capacity.

2008 Survey On First Amendment Attitudes Released

On Wednesday, the First Amendment Center released its State of the First Amendment 2008 national survey (detailed results). 62% of respondents thought that Americans have about the right amount of religious freedom. 54% believe that freedom of worship applies to all religious groups regardless of how extreme their beliefs are. 32% strongly agree and 23% mildly agree that people should be allowed to say things in public that might be offensive to religious groups.

46% strongly agree and 17% mildly agree that the nation's founders intended the U.S. to be a Christian nation. 36% strongly agree and 19% mildly agree that the Constitution establishes a Christian nation. 22% strongly agree and 18% mildly agree that religious leaders should be allowed to openly endorse political candidates from the pulpit and keep their tax-exempt status. [Thanks to Michael Lieberman for the lead.]

Illinois Church's RLUIPA Lawsuit Settled

For a second time, a settlement seems imminent in a federal lawsuit between Carlinville, Illinois and the Carlinville Southern Baptist Church that wants to use a former Wal-Mart building, zoned for commercial use, as a church. The church argued that its 1st and 14th Amendment rights and its rights under RLUIPA were violated by the city's denial of permission for the property to be used for worship. A previous settlement was vetoed by the mayor.(See prior posting.) Now, according to yesterday's Springfield (IL) State Register Journal, Carlinville city council has approved the basic outlines of a new settlement reached between the church and the city's insurer. City council will approve a special use permit for the church, and in return the city will be granted an easement on one side of the property and will have the right of first refusal on any future sale of the building by the church. The church will also receive damages of $165,000. The court has already given the church the right to remodel the building and use it for activities other than worship services.

President Speaks At White House Iftaar Dinner

Last night, President Bush continued the annual tradition of speaking at an Iftaar dinner-- a dinner to break the Ramadan fast-- held at the White House. In addition to government officials and members of the diplomatic corps, guests included Muslims who have risen to the top of their profession in the United States. In his remarks (full text), Bush said:

[O]ne of the great strengths of our nation is its religious diversity. Americans practice many different faiths. But we all share a belief in the right to worship freely. We reject bigotry in all its forms. And over the past eight years, my administration has been proud to work closely with Muslim Americans to promote justice and tolerance of all faiths.

The White House website also has a video of the President's remarks and the opening blessing before dinner.

Court Upholds Ban on Defendant Displaying Bible To Jury

In People v. Williams, (App. Div., Sept. 16, 2008), in a brief opinion, a New York appellate court concluded that a murder defendant's free exercise rights were not violated when the trial judge prohibited him from displaying his Bible in the presence of the jury. The court held that the state had a compelling interest in assuring a fair trial for both sides in the case in which defendant was convicted second degree murder of his 5-week old son.

North Carolina School District May Add Creationism To Curriculum

Articles in the Wilmington, North Carolina Star News on Tuesday and Wednesday report that the Brunswick County (NC) School Board is looking for a way to teach creationism in the schools. The issue was raised at Tuesday's board meeting by parent Joel Fanti who told the board that it was unfair for evolution to be taught as a fact. Fanti said: "I wasn't here 2 million years ago. If evolution is so slow, why don't we see anything evolving now?" School board member Jimmy Hobbs responded: "It's really a disgrace for the state school board to impose evolution on our students without teaching creationism. The law says we can't have Bibles in schools, but we can have evolution, of the atheists."

School board Chairwoman Shirley Babson said she does not agree with teaching evolution, but the state legislature requires it. Board attorney Joseph Causey said it might be possible under state law to add creationism to the curriculum if it does not replace the teaching of evolution. Superintendent Katie McGee said her staff would research the issue. Meanwhile, according to the Star News, the county school system offers a high school Bible as Literature course. However it is not being taught this year because no students signed up for it.

