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The Secular Coalition’s Morning roundup of news stories from a secular perspective. To manage which emails you receive from the SCA update subscription preferences (http://secular.us6.list-manage1.com/profile?u=9241bef44976519ab9f9dff94&id=4e255484ff&e=[UNIQID]) .
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*NEW* 5-Part Training Series with SCA’s Edwina Rogers! (http://secular.org/video)
SCA Training Seminar and Informational Video: SCA Executive Director, Edwina Rogers, explains various aspects of secular activism and state chapter participation from forming a state chapter, to media outreach and press interviews to lobbying and fundraising.
SCA Training Seminar Part I: Mission & Values (http://secular.org/video/sca-training-seminar-and-informational-video-part-1)
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SCA in the News
Birth-control rules issued for faith-based groups (http://www.wtsp.com/news/national/article/322840/81/Birth-control-rules-issued-for-faith-based-groups) (WTSP)
Religious nonprofits can opt out of paying for birth control in their health care plans under final rules released Friday by the Obama administration. Under the Affordable Care Act, most employers must cover contraception for female employees at no cost in their health care plans.
The Democratic Party Can Do More To Reach the Religious “Nones” (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/30/1219912/-The-Democratic-Party-Can-Do-More-To-Reach-the-Religious-Nones) (Daily Kos)
Those without religious affiliation, known by sociologists and the like as the “Nones” continue to vote overwhelmingly for Democrats. Though, it is not safe to assume that this trend will continue.
Government issues new rules for churches and birth control coverage (http://www.wbir.com/news/article/278624/193/Government-issues-new-rules-for-churches-and-birth-control-coverage-) (The Tennessean)
The American Civil Liberties Union says the Obama administration got it right when it comes to the new rules for religious employers and contraception. The Secular Coalition, by contrast, wasted no time in condemning the new rules. “This disappointing rule change sets a terrible precedent for religious interference in individual choice,” said Edwina Rogers, executive director of the Secular Coalition for America, in a statement. “This exemption gives employers the ability to impose their particular religious beliefs on employees, infringing on the religious freedom of potentially millions of Americans.”
Religion News Service: Reactions to gay marriage wins at Supreme Court (http://www.auburnseminary.org/auburnnews/religion-news-service-reactions-gay-marriage-wins-supreme-court) (Auburn)
“Efforts to restrict same-sex couples from access to civil marriage are blatant attempts to insert religious beliefs into our secular government. We applaud the Court’s decision on DOMA and Proposition 8, but we recognize there is still a lot of work to be done throughout the country in ensuring that marriage equality is the rule for all.” — Edwina Rogers, Executive Director, The Secular Coalition for America
New ObamaCare Rules Will Give Broad Exemptions to Religious Employers… but They’re Still Not Happy (http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/06/29/new-obamacare-rules-will-give-broad-exemptions-to-religious-employers-but-theyre-still-not-happy/) (Friendly Atheist)
Under ObamaCare, churches are already off the hook for covering things like contraception for their employees. They don’t have to do it. But what about companies that are owned by religious people? Yesterday, the Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced the final version of a compromise between non-profit religious groups and the government.
Atheism & Culture News
Celebrating the Availability of Atheist Resources (http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/06/28/celebrating-the-availability-of-atheist-resources/) (Friendly Atheist)
A few decades ago, there were very few resources for atheists who wanted either confirmation of their own beliefs or reasons to oppose the belief in God. Now, the availability is different.
Church
Gay Pride Disco Mass: New York City’s St. Mark’s Church In The Bowery Brings In The Divas For Celebration And Praise (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/29/gay-pride-disco-mass_n_3510459.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003) (Huffington Post)
Like most churches, St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery holds Christian services in its sanctuary every Sunday morning at 11 a.m. Unlike most churches, on the last Sunday in June, the Episcopal church hangs the disco ball, turns up the music and invites a disco diva to lead their music ministry for the annual Gay Pride Disco Mass.
