As many of you know, I am lead counsel in the Sister Wives case challenging the constitutionality of Utah’s statute criminalizing plural or polygamous marriage. I also served as legal expert in the challenge to a similar law in Canada. The court has now ruled in that case and upheld the law in the decision below. While I strongly disagree with both the legal and factual conclusions of the Court, it is a decision that is worth reading. The decision can now be appealed to the higher courts in Canada.
Continue reading “Canadian Court Upholds Polygamy Law”
Category: Religion
There is an interesting religious challenge in Georgia where factory worker, Billy E. Hyatt refused to be marked with the sign of “the Beast” and was fired by Plaint Corporation. Plaint found Hyatt less than compliant when he was asked to put on a sticker proclaiming that the plastic factory was accident-free for 666 days. He refused and said that, to do so, would have cost him his eternal soul. Instead, it cost him his job and he is suing.
Continue reading “The Devil Came Down To Georgia: Christian Challenges Termination After Refusing To Wear Sticker With The Number 666”
Tennessee state Rep. Rick Womick has gone public with his view of a necessary reform of the U.S. military to make our country safer: bar all Muslims from military service. The openly bigoted proposal was accompanied by equally bigoted rhetoric and insulted not just all Muslims but dishonored the many Muslims serving honorably in our armed forces. His website proclaims that “[o]thers may regard politics as a basis for gaining power and influence, but Rick sees politics as a chance to provide conservative leadership that will uphold our state’s slogan and ensure, ‘Tennessee…America at its Best!'” You can judge if Rep. Womick represents America at its best.
Continue reading “Tennessee Legislator Calls For All Muslims To Be Removed From The Military”
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
The Establishment Clause is that portion of the FIrst Amendment that states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” The meaning of the phrase “an establishment of religion” is the subject of much debate. If the phrase is changed slightly to read: “the establishment of religion”, the meaning would refer to the act of establishing a religion. However, the use of the word “an” changes the meaning. With “an”, the meaning now refers to a religious establishment. Congress can make no law respecting a religious establishment.
Continue reading “The Establishment Clause And Utah Crosses”
Two Malaysian states are moving to further increase the punishment of homosexuality in their enforcement of Sharia law. New laws in Pahang and Malacca would increase penalties beyond the current provisions allowing for up to 20 years in prison and caning. What is interesting is that the laws are designed to guarantee consecutive sentencing so that the local punishment would be in addition to the federal punishment.
Continue reading “Malaysian States To Force Homosexuals To Appear Before Sharia Courts For Added Punishment”
We have yet another killing in the name of Sharia law. Two Afghan men broke into a home virtually next door to the Governor’s house in Ghazni City at 4:00 a.m. and pulled a mother and her daughter into their backyard. They were first stoned and then shot for alleged immoral activities.
Continue reading “Widow and Daughter Executed In Afghanistan For “Immoral Activities””
A new poll below shows just how wedded the American voters are to faith-based politics. Two-thirds of voters say that it is very important (39%) or somewhat important (28%) for a presidential candidate to have strong religious beliefs. However, it has to be the right religion. Forty-three percent admitted that they would be uncomfortable with a Mormon in the White House. The numbers are even greater in opposition to a Muslim (64%). However, it is an atheist that draws the most universal opposition. Sixty-seven percent say they would not want an atheist in the White House. It would indicate that the attacks on atheists (and here) in this country and abroad may be resonating with voters and that faith-based politics remains good politics for candidates.
Continue reading “Poll: Americans Want A Faithful President But The Right Faith”
The Texas Dept. of Public Safety will not revoke or suspend the license of Crockett Keller, a handgun instructor who ran a radio ad telling Muslims and non-Christian Arabs that he would not teach them how to handle a firearm. Keller has agreed that he will train Muslims while adding that he views them as “the enemy.”
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
We have previously discussed how leaders in both the United States and Europe have focused on atheists and secularists as one of the greatest threats facing the free world. Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) seemed to take this to a new level in arguing this week that if the nation did not reaffirm “In God We Trust” as our national motto, we are inviting anarchy and accepting that we are nothing but “worm food.”
Continue reading “Is “In God We Trust” The Only Thing Standing Between Us and Anarchy?”
The French satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo, in Paris was firebombed this week by what are believed to be Muslim extremists for printing a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad in a four-page supplement with other cartoons as part of its “freedom to poke fun” series.
Continue reading “Extremists Firebomb French Newspaper After Publication of Mohammad Cartoon”
A writer for the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) has published a startling blog entry that, if true, should be a major story on the government’s indoctrination of flawed historical and constitutional accounts in training foreign military personnel. The article below discussed material used in International Military Student Officer (IMSO) program run by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. It is run by the military but is under the supervision and direction of the Secretary of State. The author from MRFF, Chris Rodda, quotes from the material used in the training and it is pretty shocking.
Continue reading “Separation Anxiety: Is the Obama Administration Teaching Foreign Soldiers A Distorted View of Constitutional Law and History?”
Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
42-year-old Tonya Sutton isn’t one to wear religion on her sleeve — more like in her hands. Toting a Bible in one hand and an open Colt .45 malt liquor in the other, the Fort Pierce native was stopped by police for violating Florida’s open container law. When police cracked open the Good Book, and much to their surprise, they found a hollowed out section for Ms. Sutton’s crack pipe – allegedly, of course. Police arrested Ms. Sutton on alcohol and drug paraphernalia charges.
Not sure if Sutton got the idea from the 1968 Robert Mitchum film, Five Card Stud, where his character, Rev. Rudd, kept his firearm in a carved-out Bible, or from “Andy” in The Shawshank Redemption, who did the same for his rock pick, but either way it’s ironically delicious.
This may also help explain why one in three Americans enthusiastically takes the Bible as literally true. After all, Karl Marx did call religion the “opiate of the masses.” Who knew that old German had a funny streak in him? In any event, it seems Bible pushers have a new marketing gimmick for their product. As every kid knows, a prize in the box always boosts sales.
Source: UPI
~Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Shorter University President Donald Dowless has notified the faculty and staff that they will now be required to sign mandatory pledges that affirm their rejection of homosexuality and other unChristian acts. The pledge, Dowless, insists, is necessary as an “affirmation of our Christ-centered mission.” It has caused a considerable controversy, though the countervailing religious practice rights should be considered.
The article below contains a rather bizarre note on how our soldiers are trained to deal with the religious demands of our Afghan allies when deployed. Troops are taught that they should not spit, urinate, or sleep with their feet exposed toward Mecca.
Continue reading “U.S. Troops Trained Not To Spit Or Urinate Toward Mecca”