Marriage Equality, LGBTQ, Politics and Media, Homophobia; Religion, Church and State, Sex Abuse Scandal; Rape, Trafficking, Revenge Porn

Marriage Equality

• Federal appeals court: Gays have right to marry—"A federal appeals court ruled for the first time Wednesday that gay couples have a constitutional right to marry, extending the movement's legal winning streak and bringing the issue a big step closer to the U.S. Supreme Court."
• Judge throws out Indiana's same-sex marriage ban—A stay has been granted.
• Reagan Appointed Judge Expands Louisiana Marriage Case To All Same-Sex Couples
• Battle over same-sex marriages in St. Louis headed to court
• 34 gay couples issued marriage licenses in Boulder Co.
• 45 Years After Stonewall, Oklahoma Still Awaiting Marriage Equality
• GOP Senator Collins says she supports gay marriage
• Republican Senator Says Republicans Must Abandon Same-Sex Marriage Issue To Win Elections
• Ben Carson's breathtaking marriage equality compromise: Don't let gay people get married—"'I don't think I can impose my will on any two consenting adults,' Carson says but clearly does not mean." Salon
• Wis. GOP Candidate: Marriage Equality Will Lead to Sibling Marriages

LGBTQ

• Biden: Gay rights take precedence over culture
• Town Votes To Give Fired Lesbian Police Chief Her Job Back, Strips Mayor Of Power
• Former defrocked United Methodist pastor Frank Schaefer will get back pay, credentials restored
• Unearthing The Surprising Religious History Of American Gay Rights Activism

Politics and Media

• Why I Outed Gay Republicans: A decade later, I'm still not sorry.—"The reaction to these early posts was mixed, with some people backing me and others yammering that I was invading politicians' right to privacy. To the latter group, I pointed out that these very politicians were making my private life—and the lives of millions of other LGBT Americans—a very public political issue." Politco
• Inside George W. Bush's Closet
• Rep. Paul "Skip" Stam Compares LGBT North Carolinians to Pedophiles on House Floor
• Susan Rice challenges LGBT community to amplify message that 'gay rights are straight up human rights
• US ambassador officially celebrates LGBT Pride Month in the Philippines
• CNBC Panel Gets Awkward When Host Refers To Apple CEO Tim Cook As Gay

Homophobia

• Uganda Lashes Out at U.S. Sanctions; Will Hurt 'Most Vulnerable'—"Admonitions from Kampala follow last week's news of fresh U.S. sanctions, including the loss of millions in funding for a new health institute and visa denials."
• Gay couple targeted in homophobic attack by teenage gang on east London street
• Yankton Teen Alleges Discrimination From Name Tag

Religion

• Berlin House of One: The first church-mosque-synagogue?
• Mormons Expel Founder of Group Seeking Priesthood for Women NYT
• Blast from the Past: 'Kumare': Fake Guru Exposes Real, Desperate Desire to Believe

Church and State

• Roy Moore's twisted history: Islam and Buddhism don't have First Amendment protection, chief justice says
• GOP House Candidate: Islam Not A Religion, Not Protected By Constitution
• Wiccan says he was barred from giving invocation—"A member of the Wiccan faith says he was set to give the opening invocation at a Huntsville City Council meeting until the plan was publicized and he was asked about his faith. He was then told he was no longer invited."
• NC religious schools in line to get voucher money
• North Carolina: Student-led prayer bill signed into law

Sex Abuse Scandal

• Vatican defrocks ex-ambassador in sex abuse case—"The Vatican has defrocked its former ambassador to the Dominican Republic for sexually abusing boys. It's the first time a top papal envoy has been convicted of the crime and signals that Pope Francis is serious about imposing "zero tolerance" for abuse, regardless of rank."
• Seattle Archdiocese to pay $12.1 million to settle sex abuse lawsuit
• St. Ignatius: Settlement talks ordered in Catholic school, parish sex-abuse case
• Betrayed by Silence—"For decades, leaders of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis have been reassigning, excusing and overlooking sexually abusive priests among their ranks. Some received additional retirement benefits. In August, a top church lawyer, shocked at what she saw, brought the story to MPR News. What happened next is still unfolding."
• Church, Police give conflicting answers on child sex abuse—"The Catholic Church in Malta and the police have given conflicting details regarding priests involved in child sex abuse cases since 2010."
• Sleeping with boys was 'common practice': royal commission on sex abuse in Wollongong
• On sex abuse, pope's problems both simple and complex

Rape

• How Did the FBI Miss Over 1 Million Rapes?—"Systematic undercounting of sexual assaults in the US disguises a hidden rape crisis."
• How BBC star Jimmy Savile got away with allegedly abusing 500 children and sex with dead bodies WaPo
• 'We demand justice': Kenyans protest after men who brutally raped girl sentenced to cut grass
• Pakistani police say boyfriend admits woman was raped, murdered after refusing sex with his friends
• No quick fix for India's rape crisis

Trafficking

• FBI targets pimps, rescues 168 children in nationwide crackdown
• D.C. police officer admits prostituting girls WaPo
• Activist Resigns Amid Charges of Fabrication NYT
• Brides for sale: Vietnamese women, young girls trafficked to China
• Nepal adoptions chief raped and groomed orphans for prostitution, claims British teacher
• U.S. human trafficking report drops four nations to lowest tier
• Fighting sex trafficking with Jesus: How the religious right’s "healing" hurts—"New campaigns claim to fight sex trafficking with 'love and the power of Christ.' And their influence is growing." Salon

Revenge Porn

• Feds arrest "most hated man on the Internet" in revenge porn hacking case
• Houston woman wins $500,000 in 'revenge porn' lawsuit
• Woman Posted Explicit Material Inside Walmart—She gave away fliers of her naked husband's alleged mistress.
• 'Revenge porn' victims receive boost from German court ruling—"Koblenz court orders man to delete nude images of ex-partner, even though he had shown no intention of publishing them."
• Man faces trial over 'revenge porn' website

