Religious Liberty News Feed

Akron Beacon Journal: "The Lake Local Board of Education will continue to leave 'belief in God' out of the district's mission statement, much to the disappointment of a group of Lake Township residents who crowded into the board's meeting Monday night . . . after the Freedom from Religion Foundation of Wisconsin threatened to sue the board to have the statement removed."

Christian Web News: "Gilbert, Arizona city officials say they now hope to make changes to the policies that led to a small church being told that they are not allowed to hold Bible studies in a home, according to the Alliance Defense Fund . . . Dale Schowengerdt, who worked with Blomberg on the case, told WND the city also had confirmed it would not enforce the code while it was being changed, a process that could take several weeks. 'It is a very good sign,' he said."

OneNewsNow: "Two pro-life counselors' lawsuits against York, Pennsylvania, have been settled . . . Attorney Randall Wenger of the Independence Law Center and Alliance Defense Fund reports that the men ran into frequent problems because police made up the rules as they went along . . . Wenger believes the victory allows pro-life speech to go forward and protects Christians and others against arbitrary police action."

Arizona Republic: "'When the Town Council became aware of this, it was an immediate reaction that this was not right,' [Mayor John Lewis] said. 'It is not Gilbert to say that we do not allow groups to get together, faith groups that just want to have worship services' . . . This is not the first time Gilbert has been accused of religious discrimination, and a federal lawsuit is pending to bring about changes in the town's sign code. In July 2005, the town notified Good News Presbyterian Church that it was violating code by posting signs too early in a public right-of-way . . . 'This is just another case that proves the town is discriminating against people of faith,' [ADF Attorney David Cortman] said."

WorldNetDaily: "Officials in Gilbert, Ariz., today told WND in an e-mail that the changes apparently were in the works even as the city continued handing out warnings . . . The ban had prompted the Alliance Defense Fund to launch an appeal with the city over the decision . . . Dale Schowengerdt, who worked with Blomberg on the case, told WND the city also had confirmed it would not enforce the code while it was being changed, a process that could take several weeks."

Andrew Sullivan writing at The Daily Dish: "Wendy Kaminer, who supports marriage equality, chides the ACLU: 'Not surprisingly, the right wing, anti-gay Alliance Defense Fund is perhaps the primary defender of First Amendment rights in cases involving the anti-gay speech and belief of conservative Christians. ADF receives (and perhaps desires) little assistance from the ACLU, an increasingly unreliable defender of speech and belief that conflict with its gay rights agenda.'"

ABC 15: "Gilbert officials have promised to makes changes to a town code barring religious assemblies in private homes after a national group claimed it was unconstitutional . . . 'We hope the City of Gilbert will recognize that this is a bad law on the books, and will repeal it or rewrite it to protect people’s rights in their own home to practice their faith,' said [ADF Attorney Doug] Napier."

FOX News (AP): "The national Alliance Defense Fund says a town code that bars religious assemblies in private homes in the Arizona community of Gilbert is unconstitutional . . . The Alliance Defense Fund's Doug Napier says no neighbors complained."

CitizenLink: "The Oasis of Truth Church has seven members and meets at the pastor’s home. The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) has filed an appeal with the zoning board. Mayor John Lewis and the Planning and Development Services quickly backtracked when the situation was brought to their attention, and said they would not enforce the code until they can officially put an exemption in for the home church."

Arizona Republic, Joanna Allhands' blog: "On Monday afternoon, the Town Council sent out an urgently worded message saying it has asked town staff to change the code and not enforce the current one until said changes are made . . . According to the note, town employees had asked Oasis of Truth Church to stop meeting in a Gilbert home. The Alliance Defense Fund had filed an appeal for the group last week, and though the ordinance revisions were set to go on the March 23 council agenda, the media caught wind of the story on Friday."

OneNewsNow: "'It's a situation where a small house church that has been meeting in its members' homes on a rotating basis has been ordered to stop holding those meetings,' Blomberg explains. 'And they can't have any type of meeting, whether they be a church service or they be a Bible study or a church leadership meeting.'"

ADF attorney Kevin Theriot appeared on Nothing But Truth with Crane Durham to discuss the wave of church arson. The MP3 runs just over 12 minutes.

"The disturbing result of the activists' tactics, says one anonymous CAMFT intern, is that pro-family therapists in California are becoming increasingly afraid to speak up in favor of natural marriage and the family."

Richmond Times-Dispatch: "The General Assembly has considered and defined the protected classes for purposes of nondiscrimination statutes. It has specifically defined unlawful discrimination at educational institutions. The Virginia Human Rights Act states that it is the policy of the commonwealth to 'safeguard all individuals within the Commonwealth from unlawful discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, or disability, in places of public accommodation, including educational institutions.' In addition to this affirmative statement, the General Assembly has on numerous occasions, including this session, considered and rejected creating a protected class defined by sexual orientation. No state agency can reach beyond such clearly established boundaries."

TheLedger.com: "The Lakeland City Commission is being challenged on its policy of beginning its meetings with prayer, part of an effort by a state atheist organization that is targeting the practice at other city councils in the region . . . "

Mayor Lewis said, “Our vibrancy is enhanced with our strong faith-based groups. Our partnership with our local ministers and pastors is excellent. Gilbert is considered a religious friendly area. Religious activities occur all over Town and most especially in our homes. The Town Council and our citizens will keep it that way.”

ADF attorney Dale Schowengerdt appeared on Chris Fabry Live to discuss this: Ariz. town: No church meetings at home. Period. The MP3 runs just over 15 minutes

ADF attorney Daniel Blomberg appeared on AFR Focal Point with Bryan Fischer to discuss restrictions on house churches in Gilbert, Arizona. The MP3 runs just over 12 minutes. Related ADF Media Information

Persecution Blog: "Here's an interesting and troubling story coming from Arizona. According to the report the legal organization, The Alliance Defense Fund, has taken up the case and it is expected that this ordinance will be overturned. The question I have is why was this even made an ordinance in the first place. Feel free to comment below and read the other linked stories about this case."

Eugene Volokh writes at the Volokh Conspiracy: "According to the Complaint in EEOC v. Pollard Agency, filed last week, the Pollard Agency fired an employee for 'wearing a headscarf to cover her hair, which is a sincerely held religious belief as required by her faith.' The EEOC argues that this violates the duty of religious accommodation . . . "