Lawsuit Charges Scientology Is Responsible For Man's Suicide

Saturday's St. Petersburg (FL) Times reported on a new lawsuit filed in federal district court in Tampa (FL) against the Church of Scientology and against three individuals. The wrongful death lawsuit seeks damages for the death of Kyle Brennan who committed suicide while visiting his father, a Scientologist who lives in Clearwater (FL). Brennan's mother blames Scientology for the death. The lawsuit alleges that Denise Gentile, twin sister of the Scientology's worldwide leader David Miscavige, (along with her husband Gerald Gentile) convinced Brennan's father to take away Kyle's antidepressant medication. Scientology is strongly opposed to psychiatry and psychiatric medications. The lawyer handling the case, Ken Dandar, previously won a confidential settlement in another long-running high profile wrongful death suit against the Church of Scientology.

City Homeless Shelter Now Operated By Church With Required Prayer

In Hammond, Indiana, a new arrangement between the city and First Baptist Church of Hammond raises interesting church-state issues. Yesterday's Munster (IN) Times reports that when the city-owned Calumet Area Warming Shelter was about to close, the city negotiated an arrangement with First Baptist Church for the church to operate the homeless shelter at church expense while the city retains ownership of the building. The Church is within walking distance of the shelter. Under new rules imposed by the Church, a resident must attend a specified number religious services offered by First Baptist, or church services elsewhere, in order to eat or stay at the shelter. Residents and shelter officials have somewhat different accounts of the number of services at which attendance is required. So far three people have been asked to leave the shelter for non-attendance (or leaving services early) since the Church began operating the shelter as part of its City Rescue Mission Ministry last December 31. [Thanks to Scott Mange for the lead.]

Recent Articles and Book of Interest

From SSRN:

• Andrew F. March, Marriage, Equality and Subsidizing Families in Liberal Public Justification: Is There a Right to Polygamy?, (February, 20 2009).


• Ali Khan, Speech Diversity under Islamic Law, (February 11, 2009).


• Andrew F. March, Are Secularism and Neutrality Attractive to Religious Minorities?, (Islamic Discussions of Western Secularism in the 'Jurisprudence of Muslim Minorities' (Fiqh Al-Aqalliyyat) Discourse, February, 18 2009).


• Natasha Bakht, Objection, Your Honour! Accommodating Niqab-Wearing Women in Courtrooms, (February 2, 2009).


• Geraldine Szott Moohr & Roger Sherman, Book Review: Religion in Criminal Justice by Monica K. Miller, (January 29, 2009).

From the Feb. 2009 issue of Engage:

• Kimberlee Wood Colby, Monumentally Speaking: Pleasant Grove City v. Summum.
• G. David Mathues, Two Visions, Two Results: Making Sense of the Disagreement over the Application of the Ministerial Exception to Teachers in Parochial Schools.
• Stuart J. Lark, Equal Treatment for Religious Expression after Colorado Christian University v. Weaver.

From SmartCILP:

• Anthony A. Braga, David Hureau & Christopher Winship, Losing Faith? Police, Black Churches, and the Resurgence of Youth Violence in Boston, 6 Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law 141-172 (2008).


• Kent Greenawalt, The Cultural Defense: Reflections in Light of the Model Penal Code and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, 6 Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law 299-321 (2008).

The Journal of Law and Religion, Vol. XXIV, No. 1 (2008-09) has recently been published.

Recent Book:

• Warren J. Blumenfeld, Khyati Y. Joshi & Ellen E. Fairchild (Eds.), Investigating Christian Privilege and Religious Oppression in the United States, (Sense Publishers, Dec. 2008), reviewed in the Ames Tribune.

Justice Department Settles RLUIPA/ Housing Suit With Nashville, TN

The current issue of Religious Freedom In Focus (the newsletter of Justice Department's Civil Rights Division) announces the recent settlement of the Justice Department's civil rights suit against Nashville (TN) that alleged both disability and religious discrimination. The lawsuit claimed violations of the Fair Housing Act and of RLUIPA in Nashville's denial of zoning approval for a residential treatment center to Teen Challenge, a Christian substance abuse program. The consent decree in United States v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, (MD TN, Feb. 5, 2009), among other things requires Nashville to appoint an FHA and RLUIPA Compliance Officer. It also requires Nashville to give fair housing and RLUIPA training to various of its employees. Nashville will pay a $20,000 civil penalty and damages of $50,000 to individual plaintiffs. Teen Challenge itself has already won a significant jury verdict in the case. (See prior posting.)

