Category: Religion

Houston-Area Residents Told To Certify That They Do Not Support Boycotting Israel As Pre-Condition For Hurricane Relief

Texasisrael1We recently discussed the free speech and associational implications of a Kansas teacher barred from a job due to her church’s support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. Now there is a story out of Dickinson, Texas where residents were told that they had to guarantee that they do not support boycotts of Israel as a pre-condition of hurricane relief.  Again, this is nothing to do with the merits of the BDS controversy or Israel.  The question is the constitutionality of the federal or state government demanding such commitments from citizens to secure employment or relief.

 

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“The Very Definition Of Tyranny”: Roy Moore Calls For Justices To Be Removed For Voting For Same-Sex Marriage

Supreme CourtIt appears that the Senate race in Alabama between Republican Roy Moore and Democrat Doug Jones is now a dead heat.   The tie in the normally reliable red state reflects controversial views of Moore who was twice removed from his job as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court for defying federal court orders.  One of his most alarming recent statements concerns the Supreme Court.  Moore told followers that he would support the impeachment of any justice voting in favor of same-sex marriage, a position that would destroy the integrity and traditions of our legal system.

 

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Kansas Teacher Barred From Employment Due To Her Support For Boycott Movement

israel1download-1We have been discussing the increasing scrutiny being applied to teachers and professors over their political views and social media commentary.  A particularly problematic case has been taken up by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) involving Kansas teacher Esther Koontz.  The long-time math teacher (and something called a “curriculum coach”) at Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet School in Wichita, Kansas, Koontz was barred from renewing her contract as  teacher because she supports the boycott of Israel over the occupation of Palestinian territories.  This is not simply reflective of her political views but a religious based obligation as a member of the Mennonite Church USA.  The church in July voted to divest itself from American companies that profit off of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.  The Kansas law therefore collides head on with the rights of free speech, free exercise, and free association.

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Pakistani Senate Rejects Age Limit For Marrying Girl As Un-Islamic

Flag_of_PakistanPakistan’s Senate has struck down legislation last week that would have increased the minimum age girls to marry from age from 16 to 18.  We have previously discussed various cases of child brides being forced into marriage under the medieval Islamic traditions and laws governing much of Pakistan.  However, there was hope that the legislature would be more supportive of the basic rights of these girls.  That hope was dashed when the chairman of the Senate Standing Committee, Rehman Malik, explained that such an age limitation on marriage was deemed “Un-Islamic” by clerics who control much of the legislative agenda in Pakistan.

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Boise Professor Criticizes “Radical Feminism” As Undermining Family Values. . . Students Demand His Termination For “Hate Speech”

We have been discussing the increasing pressures on academics in what is an increasingly hostile atmosphere for academic freedom and free speech.  The latest example is out of Boise State University where students are calling for the termination of Professor Scott Yenor for “hate speech” because of his published criticism of radical feminism.  While there are obviously good-faith reasons to criticism Yenor’s views, his article explores how some feminists have in his view undermined parental rights in transgender cases. Instead of simply responding to his arguments, liberal students are seeking his firing by the university in an all-too-familiar pattern.

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Finding Meaning In Madness: Clinton Blames NRA While Robertson Cites Disrespect For Trump

Hillary_Clinton_Testimony_to_House_Select_Committee_on_BenghaziAs is often the case, politicians and commentators were fast to draw political meaning from the latest massacre.  Of course, the most obvious explanation is that this was an attack by a demented and hateful individual.  At the base of this massacre seems utter madness — untractable and unfanthomable madness.  However, after saying that this was no time for politics, Hillary Clinton immediately denounced the National Rifle Association.  At the same time, televangelist Pat Robertson cited the disrespect for Trump and our flag.

 

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Saudi Arabia To Allow Women To Drive

125px-Coat_of_arms_of_Saudi_Arabia.svgWe have long discussed the crushing sexism faced by women in Saudi Arabia under its medieval Sharia legal system. One of the most glaring inequalities was the ban on women driving — a rule that courageous women defied at the risk of their own freedom and well-being.  Now, while about 100 years too late, the Kingdom has announced that women will be issued driver’s licenses. Despite the fierce objections that many of us have to the Saudi system, it is important to give credit to the government in rejecting religious and cultural prejudices, including extremist views expressed recently by Saudi clerics.

 

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Study: Three-Fourths Of Americans Are Unable To Name All Three Branches Of Government

cropped-500px-scene_at_the_signing_of_the_constitution_of_the_united_states.jpgI just returned from a terrific event at Christopher Newport University on Constitution Day — a debate with Professor John Yoo.  While we were delighted by the large number of students who appeared to listen to the debate, we discussed the recent poll on the lack of knowledge of citizens.  A recent poll by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) found that, in a survey of over 1,000 citizens, only a quarter were able to name all three branches of the federal government.  We just discussed the poll showing that four out of ten Americans cannot name a single right under the first amendment.  Once again, these polls leave us with the troubling prospect of a woefully uneducated public on their own government.