Texas County Settles Lawsuit With New Screening Policy on Religious Garb

Dallas County, Texas has revised its security screening procedures for individuals wearing religious head coverings in order to settle a lawsuit filed last year by Amardeep Singh, a member of the Sikh faith. (See prior posting.) According to yesterday's Houston Chronicle, in 2006 after refusing to remove his turban, Singh was ordered out or a Justice of the Peace courtroom where he had come to defend a traffic ticket. According to the ACLU which represents Singh, under the new policy security personnel at all county buildings will allow people to walk through metal detectors wearing religious head coverings or other religious garments. If they set off the detector, security personnel will follow up using a hand-held device or with a private search.

California City and Buddhist Temple Settle RLUIPA Challenge

Yesterday in Garden Grove, California, the parties announced a settlement in Vietnamese Buddhism Study Temple in America v. City of Garden Grove, a challenge under the 1st Amendment and RLUIPA to a zoning denial (See prior posting.). The Orange County Register reports that under the settlement, the Quan Am Buddhist temple will submit an application to tear down an office building it purchased and construct a new temple, including living quarters for monks and nuns. The city will consider the application in good faith. Several prior applications have been rejected, as the city tried to preserve the site for office use. The court had previously granted the Temple a preliminary injunction permitting it to hold worship services in several suites in the office building. (See prior posting.)

Minnesota School Faces Issue of Accommodating Students' Prayer Times

In Willmar, Minnesota, school officials are at odds with some Somali Muslim parents over how far the schools should go in accommodating students' need for prayer time. Minnesota Public Radio reported Tuesday that under an agreement reached with parents six years ago, Willmar Junior High School students are permitted to pray between classes and at lunch time. A few parents, however, who are stricter about precise punctuality for prayer times, want their children to be able to step out during class for five minutes to pray. School officials say this would be disruptive, though some teachers may have informally permitted the practice. [Thanks to Blog from the Capital for the lead.]

California Couple Refuses To Sign Gender-Neutral Marriage License

After the California Supreme Court earlier this year ruled that same-sex marriage is valid, the courts required the state to provide gender-neutral marriage license forms. So the words "bride" and "groom" are now replaced by "Party A" and "Party B". However, Roseville (CA) Pastor Doug Bird, of the Abundant Life Fellowship, is urging couples not to sign the new marriage forms. Yesterday's Sacramento Bee reports that one person following his advice is his daughter, who was recently been married at her father's church. The Placer County Clerk-Recorder Registrar of Voters office has refused to accept her marriage license for filing after she and her husband inserted "bride" and "groom" next to the language referring to Party A and B. Rachel Bird, who describes her stand as "personal-- not religious" has been unable to sign up on her husband's medical insurance since their marriage is not registered with the state. [Thanks to Scott Mange for the lead.] [Corrected].

Developments In Two FLDS Legal Proceedings

Today's Deseret News reports on legal developments in two separate proceedings involving the FLDS Church. Texas Child Protective Services has moved to nonsuit four more children in its custody proceedings that originally involved 439 children taken from the group's YFZ Ranch in Eldorado, Texas. With this move, only 239 of the children who were returned to parents remain under court supervision with requirement that their families remain in Texas. (See prior related posting.)

Separately, in a Utah court, the attorney for a group of ex-FLDS church members says his clients do not object to FLDS leader Willie Jessop serving on an advisory board for the court-controlled UEP Trust that holds property of the FLDS Church. In court filings, attorney Greg Hoole suggests that authority over the property be transitioned from a court-appointed fiduciary to a new board of trustees. In the meantime, he suggests posting minutes of advisory board meetings online and appears to support the fiduciary clearing property transfers through the court with an opportunity for FLDS members to comment on them. (See prior related posting.)

Tourists In Dubai Fined For Eating In Public During Ramadan

Gulf News reported yesterday that in the United Arab Emirates, the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours has convicted two non-Muslim foreign tourists of violating the country's ban on eating and drinking in public during daylight hours in the month of Ramadan. The Russian and Lebanese toursts were drinking juice in a service station waiting room. In the first conviction this year under Section 313 of the Emirates Federal Penal Code, the two defendants, who said they did not know that they were acting in violation of law, were each fined Dh 1000.

