Category: Religion

Religion

The Pope’s Italian Problem

Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

Pope Benedict XVINot since 1415 when Gregory XII resigned to heal the so-called “Western Schism” has a Pope of  the Roman Catholic Church abdicated his post as the successor to St. Peter. Now, Benedict the XVI has issued his renuntiatio citing failing health as  the reason for the move.  Rumors have swirled since publication in the Italian newspaper, Repubblica, (here) that the Pope resigned to diffuse a burgeoning crisis in the Curia over allegations of a gay cabal of Vatican prelates being blackmailed by male prostitutes. The Vatican flatly denies that allegation and no one has come forward to challenge that denial. Fueling the rumors are the inconvenient resignation of Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien over allegations of  sexual abuse of  three seminarians. O’Brien has flatly rejected those charges too, but resigned the following day saying his decision was based “on health grounds,” and that his hospitalization for cellulitis and gout at the end of 2012 was proof thereof. That’s eerily similar to Benedict’s demurrer and, coupled with several recent scandals (here) involving Vatican priests procuring gay prostitutes, have left some observers skeptical, indeed.

Continue reading “The Pope’s Italian Problem” →

Criminal law, International, Religion, Society

Australian Court Convicts Four Men For Sharia Flogging Of Fellow Muslim

260px-PelourinhoIn Australia, there is an interesting case involving Sharia. Increasingly, Muslims in Western nations are turning to Sharia justice as opposed to conventional courts to address family and personal problems. In the case of Muslim convert Christian Martinez, he sought punishment and forgiveness from his Muslim religious mentor, Wassam Faayad, for drinking and taking drugs. Faayad and his associates proceeded to give him some old-fashioned Sharia justice with an electrical cord. Then Martinez changed his mind but the beating continued. Now four Muslim men are convicted of assault in a Sharia version of “no, means no.”

Continue reading “Australian Court Convicts Four Men For Sharia Flogging Of Fellow Muslim” →

Bizarre, Politics, Religion, Society

A Purim Excuse Is Better Than None? NY Politician Explains Black Face Costume Is Just A Jewish Thing

hikind-web-articleInlineUnknownNew York Assemblyman Dov Hikind has come forward to explain that there is no reason for people to be offended after he was shown wearing black face. The Brooklyn assemblyman explained that people just do not get the Jewish holiday Purim when people have fun dressing up. He noted that many children will dress up as Arabs. This was meant as a defense. Hikind previously introduced an anti-terrorism bill that allowed ethnic profiling for searches. It appears that he is something of an expert.

Continue reading “A Purim Excuse Is Better Than None? NY Politician Explains Black Face Costume Is Just A Jewish Thing” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Politics, Religion

New Report Details Global Crackdown On Atheists and Secularists

200px-flag_of_the_united_nationssvgThe United Nations this week heard of rising abuse against atheists, agnostics, and secularists around the world. A report on this abuse, including executions, was given to a panel including Pakistan, Mauritania and Maldives which impose the death penalty on blasphemers. Turkey used the opportunity to call for the protection of “people of faith.”

Continue reading “New Report Details Global Crackdown On Atheists and Secularists” →

Bizarre, International, Politics, Religion

Saudi Cleric And Others Denounce Women Serving In Advisory Council As “Prostitutes” and “Filth”

150px-muslim_woman_in_yemenMuslim cleric Ahmed Al-abedulqader is a member of the Islamic Ministry for Da’wah, Guidance and Endowments and he clearly has “issues” with women, particularly when they served in public positions.  Recently, women were allowed to serve on the Shura Council, a formal advisory body  to the King of 150 members who can propose laws and advise him.  It was a significant and commendable act by the King — a hopeful sign of reform for women’s rights.  That appears to be the very reason that Al-abedulqader and other clerics unleashed sexist tirades.  In Al-abedulqader’s case, he took to Twitter to call the women “prostitutes.” Dr. Saleh al-Sugair, a former teaching assistant at King Saud University, also went public and called the women the “fifth of society” for their historic achievement.

Continue reading “Saudi Cleric And Others Denounce Women Serving In Advisory Council As “Prostitutes” and “Filth”” →

Academia, Free Speech, Justice, Media, Politics, Religion, Science, Society

Evolution, Religion and Science

Submitted by: Mike Spindell, guest blogger

220px-Charles_Darwin_seated_cropA topic that probably causes among the most heated discussions on this blog is the attempt to either displace evolution from Public School Curriculum, or to at least give “intelligent design” equal footing to evolution. My own opinion is that “intelligent design”, or “Creationism” as some call it, has no place in our public school system. Those who would force it on our schools would be destroying the Constitutional separation of Church and State. We saw a blog post by Professor Turley  a week ago discussing some crazy State Legislator in Missouri introducing a bill to teach “Creationism” as a scientific theory and to teach “Evolution” as a philosophy, almost all who commented were not only outraged, but some disparaged Missouri as a backward state. A few of the comments belittled religion in general. http://jonathanturley.org/2013/02/15/missouri-legislator-introduces-bill-to-teach-creationism-as-a-scientific-theory-and-to-teach-evolution-as-a-philosophy/ . Another blog post by Professor Turley in October 2012, about Missouri Senate Candidate Todd Akin brought a firestorm of angry comments, also disparaging Missouri. http://jonathanturley.org/2012/10/15/akin-disproves-evolution/#comments  Interestingly this Conservative State voted for Todd Akin’s opponent when Election Day came around. Continue reading “Evolution, Religion and Science” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Media, Politics, Religion, Society

Pakistan’s U.S. Ambassador Charged With Blasphemy

HE_AmbSherryRehmanPakistan has been working with the Obama Administration in an effort to create an international blasphemy standard. Now one of its diplomats in Washington is accused of blasphemy herself. She has been accused of blasphemy by a businessman, an offense that carries the death penalty in Pakistan.