Marriage Equality, LGBTQ, Politics, Homophobia; Cosmos, Creationism; Church and State, Atheism, Francis Effect; Intolerance of Religion, Sex Abuse Scandals; Rape, Sexism, Culture Clash, Abortion and Birth Control

Marriage Equality

• Gay Marriages Continue in Wisconsin—But Trouble Looms
• Methodists fear split over same-sex marriage
• US: Church expels volunteer over gay commitment ceremony
• March To Nowhere: D.C. Anti-Gay Event Was Heavy On Rhetoric But Low On Facts
• Largest US Presbyterian Church Votes to Allow Gay Marriage
• Obama Administration To Extend Family Leave To Same-Sex Couples
• Hillary Jabs At NPR Host Over Gay Marriage
• Scott Walker Refuses To State A Position On Same-Sex Marriage
• Mike Huckabee: Martin Luther King Jr. would agree that gay marriage is like the Holocaust
• Mozilla under fire: Inside the 9-day reign of fallen CEO Brendan Eich
• Slovakia bans gay marriage in constitution
• Luxembourg Approves Same-Sex Marriage Bill

LGBTQ

• On Father's Day, Texas Sen. Chuy Hinojosa Says He Loves His Gay Daughter Unconditionally
• WWE Exec and Hall of Famer Pat Patterson Comes Out as Gay on 'Legends' House'
• AsapTHOUGHT: Coming out twice
• Allstate's "Safe in My Hands" gay pride ad is raw, moving
• Without fanfare, Obama advances transgender rights
• My beef with the (SJW) transgender community
• Denmark ends forced sterilisation for sex changes

Politics

• Oklahoma Candidate Says Gays Should Be Stoned
• House Committee Invites Witness To Go On Anti-Gay Rant, Because Religious Freedom
• Texas Governor Perry compares homosexuality to alcoholism
• CNBC Anchor Confronts Rick Perry About Remark Comparing Gays To Alcoholics
• More Or Less Everyone Agrees That Rick Perry Is a Moron for Comparing Homosexuality to Alcoholism
• Rick Perry Defers To Scientists On Gay Conversion Therapy, Forgets They Already Trashed It
• GOP Rep. Kevin Cramer Skeptical That LGBT Workplace Discrimination Exists
• Obama to Sign Executive Order on LGBT Discrimination
• Alabama appeals court rules state's sodomy law unconstitutional
• Gay candidate Brett Smiley has a very cute campaign ad
• First black, openly gay man confirmed as U.S. federal judge—Make that two.
• Canada: Kathleen Wynne's Liberals win majority government—"The first woman elected premier of Ontario — and Canada's only openly gay first minister ever — Wynne bested Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak, who announced his resignation, and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath."

Homophobia

• Judge: Gay Fathers' Names Cannot Appear On Their Biological Children's Birth Certificates
• UK: 30 schools using textbooks that teach homosexuality is a choice
• U.S. cuts aid to Uganda, cancels military exercise over anti-gay law
• Cop placed on leave after refusing to work at gay pride parade—"The Salt Like City police officer will be the subject of an internal investigation, the department announced." Salon
• Clubber sprayed with concentrated ammonia outside Vauxhall bar in homophobic attack

Cosmos

• "Why is God telling me to stop asking questions?"—Meet the woman behind Neil deGrasse Tyson's "Cosmos" Salon
• Neil deGrasse Tyson vs. the right: "Cosmos," Christians, and the battle for American science—"The real reason conservatives are freaking out about Neil deGrasse Tyson: He's laying bare their worst hypocrisies." Salon
• The 5 most important lessons from Neil deGrasse Tyson's "Cosmos"—"'Cosmos' may be ending on Sunday, but lessons will keep us thinking." Salon
• The Curious Passions of Mr. Cosmos: Neil deGrasse Tyson On Space, Climate, and Why Curiosity Wins Every Time
• Fox News guest says white liberal nerds love Neil deGrasse Tyson so much "he could defecate on them" Salon

Creationism

• Creationist author asks: If evolution is true, "is rape wrong?"—"Darek Isaacs appeared on 'Creation Today' with ridiculous claims about evolution." Salon
• Can This Class Be Saved? Bible Course Teaches That Adam and Eve Were Actual Historical People
• A Decade Later, This is the 500-Page Creationism Book a Public School Biology Teacher Gave His Students
• New creationism museum says Noah brought baby dinosaurs aboard the ark—More likely to believe Gilgamesh did it. Salon
• 4 in 10 Americans Believe God Created Earth 10,000 Years Ago
• UK: Government bans all existing and future Academies and Free Schools from teaching creationism as science
• Creationism Isn't Science, and Shouldn't Be Taught That Way

Church and State

• Faced with Threat of Atheists Speaking at Meetings, Troutman (NC) City Council Caps Invocations at Two Minutes
• A Church-PAC Link Raises Questions in Mississippi—"If a church's resources were used to help Senator Thad Cochran, the church could lose its tax-exempt status." NYT
• U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal over school graduation in church
• With Eric Cantor Defeat, Congressional Republicans Lose Only Non-Christian
• Dave Brat's Land of Magical Thinking—"The GOP's newest star doesn't believe that Wall Street deserves much of the blame for the financial crisis, that the U.S. should be a lot more like China, and that the fix for American banks is to 'preach the gospel and change hearts and souls.'"
• Bible-waving MN GOP Supreme Court nominee places God above U.S. law
• Kissing Congressman Reconsiders Retirement After Apologizing To God
• Sympathy for the Devils: Scenes From the Social Conservative Collapse—"There was a time when the bigoted, Bible-thumping crowd ran roughshod over D.C. Now, not so much."
• Christian-themed Park Will No Longer Be Getting a $140,000 Boost from Iowan Taxpayers
• Pagan Forbidden from Opening Temple in Beebe, Arkansas Because His God Isn't the Christian God
• UK: Taxpayers' cash should not be used to fund faith schools, say voters—"Labour wants talks on teaching of religion as poll shows 58% of the public urge abolition or axing of state funds."
• Australia: Father wins High Court challenge on federal funding of school chaplains program

Atheism

• Atheism explodes in Saudi Arabia, despite state-enforced ban Salon
• Convicted Heavy Metal 'Christian' Singer Admits Being Atheist, Duped Fans to Sell Music
• Bible Verses That Atheists Love—"We asked prominent atheists what parts of the Bible they find inspiring and beautiful."

