Foster son taken from Christian couple because they object to homosexuality

Foster son taken from Christian couple because they object to homosexuality
posted at 9:15 pm on October 23, 2007 by Allahpundit
The boy’s been placed now with a kindly atheist family that’s promising to teach him well “the ways of teh ghey.” No no, kidding. He’s languishing in a youth hostel — after having lived with the couple for two years.
It seems they didn’t love thy neighbor quite enough to suit British law.
The devastated couple, who have three grown up children of their own, became foster parents in 2001 and have since cared for 28 children at their home in Chard, Somerset.
Earlier this year, Somerset County Council’s social services department asked them to sign a contract to implement Labour’s new Sexual Orientation Regulations, part of the Equality Act 2006, which make discrimination on the grounds of sexuality illegal.
Officials told the couple that under the regulations they would be required to discuss same-sex relationships with children as young as 11 and tell them that gay partnerships were just as acceptable as heterosexual marriages.
They could also be required to take teenagers to gay association meetings…
Mr Matherick, a 65-year-old retired travel agent and a primary school governor, said: “I simply could not agree to do it because it is against my central beliefs.
“We have never discriminated against anybody but I cannot preach the benefits of homosexuality when I believe it is against the word of God.”…
Religious campaigners say the couple are the latest victims of an equality drive which puts gay rights above religious beliefs.
Muslim groups are complaining too, so maybe Christians can ride the coattails of “Islamophobia” to eventual victory here. Exit question: With Britain needing an extra 8,000 foster parents to meet demand, is it time for Britain to do something daring and consider religious families?
Update: You can’t truly appreciate the absurdity of this story until you’ve read this, too.

http://hotair.com/archives/2007/10/23/foster-son-taken-from-christian-couple-because-they-object-to-homosexuality/

