Crosswalk Legal Update, October 14, 2004

[Crosswalk Legal Update]

Legal Update  Thursday, October 14, 2004 Welcome to the Legal Update, a free newsletter from Crosswalk.com, the world's largest Christian website. We honor your privacy and time. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs, please use the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this newsletter and you will be removed immediately. Sponsored by: New Reagan Film Trailer-Watch it Now! Earn a degree at home. Children�s Ministry Giveaway-1 Year Free Affordable Biblical Healthcare Shop for Gifts Online Member Sites ChristianJobs.com Crosswalk.com Oneplace.com Crossguide.com Crosscards.com SermonSearch.com  Featured Update Attorneys Say Christians Unjustly Arrested at Philly Homosexual Event Jenni Parker Police arrested 11 Christians last Sunday in Pennsylvania for exercising their First Amendment rights at a homosexual pride celebration. The six men and five women from Repent America were jailed and charged under hate crimes legislation after attempting to do evangelistic outreach at "Outfest," a homosexual event that was being held on the public streets and sidewalks of Philadelphia. Repent America representatives approached the Outfest site on the first day of the group's "Life and Liberty Tour," carrying banners with biblical messages and gospel literature, and they were immediately confronted with unlawful opposition from homosexual activists. The Repent America group was careful to obey all laws, but without warning the city�s head of the Civil Affairs Unit ordered the Christians arrested and hauled off to jail. After 21 hours behind bars, ten of the Christians were charged with eight crimes -- including three felonies and five misdemeanors -- and released. The Repent America representatives have been charged with criminal conspiracy, possession of instruments of crime, reckless endangerment, ethnic intimidation, riot, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct, and obstructing highways. The Christian group members are scheduled to be arraigned on October 18. Read the latest news here  Featured Update Supreme Court Will Rule on Ten Commandments Displays Randy Hall The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Tuesday that it will hear arguments early next year regarding the constitutionality of Ten Commandments displays on government land and buildings in Kentucky and Texas. Tuesday's announcement came as a surprise since just this past week, the justices rejected an appeal from former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who lost his job after defying a federal order to dismantle a Ten Commandments monument. Until now, the justices have repeatedly chosen not to revisit issues raised by their decision in 1980 to ban the posting of copies of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. Since then, lower courts have rendered a number of conflicting decisions that allow such displays in some instances but not in others. In one case, the Supreme Court will decide whether a lower court wrongly barred the posting of the Ten Commandments in Kentucky courthouses, where McCreary and Pulaski county officials hung framed copies of the Commandments and add ed other documents, including the Magna Carta and Declaration of Independence, after the display was challenged. The other case deals with whether a Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of the state Capitol is an unconstitutional attempt to establish state-sponsored religion. Read the latest news here  Featured Update Calif. School District Grants Ministry Equal Access Allie Martin and Jenni Parker A California children's ministry has claimed victory in a battle over rental fees for public facilities. For several years Sonshine Haven, an organization that provides after-school programs and spiritual guidance to disadvantaged children, has rented a facility from the Santee (California) School District. As far as the ministry knew, they were paying for the use of the public space on an equal basis with other community groups. This year, however, the school district increased Sonshine Haven's rental fees more than tenfold while rental fees for similar groups did not change. In fact, representatives from some groups, such as the local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, say they were not charged any fee at all to use school facilities as long as they agreed to avoid any religious teaching. The children's ministry went for help to Pacific Justice Institute, a non-profit legal defense organization specializing in the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil libe rties. PJI president Brad Dacus says the Institute sent a letter to Santee School District officials, notifying them of the rights and protections the law accords to ministries like Sonshine Haven. In response to the letter, Dacus says the district agreed not to charge Sonshine Haven a user fee after all. "The school district has reversed their policy," he says. Read the latest news here  Featured Update Republican Congressman Introduces Bill to Restore Freedom of Speech to Churches Melanie Hunter A Republican congressman has joined with African-American clergy and other members of Congress to demand that the House and Senate restore free speech to houses of worship. North Carolina Rep. Walter B. Jones joined with Reps. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) Thursday to drum up support for Jones' bill, the Houses of Worship Freedom of Speech Restoration Act (HR 235). "There is a muzzle upon the clergy. As ministers, we are obligated to speak about the moral and political issues of the day, and taking away that right is harassment. It is wrong, and it is extortion," said Clergy United leader Bishop Anthony Muse, who called on the Congressional Black Caucus to back Jones' bill and to push for its passage. "I truly believe there is no future for America unless our preachers are allowed to speak freely about what God puts into their hearts and minds," said Jones. "There would have been no civil rights movement without ministers speaking out for freedom." Read the latest news here  More News  Send an Ecard Send this Card Send this Card Send this Card If you enjoyed this newsletter, forward it on to a friend. If this message was forwarded to you from a friend, signup for you own subscription here.

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