Loooking Inside Bible Course In Tennessee High School

Yesterday's Chatanooga (TN) Times Free Press reports on what goes on inside the classroom during teaching of the course on the Bible and its influence on literature, art, music, culture, and politics, authorized by a 2008 law enacted by the Tennessee legislature. (See prior posting.) In the Marion County classroom of high school teacher John Paulsen, many of the copies of the Bible used as a textbook were purchased with funds donated by churches. Paulsen challenges students to think about religion scientifically and to think of science religiously. He walks a fine line, urging students to decide for themselves whether various miracles in the Bible are reported accurately, or are a form of religious mythology.

Recent Prisoner Free Exercise Cases

In Allen v. Hense, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11363 (ED CA, Feb. 3, 2009), a California federal magistrate judge concluded that a Muslim inmate had not shown a substantial burden on free exercise in alleging that he was served two meals that did not meet his religious dietary requirements and was met with racial and religious comments when he complained.

In Ashanti v. Tilton, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11899 (ED CA, Feb. 18, 2009), a California federal magistrate judge recommended that a preliminary injunction issue requiring a Muslim prisoner to be served a kosher diet to satisfy his religious needs until a proposed Halal meat diet plan is implemented by the prison system. However the magistrate judge recommended denying relief on plaintiff's claim that separate worship space for Muslims should be provided.

In State ex rel. Myers v. Smith, (WI Ct. App., Feb. 18, 2009), a Wisconsin court of appeals affirmed a trial court's dismissal of a prisoner's complaint because it was directed at the wrong individual. In the case, a Wiccan prisoner was attempting to obtain access to a book he argued was needed for spiritual purposes, but which prison authorities claimed was pornographic. The court also agreed that his suit was frivolous and that he could not circumvent regulations by attempting to obtain the book through discovery to prepare his case.

Clinton's Visit To China De-emphasizes Religious Rights Issues

On Friday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton travelling in Asia held a news conference in Seoul, South Korea (full text) as she was about to leave for China. As reported by AFP, human rights activists were upset by her statements that she would not let human rights concerns interfere with U.S.-Chinese cooperation on the economic crisis, climate change and security issues. As Clinton put it:

We know that we're going to press them to reconsider their position about Tibetan religious and cultural freedom, and autonomy for the Tibetans and some kind of recognition or acknowledgment of the Dalai Lama. And we know what they're going to say, because I've had those conversations for more than a decade with Chinese leaders.

Reuters reports today that Clinton ended her visit in China by attending services at a government-approved church. She also spoke with women's rights activists. These activities were aimed at showing Clinton's commitment to civil and religious rights without offending the Chinese government.

Op-Ed Suggests Compromise On Same-Sex Marriage

An op-ed in today's New York Times suggests an innovative compromise on the divisive issue of gay marriage. This is the crux of the proposal made by David Blankenhorn and Jonathan Rausch:

Congress would bestow the status of federal civil unions on same-sex marriages and civil unions granted at the state level, thereby conferring upon them most or all of the federal benefits and rights of marriage. But there would be a condition: Washington would recognize only those unions licensed in states with robust religious-conscience exceptions, which provide that religious organizations need not recognize same-sex unions against their will. The federal government would also enact religious-conscience protections of its own. All of these changes would be enacted in the same bill.

British Baroness Urges New Requirements To Stop Muslim Polygamy In UK

In Britain, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, the Conservative Party’s shadow minister for community cohesion has called for the government to require all religious marriages to be civilly registered within four weeks of being performed. Warsi, herself a Muslim, is pressing for this reform in order to stop Muslim men from taking more than one wife. Currently some Muslim men get around the British ban on polygamy by marrying a first wife in a registered, civil law ceremony and then taking additional wives only in an unregistered religious service. UAE's The National today reports on Warsi's complaint that "cultural sensitivity" is preventing the government from taking action against the increasing incidence of polygamy in Britain. Manzoor Moghal, chairman of the Muslim Forum, however, argues that British Muslims should be able to continue their religious and cultural practices without governmental interference.

Christian Science Wants Health Care Reform To Include Their Practitioners

Yesterday's Ft. Worth (TX) Star Telegram reports that Christian Scientists are monitoring proposed health care reforms because of their interest in insurance coverage for treatment by Christian Science practitioners who treat patients through prayer. Phil Davis, spokesman for the religion, says that accommodations are already made by Medicare, Medicaid, military insurance and federal employees’ insurance. In the Massachusetts, insurance covers stays in Christian Science facilities, but not care by private-duty nurses or practitioners.