City hall accuses Christians of politics

City hall accuses Christians of politics

Honors Buddha but fights back against faithful
Posted: October 23, 20071:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
One of the religious Buddhist cloth paintings displayed in Bloomington city hall
The city attorney in Bloomington, Ind., has accused a group of Christians of using their beliefs as a “political tool” for next month’s city elections.
City attorney Kevin Robling told WRTV in Indianapolis he thought it was a “shame” for the Christians, who objected to the city’s promotion of Buddhist religious articles without any balancing Christian items, to act this way.
“We’ve got an election in 18 days,” he told the station. “I think what you’ve got is a group of people who are using their religion as a political tool.”
However, he did not explain how such beliefs could be converted into a “political tool” or create a political impact, nor did he get agreement from the Christians, who have objected to the city’s promotion of the Buddhist display as part of its publicity for a coming visit from the Dali Lama.
The group of Christians last week, as WND reported, took a stone sculpture of the 10 Commandments to city hall and placed them there in order to include Christianity with Buddhism in the religious beliefs being promoted by the city.
City officials took them down immediately, describing that act as a violation of the First Amendment, because the Christians did not have permission to place the limestone sculpture there. They also described the Buddhism display as art and culture, not religion.
Indianapolis resident Shirley Douglas told the station the Buddhist display is “totally religious in nature.” And a lawyer who has offered the group preliminary guidance said an option would be for the group to ask the city to provide the same accommodations for Christian information as it provided for Buddhism, and see the results.
Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan
A WND request for comment from Mayor Mark Kruzan wasn’t returned.
But Amy Bernitt, one of the group objecting to the Buddhist display, told WND the group would review their advice and decide soon how to proceed, because they don’t have any inclination to let the issue drop.
“We clearly feel that we’re being discriminated against. We clearly feel that the city is breaking the First Amendment promoting one religion over another,” she said.
The lawyer, who is affiliated with the Alliance Defense Fund, told WND that while she is not formally representing the group at this time, her advice has been to make a request for the same public display of Christian items as that given to Buddhism.
“Something in keeping with what the city allowed the Tibetan Cultural Center to do,” she said, noting that with the display, it appears the city has opened a “limited public forum” and now is not allowed to discriminate against any religion.
A city official told the Christians that she had decided the items were art, not religious, as part of the city’s rejection last week of the request for equal time for Christian symbols and representations.
The dispute arose over a display of Buddhist items in Bloomington city hall. The 10 Commandments tablets were delivered and set up by a volunteer team of Christians after city officials refused to respond to the group’s multiple telephone and e-mail requests about the procedure used to erect the Buddhist display.
At the installation of the Christian symbol, according to the local Herald Times newspaper, Jim Billingsley read a statement explaining what was going on.
“These commandments are our symbol of peace, and we want to include them with the city’s display to promote religious enlightenment. We want to be clear that we do not agree with the ideology of the Dalai Lama or Buddhist beliefs – we are Christians and believe in one God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” he said.
Deputy Mayor James McNamara was in attendance, but declined to participate, telling Bernitt he had been assigned to observe the situation.
He denied the city promotes one religion over another, saying instead the display of the statues of Buddha and the other religious artifacts are, in fact, “cultural.”
Bernitt said the Ten Commandments also are cultural, and artistic, since they were carved from limestone, for which the Bloomington area is famous.
Kruzan earlier told the newspaper the Ten Commandments weren’t being allowed because the installation “followed no process and does not constitute a work of art.”
In his announcement promoting the Buddhist display, Kruzan said there would be a ceremony “with His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama” at the Tibetan Cultural Center.
“We look forward to His Holiness’ visit and this special ribbon cutting event, which will be open to the public,” he said.
The display, according to the city, features photographs and craftwork of Tibet. “Also on exhibit are religious cloth paintings or thangkas and photographic scrolls featuring images of Tibet,” the city said.
There also is a “Peace Tree” in city hall, where the public “is invited to write their ‘peace wishes’ on the paper strips and tie them to the tree branches,” the city announcement said.
The Christians simply said that those actions opened the door to all religious materials, and their beliefs have just as much right to space in city hall as the Dalai Lama’s.
Michael Douglas, a pastor at Pentecostal Faith Assembly, told the newspaper he wants an equal voice for his beliefs. “He (Dalai Lama) lost his voice in his country, (we) don’t want to lose our voice in our country,” he said.
In an e-mail, Billingsley told WND that in addition to the promotional display about Buddhism, the city is placing Dalai Lama banners on city street poles and publishing articles about the philosophy of Buddhism in a city funded magazine.
He said the installation ceremony for the Ten Commandments was brief.
“I read a brief statement on the importance of the Ten Commandments being the bedrock on which our city and nation’s cultural and legal foundations stand,” he wrote. “We then proceeded to take two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments (each about 2 ft. tall and 1 ft. wide) and a table inside city hall and placed them right in front of the city’s religious display of Buddhism.”
“Shortly after we left, the city had the Ten Commandments removed. There is an obvious endorsement of one religion, and the deliberate exclusion of another going on here by Bloomington’s city government,” he said.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58285

Nativity to be allowed in Washington State Capitol rotunda after lawsuit

Nativity to be allowed in Capitol rotunda

Lawsuit settlement calls for fair treatment for Christian beliefs
Posted: October 23, 20071:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
A Nativity scene will be allowed in the Capitol rotunda in Olympia, Wash., this year, as the result of a lawsuit brought against the state a year ago when officials put up a “holiday” tree and allowed a menorah to be displayed, but refused permission for the Nativity.
The word comes just days after the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport announced it not only would not have any Nativity, menorah or other religious symbol, it wouldn’t even have “holiday” trees.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport installing “winter trees” this Christmas season (Courtesy Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
It’s now a simple notation that it’s “winter.”
The airport unceremoniously removed all of its Christmas trees in the middle of the night last year rather than allow a rabbi to put up a menorah near the largest tree display. Commissioners said they feared that one display would open the door for other religious displays, so this year they will have a grove of birches in Dacron snow.
The rotunda decision, however, went the opposite direction.
“It’s incredible to think that Americans have to think twice about whether it is okay to celebrate Christmas in public,” said Byron Babione, a senior legal counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund, which took up the legal battle.

