The Washington Independent

Religion

National Organization for Marriage’s 2010 financial records raise questions

By | 12.12.11 | 6:00 am

In 2010, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), a tax-exempt nonprofit trying to thwart the legalization of same-sex marriage throughout the U.S., reported the highest individual donations it has received since its inception in 2007, according to NOM’s most recent income disclosures to the Internal Revenue Service, recently obtained More…

Perry’s Colorado campaign chair called to denounce anti-gay ad

By | 12.09.11 | 1:45 pm | More from The Colorado Independent

For Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., signing on as GOP presidential candidate Gov. Rick Perry’s Colorado campaign chairman probably seemed like a smart move back when Perry went from announcing he was running to being the front-runner in a matter of hours. Today, maybe not so much.

Florida state senator says his school prayer bill is not ‘patently unconstitutional’

By | 12.09.11 | 1:11 pm | More from The Florida Independent

A school prayer bill introduced in Florida by state Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, has caught the attention of national groups such as the Anti-Defamation League and the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The groups are calling foul and warn that the bill is “patently unconstitutional.” Siplin, however, maintains that his bill

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FBI says number of hate crimes holding steady

By | 11.14.11 | 3:03 pm | More from The Florida Independent

The number of hate crimes in the U.S. in 2010 increased slightly over 2009, according to a report released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation today. The number of incidents defined as hate crimes in 2010 totaled  6,628, an increase from 6,604 in 2009.

Elections expert: New Florida law could affect church efforts to get out the vote

By | 11.14.11 | 2:58 pm | More from The Florida Independent

Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, a professor at Stetson University College of Law who teaches Election and Constitutional Law, told WMNF that Florida’s new voting laws could affect church efforts to get religious voters to the polls on the Sunday before election day.

Romney’s new social-conservative team in Florida includes many anti-gay activists

By | 11.14.11 | 12:09 pm | More from The Florida Independent

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced the members of his Social Conservatives Statewide Steering Committee today; the list includes prominent anti-gay rights and anti-abortion rights activists in Florida’s Christian right circles.

Faith leaders protest mass prayer event in Detroit

By | 11.14.11 | 10:37 am | More from The Michigan Messenger

religious right

A controversial prayer rally took place at Ford Field Friday and Saturday but many mainline Christian leaders protested the event, calling out organizers for their anti-Muslim, anti-gay and even anti-Catholic views.

The Detroit Free Press reports:

Organizers for Engle’s prayer event were expecting 50,000 to 70,000 people to

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Miami-Dade anti-wage theft ordinance is working, study shows

By | 11.11.11 | 1:08 pm | More from The Florida Independent

People Engaged in Active Community Efforts (aka PEACE) released a study Thursday that finds that Miami-Dade County’s anti-wage theft ordinance is “much more effective” at dealing with wage theft claims than the process in Palm Beach County, where no such ordinance exists. The Miami-Dade measure is under attack in the

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Florida churches will host conservative get-out-the-vote effort

By | 11.11.11 | 12:19 pm | More from The Florida Independent

This Saturday, 34 churches in Florida will host a viewing of “One Nation Under God,” which is being promoted as a “two-hour premiere DVD event featuring top American thinkers and political leaders who will bring the truth about God and America to people gathered

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Crisis pregnancy centers join anti-abortion groups in support of N.C. ultrasound law

By | 11.11.11 | 10:40 am | More from The Florida Independent

Crisis pregnancy centers have joined anti-abortion groups that filed a motion to intervene in a court ruling blocking the implementation of a North Carolina law that would have forced doctors to show women an ultrasound and describe it to them before providing an abortion.