Vatican Protests Israeli TV Segment Ridiculing Jesus and Mary

Yesterday's Jerusalem Post reports that the Vatican has filed a complaint with Israel's foreign ministry over an offensive satiric segment broadcast last week on Israeli late-night TV. Israel's Channel 10 comedian Lior Shlein aired the piece in response to the Vatican's lifting of the excommunication of Holocaust-denier, Bishop Richard Williamson. (See prior posting.) The offending piece questioned Jesus' virgin birth and ridiculed the claim that Jesus walked on water by saying "he was so fat he was ashamed to leave the house, let alone go to the Sea of Galilee..." The Vatican complained that Mary and Joseph were "ridiculed with blasphemous words and images" that amounted to a "vulgar and offensive act of intolerance toward the religious sentiments of the believers in Christ." Shlein apologized live on Wednesday, Channel 10 has assured the Israeli foreign ministry that the segment will not be aired again, and the station's attorney has sent a letter of apology to the attorney for a Christian group that was offended. This YouTube clip appears to be the satirical segment that generated the Vatican's concern. [Thanks to Joel Katz for the lead.]

Opinion Available In Mt. Tenaabo Gold Mine Case

The full opinion in South Fork Band v. U.S. Department of Interior, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12000 (D NV, Feb. 3, 2009), has now become available. As previously reported, in the case a Nevada federal district court denied a preliminary injunction to prevent Barrick Gold Corp. from beginning to dig a 2,000-foot deep open pit mine on Nevada's Mount Tenabo. (See prior posting.) In the full opinion, the court found that RFRA applies to the case, even though it involves the government's management of its own land. The court found that the tribes bringing suit had standing to do so on their own behalf as well as under the standards of associational standing. However the court found that plaintiffs had not, so far, demonstrated a substantial burden on their religious exercise because they will continue to have access to religiously significant areas. The court also rejected claims under the Federal Land Policy And Management Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. The decision has been appealed to the 9th circuit. (See prior posting.)

California Firefighters Win Damages After Being Forced Into Gay Pride Parade

On Tuesday, a San Diego, California jury awarded four San Diego firefighters damages totalling $34,300 for emotional distress resulting from their being required to participate in San Diego’s 2007 annual Gay Pride parade. Catholic News Agency reports that the four were required to ride in uniform in the parade in their fire truck. They were taunted by sexual remarks and gestures by individuals along the parade route. This was the second trial in the suit against the city. The first trial last October ended with a hung jury. (See prior posting.)

Britain Excludes Westboro Baptist Protesters

Britain's Border Agency this week banned entry into the country of Westboro Baptist Church leaders Fred Phelps and Shirley Phelps-Roper. (BBC News and Kansas City Star). Westboro Baptist has gained notoriety for picketing funerals of veterans in the U.S. with signs denouncing America's toleration of homosexuality. (ADL Report.) In Britain, the pair had planned to picket a drama, The Laramie Project, being performed at Queen Mary's College in Basingstoke. The play focuses on the death of gay student Matthew Shepard, killed in 1998 in Laramie, Wyoming. Phelps-Roper said she would encourage different Westboro member to enter Britain and carry out the planned demonstration. BBC News reports today that only one picketer showed up, and he was heckled away by counter-protesters.

Counsellor Sues After Suspension For Taking Teens To Religious Performance

The Orange County Register and a press release from Pacific Justice Institute report on a religious discrimination lawsuit begun in Orange County (CA) last week. The suit was filed in Superior Court by a counsellor employed by the county-owned Orangewood Children's Home. It charges that plaintiff was suspended for six weeks without pay for taking four teens to an "unapproved religious activity." In June 2006, Counsellor Maureen Loya first took the teens to the Anaheim 5K, but the girls did not like the loud music. So Loya then took them to Huntington Beach Pier's Celebrity Surf Jam where one of the featured bands was playing contemporary Christian music. Last week's lawsuit was filed after first being screened by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing.

Law Prof Says Pope's Statement Challenges Catholic Judges In U.S.