Continue reading “Pakistan’s U.S. Ambassador Charged With Blasphemy” →

Criminal law, International, Religion

Dammam If You Do, Dammam If You Don’t: Saudi Arabia Cracks Down On Christians Praying In Private House

200px-Coat_of_arms_of_Saudi_Arabia.svgMutawa units, Saudi Arabia’s religious police, have been busy this month arresting Christians who practice their faith in the Kingdom. While Saudi Arabia has led the fight to create an international blasphemy crime and objected to every minor slight to Islam, it is one of the most repressive and intolerant regimes for religious freedom in the world. It will not allow the building of a single church in the Kingdom and now is cracking down on those who pray to a Christian God. The latest arrests occurred among foreign workers at a private residence in Dammam.
Continue reading “Dammam If You Do, Dammam If You Don’t: Saudi Arabia Cracks Down On Christians Praying In Private House” →

Academia, Animals, Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Environment, Free Speech, International, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Military, Politics, Religion, Science, Society, Supreme Court, Torts

15,000,000

This morning, our blog passed our 15,000,000 viewers. Since just a few weeks ago that we passed the 14,000,000 mark, it is obvious that the blog continues to grow at an impressive rate. We continue to rank in the top ten most viewed legal blogs in the world and I would like to think that our civility policy adds to the appeal of the blog for new viewers.

Continue reading “15,000,000” →

Criminal law, Religion, Society, Torts

Laying Hands On The Faithful: Alleged Serial Rapist Used ChristianMingle To Arrange Dates

Sean+Patrick+BanksWe previously discussed the legal issues raised by ChristianMingle promising the faithful to help find “God’s Choice” for them. It seems unlikely that Sean Patrick Banks, 37, was God’s Choice for an ideal Christian date. He is now accused of raping women that he met through ChristianMingle.com across the country.

Continue reading “Laying Hands On The Faithful: Alleged Serial Rapist Used ChristianMingle To Arrange Dates” →

Academia, Constitutional Law, Politics, Religion, Society

Mississippi Bill Pushes For School Prayer . . . Again

praying_hands[1]Mississippi politicians have long allowed their state to rest at the bottom of state in educational quality. Now they have finally decided to act: a new bill would legalize school prayer so children will presumably be able to pray for a day when politicians in the state will actually support public education.

Continue reading “Mississippi Bill Pushes For School Prayer . . . Again” →

Congress, Courts, Justice, Politics, Religion, Society, Uncategorized

The Anti-Women 22

220px-Leahy2009

Respectfully submitted by Lawrence E. Rafferty(rafflaw)-Guest Blogger

This past week a vote was taken in the United States Senate and it was not a vote to end a filibuster!  The vote that I am referring to was a vote to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.(VAWA)  It was noteworthy that the vote actually took place at all, but the results of the vote were especially interesting.  The vote to reauthorize VAWA, which was co-sponsored by Sen. Patrick Leahy,  passed by a 78 to 22 margin.  All 22 votes against the measure were by male Republican members of the Senate. Continue reading “The Anti-Women 22” →

Politics, Religion, Science, Supreme Court

The Evangelical Right’s Roots

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

religious rightThe Evangelical Right arose from the moral outrage triggered by the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. That compelling portrait of their origins glosses over the movement’s less-than-heroic inception. While Roman Catholics condemned the ruling, W. Barry Garrett of Baptist Press wrote, “Religious liberty, human equality and justice are advanced by the Supreme Court abortion decision.” Wayne Dehoney, Southern Baptist Convention president in the 1960’s, noted, in 1976, the difference between Protestant and Catholic theology when he said: “Protestant theology generally takes Genesis 2:7 as a statement that the soul is formed at breath, not conception.”

Continue reading “The Evangelical Right’s Roots” →

Academia, Bizarre, Politics, Religion, Science, Society

Missouri Legislator Introduces Bill To Teach Creationism As A Scientific Theory And To Teach Evolution As A Philosophy

RickBrattinMissouri GOP Rep. Rick Brattin still doesn’t buy that whole evolution thing. Indeed, Brattin is the latest politician to seek to make science conform to religious beliefs by introducing bills that would force creationism into science classes and make “intelligent design” theories equivalent to evolution as a scientific subject. Brattin has proclaimed in this district that he would work to stop the “slow erosion of our God ordained liberties and freedoms.” That apparently begins by ordering “God-ordained” science for Missouri children. By the way, Missouri is already ranked 41st out of 50 states in school quality. Brattin appears committed to beating South Dakota for the distinction of the worst school system in the nation. Students will now receive education in the three rs: reading, ‘riting, and religion.

Continue reading “Missouri Legislator Introduces Bill To Teach Creationism As A Scientific Theory And To Teach Evolution As A Philosophy” →