RELIGIOUS OBJECTIONS-INDIANA IMAGE
Indiana cancels contract with public relations agency
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) β Indiana’s economic development agency has dropped its contract with the New York public relations firm it hired to assess damage to the state’s reputation after a religious objections law sparked calls for boycotts.
An official with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation cites strong employment numbers, national recognition for the state’s business-friendly climate and cost management efforts in the decision to cancel the contract.
The IEDC had hired Porter Novelli to help develop a plan to rebuild the state’s image after criticism over the religious objections law the governor signed into law in March. Critics contended the law would allow religious beliefs as a legal defense for discrimination against lesbians, gays and others.
The firestorm quieted after lawmakers revised its language, but convention and tourism officials across the state say they’re still being asked about the law and that its true effects might not be known for years.
RELIGIOUS OBJECTIONS-SEX OFFENDERS
Sex offenders sue, cite Indiana’s religious objections law
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) β A lawsuit filed on behalf of two registered sex offenders cites Indiana’s new religious objections law in arguing they’ve been wrongly prohibited from worshipping at churches that have schools on the same property.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed the lawsuit on behalf of two unnamed sex offenders, one of whom belongs to a Fort Wayne church and another who has attended an Elkhart church.
The lawsuit argues that a new state law banning many sex offenders from going onto school property at any time presents an unjustified burden on the men’s religious liberties under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
POPE VISIT-JAILED CHURCH OFFICIAL
Ex-church official housed at prison that pope plans to visit
PHILADELPHIA (AP) β A former church official jailed for his handling of priest sexual-abuse complaints is one of the inmates at the Philadelphia prison Pope Francis plans to visit during his U.S. trip.
Monsignor William Lynn is serving a minimum three-year sentence after a jury found he endangered children in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The 64-year-old is housed at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Center while he appeals his conviction. It’s not clear if he will still be there for the pope’s September visit or whether he would be among the inmates picked to meet with him.
Defense lawyer Thomas Bergstrom said Lynn would no doubt welcome the experience.
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311-v-35-(Carlotta Bradley, AP correspondent)–A former church official is housed at the prison Pope Francis plans to visit. AP correspondent Carlotta Bradley reports. (2 Jul 2015)
< VATICAN SOUTH AMERICA Pope brings ‘church for the poor’ to South America’s poorest VATICAN CITY (AP) β Pope Francis is taking his “church for the poor” to three of South America’s poorest countries. The week-long trip will showcase the pontiff speaking his native Spanish on his home turf about issues closest to his heart. Indigenous peoples will take center stage during much of Francis’ July 5-13 visit to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay. Francis’ own Jesuit order will be in the spotlight for its role in evangelizing the continent centuries ago and today. Environmental concerns in the Amazon, border conflicts and the region’s tortured history with authoritarian regimes also factor into the agenda. The first Latin American pope will return to South America for the first time since he was elected two years ago. MENNONITES-ISRAEL-DIVESTMENT Mennonites delay divestment vote over Israeli occupation NEW YORK (AP) β A leading Mennonite group is delaying a decision on divesting from companies with business tied to Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories. The Mennonite Church USA was set to vote this week on whether to sell off stock in companies “known to be profiting from the occupation” and from “destruction of life and property” in the territories. But delegates at a national meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, have voted to table the resolution until their next assembly two years from now. Separately, Episcopal Church bishops, at the denomination’s General Convention in Salt Lake City, rejected a divestment proposal that asked the church to exclude corporations “that provide goods and services that support the infrastructure of Israel’s occupation.” Earlier this week, the United Church of Christ voted to divest from any company the church considered complicit in human rights abuses by Israel. GAY MARRIAGE-KANSAS Kansas governor pondering religious objections legislation TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) β Republican Governor Sam Brownback is considering proposing a new religious objections law for Kansas following the Supreme Court’s legalization of gay marriage. And he’s defending his administration’s cautious response to the ruling. Same-sex couples can get marriage licenses in all 105 Kansas counties, but the state is not allowing gay and lesbian spouses to change their names on driver’s licenses. It also hasn’t said whether couples can file joint income tax returns, and it hasn’t extended state workers’ health coverage to gay spouses. Brownback says the state will move “as expeditiously as we can” to make changes, but he didn’t have a timetable. Gay rights advocates say the High Court’s ruling is clear: gay married couples should have the same rights, protections, and benefits as heterosexual married couples. Sound: 312-c-12-(John Hanna, AP correspondent)-“Supreme Court decision”-AP correspondent John Hanna reports the Kansas governor is mulling over options in light of the Supreme Court’s decision legalizing gay marriage. (2 Jul 2015) < 313-c-20-(John Hanna, AP correspondent)-“and lesbian couples”-AP correspondent John Hanna reports Kansas has had a cautious response to the Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage. (2 Jul 2015) < 314-c-12-(John Hanna, AP correspondent)-“to do immediately”-AP correspondent John Hanna reports gay advocates say Kansas is not just dragging its feet in giving gay couples marriage benefits and rights, it’s defying the recent Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage. (2 Jul 2015) < GAY MARRIAGE LAWSUIT-CLERK Kentucky clerk sued for not issuing gay-marriage licenses MOREHEAD, Ky. (AP) β Four Kentucky couples are suing a clerk who is refusing to issue gay-marriage licenses, or any marriage licenses at all, following the Supreme Court decision that same-sex couples have a legal right to marry. Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis told The Associated Press that her Christian beliefs prevented her from complying with the decision, so she decided to issue no more marriage licenses to any couple, gay or straight. The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky has filed a federal lawsuit against her on behalf of four couples: two homosexual and two heterosexual, who tried to get licenses from her office. Davis is among a handful of judges and clerks across the South who have defied the high court’s order. GAY MARRIAGE-ARKANSAS REPUBLICANS Arkansas Republican caucuses plan religious protections LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) β Arkansas state Senate Republicans are working on legislation to reinforce protections for churches, religious organizations and religious schools in response to last week’s Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage. The GOP Senate caucus says it plans to draft legislation to address any unforeseen consequences of the ruling on the religious community. House Republicans issued a similar statement earlier in the week. The lawmakers vowed to fight for “traditional” views and values, but didn’t propose specific actions. GAY MARRIAGE-SOUTH DAKOTA-OBJECTIONS AG: Employees can have someone else issue marriage license SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) β South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says if a county employee in South Dakota has religious objections to gay marriage they can have another employee issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple. Jackley says the constitutional right to marry that’s now guaranteed to same-sex couples must coexist with the constitutional right of freedom of religion for county employees. The attorney general said the issue hasn’t come up yet in South Dakota but said one county official has asked him hypothetically what would happen. GAY MARRAIGE-MORMON PHOTO Woman in Mormon church photo voices support for gay marriage SALT LAKE CITY (AP) β A Mormon woman whose photograph was used by her church last week on a webpage explaining the faith’s belief that marriage should be between a man and woman says she supports the legalization of gay marriage. Sylvia Cabus (CAB’-buhs) says she doesn’t regret taking part in a casting call last year and isn’t asking for the photo to be taken down. But she decided to speak out on Facebook to clarify her belief after the image was widely viewed following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage Friday. Cabus says she knew the picture of her, her husband and their young son outside the Supreme Court could be used for any purpose. KUTV first reported the story. CHARLESTON SHOOTING-SUSPECT’S SISTER Church shooting suspect’s sister raises money for wedding COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) β A wedding fundraising website set up by sister of the man accused of killing nine people at a Charleston church has been taken down. A Go Fund Me spokeswoman says Amber Roof had removed her own profile. The profile had been asking for donations totaling $5,000 to cover lost wedding costs, pay bills and fund a honeymoon. Roof and fiance Michael Tyo called off their June 21 wedding after her brother, Dylann Storm Roof, was charged with fatally shooting nine people during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. The couple said they would donate 10 percent of the money raised to the church. GOP 2016-IOWA-CATHOLIC BISHOPS ANKENY, Iowa (AP) β Roman Catholic leaders in Iowa are asking presidential hopefuls to take up Pope Francis’ call for “profound political courage” by focusing their campaigns as much on improving the environment and income inequality as they have on opposing gay marriage and abortion in past elections. Des Moines bishop Richard Pates says it’s the first time U.S. Catholic bishops have publicly asked those seeking the White House to heed the admonitions of Francis’ June encyclical. CHRISTIAN RETAILING Christian Retailers Lifting up Christ ORLANDO (AP) β Curtis Riskey is spreading the word about Christian retailing. He’s the president of CBA, the Association for Christian Retail. Riskey says Christian retail is much more than just selling books and Bibles. He says a few years ago the size of Christian retailing was estimated at $4 billion. That includes the sale of all kinds of gifts items, home decor, books, Christian toys and entertainment. CBA sponsors an annual expo that brings retailers and buyers together from around the world. The group’s International Christian Retail Show was this week in Orlando. Sound: 316-a-08-(Curtis Riskey, president, CBA, in AP interview)-“be home decor”-Curtis Riskey, president of CBA, the Association for Christian Retail, says Christian retail is much more than just selling books and Bibles. (2 Jul 2015) < 315-a-15-(Curtis Riskey, president, CBA, in AP interview)-“to be 22-hundred”-Curtis Riskey, president of CBA, the Association for Christian Retail, says Christian retailing is a business sector with quite a reach. (2 Jul 2015) < 317-a-10-(Curtis Riskey, president, CBA, in AP interview)-“around the world”-Curtis Riskey, president of CBA, the Association for Christian Retail, says the organization’s international show brings retailers and buyers together. (2 Jul 2015) < MATTHEW WEST-CHRISTIAN SONGWRITER Christian performer notes importance of personal testimonies NASHVILLE (AP) β Christian singer-songwriter Matthew West says people need to know their stories are important. Over the years he’s invited people to send them stories about their lives. He says he’s collected thousands of stories and takes them to a cabin in Tennessee for writing retreats. He says those stories end up inspiring his songs. West says people should know their story “could change the world.” As an example, he says a person at one of his concerts who had an addiction heard a song inspired by a person who’d written him about his addiction. West says the person at the concert was touched by the song, sought help, and ended up in the same recovery program as the person who originally inspired the song. West will perform at the Creation Ichthus Festival next weekend in Lexington, Kentucky. His “Live Forever” tour, named for current album, starts this fall. Sound: 319-a-12-(Matthew West, singer-songwriter, in AP interview)-“that I write”-Singer-songwriter Matthew West says his songs are inspired by the many personal stories he has asked people to send him. (2 Jul 2015) < 318-a-12-(Matthew West, singer-songwriter, in AP interview)-“change the world”-Singer-songwriter Matthew West says people need to know their stories are important. (2 Jul 2015) < 321-a-16-(Matthew West, singer-songwriter, in AP interview)-“song graduated from”-Singer-songwriter Matthew West says a young man heard a song West had written that was inspired by a person with an addiction, and the song changed the young man’s life. (2 Jul 2015) < 320-a-09-(Matthew West, singer-songwriter, in AP interview)-“story with me”-Singer-songwriter Matthew West says he writes songs about real life. (2 Jul 2015) <