Francis Effect

• Pope Francis Meeting With Israeli, Palestinian Leaders For Prayer
• Pope Francis Warns The Global Economy Is Near Collapse
• Pope tells super rich, bankers to find some ethics
• Pope Francis: Mafiosi are excommunicated from the church'—"Vatican spokesman Father Ciro Benedettini said the pope's stern words did not constitute a formal over-arching decree of canon (Church) law, regarding excommunication, which is a formal legal process."
• Pope doesn't see the point of having a bullet-proof car at his old age—Uhhhh... is this wise?

Intolerance of Religion

• Rape victims say Bob Jones University told them to repent—"Former students at 'the fortress of faith' who reported sexual abuse say they were told they had sinned."
• Obama Caricature Becomes Urinal Cake at Faith and Freedom Conference
• Religious right looks beyond gay marriage to next battles: 'We are in a war'
• More Mormons facing church scrutiny for online comments
• 10 most un-Christian church signs Salon

Sex Abuse Scandals

• St. Louis Archbishop Carlson claims to be uncertain if he knew sexual abuse was a crime
• Catholic church has 'sociopathic disregard for sex abuse victims'—"Victim of Marist brother speaks out at royal commission after church's counsel tries to discredit him over past drug use."
• Catholic Church: Our Priest Raped Off Duty, You Can't Sue Us
• Christian radio personality from Michigan arrested on sex assault charge involving children
• Jehovah's Witness elders were 'spiritually corrupt and morally bankrupt', court told—""Mark Sewell, 53, has denied 12 sex charges against girls and women across a 10-year period, at Merthyr Crown Court."

Rape

• 'Rape culture wins': Feminist freakout after Miss Nevada dares suggest self defense training for women—Miss Nevada is right.
• Angelina Jolie: Shame the rapist, not the victim Salon
• An OB/GYN's Open Letter To George Will About His Rape Column
• Major Newspaper Dumps George Will, Apologizes For 'Offensive' Rape Column
• George Will's Latest: College Rape Charges Fueled By 'Sea Of Hormones And Alcohol'
• Cleared Oxford Union president says rape accused should not be identified—"Oxford union president Ben Sullivan said identity of those accused should be withheld at least until police carry out a preliminary investigation."
• Long-forgotten rape evidence finally reveals its clues in Northern Virginia lab WaPo
• Congress poised to approve $41 million to help clear backlog of untested rape kits WaPo

Sexism

• Female Your Party member interrupted by sexist heckles—"A member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly said Thursday she was hurt by sexist remarks made by male politicians during a session the previous day in which she was ridiculed for being unmarried and lacking children."
• American Apparel boots CEO for being a pervert, stock surges
• Study: Judges with daughters are more likely to rule in favor of women WaPo
• Female prison inmates sterilized illegally, California audit confirms
• Facebook Lifts Ban on Exposed Nipples in Breastfeeding Pictures
• Hurricanes with Female Names Are Deadlier Than Masculine Ones

Culture Clash

• A Fight as U.S. Girls Face Genital Cutting Abroad—"Female genital cutting has been banned in the United States since 1996, and now it is also illegal to transport girls for 'vacation cutting.' But some are concerned that such cutting is on the rise." NYT
• Female genital mutilation exposed in Swedish class—"Some 60 cases of genital mutilation have been discovered in Norrköping in eastern Sweden since March with all 30 girls in one school class found to have undergone the procedure."
• Iranian child bride faces execution for killing the man she was forced to marry—"Iran's judiciary urged to halt Razieh Ebrahimi's execution as international law prohibits execution for crimes by juveniles."
• Pakistani woman: My relatives shot me, threw me in canal for marrying neighbor
• Pakistan: Man murders daughter for wearing makeup
• Pakistani woman raped, hanged
• Sexual assault on student sparks outrage in Egypt
• Tunisia: Man burns daughter to death in suspected honor killing
• YouTube refuses Egypt's request to remove footage of Tahrir Square sexual assault
• UK law banning forced marriage takes effect—"Those found guilty of the largely hidden practice face up to seven years in prison."

Abortion and Birth Control

• Republican: If a Woman Has Right to an Abortion, a Man Should Have Right to Force Himself on a Woman
• Kansas county twice rejects IUD grants, equating the devices to murder
• Louisiana governor signs into law new abortion restrictions
• Florida Gov. Scott Signs Late Term Abortion Bill
• GOP Governors Paying Big Bucks to Controversial Marriage Therapist to Defend New Abortion Laws
• Chris Christie Falsely Claims Democrats Barred Anti-Abortion Speakers From Conventions
• Michigan lawmakers push bill to repeal controversial abortion insurance law
• Utah's Catholic bishop: If you're pro-life, you're pro-Medicaid expansion
• Condom Use Drops Among US Teens—More fodder for MTV.
• Melinda Gates: 'Gates Foundation Has Decided Not to Fund Abortion'

Marriage Equality, Cases; Schools; Latta, Intolerance, LGBT; War on Women, Abortion and Birth Control; Religion, Think of the Children

Marriage Equality

• Republican Activists Push Party On Gay Marriage
• Illinois GOP Replaces Officials Who Opposed Chairman On Gay Marriage
• Nauseating political cynicism led to inspiring gay marriage triumph—"A new book details how Obama's evolution on marriage equality was orchestrated. It's sickening -- but encouraging." Salon
• Idaho Won't Allow Lesbian Veteran To Be Buried With Her Wife
• Stop twisting the Bible: There is no message against same-sex marriage—"Moses and Paul are being misinterpreted: They were against gang rape and pederasty, not loving relationships." Salon
• Blast from the Past: Wrestler "Stone Cold" Steve Austin Body-Slams Marriage Equality Critics

