Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Connecticut High Court Orders Release of Documents In Clergy Abuse Cases
Defendant Sentenced To 10 Years For Pot Farm; Religious Defense Found Insincere
In Greece, Young Muslims Violently Protest Ripping of Quran By Policeman
Inspector General Reports on 2004 IRS Exams of Non-Profit Political Activities
For the 2004 Initiative, the IRS opened 110 examinations.... Examinations most often were initiated after referrals were received from sources external to the IRS and were almost evenly distributed between churches and charities. The examinations mainly concerned tax-exempt organizations that had allegedly been involved in a single instance of potentially prohibited political intervention and involved issues/campaigns at the national level slightly more than at the State and local level. In addition, examinations involved a wide array of issues, such as distribution of printed and electronic information, as well as verbal statements and direct political contributions....
As of November 2008, the IRS' inventory system showed that the IRS had substantiated prohibited political activity in 76 (71 percent) of the 107 examinations it had completed. While reviewing case information, we found that this number was overstated. Based on our review of case files, the IRS incorrectly coded 14 cases as involving violations of the political intervention prohibition when no violations occurred. While the data still shows that a majority of examinations resulted in the IRS determining that tax-exempt organizations had violated the prohibition, it is important that this information be accurate because it is reported to external stakeholders. We determined that the incorrect coding was due to confusion over how to classify case results on the inventory system.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Liberty University Revokes Recognition of College Democrats
"That club still has the right to exist," Falwell said, although it cannot use the university’s name in its activities. "They still can meet on campus," in certain rooms, he said. "There is absolutely no animosity at all toward any of these kids. They are good, Christian kids who sit with me at ball games. I just hope they find a pro-life family organization to affiliate with so they can be endorsed by Liberty again."Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine issued a statement on Democratic national Committee letterhead urging the University to reverse its decision. [Thanks to both Don Byrd and Bob Ritter for the lead.]
Senate Passes Resolution Remembering M.S. St. Louis Anniversary
California Law Protects Closed Church From Landmarking
Court Refuses To Decide RLUIPA Claim On Ripeness Grounds
Over ten years have passed since the City denied plaintiff's CUP application, and the Congregation has recently filed a second application, which the City is currently considering. This second CUP application presents the first opportunity for the City to consider the Congregation's request in light of RLUIPA..... [G]ranting of the second CUP application would moot the instant action. Furthermore, it does not appear that the Congregation will be immediately harmed by the Court's decision to dismiss the instant action on ripeness grounds. The City has not taken any action to date to enforce the original denial of the CUP.... [T]he threat of hardship to the Congregation remains speculative.
Republicans Delay Committee Vote On 7th Circuit Nominee Over His Establishment Clause Decisions
Final Defendant Settles In Sex Abuse Case Against Seattle Archdiocese
Pending British Equality Bill Creates Only Narrow Exemption For Religious Objections
The circumstances in which religious institutions can practice anything less than full equality are few and far between. While the state would not intervene in narrowly ritual or doctrinal matters within faith groups, these communities cannot claim that everything they run is outside the scope of anti-discrimination law. Members of faith groups have a role in making the argument in their own communities for greater LGBT acceptance, but in the meantime the state has a duty to protect people from unfair treatment.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Does "WWJD" Violate Fair Debt Collection Practices Act?
French Government Agency Combatting Cults Releases Report
warns that religious sects are on the increase in France, tripling in the last 15 years to reach at least 600 different movements across the country. The report also denounces a huge increase in unqualified therapists, warning that sects are using the personality coaching and self-help trends to target impressionable people.Digital Journal says that 10 pages in MIVILUDES' 199-page report are devoted to criticizing the activity of sects in the United Nations and the OSCE. The report says that non-governmental organizations are attempting to limit MIVILUDES influence in the UN and OSCE, and that the Church of Scientology has particularly taken aim at MIVILUDES.
Priest's Conviction on Child Molestation Charges Upheld
Same-Sex Marriage Not Yet A Done Deal In New Hampshire
Meanwhile, as gay marriage seems to be gaining momentum in state legislatures, Pew Forum yesterday published a Q&A with Professors Ira "Chip" Lupu and Robert W. Tuttle, titled: A Clash of Rights? Gay Marriage and the Free Exercise of Religion.
4 Men Arrested In New York Charged With Plot To Bomb Synagogues
Elementary Teacher Sues Charging Religious Discrimination and Harassment
Permit Requirement For Church's Use As Homeless Shelter Upheld
Ireland's Massive Report On Clergy Sex Abuse Released
Victims of the abuse-- particularly those who had testified before the Commission --were particularly upset by the fact that the report will not be used as the basis for additional criminal prosecutions. In part this is because one of the largest religious orders involved-- Christian Brothers--obtained a court order in 2004 to keep all its members discussed in the report anonymous. Police were called to the news conference in which the report was released as victims who were prevented from attending began to object. BBC News has reactions of abuse victims, church leaders and political leaders.The report, nine years in the making and covering a period of six decades, found thousands of boys and girls were terrorised by priests and nuns. Government inspectors failed to stop beatings, rapes and humiliation....
The five-volume study concluded that church officials encouraged ritual beatings and consistently shielded their orders' paedophiles from arrest amid a "culture of self-serving secrecy". The commission found that sexual abuse was "endemic" in boys' institutions, and church leaders knew what was going on.