Topic: Religious Freedom and Discrimination

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Battle for women's votes: 6 flash points

The uproar over the Obama campaign’s 'Life of Julia' Web infographic – which made #Julia big on Twitter – highlights just how fiercely both parties are fighting for the women’s vote. The economy is by far the most important issue in November for both sexes. But there are other areas with special significance to women. Here are the main flash points.
6 famous dissidents in China

The surprising escape of a blind legal activist from house arrest is buoying China's embattled dissident community, even as the government cracks down on those who helped him.
US Supreme Court: Big 21st century rulings

The past 12 years have seen significant US high court decisions with wide-ranging effects on personal freedoms and national politics. Another key ruling is expected this summer on President Obama's health-care reform law. Here are some recent top rulings, all decided by 5-to-4 votes.
Catholicism in Latin America: 5 key facts

Pope Benedict XVI began his second trip to Latin America on March 23, with stops in Mexico and Cuba. Here is a brief history of the Catholic church in the Americas.
Rick Santorum: top 5 unorthodox views

Rick Santorum must try to prevent Mitt Romney from securing a majority of delegates before the Republican convention in August, and then have a contested convention. In many cases, his positions mirror Mr. Romney’s, but here are five of Mr. Santorum’s most unorthodox views.

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Obama and the contraception mandate

The Obama administration plans to exempt only certain types of religious institutions from the health-care law's mandate for coverage of birth control. But in doing so, it redefines religion, which not only steps on a basic liberty but a basic understanding of religion's role in society.
Health-care mandate: Catholic leaders sue over birth control

Health-care plan provision for employer-paid birth control riles Catholic schools, dioceses, and health-care providers. Negotiations with White House 'not encouraging.'
Catholic groups take fight against Obama birth-control rules to court

Some 43 Catholic groups including Notre Dame are attempting to block rules in the new health-care law that require health insurance to provide access to birth-control services.
Battle for women's votes: 6 flash points

The uproar over the Obama campaign’s 'Life of Julia' Web infographic – which made #Julia big on Twitter – highlights just how fiercely both parties are fighting for the women’s vote. The economy is by far the most important issue in November for both sexes. But there are other areas with special significance to women. Here are the main flash points.
The Vote
On National Day of Prayer, plenty of politics

National Day of Prayer activities may have more political undertones than usual this year, as religious groups take aim at what they see as President Obama's attacks on religious freedom. 
6 famous dissidents in China

The surprising escape of a blind legal activist from house arrest is buoying China's embattled dissident community, even as the government cracks down on those who helped him.
Readers Write: Religion should 'render unto Ceasar'; Obamacare debate misses mark

Letters to the Editor for the weekly print issue of April 23, 2012: Several readers argue that protecting religious freedom can't threaten individual rights. Another says the debate over Obamacare ignores the real issue with US health-care – skyrocketing costs.
Readers Write: Freedom of – or freedom from – religion?

Letters to the Editor for the weekly print issue of April 9, 2012:
Cover Story
The faith factor: Religion's new prominence in campaign 2012

Whose beliefs matter? From birth control to taxes, religion is playing an unprecedented role in campaign 2012.
US Supreme Court: Big 21st century rulings

The past 12 years have seen significant US high court decisions with wide-ranging effects on personal freedoms and national politics. Another key ruling is expected this summer on President Obama's health-care reform law. Here are some recent top rulings, all decided by 5-to-4 votes.
Catholicism in Latin America: 5 key facts

Pope Benedict XVI began his second trip to Latin America on March 23, with stops in Mexico and Cuba. Here is a brief history of the Catholic church in the Americas.
Rick Santorum: top 5 unorthodox views

Rick Santorum must try to prevent Mitt Romney from securing a majority of delegates before the Republican convention in August, and then have a contested convention. In many cases, his positions mirror Mr. Romney’s, but here are five of Mr. Santorum’s most unorthodox views.
Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith

British academic Andrew Preston offers a crisply written account of the historic intersection of religion and US foreign policy.
Does it help Rick Santorum to slam JFK on religion's role in politics?

Rick Santorum on Sunday attacked John F. Kennedy's 1960 speech affirming separation of church and state. With two-thirds of Americans saying religion is 'losing influence' in US life, he may be playing to those who worry about that.
Does Obama really care about religious freedom in America?

Religious freedom in America is under attack from the right and the left. But the right of conscience is our greatest possession. If Obama genuinely supports religious liberty, he can offer his support for a constitutional amendment that would restore protection for religious rights.
As birth control flap goes on, who benefits most? Santorum? Obama?

The two sides are hardening their positions on contraception. The divide between many Catholics and bishops remains. And it’s raising questions over who benefits in the presidential election.
The Vote
Political fallout from birth control fight: A glimmer of good news for Obama?

Under fire from Catholic bishops and others, the Obama administration had to backtrack on contraception and health insurance. But many Catholics differ with the church hierarchy over birth control.
Can birth-control flap rekindle 'repeal ObamaCare' crusade?

Republicans see the surge in support for religious freedom as an opening to overturn President Obama’s signature health-care reform. Conservatives are not likely to let the issue go lightly.
Obama, seeking to quell birth control furor, shifts cost to insurers

President Obama, yielding to pressure from religious groups and others, withdrew a mandate that religiously affiliated institutions include free birth control in health insurance plans for employees. Now, insurers will pay.
The Obama birth-control mandate

The president's health-care regulation expanding access to birth control, including abortion pills, impinges on churches that oppose abortion, especially Catholic ones, by narrowly defining their religious activity to teaching only. Government must be wary of determining where the works of faith end.
Boehner vows Congress will reverse Obama birth control policy

Congress enters the church-state fray over the Obama policy on birth control, with House Speaker John Boehner saying Wednesday that lawmakers will reverse it if the White House doesn't.
Top 4 threats against America: the good and bad news

America’s top spy chiefs and intelligence experts come together every year to share their best guesses about the biggest threats that will face the country in the year ahead. Here are the top four pieces of good and bad news to come out of the annual threat-assessment hearing in Congress Tuesday.
Court dismisses fears of 'creeping Sharia law' that led to Oklahoma ban (+video)

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction against an Oklahoma referendum banning the use of Islamic Sharia law in courts and said there's no evidence of such influence on US courts.
Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups

The Supreme Court decides unanimously that the First Amendment bars government interference in a religious group's decision to fire a minister. Critics say the ruling protects religious groups that fire people for the most venal reasons.
Religious freedom no match for Washington gridlock?

US Commission for International Religious Freedom, created in 1998, will cease to exist Friday unless lawmakers renew funding. Its aim: make religious freedom a priority of US foreign policy.