Cases

• Judge: Indiana Must Recognize Gay Couple's Marriage
• 10th Circuit arguments on gay marriage ban focus on family, fairness
• Ted Olson: Va. gay marriage ban 'flatly unconstitutional'
• Prop 8 lawyer's views on gay marriage evolving
• Italian Court Recognizes Gay Marriage for First Time
• Malta: Same sex unions approved - Celebrations in Valletta - Opposition abstains because of adoptions

Schools

• College basketball player comes out as gay
• Best Protest Ever: Students Walk Out During Anti-Gay Lecture, Leaving Room All but Empty
• Law society rejects school over gay policy—"Ontario's law society has refused to accredit a new law school at a faith-based university over a policy prohibiting same-sex intimacy that some say is discriminatory."
• Publicly funded school with anti-gay policy spurs Alberta review—"Alberta's education minister faced questions today about why tax dollars are going to a school with anti-gay policies."
• Religious Oregon teens wear 'Gay Is Not OK' shirts to school to protest lack of 'straight day'
• Washington school district will hire gay administrator forced out of Catholic school
• Trans teacher reinstated by school board following parent complaints

Latta

• Mayor Who Fired Lesbian Police Chief Caught On Tape In Homophobic Tirade—"I would much rather have.. and I will say this to anybody's face… somebody who drank and drank too much taking care of my child than I had somebody whose lifestyle is questionable around children."
• Latta council fights for chief's job—"Mayor refuses to discuss police leader's dismissal before a packed meeting."
• South Carolina town rallies 'round fired gay police chief

Intolerance

• Tea Party Activist: 'Gay Supremacy Is Becoming A Monster That Carries Greater Evils Than White Supremacy Ever Did'
• Boy Scouts of America Shuts Down Seattle Troop Over Gay Scoutmaster
• Man gets 2 1/2 years for beating disabled brother to 'push the gay out'
• Brunei's new law permits stoning gay people to death
• Mistrust and Hate: The Frightening New Lives of Homosexuals in Uganda
• Serial Killer Arrested For Killing Gay Men In Pakistan
• For young women in China, slash fanfiction is a dangerous hobby

LGBT

• A frat boy's "gay experience"—"I always considered myself straight. What happened with Tom left me questioning everything about my sexuality." Salon
• Artist Creates Unique Portrait of Tom Daley to Combat Hate
• It's Not Just Frozen: Most Disney Movies Are Pro-Gay—"By preaching acceptance and questioning gender, the company's kids films offer a queer-studies crash course."
• Gun Barrel City mayor promises end to police surveillance of gay bar Garlow's
• Chelsea Manning: A Statement on My Legal Name Change

War on Women

• Chelsea Clinton's pregnancy gives birth to new conspiracies—"The news that Hillary Clinton is to become a grandmother has prompted questions about her ability to run for presidency. It's breathtaking sexism."
• Mitch McConnell Says He Stood Up for Women in a Senate Sexual-Harassment Scandal. The Real Story Is Damning.—"McConnell claims he led a 1995 investigation against a GOP senator accused of sexual misconduct. Actually, he took steps to keep it quiet."
• Prominent Republican: Women Need To Be Paid Less So They Can Find Husbands
• GOP Lawmaker Says Women Don't Deserve Equal Pay Because They're Lazier
• GOP Candidate: I'm Not Waging A War On Women Because I'm A Woman

Abortion and Birth Control

• North Dakota abortion ban ruled unconstitutional
• Lawsuit: Texas Hospital Caved to Anti-Abortion Activists' Demands
• Virginia GOPer: Incest exceptions in abortion restrictions unnecessary because sometimes incest is "voluntary"—"Asked to defend the remark, the delegate said, 'I don't care. ... if I say something in public, I say it in public.'" Salon
• South Carolina Bill Wants to Apply 'Stand Your Ground' Law to Fetuses
• Tennessee legislature passes bill to criminalize pregnancy: Women who have stillbirths after using illegal drugs may be charged
• The secret anti-abortion law that's sweeping America—"Pro-lifers can't reverse Roe v Wade. So they're shutting down clinics with red tape and a smile. Don't believe the lie."
• Nearly one-third of morning-after pills in Peru are fake

Religion

• Popes John Paul II and John XXIII made saints in double canonisation
• Pope Francis 'told divorced and remarried woman there is nothing wrong with her taking Communion', Italian newspaper says
• Britain in post-Christian era, says former archbishop of Canterbury—"Lord Williams says time of habitual worship is over and further decline of widespread faith likely in UK."
• "A Masturbation Lawsuit Is Rattling Christian Homeschoolers—"The sexual abuse lawsuit against 'Biblical Patriarchy' leader Doug Phillips is dividing Christian homeschoolers."
• Army approves 'humanist' as religious preference
• Court upholds ban on religious services in NYC public schools
• Shakespeare and atheism: What his works tell us about the playwright's religious views

Think of the Children

• Pope Francis asks forgiveness for child abuse by clergy
• Couple accused in death of daughter, 12, seek to exclude mention of faith healing
• 'Baptism is a crime against children': ECHR
• 'Muslim morality squads' accused of confiscating students' Easter eggs in U.K.
• SC Republican wants to end public schools: Nothing 'in the Bible about state education'
• W. Va. School Removes Bible Verse after Complaint
• US school's Bible class: Sinners will suffer

World Backup Day; Marriage Equality, LGBT, Intolerance of Religion, Think of the Children; Church vs. State; War on Women, Culture Clash; Catholic Coffers; Gotta Have Faith

World Backup Day—PSA: Back Up Your Shit.

