Category: Religion

Illinois Professor in Catholic Studies Fired After Student Objects That Teachings Constitute Hate Speech

There is an interesting controversy at the University of Illinois where the university has fired adjunct professor Dr. Kenneth Howell for teaching why homosexual acts violate natural moral law under the tenets of the Catholic church. Howell taught courses on the Catholic faith at the St. John’s Catholic Newman Center. He was fired after a student labeled his statements “hate speech.”
Continue reading “Illinois Professor in Catholic Studies Fired After Student Objects That Teachings Constitute Hate Speech”

The Importance of Being Ernest: Wisconsin GOP Candidate Seeks To Outlaw Homosexuality, Abortion, and Pornography

Ernest J. Pagels is a politician who is not just satisfied with balancing the budget. He is campaigning on a promise to “outlaw” homosexuality as well as abortion and pornography. You may think he is running for Kandahar city council on the Taliban ticket, but he is one of the candidates vying for the GOP slot to challenge Russ Feingold in the Senate.

Continue reading “The Importance of Being Ernest: Wisconsin GOP Candidate Seeks To Outlaw Homosexuality, Abortion, and Pornography”

Criminalizing Art: Two Prominent Art Curators Face Three Years in Jail for Offending Orthodox Church

Two prominent art curators in Moscow, Yury Samodurov and Andrei Yerofeyev, are facing three years in prison for showing art that insulted the Russian Orthodox Church. It is the latest example of blasphemy prosecutions, a growing trend in the West and industrialized nations.
Continue reading “Criminalizing Art: Two Prominent Art Curators Face Three Years in Jail for Offending Orthodox Church”

Followers Sue Church After Doomsday Fails To Come

What do you do when you hand over all your money before a promised Doomsday, but Doomsday never comes? You go find the next best thing: a lawyer. That is the situation in Australia where a court has frozen the assets of Pastor Rocco Leo and his associates at Agape Ministries after followers demanded their money back. While there appears to have been no written contract, this appears a novel inverse of a force majeure claim: the act of God never came.
Continue reading “Followers Sue Church After Doomsday Fails To Come”

Do The Prime, Do The Time: India Legislators Move To Criminalize Beef Possession

Picture this scene out of Midnight Express, police surrounding a nervous man late at night on an airport tarmac. Pulling away his shirt, they find taped to his body . . . steaks. A beef mule. That could be the scene in Karnataka, India where the government is about to make the possession of beef a criminal offense. Presumably, possession of beef with intent to distribute will receive a higher sentence.

Continue reading “Do The Prime, Do The Time: India Legislators Move To Criminalize Beef Possession”

Iran Set to Stone Woman To Death — After Giving Her 99 Lashes — For Adultery

We often run Iranian blogs to show clown-like policies such as requiring Islamic haircuts or mannequin mascetomies. However, it is important to remember the plight of women and dissidents under Iran’s medieval Sharia system. There is no more frightening example than the scheduled stoning of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, 43, for conducting an “illicit relationship outside marriage.” Convicted in May 2006, Ashtiani has already been given 99 lashes under her Sharia sentence.

Continue reading “Iran Set to Stone Woman To Death — After Giving Her 99 Lashes — For Adultery”

Islamic Leaders In Australia Denounce Democracy and Call on Muslims to Accept Only Sharia Law

Leaders of the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir met in Australia this week to call on Muslims to reject Democracy and moderate Islam as “haram” or forbidden under the Koran (Qur’an). British Hizb ut-Tahrir leader Burhan Hanif told an audience that Democracy is a lie and that no laws but those in the Koran could govern mankind.
Continue reading “Islamic Leaders In Australia Denounce Democracy and Call on Muslims to Accept Only Sharia Law”

Report: Cardinal Praised Bishop for his Willingness To Go To Jail Rather Than Reveal Information On Priest Rapist

The Pope continues to face allegations of his prior knowledge of abuse by clergy. However, the most striking story in the article below is how Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos allegedly heralded a bishop for his willingness to go to jail rather than reveal information about a priest accused of raping a child.
Continue reading “Report: Cardinal Praised Bishop for his Willingness To Go To Jail Rather Than Reveal Information On Priest Rapist”

Supreme Court Rules Against Christian Law Students

In another 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled against Christian law students at Hastings Law School in Christian Legal Society v. Martinez. Justice Ginsburg ruled that Christian students must adhere to non-discrimination policies if they are to accept funding or benefits from the school.

Continue reading “Supreme Court Rules Against Christian Law Students”

Texas Federal Court Upholds Denial of Certificate to Institute for Creation Research Graduate School

Creationists have lost a major battle after a federal court in Texas upheld a decision by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to deny the Institute for Creation Research Graduate School a certificate of authority to offer master’s degrees in science. We have previously discussed this new “science” degree.

Continue reading “Texas Federal Court Upholds Denial of Certificate to Institute for Creation Research Graduate School”

Mannequin Mascetomies: Iranian Officials Reportedly Ordering Removal of Breasts From Mannequins

There is another bizarre account from Iran where the government has been cracking down on “baldy veiled women.” It appears that it is not just actual women who offend Sharia-sensibilities. There is a photo running on the web that allegedly shows how Iran’s religious police are giving double mascetomies to mannequins to avoid the appearance of breasts in public.
Continue reading “Mannequin Mascetomies: Iranian Officials Reportedly Ordering Removal of Breasts From Mannequins”