Religion Dispatches
…d back in 2014, defended itself by invoking section 18 of the Human Rights code, which allows a religious group to restrict participation to the faithful. So while AA presents itself to the public as a “spiritual” program, distinguishing itself from “religious” groups, it nevertheless claimed “religious” legal status in order to protect itself. Although the definition of “religion” is generally assumed in common parlance, it is not in any sense ea…
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…red to marriage.’ Fidelsberger argues the civil partnership law is the far better one, because it is written in modern language. But, more importantly, she says it does better than the antiquated and often-amended marriage laws when it comes to fulfilling the demands of a modern relationship where both partners have equal rights. ‘Because of this we don’t want to swap civil partnerships for marriage in its current form,’ she said. ‘It would be dow…
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…d back in 2014, defended itself by invoking section 18 of the Human Rights code, which allows a religious group to restrict participation to the faithful. So while AA presents itself to the public as a “spiritual” program, distinguishing itself from “religious” groups, it nevertheless claimed “religious” legal status in order to protect itself. Although the definition of “religion” is generally assumed in common parlance, it is not in any sense ea…
Read More…ces when Parliament attempts to legislate protections for basic rights and freedoms, such as freedom of religion. “The Government is particularly concerned to prevent uncertainties caused by generally worded Bill of Rights-style declarations. “This will be a timely expert stocktake to inform consideration of any necessary legislative reforms.” LGBTI activist Rodney Croome called for LGBTI representation on the panel, saying, “Genuine religious fre…
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…of same-sex love, is a distant dream. This has created a society where gay freedoms — which can mean Grindr on one end, and the right to marriage on the other — are reduced to carnal pleasure. India, as a consequence, feels like a place where love and sex have parted ways, and where the arc of freedom is bending toward license. It is in this context that Mr. Johar’s equivocations acquire special meaning. He is not popular among activists and the i…
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…d “propaganda activities that present marriage in other ways than the bond between a man and a woman” are unconstitutional. Italy: ‘Pro-family’ group denounces LGBT center for promoting ‘propaganda’ The opening of an LGBT center in Milan was denounced by the “Gender Observatory” as a center for promoting propaganda to normalize homosexuality. The Obervatory is run by a group called Famiglia Domani (Family Tomorrow), which says its goal is “to prot…
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…the question and was able to assure the public he would draw a bright line between his personal religious practice and his public duties. Flash forward nearly sixty years and such questions are being asked in a completely different context. Law schools like Ave Maria and Regent are literally training lawyers for the culture wars. The Hobby Lobby decision showed that an ascendant conservative-Catho-Christian legal establishment has flipped the defi…
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…l from Alabama’s Supreme Court—twice. While there is a clear hierarchy and code of judicial ethics for state and federal judges, no such restrictions are placed on Senators. It’s exceedingly rare (though not unheard of) for a Senator to be removed from office by colleagues for some kind of ethical or procedural breach. This reality only adds to the motivation for Moore to stick with the schtick that got him elected, and which demonstrably appeals…
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…? Why? In addition to Mitch Duneier’s Sidewalk, I would say Eli Anderson’s Code of the Street. It’s such a wonderful example of using the ethnographic method to dig beneath common stereotypes and reveal the social dynamics underlying a supposedly well-understood phenomenon. In his case, he’s looking at the situation of inner-city violence among young African American men. By carefully observing, listening, documenting, and then analyzing, he is ab…
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…s against concealed aversion as well. Anal intercourse often operates as a code for male-male sex. Adults now living in the U.S. should have figured out that gay men are not the only people having anal sex. They may even know that not all gay men like anal intercourse or choose to engage in it. Still, no small part of the reaction to the Teen Vogue article is animated by fear of that great bugbear of “conservative” Christian ethics—namely, male ho…
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