On November 13, 2008 J. Francis Cardinal Stafford spoke before the International Conference to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute on Marriage and the Family at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. His speech attracted singificant attention for its controversial viewpoint. You can read the full text of the speech by clicking here. Dr. Robert Moon, a member of the ReligiousLiberty.TV advisory panel responds.
Year: 2009
Burma launches new crackdown on religious groups
EXCERPT: Burma’s military junta has begun a new round of anti-Christian campaigning, pro-democracy activists have claimed. On Jan 13 the Democratic Voice of Burma reported the Ministry of Religious Affairs had ordered the closure of the city’s house churches.
Human Rights Nightmare: Indian mafia gangs are deliberately crippling children for profit (DailyMail.co.uk)
EXCERPT: Now in hiding after being rescued from the hospital by a charity, Aamir is one of hundreds of Indian children deliberately crippled by gangs so they can earn extra money begging. He still struggles to talk about his experience.
Illinois law requiring moment of silence in public schools ruled unconstitutional
The court upheld the principle that students have a constitutional right to pray on their own at any time and that the government or the schools should not arbitrate when and how students pray.
Judge Bork predicts ‘terrible conflict’ will endanger U.S. Catholics’ religious freedom (CNA)
Former Supreme Court nominee Judge Robert Bork has predicted that upcoming legal battles will have significant ramifications for religious freedom. He names as issues of major concern the continued freedom of Catholic hospitals to refuse to perform abortions and the likely “terrible conflict” resulting from the advancement of homosexual rights.
The role of religion under Obama (CS Monitor)
WASHINGTON – After decades of ceding God to the GOP, at least in the public square, Democrats – with President Obama in the lead – are speaking with a fuller religious voice. The watchword? Inclusiveness.
QUOTATION: A man who cannot be enticed by money . . .
“A man who cannot be enticed by money or intimidated by the threat of jail or death has two of the strongest weapons that anyone has to offer.” – Jesse Jackson
Workplace Religious Accommodation: Man Refuses to Drive ‘No God’ Bus (BBC)
A Christian bus driver has refused to drive a bus with an atheist slogan proclaiming “There’s probably no God”.
RITSEMA: Supreme Court deals death blow to the 4th Amendment (Civics News)
Now, any the time that law enforcement makes a “mistake” that prevents them from doing a proper search, they will get away with it, and the evidence can be admitted into the court proceedings. The incentive to do the search in a legal fashion has now been removed; instead, and an incentive to do illegal searches and then say “oops” has now been introduced.
Barack Obama on Religious Tolerance and Persecution
Obama: Over time, what we are doing is setting up new norms and creating a universal principle that people’s faith and people’s beliefs have to be protected.