Marriage Equality

• Gay marriage: 'When people's love is divided by law, it is the law that needs to change,' says PM as first same-sex couples tie knot
• Rick Snyder: Michigan Won't Recognize Same-Sex Marriages—But the federal government will [NYT].
• Gay Firefox developers boycott Mozilla to protest CEO hire—"Brendan Eich's Prop 8 donations come to light, and internal response is mixed." For other and perhaps related reasons, three Mozilla board members resigned.
• Gay Couples Find Uneven Access To Health Insurance
• Anti-gay bigots won't give up: Why marriage equality triumphalism is a big mistake—"The gay rights movement has made huge strides, but it would be a mistake to assume its work is finished. Here's why." Salon

LGBT

• Russian thugs beat up St Patrick's flashmob after mistaking it for gay activists
• Top Kenyan MP classifies homosexuality as terrorism
• Miss. Anchor Says He's Sick Of LGBT News, Tells Activists To Go On 'Gaycation'

Intolerance of Religion

• Hobby Lobby Owners Backed Arizona Anti-Gay Law, Sent Millions To Religious Right Wing Network
• Catholic Diocese Under Fire for Refusing to Sell Property to Gay Couple
• Arizona Pol Apologizes For Praising Fred Phelps After Onion Obituary Dupes Him

Think of the Children

• 10 weirdest things the Christian right thinks will turn your kids gay—"Did you know that the pro-gay agenda is being promoted by penguins? How about Harry Potter? You've been warned." Salon
• Christian School Tells Eight-Year-Old Girl She Looks Too Much Like A Boy
• Tennessee Passes Bill Allowing The Bullying of LGBT Students In The Name Of 'Religious Freedom'

Church vs. State

• Why Christians — America's most populous religious group — feel so victimized
• Carroll commissioner 'willing to go to jail' over right to pray—"Plaintiffs' attorney: 'Any continued defiance of the court order will leave us with no choice but to seek a contempt order.'"
• Alabama Governor Declares 'Day of Prayer Over Students'

War on Women

• Former President Jimmy Carter's call to action: : Women, Religion, Violence and Power—"My own experiences and the testimony of courageous women from all regions and all major religions have made it clear to me that as a result of these two factors there is a pervasive denial of equal rights to women...."
• Pat Robertson: Atheist women were likely raped, and that's why they reject Jesus
• Vatican punishes Wisconsin priest for saying Mass with female priest

Culture Clash

• Concern as Brunei brings in system of Islamic law with punishments that include the dismemberment of limbs and stoning to death
• Exclusive: 'locked-up' Saudi princesses' message for Obama
• Horrific Taboo: Female Circumcision on the Rise in US—Fuck those who practice this evil shit.

Catholic Coffers

• German 'bishop of bling' resigns over spending scandal—He casts some blame onto his deputy.
• Archbishop Hebda may be as tone deaf as Archbishop Myers
• Suspected Fraud Plot Foiled At Vatican Bank

Gotta Have Faith

• Girl talks to pope on immigration, then dad freed WaPo
• How Biblically Accurate Is Noah?
• Man swept out to sea during Sunday morning baptism WaPo

The Francis Effect, Sex Abuse Scandal; Cosmos, Science Under Siege; Church vs. State, Abortion and Birth Control, Marriage Equality, Homophobia; Islam and Islamophobia, Fervor Pitch; History, Gotta Have Faith

The Francis Effect

• One year of Pope Francis: A priest reflects
• Report: Benedict Critiqued Pope Francis' Interview On Gay Marriage, Abortion
• The World's 50 Greatest Leaders—He's #1.
• Pope Francis denounces 'evil, blood-stained' mafia
• Catholicism and women: The winds of change

Sex Abuse Scandal

• Pope hits out at criticism of Church over sexual abuse
• Pope appoints former child victim to church group on sex abuse—"Pope Francis on Saturday named a woman molested by a priest as a child to be part of a core group to help the Catholic Church fight the clerical sexual abuse of minors that has haunted it for over two decades."
• Former Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton priest who was named as a child abuser now is a vicar general in Paraguay

Cosmos

• Cosmos Squashes Creationism Under the Weight of Evidence—And science deniers are freaking out.
• Oklahoma TV station censors evolution talk on Cosmos reboot—They claim it was unintended, unlike what happened before.
• Neil deGrasse Tyson Is Really Starting To Scare Conservatives
• Creationists Demand Airtime On 'Cosmos' For The Sake Of Balance—Genesis is not a documentary.

Science Under Siege

• How Did Creationists Respond to Yesterday's Big News in Support of the Big Bang Theory?—With a river in Egypt.
• From creationism to ESP: Why believers ignore science—"A journalist's investigation of strange beliefs and the people who hold them leaves him questioning himself." Salon
• Jewish school redacts exam to remove evolution questions

Church vs. State

• 5 disturbing ways the religious right is trying to rewrite American history—"Disregarding the separation of church and state is just the beginning..." Salon
• Republican Files Bill to Make the Bible Louisiana's Official State Book—Korans need not apply.
• Object to biased resolution condemning only Christian persecution
• Buddhist Student, Religious Liberty Prevail In Louisiana
• Israel ends ultra-Orthodox military service exemptions

Abortion and Birth Control

• If Hobby Lobby Wins, It Will Be Even Worse For Birth Control Access Than You Think
• My Employer Shamed Me for Using Birth Control
• A Young Mother In Mississippi Could Face Life In Prison For Giving Birth To A Stillborn Child
• GOP Senate Candidate Drops Strict Anti-Abortion Position—"This was a bad idea driven by good intentions. I was not right. I can't support personhood now. I can't support personhood going forward. To do it again would be a mistake."
• Why Can’t the FDA Fix Outdated Birth Control Labels?—"Contraceptives like Plan B don’t prevent fertilized eggs from implanting in a woman’s body. But their labels still say they do—and they’ve become a tool for conservative activists."
• Life-sized fetus causes cafeteria controversy at Connecticut school—Was it because she had a modest proposal to share?
• Faced With Rising STD Rates, Louisiana Lawmaker Says Lack Of Sex Ed Is 'Really A Form Of Child Abuse'
• My Neighborhood Makes It Easier to Get Pregnant Than To Go To College

Marriage Equality

• Federal judge strikes down Michigan's gay marriage ban—Along with it a fake anti-gay research strategy bankrolled by the religious right. Regnerus' testimony was "entirely unbelievable and not worthy of serious consideration." Some couples were able to get married before the temporary stay was issued.
• Wave of Appeals Expected to Turn the Tide on Same-Sex Marriage Bans—"Legal experts predict that several of the circuit courts, which hold sway over a group of states, will rule that state laws limiting marriage to a man and a woman are unconstitutional." NYT
• The Religious Right's Failed Gay-Marriage Backlash—"In states like Arizona, social conservatives hoped to push back against the rising gay-rights tide, but lawmakers and the public sided against them."

