Church & State articles from October 2005

Church & State archives from October 2005

House approves 'faith-based' bias in head start program.(IN THE CAPITAL)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The U.S. House of Representatives has voted narrowly to allow religious discrimination in hiring for Head Start centers run by religious groups. By a 220-196 tally that fell largely along partisan lines, the House on Sept. 22 adopted an...

Federal court strikes down public school pledge recitation.(Pledge of Allegiance)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... A federal court Sept. 14 resurrected the controversy over the Pledge of Allegiance, striking down public school recitation because of the phrase "one nation under God." U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton ruled that school sponsorship of...

Utah School officials reject 'intelligent design'.(State Board of Education)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Utah's State Board of Education has turned away a proposal to introduce "intelligent design" (ID) into public school science courses. The board voted unanimously in late August to keep evolution in the biology curriculum. The decision came...

Atheist inmates have religious liberty rights, says court.(Waupun Correctional Institute )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Prison officials in Wisconsin violated the separation of church and state when they refused to allow an atheist to form a study group, a federal appeals court has ruled. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Kaufman v. McCaughtry...

Confirmed conservative: despite concern over Bush nominee's record on civil liberties, Senate approves John G. Roberts as Chief Justice.(George W. Bush)
October 1, 2005... On the second day of Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the nomination of John G. Roberts Jr. as the nation's 17th chief justice, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sought to figure out Roberts' understanding of church-state relations. ...

God's hit man? Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson Calls For United States To 'Take Out' Venezuelan President.
October 1, 2005... It's safe to say that TV preacher Pat Robertson is no fan of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Robertson was enraged by reports Chavez, the democratically elected leftist leader of South America's fifth most populous nation, had met with...

Robertson redux: Pat's provocative patter.(Pat Robertson)
October 1, 2005... Television preacher Pat Robertson holds unique views on many issues. Over the years, he has shared these opinions through his "700 Club" program, in letters to supporters and in his books. Here is a sampling of some of his more provocative...

Fake ID: Pa. lawsuit should expose creationist foray into public schools.(Pennsylvania, intelligent design)(Editorial)
October 1, 2005... A federal court last month began hearing arguments in a challenge to "intelligent design" in the Dover, Pa., public schools. Far from being a local skirmish, this case--brought by Americans United and its allies--has the potential to affect...

Another FEMA failure: passing the plate for Pat Robertson.(Federal Emergency Management Agency)(Editorial)
October 1, 2005... The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was widely criticized for its slow response to the victims of Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast. But FEMA's failures don't end there. In the wake of the hurricane, FEMA persisted in...

Federal court clears way for Pa. lawsuit against 'intelligent design'.(Dover Area School District, Pennsylvania)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... A federal court Sept. 13 refused to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the teaching of "intelligent design" in a Pennsylvania public school. U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III ruled that the case presents compelling issues that are ripe for...

Air Force brass issues new guidelines on religious activity.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)
October 1, 2005... Seeking to quell a growing controversy over inappropriate forms of religious proselytizing at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Air Force officials Aug. 30 issued a set of interim guidelines governing religious activity. The guidelines resulted...

Keep politics out of the pulpit, Americans say in newly released poll.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)
October 1, 2005... Nearly two-thirds of all Americans believe members of the clergy should refrain from promoting political candidates or discussing political issues in the pulpit, a new poll shows. The Pew Research Center For The People & The Press survey,...

'Restoration Project' recruits clergy for Texas governor's race.(Texas Restoration Project, Rick Perry )
October 1, 2005... A little-known Religious Right group called the Texas Restoration Project is on the march in the Lone Star State, working closely with Gov. Rick Perry and his reelection effort. In early September, several hundred ministers and their wives...

Feds De-Fund teen abstinence program for promoting religion.(Silver Ring Thing)
October 1, 2005... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in August suspended funding to a sexual-abstinence program aimed at teenagers after allegations that it included religious content. Officials with the program, called the Silver Ring...

