Justice Alito’s Wife Backs Pro-Choice Candidate

Robert Novak is reporting that Justice Alito’s wife recently backed a pro-choice candidate.

Martha-Ann Alito, wife of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, was listed on top of the host committee for an Oct. 11 fund-raiser in East Brunswick, N.J., helping State Sen. Tom Kean Jr., the Republican Senate candidate in New Jersey.

It is unusual for a Supreme Court justice’s spouse to get involved in partisan politics, and pro-life activists were astounded that Alito’s wife would back a pro-choice candidate. The Kean event was run by “It’s My Party Too,” the political action committee that raises money for pro-choice Republicans.

Kean’s incumbent Democratic opponent, Sen. Robert Menendez, voted against Alito’s confirmation to the high court. Kean has announced he would have voted for Alito.

(Posted by Trask)

New Left Behind Video Game

The Idol Chatter Blog is reporting on the new Left Behind video game.

Less than a month from now, the video game version of the Left Behind series, “Left Behind: Eternal Forces,” will debut at big-box retailers, just in time for Christmas shopping season. The game, set in New York City, follows the basic M.O. of the bestselling Christian adventure novels. Tribulation Forces–those left behind to fight the anti-Christ after the cream of the Christian crop is skimmed off to heaven–force unbelievers to fight or switch. “Conduct physical & spiritual warfare using the power of prayer to strengthen your troops in combat and wield modern military weaponry throughout the game world,” says the game’s promotion material.

Some silly Christians are again demonstrating the principle that sometimes your friend can be your worst enemy.

(Posted by Trask)

Catholic Organizations Required to Provide Contraceptives

Beliefnet is reporting that New York’s highest court has ruled that it is legal to require that Catholic Charities provide contraception.

New York’s highest court ruled Thursday that social service agencies run by the Roman Catholic Church and other faiths must provide birth-control coverage to their employees, even if they consider contraception a sin.

The 6-0 decision by the Court of Appeals hinged on whether Catholic Charities and the nine other groups are essentially social service agencies, not churches.

At issue was a 2002 state law that requires employers to provide health insurance coverage for mammograms, bone density screening and other preventive services for women, including prescription contraceptives. The law exempts churches, seminaries and other institutions with a mainly religious mission.

Catholic Charities and the other groups sued the state for an exemption but lost in the lower courts.

The organizations “believe contraception to be sinful,” the Court of Appeals said. “We must weigh against (their) interests in adhering to the tenets of their faith the state’s substantial interest in fostering equality between the sexes, and in providing women with better health care.”

(Posted by Trask)

Nicaragua Protects the Unborn

BBC News is reporting on new abortion legislation that is expected to pass in Nicaragua. Although I support an exception for the life of the mother, it is nice to know that there are still civilized countries in this world that do not murder their young.

A Nicaraguan parliamentary committee has approved draft legislation to ban all abortions, including in cases where the mother’s life is at risk.
The legislation will now be debated at a national assembly hearing before a final vote next week.

If the law is passed, doctors carrying out abortions could face up to 30 years in prison.

At present, abortion is only permitted in Nicaragua in instances where the life of the mother is in danger.

The call for a complete ban has mainly come from the Roman Catholic and evangelical churches.

Church support

The bill – which is widely expected to be approved – has come amid campaigning for the country’s presidential election in November.

The leader of the judicial committee which returned the decision is against changing the law. He argues that the process has happened too quickly, and without proper consultation.

However, BBC Americas editor Will Grant says it appears that the much of the assembly, and indeed much of Nicaragua, which is estimated to be 85% Roman Catholic, disagrees with him.

Orlando Tardencilla, one of the members of the sub-committee which proposed the bill, said: “Unless abortion is made a crime, then people can simply come out and say: ‘I have the right to an abortion, this is my body and I can decide.’

“That’s like saying: ‘I’m allowed to commit murder because these hands are mine, this gun is mine.’”

But rights group The Women’s Autonomous Movement said it would file an injunction if the bill was approved.

“It’s not possible that a woman’s life be considered secondary,” the Associated Press news agency quoted group co-ordinator Azahalea Solis as saying.

(Posted by Trask)

U2’s Vertigo Tour Stage

I previously mentioned in my The Saints Are Coming II posting that I believe that U2’s Vertigo Tour stage is itself a religious symbol. After doing some searching, I came across a picture that will allow me to demonstrate this visually. This picture is from atu2’s photos on flickr.

Notice that the stage is physically just one large circle, but the lights on the stage form three separate rings. I do not think it would be unreasonable to conclude that this stage was designed to symbolize God existing eternally as both three and one.

(Posted by Trask)