Paper Carries Series On Conservative Christian Moves On Education In British Columbia

The Tyee this week is running a 5-part series excerpted from Marci McDonald's The Armegeddon Factor on how the Christian right is building political power in Canada. The articles focus particularly on the central role of British Columbia in the push to move Canada away from a secular public culture. Yesterday's installment focuses on the opposition by evangelical and Catholic parents to the introduction into B.C. schools of an elective course designed to combat homophobia and other bigotry, as well as battles over story books in elementary schools that depict gay families. Today's installment focuses on the rise of private religious schools in B.C. and Alberta, both of which give tuition assistance to children in accredited private schools. Tomorrow the paper will look at the rise of Christian home schooling in the province.

Indonesians Told To Shift Prayer Direction

Due to a mistake by the Indonesian Ulema Council, Indonesia's highest Islamic authority, Muslims in the country have been facing the wrong direction for prayers for several months. Today's New Zealand Herald reports that in March, the Council ruled that Mecca was due west of Indonesia. But that actually had worshippers facing southern Somalia and Kenya. Now the Council has revised its calculations and has ruled that worshippers should face northwest instead. Apparently the original error was caused by the Council acting too hurriedly. A senior Council cleric, however, assured Muslims that their prayers were heard even when they were facing the wrong way.

RLUIPA Lawsuit Challenges Delay In Formal Zoning Variance Denial

A RLUIPA lawsuit was filed last week against the Borough of Pemberton, New Jersey by the Apostolic Church of Deliverance that applied for a zoning variance over six months ago. According to a press release yesterday from Mauck & Baker, the law firm which filed the suit, Borough officials have clearly indicated that they will deny the application from the largely African-American church. However Pemberton continues to withhold publication of a formal zoning decision. Pemberton officials have instead urged the church to rent a local elementary school to use for worship services. The lawsuit seeks over $1 million in compensatory damages plus $1 million in punitive damages.

Syria Becomes First Muslim Country To Impose A Burqa Ban

Britain's Daily Star today reports that Syria has become the first predominately Muslim country to ban the wearing of the burqa in public. The ban will initially apply only in universities. The government ordered universities to ban niqab-wearing women from registering. However the government plans to extend the ban on wearing the full face veil to other places as well. Syria's government says that the Burqa encourages Islamic extremism. The ban does not apply to wearing of the hijab, or headscarf. Opponents of the ban say it violates freedom of religion and demonizes Muslims.

Evangelicals Are Backing Obama's Call For Immigration Reform

Today's New York Times reports that a group of influential Christian evangelical leaders are supporting President Obama's call for comprehensive immigration reform. The umbrella group, the National Association of Evangelicals, is in the lead. While these Christian conservatives are usually on the other side on most of President Obama's policies, here they agree with him and are openly supporting him through sermons, conference calls with other pastors, and Congressional testimony. Politically active Hispanic evangelical pastors are largely responsible for convincing other evangelical clergy that immigration reform should be a moral priority. (See prior related posting.)

New Holy See Permanent Observer To UN Named

Zenit reported yesterday that Pope Benedict XVI has named Indian-born Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt, apostolic nuncio to Iraq and Jordan, as the new permanent observer of the Holy See at the United Nations in New York. He succeeds Archbishop Celestino Migliore.

GI's Who Oppose Homosexuality Beginning To Look At CO Status As DADT To End

The New York Times reported last week that the impending end of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy is creating a new group of putative conscientious objectors. The Center on Conscience & War, which counsels GI's seeking to become conscientious objectors, has begun to receive calls from members of the military who say they consider homosexuality an abomination and want to become a conscientious objector because they cannot serve alongside gay soldiers. J.E. McNeil, the Center's director, says that this sort of objection does not fit within the legal requirements to become a CO. That requires religious opposition to participating in war in any form. (50 USC App Sec. 456(j)). The military personnel here are not objecting to participating in war; they are objecting to those with whom they are participating.