“Just as it is constitutional for officials to display a menorah and a holiday tree, it is also constitutional to include a Nativity scene. We are pleased that the settlement will allow for a Nativity scene in the rotunda this year,” he said.
The issue was raised by Ron Wesselius, who sought permission in 2006 to erect the display. State officials denied permission, but Gov. Chris Gregoire did light a menorah and a allowed a “holiday tree,” formerly called a Christmas tree, which was sponsored by the Association of Washington Business.
“Ninety-five percent of Americans celebrate Christmas,” Babione said. “In light of that fact, the inclusion of a Nativity scene by a private citizen is entirely appropriate. More importantly, it does not violate any facet of the law.”
Babione continued, “In fact, the state capitol rotunda is open for displays and exhibits during the holiday season. The state cannot bar a Christmas Nativity because of its religious viewpoint and allow other displays like a menorah and ‘holiday tree,’” he said.
Proposed Nativity scene
Steve Valandra, a spokesman for the Washington Department of General Administration, said now all requests for displays will be considered. “If they meet the guidelines and people go through the process, it shouldn’t be a problem,” he said.
The agreement affirms that all applicants will be treated similarly “in all respects, including access to the areas in the Capitol Rotunda … to display a Nativity Scene during the 2007 traditional holiday season.
It also will include a sign saying:
This Nativity holiday display was provided and erected by private citizens of the State of Washington to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, which is celebrated by Christians around the world
The avoidance of the word “Christmas” in referring to the Christmas season, and specifically the Christmas tree, sometimes can be extreme.
When Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., avoided using the word “Christmas” while addressing those who watched the 2006 lighting of the 65-foot Pacific Silver Fir as the “Capitol Christmas Tree,” WND questioned her spokesman about the action.
“She was speaking to a crowd, and she said what she said. This is the holiday season, we’re just thrilled that the tree is from Washington state. It’s just a time to bring everybody together to celebrate the season,” Alex Glass, Murray’s communications director, told WND.
When asked if there was any objection to calling the tree a “Christmas tree,” Glass said the senator doesn’t have a policy.
“I think, you know, whatever people want to call it, we are accepting of all of it,” Glass said. “It’s a time to remember what the season is about.”
And that is? Celebrating, of course.
And what are we celebrating?
“The season,” Glass said.
And what is the season?
“I’m not going to get into semantics with you guys,” Glass said.
WND also has reported on the launch of “The Nativity Project,” a campaign to encourage the display of Nativity scenes throughout the United States at Christmas.
Faith and Action made the announcement along with Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, of the Christian Defense Coalition, who said there is an “erosion” of religious freedoms in America.
“This is especially true during the Christmas season where there is an open hostility toward public expressions of faith. We must constantly remind our public officials that the Constitution promises freedom ‘of’ religion not freedom ‘from’ religion,” he said.
For others, including lawyers at the Thomas More Law Center, their Christmas season work already has begun.
They are working in Berkley, Mich., where last winter the city council was “cowed” by a threat of a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union, and removed a decades-old Nativity display from city property.
But the action rejected the will of the people, who assembled behind resident Georgia Halloran as the “Berkley Citizens Vote YES to Christmas Holiday Display” and mounted a successful petition drive to overrule the city decision.
The law firm said enough signatures were gathered to put a proposed charter amendment on the Nov. 6, 2007, general election that would require the city to display a Nativity scene from the Monday following Thanksgiving to Jan. 6.
Another organization, The Rutherford Institute, also is in the middle of its Christmas campaign already. It has been busy addressing attacks on Christmas celebrations at public schools.
The Institute reports that its legal hotline already has been getting calls from parents and teachers with complaints their schools’ traditional Christmas concerts now are “winter holiday programs” and Christmas itself now is a “winter festival.”
The Rutherford Institute said it has published “The Twelve Rules of Christmas” about what can and cannot be done to celebrate the holiday.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58274

