Libya’s ruling National Transitional Council issued a new law Wednesday that bans parties based on religious principles, the council spokesman said. The surprise move was denounced by Islamists organizing to compete in upcoming elections.

Mohammed al-Hareizi said the provision, included in a law which governs the formation of political parties, was designed to preserve “national unity.”

“Parties shouldn’t be based on ethnic or religious ideologies,” he said. “We don’t want the government to be divided by these [Continue reading in new window...]

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has taken a bold stand for religious freedom. In a recent statement, titled “Our First, Most Cherished Liberty,” the bishops call for repeal of contraception coverage mandated by the Department of Health and Human Services. The clarified position sets up a dramatic confrontation with the Obama administration—and would, if the bishops prevail, help preserve the religious liberty of all Americans [Continue reading in new window...]

A lewd picture on “The Daily Show” that placed a Nativity scene manger ornament between a naked woman’s spread legs provoked heavy criticism and the threat of a boycott from Catholics. “What Jon Stewart did ranks with the most vulgar expression of hate speech ever aired on television. His incivility cannot go unanswered,” Catholic League President Bill Donohue said on April 19, calling for a boycott of the show’s sponsors. On the Ap…[Read the full story at Spero News]

Southern Baptist expert Richard Land, the voice of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, borrowed his diatribe on President Obama’s Trayvon Martin remarks but, oops, failed to credit the sources for whole paragraphs of invective.He even stood by his [Continue reading in new window...]

Worldly: Albemarle County teacher deletes “God” lyric from “We Are The World”

By Guest Post | Wednesday, April 18th, 2012 | Central Virginia, Culture, Virginia

By Rob Schilling, host of “The Schilling Show” on WINA Charlottesville

Within weeks of a national scandal at Stall Brook Elementary School in Bellingham, Massachusetts—where an overzealous government school official removed “God” from Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA”—a local teacher has performed her own secular exorcism on another popular song.

For an upcoming 4th and 5th grade performance at Albemarle County’s Broadus Wood Elementary School in central Virginia, music teacher, Jean Flaherty, has altered a key line from the 1985 Michael Jackson / Lionel Richie composition, “We Are The World.” In an effort to avoid [Continue reading in new window...]