Homophobia

• Founder of Westboro Baptist Church, Rev. Fred Phelps Sr. dies—Maddow says his hatred backfired.
• Wyoming GOP lawmaker: Promiscuous gays weaponizing AIDS for a 'national suicide'
• Parents threaten to sink Elyria Schools renewal—"The creation of a gay and straight group for students at Elyria High School has outraged a couple of longtime supporters who are now encouraging their friends to reject a must-needed renewal levy on the May ballot."

Islam and Islamophobia

• Parents fury as pork sausages are banned from the school menu and replaced with halal meat
• Islamic law is adopted by British legal chiefs—"Solicitors told how to draw up Sharia-style wills penalising widows and non-believers."
• Saudi Arabia bans 50 'blasphemous' and 'inappropriate' children's names—"The list of names contradicting the Kingdom’s 'religious and cultural norms' includes several foreign names."
• Shock for critics: Muslim judge's non-sharia ruling—"New Jersey Superior Court Judge Sohail Mohammed ruled in favor of the mother, and last week, his precedent-setting written opinion was released. That the Muslim judge sided with a woman in a case with a gender dispute might come as a surprise to some of his previous critics."
• ABC Family Pulls Plug on 'Alice in Arabia' After Muslim Org Backlash—"The show's premise centered on an American teen kidnapped by her Saudi Arabian family after tragedy befalls her parents." And here I thought it was a continuation of
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.
• Legoland closes resort hotel following threats—"[A] private fun day organised by the Muslim Research and Development Foundation" was cancelled due to "threats from far right organisations".
• Lawsuit filed after praying family escorted from Empire State Building

Fervor Pitch

• Nigeria: Attacks on Christians Kill at Least 100
• Hindu temple set on fire in Pakistan over blasphemy
• Woman branded witch, mercilessly killed in Chhattisgarh
• Catholic Leader: I Wasn't Saying That I 'Literally' Wanted Liberal Professors Shot

History

• Nine unopened Dead Sea Scrolls found—Contents to be added to the Dead Sea Scroll digital archive.
• Vatican Library to digitise archives with Japanese support
• Russell Crowe film 'Noah' edited to appease Christians upset by 'historical inaccuracies'

Gotta Have Faith

• Church spent $200K to put pastor's book on bestseller list
• Nun Rocks It On Italy's 'The Voice' Singing Competition And No One Can Believe It: Sister Cristina Scuccia Wows
• 8 Ancient Beliefs Now Backed By Modern Science

Ukraine; Discrimination, Arizona, Uganda; Church and State, Scouts; Sex Abuse Scandal; Catholic Coffers; Religion

Ukraine

• Ukraine orders full military mobilisation over Russia moves—Which is a considered a 'declaration of war.'
• Ukraine Finds Its Forces Are Ill Equipped to Take Crimea Back From Russia NYT
• Obama urges Putin to pull troops back
• Harper recalls ambassador, tells Putin to withdraw
• Russia told to 'back off' by Abbott
• UK pulls out of preparatory talks for G8 summit in Sochi
• Kerry condemns Russia's 'incredible act of aggression' in Ukraine
• UNSC, EU, NATO to hold urgent meetings over Ukraine
• Thousands March In Pro-Invasion Rally In Moscow
• The Wikileaks cables that anticipated the Russian invasion of Crimea
• UNSC, EU, NATO to hold urgent meetings over Ukraine
• The Wikileaks cables that anticipated the Russian invasion of Crimea

Discrimination

• The Week The 'Religious Freedom' Movement Hit Its High Water Mark
• When 'Religious Liberty' Was Used To Justify Racism Instead Of Homophobia
• Who Favors Discrimination against Gay Newlyweds? Most Republicans, old People, Southerners, Evangelicals
• GOP lawmaker says he 'regrets' offensive statements about gays, abortion
• NYC Church Warns That 'Homo Demons' Unleashed By Obama Will Steal Men

Arizona

• Arizona's antigay bill: Did warnings about Muslim religious freedom help prompt a veto?
• Arizona Not Done! Bill Would Allow Judges To Discriminate Against Gays
• It's Still Legal to Fire Gays in Arizona—"Jan Brewer’s veto of SB 1062 doesnt change a thing: discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is quite alright by the law."
• Tempe, Ariz., approves LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination ordinance
• Opinion: Arizona Did Us All a Favor—"Recent legal movements are fraught with trouble for a country founded on the idea that church does not dictate to state." NYT
• Stephen Colbert Makes a Cake for Gays

Uganda

• World Bank delays loan to Uganda over anti-gay law—Uganda claims this is 'blackmail.'
• Scots bid to offer Ugandan gay law asylum
• Anti-gay filmmaker Jason 'Molotov' Mitchell challenges for NC Senate seat—"Mitchell made news nationally in 2010 when he posted a video in support of a Ugandan anti-homosexuality law that would have imposed the death penalty on violators."
• Uganda bans miniskirts, pornography
• Ugandan women protest anti-miniskirt mobs

Church and State

• Alabama House committee passes school prayer bill without votes
• Ten Commandments bill on way to Alabama Senate after passing out of committee
• Conservatives Boot American Atheists From Booth At Conference
• Deal could allow gays in Boston St. Pat's parade
• Texas Religious-right Politicians Fall Prey to Scam by ‘Godly Man’

Scouts

• Disney cuts ties with Boy Scouts over ban on LGBTQ troop leaders—"The Walt Disney Company's corporate guidelines ban discrimination based on sexual or gender identity." Salon
• Small tent: Georgia pastor boots Boy Scouts to keep gay scouts from camping with other boys
• N. Va. priest who ousted Cub Scouts over gays kept the popcorn money for Christian group—"Fairfax cleric who severed ties with Cub Scouts over gays kept $4,000 to fund new Christian group." WaPo
• Boy Scouts See Ranks Shrink After Policy Shift on Gays—"Says other factors could contribute to the lower number of participants."
• Alternative to Boy Scouts, formed in wake of gay controversy, finds its footing

Sex Abuse Scandal

• Mom of two abused boys: Archdiocese is trying to blame me
• Former altar boy reveals grim details of Philadelphia priest’s alleged sex abuse
• Catholic church will publicly name 50 or more former priests who abused kids in western Montana
• Croatia Church finds priest guilty of pedophilia
• Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge dismayed by Catholic Church sex abuse claims—Those who "had ignored and excused sex abuse claims."