Democrat Nancy Pelosi refuses to allow "God" on flag certificates

Pelosi defends refusal to put “God” on flag certificates
Posted by Sabrina Eaton October 09, 2007 16:28PM
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today defended the Architect of the Capitol’s refusal to permit use of the word “God” on official certificates enclosed with flags flown over the U.S. Capitol.
Dayton-area GOP Rep. Michael Turner and more than 100 of his Republican colleagues sent a letter to Pelosi last week after an Eagle Scout in his district asked that a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol be sent to his grandfather with a certificate inscribed with the message: “In honor of my grandfather Marcel Larochelle, and his dedication and love of God, country, and family.”
The boy and his father contacted Turner’s office after noticing the word “God” was left off the certificate included with the flag. Outraged upon learning that the acting Architect of the Capitol, Stephen T. Ayers, won’t allow religious expressions on flag certificates, Turner sent a protest letter to Pelosi.
“The Architect’s policy prohibiting “God” from appearing on certificates for flags flown over the U.S. Capitol puts at risk our religious freedoms and heritage,” said the letter, which also was signed by Ohio Republican Reps. Steve LaTourette of Bainbridge Township, Patrick Tiberi of Genoa, Jim Jordan of Urbana, Steve Chabot of Cincinnati and Jean Schmidt of Miami Township. “The Architect’s policy is in direct conflict with his charge, as well as the scope of his office and brings into question his ability to preserve a building containing many national religious symbols.”
Asked about the issue today at a press luncheon, Pelosi said the architect’s policy was adopted because “people were asking for statements that not only were religious, beyond using the word God, but political as well.” She said the official policy is to send a certificate that lists nothing beyond the date the flag flew over the Capitol and the name of its recipient. She said that members of Congress who request flags on behalf of constituents can “add whatever they wish” to the certificates, “whether it is a political statement or a religious statement.”
“It’s not about being anti-religion,” Pelosi said, noting that each day in the Capitol starts with a prayer. “It is just about what the architect thought was appropriate for him to proclaim in a certificate.”
Turner said Tuesday that he will continue seeking more signatures for his letter asking Pelosi to overturn the policy, and “if the speaker and the architect continue to implement their censorship program, we will drop legislation to compel the architect to return to granting inscriptions permitting the acknowledgement of God.”
He said members of Congress vet the appropriateness of messages constituents request with the flags, and their discretion should be sufficient.”We have the responsibility for these common sense issues that might arise with flag inscriptions and this one is basic,” Turner said. “The architect has decided the word ‘God’ is offensive. This rule should not be allowed to stand.”

http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2007/10/pelosi_defends_refusal_to_put.html

Republican lawmaker protests government censorship of ‘God’

Lawmaker protests censorship of ‘God’
By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer 40 minutes ago
An Ohio lawmaker on Thursday demanded that Capitol officials change a policy that resulted in the word “God” being removed from a certificate accompanying a flag being sent to one of his constituents.
Republican Rep. Michael Turner urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to review and reverse a rule followed by the Architect of the Capitol that bans the use of religious expressions on flag certificates.
That policy, Turner said in a letter to Pelosi signed by other Republicans, “puts at risk our religious freedoms and heritage.”
Turner said the constituent, Paul Larochelle, and his son Andrew had requested a flag flown over the Capitol on Sept. 11 which Andrew, 17, was to give to his grandfather after being inducted into the Eagle Scouts.
They asked that the certificate of authenticity accompanying the flag read: “this flag was flown in honor of Marcel Larochelle, my grandfather, for his dedication and love of God, country and family.” The Architect’s office, citing its own rules, returned the certificate with the word “God” excised.
“The word ‘God’ is carved into the walls of both chambers of Congress,” Turner said in a statement. “The Architect is the custodian of the Capitol and currently maintains several religious symbols in the building. If permitted, removing ‘God’ from the Capitol flag ceremonies will be the precedent for removing ‘God’ from the Capitol, and this cannot be permitted.”
Under the flag program, begun in 1937, people may request through senators and House members one of the many flags raised and lowered over the Capitol every day. Currently, the Architect of the Capitol fulfills more than 100,000 flag requests from members every year.
Kyle Anderson, spokesman for House Administration Committee chairman Robert Brady, D-Pa., said there was concern that members had received inconsistent responses over the years on the rules governing the contents of certificates.
He said the committee was being asked to come up with a solution allowing members to send constituents the messages they wished while still providing a certificate of authenticity from the Architect.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071004/ap_on_go_co/flag_dispute_2