Ga. pastor who backed Bush 'faith-based' plan under fire over salary.(Georgia, Eddie Long, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, George W. Bush)
October 1, 2005... The pastor of Georgia's largest church, a prominent backer of President George W. Bush's "faith-based" initiative, is under scrutiny for receiving excessive compensation from a nonprofit organization. Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth...

Bush, congressional allies offer 'faith-based' aid after Hurricane Katrina.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)
October 1, 2005... President George W. Bush and Republicans in Congress are using the catastrophic hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast in late August to press for a new round of funding to religious groups under the "faith-based" initiative and a massive voucher...

Candorville.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)(Cartoon)
October 1, 2005... REVEREND WILFRED, THE REPUBLIC PARTY HAS A LOT TO OFFER YOUR CONGREGATION. YOU'RE GOING TO STOP POLICE BRUTALITY? YOU'RE GOING TO EXTEND THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT TO ENSURE BLACKS AREN'T KEPT FROM VOTING AGAIN? YOU'RE GOING TO PROTECT...

Major Bush donor rewarded with post of Vatican ambassador.(George W. Bush, Laurence Francis Rooney III)
October 1, 2005... A major donor to President George W. Bush has just been rewarded with a plum assignment: U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. Laurence Francis Rooney III, a wealthy Florida businessman, was nominated in late July to assume the position of...

Web-based critic wins right to maintain anti-Falwell internet site.(Christopher Lamparello, Rev. Jerry Falwell )
October 1, 2005... The Rev. Jerry Falwell has lost a bid to shut down an internet-based critic. In late August a federal appeals court unanimously ruled that Web site creator Christopher Lamparello could continue to operate an anti-Falwell site called...

FDA refuses to act on 'morning after' contraception pill.(Food and Drug Administration )
October 1, 2005... The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has refused to grant approval for over-the-counter sales of an emergency oral-contraceptive pill, and critics say the reason is pressure from the Religious Right. The drug, synthetic progestin...

Commandments display upheld after high court ruling.(Ten Commandments, Plattsmouth Memorial Park, Nebraska)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... A federal appeals court has ruled that a Ten Commandments display on public property in Nebraska does not violate the separation of church and state. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 10-2 ruling, held that the five-foot-tall...

Fla. Court rejects Muslim's veiled driver's license photo.(Florida)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... A Florida state appeals court has upheld the suspension of a Muslim woman's driver's license because she refused to have her picture taken without her veil. Although Florida law requires drivers' licenses to bear a full face photograph,...

Catholic schools in Michigan may reject unions.(Brother Rice High School)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... A state appeals court has overturned an attempt by faculty at a Roman Catholic school in Michigan to join the state's largest teachers' union. Instructors at Brother Rice High School in suburban Detroit sought to join the Michigan...

Pope promotes Crucifixes in Italy's public buildings.(Pope Benedict XVI)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Crucifixes should be displayed in private and public places throughout Italy, Pope Benedict XVI has maintained. In mid August before a congregation at the papal retreat outside Rome, Benedict said, "It is important that God is great among...

Let's test 'intelligent design'.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... The Religious Right wants to introduce "intelligent design" into the scientific curriculum? ("Weird Science," September Church & State) Are they proposing that it would withstand scrutiny as a scientific theory? Well, then, bring it on! ...

Reasons to oppose flag amendment are legion.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... These comments are sparked by your recent report concerning the proposed Flag Desecration Amendment ("Flag Desecration Amendment Is Just The Beginning, Backer Tells Newspaper," People & Events, September Church & State). I certainly agree...

On swearing in court.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... Common sense tells us that followers of Islam should be allowed to swear in court on the Koran instead of the Bible ("N.C. Lawsuit Seeks To Win Approval For Court Oaths On Koran," People & Events, September Church & State). If followers of...

When the Brethren stray: New Zealand's brush with the religious right.(PERSPECTIVE)
October 1, 2005... We don't get too many opportunities to appear on radio or television in New Zealand, but Pat Robertson's now notorious comments suggesting that the United States "take out" the president of Venezuela led to a flurry of international interest,...