Islam

• Nigeria school raid 'leaves dozens dead'—"Suspected Islamist militants from the Boko Haram group in north-eastern Nigeria have attacked a school and shot some students, the military has said."
• 19 Islamic words banned for non-Muslims in Brunei—"They are azan; baitullah; Al Quran; Allah; fatwa; Firman Allah; hadith; haji; hukum syara'; ilahi; Ka'bah; kalimah al syahadah; kiblat; masjid; imam; mufti; mu'min; solat; and wali."
• Muslims Worldwide Sign Petition to Ban Blasphemous Katy Perry Video from YouTube
• Tunisian pardoned over Prophet cartoons—"Decree clears man jailed since 2012 for posting caricatures of Prophet Muhammad online, but no word yet on his release."
• US court orders removal of anti-Islam film from YouTube—Should freedom of speech pay the price because of a spurious copyright notice? Google doesn't think so.

Catholic Coffers

• Pope Talks Poverty, Eyes Overhaul Of Vatican Finances
• Pope revolutionizes Vatican by opening finances to scrutiny
• Big Spending NJ Archdiocese Doesn't Want To Talk About Pope's Call For Modesty
• A Church So Poor It Has to Close Schools, Yet So Rich It Can Build a Palace NYT
• Bling bishop used charity millions for HQ: report—"A disgraced German bishop who spent €31 million building a new headquarters used cash reserved for good causes to fund his lavish projects...."

Religion

• Why must Jesus be sexy in film?—Mmm... homem bonito.
• Kentucky Baptists use gun giveaways to lure unchurched to Christ
• Pastor of Korean Megachurch Convicted for Embezzling $12 Million
• Illinois Woman Charged With Vandalizing 20 Churches, Mosques
• "Hipster" Christianity: 9 hilarious attempts by the religious right to be cool Salon

Pope Francis, Religion; Church and State, Educamation; Abortion and Birth Control, Women, Rape and Sexual Assaults; Marriage Equality, LGBT, International

Pope Francis

• Pope Cautions Catholics Against 'Bombarding People With Religious Messages'
• Pope Francis Tells Missionary Group To Respect Local Cultures
• Birds Attack Peace Doves Freed From Pope's Window

Religion

• Extremist religion is at root of 21st-century wars, says Tony Blair—"Former prime minister will reignite debate on Iraq as he calls on governments to switch tactics."
• Irish Town Shuts Down 'Blasphemous' Play
• One in four Americans think God helps decide the outcome of football games
• Pastor Accused of Theft, Impersonating Marshal
• Catholic priest who ran right-wing death squad arrested in Colombia

Church and State

• North Carolina Church Runs Ad For Republican Fundraiser in Newsletter, Claiming That's Allowed Under IRS Rules
• New Atheism's big mistake: Debating creationists solves nothing—"Fundamentalism isn't really about the Bible; it's about politics. So attacking religion doesn't fix the problem." Salon
• US military relaxes uniform rules for religious items

Educamation

• Fox News contributor busted again for pushing fake story about persecution of Christians—"Todd Starnes helped promote a story about a California first-grader who allegedly was not allowed to give a one-minute presentation about her family’s Christmas tradition because it included religious references."
• If You Want To Fit In At This Public School Just Become Christian—Isn't it amazing what the bigoted teacher has made?
• States Of Prayer: Legislators In Three States Push Bills To Promote Religion In Public Schools
• Map: Publicly Funded Schools That Are Allowed to Teach Creationism.
• Texas board approves textbook review rule changes

Abortion and Birth Control

• Anti-Choice Groups Launch National Boycott Of Girl Scout Cookies For 'Endorsing' Wendy Davis
• Spain's prime minister pushes ahead with anti-abortion legislation despite almost no popular support—"In the midst of a jobs crisis and economic dysfunction, Spain now must face a bitter debate over government plans to radically restrict women's rights."
• Philippines' high court to rule on controversial contraception law—Odds are their supreme court will throw it out.

Women

• Egyptian belly dancer to mock Muslim Brotherhood by running for parliament
• 34% of women say men are justified in hitting wives if they argue back: Pakistan survey
• In conservative Pakistan, taboos hiding rise of breast cancer

Rape and Sexual Assaults

• Man get 12 years in jail for his depraved abuse of homeless teenager that included dipping her head into cooking oil before raping her
• 'Left behind' girl, aged 11, falls victim to sexual abuse by villagers
• Woman in India tells police village head ordered her gang-raped
• Let's Be Real: Online Harassment Isn’t 'Virtual' For Women
• Woman Accuses Ex-Coach of Abuse in YouTube Video
• "She Might Have Had a Case If She Had Been Unconscious During the Rape"—"After a scathing Justice Department investigation in the nation's 'rape capital,' the county attorney says he has everything under control."
• Bullying in armed forces on rise, MoD figures reveal—"Call for urgent overhaul of military justice as MP highlights plight of servicewomen alleging sexual offences."