Illinois school district considers banning traditions seen as offensive to Muslims

First Jell-O, now Santa
OAK LAWN School district considers banning traditions seen as offensive to Muslims
September 28, 2007
BY ANGELA CAPUTO Daily Southtown So long, Halloween parade. Farewell, Santa’s gift shop.
The holiday traditions are facing elimination in some Oak Lawn schools this year after complaints that the activities are offensive, particularly to Muslim students.
Final decisions on which of the festivities will be axed will fall to the principals at each of Ridgeland School District 122’s five schools, Supt. Tom Smyth said.
Parents expect that the announcement is going to add to the tension that has been building since officials agreed earlier this month to change the lunch menu to exclude items containing pork to accommodate Muslim students. News that Jell-O was struck from the menu caused such a stir that officials have agreed to bring it back. Gelatin is often made with tissue or bones of pigs or other animals.
That controversy now appears to have been been dwarfed by the holiday debate, which became so acrimonious Wednesday that police were called to Columbus Manor School to intervene in a shouting match among parents.
“It’s difficult when you change the school’s culture,” said Columbus Manor Principal Sandy Robertson.
Elizabeth Zahdan, a mother of three District 122 students, says she took her concerns to the school board this month, not because she wanted to do away with the traditions, but rather to make them more inclusive. “I only wanted them modified to represent everyone,” she said.
Nixing them isn’t the response she was looking for. “Now the kids are not being educated about other people,” she said.
There’s just not time in the six-hour school day to celebrate every holiday, said Smyth, who sent the message to principals that they need to “tone down” the activities that he sees as eating too much into instructional time. “We have to think about our purpose,” Smyth said. “Are we about teaching reading, writing and math or for parties or fund-raising during the day?”
Robertson is hoping to strike compromises that will keep traditions alive and be culturally acceptable to all students — nearly half of whom are of Arab descent at Columbus Manor, she says. Fewer than a third of students districtwide are of Arab descent, according to Smyth.
Following the example of Lieb Elementary School, Columbus Manor School will exchange the annual Halloween parade for a fall festival next month. The holiday gift bazaars at both schools also will remain, but they’ll likely be moved to the PTA-sponsored after-school winter festival. And Santa’s annual visit probably will be on a Saturday.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/578734%2CCST-NWS-oaklawn28.article

Illinois school district to celebrate ‘winter festival’ instead of Christmas in order not to offend Muslims