Oklahoma's November Ballot Will Include Constituitonal Amendment To Bar Courts' Use of Sharia Law

Yesterday's Tulsa World reports that Oklahoma's Nov. 2 ballot will include State Question 755 which would amend the state constitution to prohibit state courts from considering or using international law or Sharia law. (Ballot language.) Titled by the legislature the "Save Our State Amendment" (full text of HJR 1056), the proposed amendment reads:

The courts provided for in subsection A of this section, when exercising their judicial authority, shall uphold and adhere to the law as provided in the United States Constitution, the Oklahoma Constitution, the United States Code, federal regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, established common law, the Oklahoma Statutes and rules promulgated pursuant thereto, and if necessary the law of another state of the United States provided the law of the other state does not include Sharia law, in making judicial decisions. The courts shall not look to the legal precepts of other nations or cultures. Specifically, the courts shall not consider international law or Sharia law. The provisions of this subsection shall apply to all cases before the respective courts, including, but not limited to, cases of first impression.

State Rep. Rex Duncan who authored the proposal called it a pre-emptive strike since he is not aware of any Oklahoma case based on international or Sharia law. Razi Hashmi, executive director of the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the proposal is motivated by anti-Muslim bigotry.

Amicus Briefs In Snyder v. Phelps Now Filed With Supreme Court

Last week, the remainder of the amicus briefs in Snyder v. Phelps were filed with the U.S. Supreme Court. (Links to Briefs from SCOTUS Wiki, plus additional amicus brief not linked there.) In the case, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the Westboro Baptist Church and its leaders that a $5 million judgment against them growing out of their picketing of the funeral of Iraq veteran Matthew Snyder violated their free speech rights. (See prior posting.) Fifteen amicus briefs have been filed-- 5 supporting Matthew Snyder's family, 7 supporting Westboro Church's rights, and 3 in support of neither party. Yesterday's York (PA) Daily Record reports on why the 7 groups supported Westboro even though they strongly disagreed with the substance of its message.

Sweden's New Education Law Restricts Confessional Schools and Home Schooling

Yesterday's Washington Times reports that a new education law enacted in Sweden last month will limit both home schooling and religious practices in "Confessional schools." The aim of the new law is to make schools across Sweden more uniform in offering a comprehensive and objective education. Home schooling will be banned other than in exceptional circumstances such as health reasons of distance from a school. The law also requires Sweden's religious schools to follow the same curriculum as secular schools and requires them to make all religious activities, including prayer and chapel services, optional. It is expected that families will challenge the new law in Swedish and European courts.

Recent Articles and Books of Interest

From SmartCILP & elsewhere:

• Michael L. Gompertz, Lawsuit Challenges Income Tax Preferences for Clergy, Tax Notes, July 5, 2010, pp. 81-94.
• Adam J. MacLeod, A Non-Fatal Collision: Interpreting RLUIPA Where Religious Land Uses and Community Interests Meet, [Abstract], 42 Urban Lawyer 41-93 (2010).
• Roederick C. White, Sr., How the Wheels Come Off: The Inevitable Crash of Irreconcilable Jurisprudence Laws Based On Orthodox Judeo-Christian Theology in a Pluralistic Society, 37 Southern University Law Review 127-183 (2009).
• Symposium. Intelligent Design and the Constitution. Articles by Patrick T. Gillen, Jay D. Wexler, Francis J. Beckwith, Elias Carr, Peter M.J. Hess, Russell F. Pannier, Thomas D. Sullivan, Casey Luskin, Joshua Rosenau and David K. DeWolf. 4 University of St. Thomas Journal of Law & Public Policy 1-353 (2009).

New Books:

• Jeffrey Ostler, The Lakotas and the Black Hills: The Struggle for Sacred Ground, (Penguin Library of American Indian History, July 2010).
• Hubert Wolf, Pope and Devil: The Vatican's Archives and the Third Reich, (Harvard Univ. Press, May 2010).
• Halyna Hryn, Churches and States: Studies on the History of Christianity in Ukraine, (Harvard Univ. Press, Sept. 2010).
• Mark Valeri, Heavenly Merchandize: How Religion Shaped Commerce in Puritan America, (Princeton Univ. Press, July 2010).

Recent Prisoner Free Exercise Cases

In Farrow v. Wrenn, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 70813 (D NH, July 14, 2010), a New Hampshre federal district court adopted a magistrate's recommendations (2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68507, June 9, 2010), and allowed a Native American inmate to proceed with official capacity claims asserting 1st Amendment and RLUIPA violations. Plaintiff was not able to fully practice his Lakota religion because he needed weekly access to smudging herbs, the pipe, knicknick, and tobacco, and an opportunity to practice drumming.