Marriage Equality

• Health Benefits For Gay Couples In NC Cut By Blue Cross—"... after stating that the language in the respective policies was geared more towards married couples and not gay couples."
• Utah attorney general backs Nevada’s gay marriage ban
• Indiana House Derails 2014 Marriage Amendment By Voting To Change Its Language
• Gay-marriage debate takes new twist in Oregon: religious exemption
• Judge OKs class action status in Virginia for gay marriage lawsuit

LGBT

• Schatz introduces bill for discharged gay veterans—"A Hawaii Democrat introduced on Thursday new legislation in the U.S. Senate that would ensure gay veterans discharged because of their sexual orientation have the designation of 'honorable' discharge on their records."
• Football player's coming-out story disproves every dumb theory about gay athletes—"When Connor Mertens told his teammates he was bisexual, their response couldn't have been more perfect." Salon
• Maine Supreme Court: Transgender Students Deserve Equal Bathroom Access
• California Court Won't Hear Challenge To 'Gay Therapy' Ban
• Disney Channel features same-sex couple for the first time Salon
• The Benefits of the Closet
• What is homophobia? Why straight men are right to be afraid of homosexuality.

International

• Russian anti-gay gang violence seen for the first time on camera—"Forthcoming C4 documentary reveals disturbing methods used by homophobic groups as Olympics near."
• Olympians Join Petition Against Russian Crackdown on Gays
• Northern Cyprus votes to legalise gay sex—"Campaigners hail 'historic day for gay people' after MPs approve repeal of Europe's last remaining ban on homosexual acts."
• Ugandan President Will Only Sign Antigay Bill If Science Proves It's A Choice
• Archbishops criticise Nigerian and Ugandan anti-gay laws—Uganda archbishop responds.
• Local church removes gay man's membership, denies him communion—"Pastor of the Newberry Township church said the decision is out of love, not hate."
• India Supreme Court refuses to review colonial-era sodomy ban Salon

Pope Francis, Sex Abuse Scandals, Islamists, Women, Church and State; Marriage Equality, Teh Gay, Sochi, Politics, Transgender

Pope Francis

• Pope asks Catholic Church not to alienate kids of gay or divorced parents—"'We must be careful not to administer a vaccine against faith to them,' said the pontiff." Salon
• Francis sacks four cardinals on Vatican Bank commission – 11 months into their five-year term
• Pope Francis Restricts 'Monsignor' Title To Encourage Humility In Priests
• Pope Francis looks past Europe, U.S., for new cardinals
• Pope Francis encourages breastfeeding in Sistine Chapel
• Pope Francis Is Auctioning His Harley for Charity

Sex Abuse Scandals

• For the first time ever, Vatican answers questions about priest sex abuse in public at length
• Pope Benedict defrocked nearly 400 priests for molesting kids
• Oklahoma pastor arrested in Philippines on child molestation charges

Islamists

• Lebanon Loses 78000 Books To Terrorism: Tripoli’s "Al Sa'eh" Library Burned
• Islamists kill young Catholic who complained about anti-Christian violence
• Afghan atheist granted UK asylum—"Home Office's acceptance of atheism as grounds for protection could set significant precedent."
• Mali arrests Islamist judge who ordered amputations and stonings

Women

• Saudi religious cops tell women not to use swings
• York University professor who refused student's request to be separated from female classmates broke 'obligation to accommodate': officials
• Teen felt 'degraded' after teacher backed aikido student's request to avoid touching females on religious grounds
• How people in Muslim countries prefer women to dress in public

Church and State

• Woman claims lawyers should have told her divorce would end her marriage
• The religious alternative to Obamacare
• Texas Public Schools Are Teaching Creationism—"An investigation into charter schools' dishonest and unconstitutional science, history, and 'values' lessons."
• Elder Pastitsios satire: Greek blogger sentenced to 10-month prison for insulting religion

Marriage Equality

• Utah's gay marriages are valid, feds say—And, according to the state, married couples can file joint taxes.
• U.S. District Judge Rules Oklahoma Ban on Marriage Equality Unconstitutional—"His ruling is stayed pending appeal, meaning marriages will not occur immediately in the Sooner State."
• Yes, Being Against Marriage Equality Means You're Against Gays
• The case for gay marriage is made in the freedom of religion
• Sean P. Means: At Sundance, 'Case Against 8' points the way for Utah's same-sex couples—"When filmmakers Ben Cotner and Ryan White were making 'The Case Against 8,' and when the Sundance Film Festival programmers picked it for the U.S. Documentary competition, neither group could have known that the film would become so timely — especially for its Utah audiences."

Teh Gay

• Eighty percent of congregation quits after Indiana church forces out gay choir director
• Ratings Plummet For 'Duck Dynasty' Season Premiere After Star's Gay-Bashing Interview
• Juan Pablo Galavis Says There Shouldn't Be a Gay Bachelor—"Can you really say 'I don't think it's a good example for kids' and still 'respect' gay people?" He's not ducking around.

Sochi

• Italian IOC official accuses US of 'absurdly' politicizing Olympics by sending gay athletes
• Putin: Gay people will be safe at Olympics if they 'leave kids alone'
• Russia's 'anti-gay' law pushes gay community into shadows

Politics

• McAuliffe signs executive order prohibiting discrimination against LGBT state workers
• Republican gay rights campaigner announces he's quitting the GOP—"Co-founder of political campaign group GOProud says he's fed up with the 'tolerance of bigotry' in Republican party."
• Okla. Rep. Sally Kern: 'Homosexuality is not a civil right, it's a human wrong'
• Dave Agema: Russian anti-gay propaganda law is 'common sense'
• New law in Nigeria bans gay meetings
• Uganda Among World's Top Gay Porn Consumers—So far the president isn't signing the bill.
• Australia: Victoria to expunge criminal records of men convicted over gay sex

Transgender

• Transgender teenager faces criminal charges after defending herself against bullies Salon
• Laverne Cox flawlessly shuts down Katie Couric's invasive questions about transgender people Salon
• Trans Woman Dares Bible-Quoting Councilman to Stone Her to Death—"A Shreveport, La., City Council member Tuesday withdrew a bill that would repeal the city's recently passed antidiscrimination ordinance following backlash from residents, including one woman willing to call his bluff."