Oak Lawn Schools Cancel Holiday Traditions
School District To Discuss Possible Cancellation Or Renaming Of Holiday Celebrations
Suzanne Le MignotReporting
(CBS) OAK LAWN, Ill. A southwest suburban school district has taken action, responding to the concerns of a parent who is Arab-American.But now, as CBS 2’s Suzanne Le Mignot reports, other parents are angry that traditional school holidays will be renamed or even eliminated.”That does not represent all the Muslims, all of the Arabs at that school,” said Qais Nofel, the father of a student in Ridgeland School District 122.There was some heated discussion between parents outside Columbus Manor Elementary School in Oak Lawn on Friday. The thought of no more traditional holiday celebrations has many parents really upset. For now, children in Ridgeland School District 122 will celebrate fall festival instead of Halloween and winter festival instead of Christmas.Brenda Elvidge said, “It’s not fair to our kids. This is America and that’s an American tradition.”The decision affects the children at four elementary schools in Oak Lawn and one junior high school in Bridgeview. The district has a 30 percent Arabic population. The superintendent says the reason for the change in tradition comes after one parent wanted Ramadan decorations put up inside Columbus Manor Elementary. They were taken down.Superintendent Tom Smyth said, “I go back to our policy which says that public schools are to remain neutral in this respect.”Meantime, Arab children are being allowed to pray during what’s being called their own time, that’s lunch time, during Ramadan.Parent June Quigley said, “They get to pray in our schools. That is religion in a public school.”Arab-American parents have different views on the issue.Sala Abour said, “To take away Halloween and Christmas from little kids, that is very wrong.”Nofel said, “We go and we celebrate the holidays and traditions here, but we do have the right to be Muslims as well.”Other parents say the controversy is overshadowing what really needs to be addressed at all five schools in the district.Ronnie Carroll said, “The fact that they are cash strapped. Our classroom size is way above the average mean, 38 children in our first grade classroom. The concern should be our school, not the whole holiday issues.”Those issues along with the holiday controversy are going to be addressed at a school board meeting on Tuesday. Members will decide if holidays will be celebrated or not. Meantime, the Illinois PTA district director says the state is now investigating this issue and there’s a meeting with the superintendent next week.

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_271104049.html

Prayer removed from victims memorial service after liberal group complained

Prayer nixed at rite for victims
Associated Press — 9/22/2007 9:17 am
The Wisconsin Department of Justice has removed religious content from a memorial service for murder victims planned for next week after a watchdog group complained.
A religious hymn called “This Too Shall Pass” and a closing prayer by a Lutheran pastor will not be included in the ceremony as initially planned, department spokesman Kevin St. John said Friday.
The Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation complained Tuesday that the hymn and the prayer at the state-sponsored event would violate the separation of church and state guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.
After a review, St. John said the department agreed the content was on shaky constitutional footing.
“Rather than create the unintentional appearance that the state was endorsing religion or a particular creed, the department amended the program to exclude those parts,” he said. “We certainly wouldn’t want to have an appearance of a potential church-state violation overshadow the event.”
He said the event, scheduled at the Capitol on Tuesday, would be the first of its kind in Wisconsin. Other events will take place around the country, including one in Washington, as part of the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims.
Pastor Charles Peterson, who had been scheduled to deliver the closing prayer, said he believed other ceremonies would include prayer. He said prayer can help mourners discover their spirituality.
“That’s what people are looking for when they take part in a remembrance like this,” he said. “I don’t think they are looking for liberal politics.”
As for the state’s decision to cancel his prayer, he said: “That’s fine with me. That’s their loss, not mine.”
The foundation, the nation’s largest group of atheists and agnostics, praised Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen’s office for quickly addressing its protest. The group said it complained on behalf of family members of murder victims and state employees who will take part in the event.
In the complaint, group co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor said the lyrics to the religious hymn would offend some in the audience “by advancing the idea that the murder of their beloved child was part of a deity’s plan!”
She cited the following passage: “He’ll never give you more than you can bear/This too shall pass / So in this thought be comforted/It’s in His hands.”
“Grieving and vulnerable families should not be proselytized by state government or be told how or what they are expected to believe,” Gaylor wrote. “The state should not be selecting which minister, which denomination or which religion should confer blessings, thereby excluding all the rest of us.”
Gaylor also asked Van Hollen to scrap the religious overtones of an annual ceremony at the Capitol that commemorates law enforcement officials who died in the line of duty.
She said that event inappropriately included a chaplain, prayer and a rendition of “Amazing Grace.”
St. John said state officials participate in the event but it is hosted by a nonprofit group. As a result, he said, “there’s nothing about that ceremony which would run afoul of the First Amendment.”

http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/247320

Federal Judge says Ten Commandments Display Can Stay at Courthouse Despite ACLU’s Challenge