Google Settles Suit By British Christian Group Over Pro-Life Ads

In Britain, a settlement has been reached in the suit against Google brought by the Christian Institute. Professional Fundraising reports today that under the terms of the confidential settlement Google affiliate AdWords will change its policy that led it to reject pro-life ads that would appear when a user Googled the word "abortion". Non-religious groups could place ads relating to abortion, but the previous policy barred ads that combined abortion and religion-related content. The lawsuit claimed the policy violated the Equality Act 2006. (See prior related posting.)

Opponents of Arizona's Marriage Amendment Focus On Mormon Suport For Measure

In November, Arizona voters will decide whether to approve Proposition 102, a state constitutional amendment providing: "Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state." Today's Arizona Star reports that Arizona Together, the main group opposing the measure, is creating a strategy to label the proposal an attempt by the Mormon church to improve its image and appear "mainstream" after a series of polygamy scandals involving groups not formally affiliated with the LDS church. Apparently much of the money backing the amendment has come from Mormon donors. Backers of the proposal charge that Arizona Together's strategy reflects religious bigotry and is a scare tactic.

McCain Comments On Religion and Governance

Last Friday, according to a Catholic News Agency report, Republican presidential nominee John McCain spoke about religion and political governance in an appearance on the ABC television show, The View. He said:

Judeo-Christian values were the foundation of our nation. 'In God we trust' - clearly - the belief that God has a plan for the world, and that we should do what we can to live as good a lives as we can and trust that - 'in God we trust' - will guide the nation and this world to a better existence.

Interviewer Whoopi Goldberg asked McCain whether Christianity could take over to the detriment of those with other beliefs, McCain responded:

I think everybody obviously is entitled to their individual faith, including not believing in anything. But I pray every day for guidance, and to do the right thing... and to do what is in the best interest of the country.

UN Draft Document Calls For Tempering Free Speech Over Religious Sensibilities

Today's Canadian Jewish News reports that a draft discussion paper circulating in advance of the April 2009 United Nations Durban II anti-racism conference contains controversial language on avoiding defamation of religion. The Preliminary Document of the African Regional Conference Preparatory to the Durban Review Conference, paragraph 13, "calls upon states to avoid inflexibly clinging to free speech in defiance of the sensitivities existing in a society and with absolute disregard for religious feelings."

Court Orders New Election In California Buddhist Temple

Yesterday's San Jose (CA) Mercury News reports on the impact on the Oakland Buddhist Society Temple of efforts by the Massachusetts-based International Community of Khmer Buddhist Monks Center to form a national organization by taking over local Cambodian Buddhist Temples. In 2005, the Massachusetts group took control of the Oakland temple and its assets in an election that local members of the temple claim was illegal. Now after three years of litigation, an Alameda County Superior Court judge last week ordered that a new vote, under supervision of a special master, be held. Only members of the Oakland temple before its merger with the national organization can vote. The members will elect new directors who, in turn, will decide who will get control of the Temple's assets. The Temple's attorney however fears that some $100,000 in cash transferred from the Temple has already been spent by the national group.

Nigerian Sharia Court Arraigns Man With 86 Wives For Insulting Religion

In Nigeria on Monday, an Upper Sharia Court in Minna arraigned 84-year old Mallam Abubakar Bello Masaba on charges of insulting or inciting to contempt of religious creed, deceitfully inducing belief of lawful marriage, and marriage ceremony without lawful marriage. Masaba has 86 wives and between 170 and 190 children. According to reports this week by Reuters and Lagos' Vanguard, chiefs and Muslim leaders in Masaba's home town of Bida ordered him, on threat of banishment, to divorce 82 of his wives so he would have only four as permitted by Islamic law. Masaba responded by filing suit in the Federal High Court in Abuja and obtaining an order restraining local officials from infringing his rights. The Minna court on Monday rejected Masaba's request for release on bail after his arraignment, despite his attorney's plea that his client "is an old man ... and has a very large family and a lot of responsibilities ... and based on this, the man cannot run away." The denial of bail has been appealed to the Federal High Court.

UPDATE: Friday's issue of This Day reports that some 80 family members of Mallam Mesaba, along with some Islamic clerics, showed up at the state Ministry of Justice in Minna to protest Mesaba's arraignment and continued detention.