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Saudi Cleric Declares That Women Lack the Intelligence To Drive

screen-shot-2017-09-24-at-1-41-40-pm.pngSaudi Sheikh Saad al-Hajari has reportedly come out strongly against the movement to allow women in the Kingdom to drive.  Sheikh Saad al-Hajari said that the ban should remain because women possess a “lack of intellect” compared to men.  He explained that they have only half the brainpower of males.

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“Quite Literally Impossible”: White Supremacist Dylann Roof Demands New Counsel After Being Given Jewish And Indian Lawyers

charleston-liveblog2-jumboWhite supremacist Dylann Roof says that he has something of a problem on his hands: he has court-appointed counsel who happen to be Jewish and Indian.  He has asked the court to replace Alexandra Yates and Sapna Mirchandani in his appeal of his death sentence for the massacre of nine people in the Emmanuel AME Church during a Bible study in 2015.  Roof appears to believe that the right of counsel includes the right to white counsel.  It doesn’t.  The court should not be a vehicle for racial or religious discrimination to cater to the wishes of a homicidal fanatic.  More importantly, that is the view of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

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Egyptian Professor Facing Discipline After Saying That Necrophilia Is Permissible Under Islam

bd64e1b3-19b3-438f-b3cf-53db3791d08aSometimes being a supporter of free speech can be really really really hard.  A leading expert of “comparative jurisprudence” and Sunni cleric at al-Azhar University, Dr. Sabri Abdel Raouf, has been placed under review by his university (and ordered by the state media regulator to stay off the air) after dispensing some rather chilling advice on Sharia law and Islamic values.  Abdel Raouf had told viewers that it is is permissible under Islamic law for a husband to have sex with his dead wife in what is called “goodbye intercourse.” The action taken by the university and the government highlights the curious line drawn over the discussion of Islam in Egypt.   Moreover, it is a rather bizarre example of the debate that we are having in this country over the right of academics to engage in free (and controversial) speech outside of their schools.  In this case, both the university and the government have moved to prevent anyone from airing these views as an insult to Islam.

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The United Methodist Church And My Loss Of Faith In Its Mission

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

It comes with much personal reflection that after the United Methodist Church’s Annual Conference for the Pacific Northwest Conference area, encompassing where I live in Washington State, I decided to leave the church after seeing what I believe to be the church leadership moving away from spirituality and Christian teachings to a place where members of the hierarchy in our conference use the Church as a platform to pontificate a particular flavor of politics, aligning itself with an American political party, promoting organizations that provide legal advice to those who evade the law, and worst of all having members that promote an organization that advocates the killing of law enforcement officers. This is a sad outcome, but it represents an evolution of thinking becoming endemic to particular districts. I do not believe that most of the districts approve generally of these changes but unfortunately for me they encompass the area I reside. The best choice for me was to end my relationship.

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Australian Lamb Industry Under Fire For Deity Commercial

Screen Shot 2017-09-12 at 2.18.46 PM.pngThe Meat & Livestock Australia organization is under fire for its advertising campaign, which includes a humorous dinner scene of deities, prophets, and religious figures enjoying a lamb dinner.  The gods including Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard , Jesus, God, Aphrodite, Zeus, Buddha, Ganesh and Moses as well as other Gods and one atheist.   at a long dining table to enjoy a spring barbecue of lamb.  A formal complaint has been lodged by the High Commission of India for the depiction of the Hindu god Ganesha.  The effort to have fun with the notion of the lamb of gods clearly did not resonate with some who declared the commercial as distasteful.

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Edinburgh Law Student Put Under Investigation For Hate Speech After Taunting ISIS Fighters

43EABBC300000578-4852548-image-m-62_1504573380859download-3There is a new free speech controversy on a university campus this week.  Robbie Travers, a 21-year-old third-year law student at the  University of Edinburgh, is under investigation for a “hate crime” after mocking ISIS fighters targeted in a massive air strike by the United States.  Esme Allman, a second-year history student, accused Travers of “blatant Islamophobia” and creating an unsafe environment for students through his mocking of the terrorists being helped to paradise.

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Myanmar Allows Another Reported Massacre of Muslim Minority Rohingya

250px-Flag_of_Myanmar.svgWe previously discussed the crushing abuse and discrimination faced by Muslims in Myanmar.  The Rohingya are denied basic rights and face continued violence in the country.   While it was hard to imagine the abuse of these Muslims becoming any more extreme in the Buddhist nation, it just did.  The government has allowed a new spasm of violence against this community which has been denied the most basic rights and the support.  Rohingya children have been reportedly beheaded and civilians burned alive.

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Res ipsa loquitur – The thing itself speaks