Judge: Ten Commandments Display Can Stay
Wednesday, September 19, 2007 7:56 PM
PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A courthouse display featuring the Ten Commandments can stay, a federal judge ruled, rejecting arguments that it endorses religion in violation of the constitution.
The “Foundations of American Law and Government” exhibit at the little-used Rowan County Fiscal Court in the rural, eastern Kentucky town of Morehead came under fire in 2001, when the American Civil Liberties Union’s state chapter sued.
The display also includes the Mayflower compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights. The ACLU argued the display amounted to state-sponsored religion.
In his ruling released Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Karl Forester said the display “does not have the effect of endorsing religion.” He cited a virtually identical display in Mercer County that was upheld by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
In the Morehead case, the ACLU sued Rowan County in 2001, more than two years after the Ten Commandments were posted with the other documents in the Fiscal Court.
Mathew Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel, a conservative legal defense organization based in Orlando, Fla., called Forester’s ruling part of a trend.
“The tide is turning against the ACLU’s war on the Ten Commandments,” Staver said in a statement Wednesday. “Courts are returning to common sense recognition of the historical role of the Ten Commandments and its influence on American law.”
David Friedman, general counsel for ACLU of Kentucky, said the courts are charged with the tricky task of determining whether government displays of the Ten Commandments are for secular, educational purposes or for promoting religion.
“On the ground, everyone knows what’s going on: (County officials) want to put the Ten Commandments up,” Friedman said. But “proving that is hard.”

http://newsmax.com/us/ten_commandments/2007/09/19/34085.html

Christian converts risk Muslim attack in UK

Christian converts risk Muslim attack
Abul Taher
ONE of Britain’s most senior bishops has warned that a sustained campaign by Muslim extremists to intimidate and attack converts to Christianity risks ending in a murder.
Michael Nazir-Ali, the Bishop of Rochester, says that the persecution of Christian converts from Islam is so widespread that it may be only a matter of time before there is an “honour killing” of a convert by family or relatives.
He spoke out as the Barnabas Fund, a charity that looks after persecuted Christians around the world, estimated that there are more than a thousand attacks each year against former Muslims across Britain.
Nazir-Ali, speaking on the Channel 4 Dispatches programme to be broadcast tomorrow, said: “We have seen honour killings have happened and there is no reason why this kind of thing cannot happen.” Asked if somebody would be killed soon, he said: “I think it is entirely possible.”
He blamed Muslim leaders for not teaching their followers about the importance of freedom of religion in Britain: “It’s not for me to put words into their mouths [Muslim leaders], but I would look to them to uphold basic civil liberties, including the right for people to believe what they wish to believe and even to change their beliefs if they wish to do so.”
The Barnabas Fund has uncovered widespread abuse against new converts, from being verbally abused and spat at to being assaulted by gangs of men on the street and left for dead. In some cases it believes that women converts were abducted to Pakistan.
Nissar Hussein, 41, a hospital nurse from Bradford, converted to Christianity 10 years ago after the death of his younger brother. Shortly after his conversion he also persuaded his wife Kubra, 37, to convert from Islam.
Since then the Husseins and their five children have been subjected to daily abuse and violence by local Muslims in Bradford. Their windows have been smashed, vandals have daubed “Christian dog” on their front gate and their children have been sworn at and spat at on their way home from school. The family have received death threats.
Hussein says in the programme: “They told me categorically had I been in an Islamic country, ie Pakistan, the Middle East, that they would actually be the first to chop off my head.” The Husseins moved out of their home after six years, fearing they would be killed.
Research by the Barnabas Fund indicates that there are an estimated 3,000 Muslim converts to Christianity in Britain. About 2,000 of them are Iranians, while the rest are from the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan.
Patrick Sookhdeo, director of the Barnabas Fund, said: “I think the situation is worsening in the UK because we are moving towards parallel communities – I don’t like to use the workd ghettoisation. Muslims feel abandoning their religion is like a betrayal.” He added that attacks on converts was a type of Islamic extremism against a minority group.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/the_tls/tls_selections/religion/article2461314.ece