States
(Oklahoma) Supreme Court weighs Oklahoma abortion law case (http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/Supreme_Court_weighs_Oklahoma_abortion_law_case/20130628_11_A1_CUTLIN233789) (Tulsa World)
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday said it may hear Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt’s appeal of a recent decision by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to toss out a law regulating medical abortions.
General
Department of Education Releases Guidelines Protecting Pregnant Students (http://www.msmagazine.com/news/uswirestory.asp?id=14442) (MS. Magazine)
Earlier this week, the Department of Education (DOE) released new guidance on how to assist pregnant and parenting students in their academic career.
Jihawg Ammo: Pork-laced Bullets Designed To Send Muslims Straight ‘To Hell’ (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/22/pork-laced-bullets-designed-to-send-muslims-straight-to-hell_n_3480150.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003) (Huffington Post)
Still angry about the idea of an Islamic cultural center opening near Ground Zero, a group of Idaho gun enthusiasts decided to fight back with a new line of pork-laced bullets.
A Gay Pride March With Added Spring in Its Step (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/01/nyregion/a-gay-pride-march-with-added-spring-in-its-step.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes&_r=1&) (New York Times)
Marriage, of course, was the word of the day this year. But marriage was certainly not what the Gay Liberation Front was fighting for in 1970 when its members stepped out — at no small personal peril — to join New York’s first march commemorating the Stonewall uprising and celebrating gay pride.
Conservative Court Says Religious Employers Can Deny Their Workers Birth Control (http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/06/28/2228651/conservative-court-says-religious-employers-can-deny-their-workers-birth-control/?mobile=nc) (Think Progress)
An eight-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit struck a major blow against Obama Administration rules ensuring that most workers’ health plans will cover birth control. Although Thursday’s decision in Hobby Lobby v. Sebelius leaves a few procedural stones unturned before courts can begin carving holes in the birth control rules, it leaves little doubt that a majority of the court’s judges will allow employers with religious objections to birth control to withhold birth
control from their employees.
Cuccinelli Campaign Won’t Say If He’s Committed Any Crimes Against Nature (http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/04/ken-cuccinelli-crimes-against-nature-prison-capacity) (Mother Jones)
Cuccinelli, who is running to be Virginia’s next governor, recently petitioned a federal court to reverse its ruling that the state’s archaic “Crimes Against Nature” law is unconstitutional. That statute outlaws oral and anal sex between consenting adults—gay or straight, married or single—making such “carnal” acts a felony.
Evangelical Churches Targeted In ‘Below The Radar’ Electioneering Scheme (https://www.au.org/church-state/april-2013-church-state/people-events/evangelical-churches-targeted-in-below-the-radar) (Americans United)
Stung by defeats during the 2012 election cycle, Religious Right groups are gearing up for a renewed thrust in 2014. The American Renewal Project plans to target 12 states prior to the 2014 election, reported David Brody, chief political correspondent for TV preacher Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network.
Religious Double Standards Leave Many Muslims Single (http://womensenews.org/story/religion/130629/religious-double-standards-leave-many-muslims-single?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email#.UdGQkPnqmSo) (Womens eNews)
Sex segregation can also make it hard for Muslim youth to get to know each other, leading to higher interfaith marriages, says a marriage counselor in this excerpt from Naomi Schaefer Riley’s “‘Til Faith Do Us Part.”
World
Federation Council approves jail terms for insulting religion (http://rapsinews.com/legislation/20130626/267928904.html) (Rapsi News)
The Federation Council, Russia’s upper house of parliament, has approved a bill introducing criminal liability for insulting the feelings of religious devotees, stipulating a punishment of up to three years behind bars.
Gay marriage a step closer to being made legal in Scotland after an historic law is passed in Parliament (http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/gay-marriage-made-legal-scotland-2002262#.Uc-WUHsmeq4.twitter) (Daily Record)
UNDER the new law which was passed at Holyrood this morning religious and belief bodies will be required to opt in to perform same-sex marriages.
View the Morning Read and other news updates at Secular News Daily (http://www.secularnewsdaily.com) .
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