A federal court in Ungar v. New York City Housing Authority, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3578 (SD NY, Jan. 14, 2009) has ruled against the claims of a Hasidic group that the New York City Housing Authority should be required to give them preference in allocating units in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. They challenged the Tenant Selection Assignment Plan saying that they have religious needs to live near other members of their religious community in Williamsburg.
Continue reading “Federal Court Rules Against Hasidic Jews Who Challenged Public Housing Rule”
The Vanguard, one of Nigeria’s largest newspaper, has a different take on the conventional crime beat. The newspaper reported how a thief in Kwara state was chased and cornered by vigilantes and promptly turned himself into a goat.
The international trend toward criminalizing any insulting of religion has reached Austria, which has now convicted far-right legislator Susanne Winter for making anti-Muslim statements, including the oft-stated charge that Mohammed was a pedophile for marrying an underaged girl. Winter is an obvious wingnut and her statements obnoxious. However, the first amendment is being sharply curtailed by a movement to criminalize insults to religion, including 
A Spanish court has rendered an interesting decision: ordering the Catholic Church to re-hire a teacher fired for adultery and to pay back pay of $12,888 to Maria del Carmen Galayo.
Two Roman Catholic priests — Fr. John Skehan, 81, and Fr. Francis Guinan, 66, have been accused of an astonishing criminal enterprise — stealing between $800,000 and $2 million from Church funds at St. Vincent Ferrer Church, in West Palm Beach. Shekan has withdrawn his not guilty plea and admitted the theft (tough insists that it was no more than $100,000) while Guinan continues to maintain his innocence. They allegedly stole the money to use on holidays and gambling.
The New York Times had a curious op-ed piece this week from Libyan President Muammar Qaddafi who proposed a “one-state solution” to the Palestinian crisis: a new Israeli-Palestinian state called Isratine. It was a surprising source for advice on the issue from a man not only linked to “Carlos the Jackal” and terrorist operations like the destruction of Pam Am flight 103, but a man whose previously solution was to push Israeli Jews into the sea.
U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman has struck down the Illinois Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act as unconstitutional. The decision is based on the Doctrine of Separation of Church and State and constitutes a departure from other rulings around the nation upholding such laws. It is a particularly important ruling for non-believers. 
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has weighed into a religious controversy, demanding a retraction and an apology from Islamic cleric Samir Abu Hamza for telling followers that they can beat their wives and force them to have sex under the Koran — in violation of Australian law.
Washington is electric this morning. It is morning in America as literally billions around the world celebrate the Inauguration of our 44th President.
Israel is caught up in an interesting controversy involving a Rabbincal Court. Rabbi Yissachar Dov Hagar, a judge on Jerusalem’s Rabbinical Court, ruled that Yossi Fackenheim, son of the famous Canadian academic and Reform Rabbi, Emil Fackenheim, is not really Jewish. The ruling came as part of a divorce decision and has caused a firestorm of controversy. 
Skolu Isieskojimo Biuras, a Lithuanian debt collecting firm, has announced that it has retained the services of Vilija Lobaciuviene, the country’s most famous witch, to pursue people who do not pay their debts. The firm in Vilnuis expects a touch of witchcraft will help the bottom line. 
Another representative of the faith-based political movement has been arrested on morals charges. Police have been looking for a man for years who solicited prostitutes on the Internet under the name “Sullivant Guy,” “Broad Street Guy,” “Toby” and “God O Thunder.” It turns out that “God O Thunder” is allegedly Robert Eric McFadden, who was the director of Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
A clip of Rick Warren from April 17, 2005 is making its way around the web on which the controversial preacher appears to call on the faithful to follow Jesus like Nazis. In the clip below, Warren cites the faith and commitment of young Nazis and suggests that Christians need to show the same passion. Warren was selected by Obama to give the Inauguration prayer for the nation.
At a time of rising alarm over the marriage of girls as young as eight years old, Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh has declared that such marriages are proper and moral under Sharia law. Indeed, he views such criticism as unfair to these girls despite the fact that such arrangements are viewed as per se child abuse and statutory rape in most other countries.
President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to greatly expand President Bush’s faith-based initiative program. He may would to consider a recent lawsuit where the Catholic church is accused of receiving a federal funding to assist sex trafficking victims but allowed to decline to provide contraceptive material or abortion services.