Law Professor Douglas Kmiec writing for Time Magazine yesterday suggests that a close reading of the statement issued this week by Pope Benedict XVI after his meeting with House Speaker Nancy Peolsi has significant implications for Catholic judges in the United States. The statement was widely reported as a rebuke to Pelosi for her pro-choice positions. (See prior posting.) The Pope's statement (full text) said in part that the Church's teachings on human life

enjoin all Catholics, and especially legislators, jurists and those responsible for the common good of society, to work ... in creating a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development. [emphasis added.]

Kmiec says that previous statements by the Church had implicitly recognized that judges were in a different position than legislators, and the judges had no obligation to change the law when the legislature had not done so. Kmiec says: "the Pope's statement has the potential, at least theoretically, to empty the U.S. Supreme Court of all five of its Catholic jurists....", and may apply to Catholic judges on all courts.

Control Over "Feed the Children" At Issue In Lawsuit

Today's Oklahoman reports on a lawsuit-- whose pleadings are now sealed by the court-- over control of the Christian non-profit relief organization, Feed the Children. The suit, filed in state court in Oklahoma by five former directors of the charity, claims that plaintiffs were unlawfully replaced as board members last December. The new directors, prominent Christian clergy from around the country, were added to the board by FTC founder Larry Jones and board chairman Dwight Powers. Then 6 long-time directors were sent dismissal letters. The lawsuit asks the court to remove the new directors and invalidate all board action taken since December 4.

New Jersey School Proposes Hebrew Track With After-School Religion Classes

After New York's approval of a Hebrew language charter school (see prior posting), a New Jersey official is proposing an alternative arrangement that will be attractive to Jewish parents who may otherwise send their children to private Hebrew Day Schools. The Forward reported on Thursday that the interim superintendent of the Englewood (NJ) school system is suggesting a public-private partnership that would add a Hebrew language immersion track in a public school, and supplement it with privately-financed classes in Judaism as after-school activities. Modeled on the dual English-Spanish curriculum in some New Jersey schools, this program would follow the New Jersey Core Curriculum and students would mix with other students for lunch, recess and music. Interest in the program is fueled by the high cost of private Jewish Day School tuitions. For the Englewood school district that is under a racial desegregation order, the new track could increase racial diversity in the current largely Black and Hispanic district.

Washington State Says Religious Group Can Refuse Gay Volunteers

Page One Q reported yesterday on a decision handed down by the Washington State Human Rights Commission apparently allowing religious organizations to exclude gays and lesbians as volunteers. In March 2008, Tad Erichsen and John Footh were turned away as volunteers by His Supper Table, a meal program operating in Long Beach, Washington. They say the program director, Mike Renfro, told them that their presence would create a hostile work environment. The two men filed a complaint under the state's anti-discrimination law that, among other things, bars discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. (RCW Chap. 49.60). The Commission issued a decision last month that was communicated to Erichsen and Footh via a phone exit interview. Apparently the decision concluded that the 1st Amendment protects religious organizations in their decisions to exclude volunteers on religious, sexual orientation or other grounds.

Chaplain Lacks Standing In Establishment Clause Challenge To "Five Faiths Policy"

In McCollum v. State of California, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11154 (ND CA, Feb. 13, 2009), a California federal district court held that a volunteer Wiccan prison chaplain lacks both traditional standing and taxpayer standing to bring an Establishment Clause challenge to the California prison system's policy of providing paid chaplains for only five faiths-- Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and Native American. As to traditional standing, plaintiff is attempting to assert rights of third parties, i.e. Wiccan inmates. As to taxpayer standing, plaintiff is not seeking to stop the expenditure of state funds, but rather to increase or transfer expenditures to have Wiccan chaplains hired as well. Establishment Clause taxpayer standing extends only to cases where a taxpayer is attempting to lessen expenditures.

UPDATE: As pointed out by a commenter, plaintiff also claimed standing on the basis that creation of a paid Wiccan chaplain position would give him an opportunity to be hired-- something he had been told he was ineligible for currently. The court said that it was speculative whether, even if (as requested) faith-neutral criteria were applied, he would be hired since that depended on needs of Wiccan inmates.

UPDATE: While the Northern District of California denied standing to a chaplain to challenge the 5 Faiths Policy, a decision from last year has just become available through LEXIS in which the Eastern District of California finds that an inmate does have standing to challenge the policy. In Rouser v. White, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 107199 (ED CA, Sept. 16, 2008), the court also found that plaintiff's complaint alleges "plausible grounds" for relief in his Establishment Clause challenge.