In Swetokos v. Allen, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68429 (SD FL, July 8, 2010), a federal district court adopted a magistrate's recommendation (2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68450, June 7, 2010), and dismissed a complaint by a Buddhist (who was now out of jail) that he was denied a vegan diet. Authorities refused to provide the religious diet until the inmate documented his religious affiliation.

In Hamlin v. Smith, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 69205 (D CO, July 12, 2010) a Colorado federal magistrate judge dismissed 1st Amendment and RLUIPA claims by a Wiccan inmate. Plaintiff claimed that the prison failed to post notices of Wiccan services, that he was denied ritual tools and supplies, that the Wiccan group was forced to meet outside in cold weather, and that he feared retaliation for practicing his religion.

In Washington v. Brown, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68986 (ED CA, July 10, 2010), a California federal magistrate judge recommended that a Muslim inmate be permitted to go to trial on his claim that his rights under the 1st Amendment and RLUIPA were violated when he was prevented for over two weeks in 2004 from participating in the Ramadan fast.

In Kindred v. Department of Mental Health, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68851 (ED CA, June 17, 2010), a California federal magistrate judge ruled that a civil detainee may move ahead with his free exercise and RLUIPA claims that he did not have access to a Protestant chaplain, that a spiritual book of his was destroyed and that he was denied a prayer rug.

In Cain v. Caruso, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 70136 (ED MI, July 13, 2010), a Michigan federal district court adopted the recommendations of a federal magistrate (2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 69873, May 24, 2010) and dismissed a parolee's complaint that he was required to attend a religious-based substance abuse program as a condition of his parole. The court held that plaintiff's parole agent had absolute immunity for the testimony at plaintiff's parole proceeding. More broadly the court found no Establishment Clause violation because plaintiff was offered a secular alternative when authorities learned of his objections. Plaintiff refused it because of its distance from his home.

In Hunter v. Knapp, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 70328 (SD IL, July 13, 2010), an Illinois federal district court dismissed plaintiff's claims that while detained in jail, there were only Christian services and not Muslim ones, and that the jail did not allow inmates in segregation to worship with inmates from general population. The court held that plaintiff's religious beliefs were accommodated.

In Tucker v. Johnson, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71249 (ND MS, July 15, 2010), a Mississippi federal district court rejected plaintiff's complaint that while in protective custody in jail, that plaintiff had requested, he was kept in his cell while other prisoners were at Sunday worship services.

In Sowemimo v. Bader, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71181 (SD IL, July 15, 2010), an Illinois federal district court adopted a magistrate's recommendation (2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71135, May 11, 2010) and dismissed for failure to exhaust administrative remedies plaintiff's claim that his prayer rug was confiscate, he was denied access to Islamic chapel services, and was not provided with post-fast meals during Ramadan.

Anti-Abortion Picketers Rights Violated When Ordrered To Put Down Graphic Signs

In Lefemine v. Davis, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68725 (D SC, July 8, 2010), a South Carolina federal district court enjoined Greenwood County (SC) sheriff officials from imposing content-based restrictions on graphic anti-abortion depictions on signs carried by a Christian anti-abortion group. When the group picketed at the busiest intersection in the county, law enforcement officials ordered them to put down the signs because they were disturbing to young people. The court concluded that this amounted to a content-based restriction that was not narrowly tailored to further the compelling interest of protecting children. It therefore violated the free speech and assembly rights as well as the free exercise rights of the picketers from Columbia Christians for Life.

Court Says Mother's Religious Practices Inadmissible In Custody Dispute

Applying the rule that "a parent's religious beliefs and practices may not be considered by the trial court as a basis to deprive [a] parent of custody unless there is a showing of actual harm to the health or welfare of the child," a Kansas appellate court, in a 2-1 decision, has rejected a Muslim father's objections to granting of residential custody to his son's mother because of her practices as a Jehovah's Witness. In Harrison v. Tauheed, (KS Ct. App., July 16, 2010), Adiel Tauheed (who never married Monica Harrison, the mother of J.D.H.) argued that Monica's beliefs regarding blood transfusions threatened J.D.H.'s welfare in the future. He also argued that Monica's door-to-door proselytizing with J.D.H. was injurious to his welfare; that Jehovah's Witnesses refusal to celebrate birthdays, various holidays and salute the flag has led to social alienation; and that teachings regarding non-Jehovah's Witnesses are leading to parental alienation.

