A CNN blog notes the new for 2012 California law that requires public schools to teach about people who have specific sexual (homosexual) lifestyles:
The “California Fair Education Act” requires that schools teach
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history and social science curricula.
The law also specifically bans topics that “adversely reflect” on Read more
Republican Rep. Mike Reynolds of the Oklahoma state legislature has introduced legislation to put “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” back in place for the Oklahoma National Guard. A similar bill in Virginia last year did not make it to a vote. Reynolds said the reason was the troops’ request:
The bill is being proposed in response to requests from members of the Oklahoma National Guard, Reynolds said.
The National Guard declined comment, and the relationship Read more
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary‘s Institute for Faith and the Public Square recently hosted an aptly named conference on chaplains in the US military:
Chaplaincy: Ministering in Caesar’s House
“There is a growing negative atmosphere toward evangelical Christianity,” said Lloyd Harsch, church history professor and institute director. “Under the guise of tolerance, everyone who holds a religiously informed position is now viewed as suspect because they’re [considered] intolerant.”
A panel specifically on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal included retired Chaplain (MajGen) Douglas Carver, former Army Chief of Chaplains. Carver specifically noted Read more
The Fort Bragg command chaplain’s office hosted the latest meeting of Strong Bonds, the chaplain-based marriage strengthening retreats intended to help troops on the homefront.
“It’s especially critical for military personnel in that it’s difficult enough being in a relationship with someone, but when you take the dynamics of the military, the Army, the separation, the work stress, the long hours from time to time, that puts additional stress on relationships,” said Chaplain (Maj.) Ralph Clark…
The chaplains host 8 such seminars every year, and are based on a variety of relationship models: Read more
While Canada’s acceptance of homosexuality was occasionally held up as a contrast to their southern cousins in the United States, it seems Canada hasn’t worked out all the moral issues associated with “sexual freedom,” either.
In late November British Columbia’s superior trial court upheld Canada’s law banning polygamy and polyamory.
Interestingly, the court found that such prohibitions did violate the religious liberty of some groups — including some Mormons, Muslims, and Wiccans — but the law Read more
Have a productive and joyful 2012.
The Top 10 articles from God and Country in 2011:
While those were the top 10 current events articles in 2011, they were not the top-visited pages on the site. As noted Read more
A few articles have begun to take umbrage at the apparent planned defense of accused Wikileaker PFC Bradley Manning: In essence, the nation’s worst release of classified information was the fault of the US military — not Manning. The military was the one who allowed him to keep his clearance despite knowing he had ‘issues’ with his sexuality.
Manning’s lawyers argued his superiors failed to address his struggles with gender-identity disorder…
The defense team says Manning was nearly paralyzed Read more
The Article 32 hearing which will determine the future course of a trial against imprisoned US Army PFC Bradley Manning — accused of releasing classified documents — recently began, about 18 months after he was initially arrested. Manning faces life in prison.
Defense lawyer David Coombs, reportedly known for his “unique” defense strategies, has already tried and failed in its attempt to have the military judge replaced. He also had many witnesses denied; he was supposedly going to question the Read more