Judge Caplinger dissented, arguing that the trial court "erroneously concluded it could not consider factors relating to a parent's religious practices, even if those practices adversely impacted the child's interests."

Nevada Senate Candidate Sees Her Run As Religious Mission

Today's Las Vegas Sun describes the strong religious element in the U.S. Senate campaign of Republican Sharron Angle, who is seeking to unseat Senate majority leader Harry Reid. Angle has described her efforts as a calling from God. Angle also believes that religion should play a much more expansive role in government. The Sun article claims her views parallel those of Christian Reconstructionism.

Ministerial Exception Applied To Dismiss Prof's Racial Discrimination Claims

In Adams v. Indiana Wesleyan University, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71403 (ND Ind., July 15, 2010), an Indiana federal district court applied the ministerial exception to dismiss a Title VII racial discrimination claim filed against a religiously-sponsored university by a former faculty member. Janice B. Adams, an African-American, was employed by Indiana Wesleyan University for 17 years as a Professor and Chair of the Social Work Department. The University describes itself on its website as "an evangelical Christian comprehensive university that is committed to liberal arts and professional education." Adams, who often clashed with her supervisor, claims she was subjected to severe and pervasive racial discrimination that led to her resignation. In dismissing her claim, the court said:

[W]hile Adams may very well have been free to present and discuss secular topics and issues in her classroom, it is also true that she was charged with incorporating the doctrine of the Wesleyan Church into her curriculum.... The fact that she claims she was forced to resign as a result of pervasive racial harassment as opposed to any sort of doctrinal or theological dispute does not take this case outside the parameters of the ministerial exception.

Scholar's Report Outlines To Canadian Court The Harms of Polygamy

As previously reported, in the Canadian provice of British Columbia the attorney general is asking the B.C. Supreme Court to rule on whether the province's anti-polygamy law is consistent with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Today's Vancouver Sun reports that a 45-page research paper by Canadian scholar Joseph Henrich has been filed with the court. The report concludes that polygamy increases crime, prostitution and anti-social behavior, increases inequality between men and women, results in less parental investment in children and in a general driving down of the age of marriage for all women.

Sikh Temple Must Be Removed For Violation of Restrictive Covenant

In Bollier v. Austin Gurdwara Sahib, Inc., (TX App., July 9, 2010), a Texas appellate court held that building of a Sikh Temple violated a subdivision's restrictive covenant that limited land use to single family dwellings. The Temple originally operated from a mobile home, but a new $150,000 building was constructed after the trial court rejected a challenge to it. The Court of Appeals reversed the trial court and remanded ordering entry of a permanent injunction barring construction of and ordering removal of the newly constructed Temple. Punjab Newsline Network today reports on the decision, saying that Sikhs are "shocked and outraged" at the order requiring the only Sikh temple in Austin, Texas be torn down.

India Party Leader To Appear On Charges of Depicting Herself As Goddess Durga

The Times of India today reports that a court in the city of Muzaffarpur has ordered India National Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi to appear on charges that she hurt religious sentiments by depicting herself as the goddess Durga on a party poster in 2007. Two other Party officials have also been ordered to appear in court the same day. A similar complaint has already been dismissed by another court in 2008.

Bus Driver Sues After Being Fired For Refusing To Take Women To Planned Parenthood

Yesterday's Austin American-Statesman reports that a former bus driver has filed suit in federal court in Austin, Texas against the Capital Area Rural Transportation System claiming religious discrimination in employment. The bus system provides pickup on request for residents in rural areas. Driver Edwin Graning, who is also an ordained Christian minister, was fired after he refused to transport two women to a Planned Parenthood clinic because he thought he might be taking them to have an abortion. Graning claims CARTS had an obligation to accommodate his religious beliefs opposing abortion.