In June, churches continued their fervent campaign with anti-constitution posters pasted outside the sanctuaries and thundering criticism from the altar. Others passed out Solidarity Party leaflets attacking the constitution as "atheistic" and anti-Polish.
Poland remains one of the most staunchly Catholic countries in Europe with an estimated 96 percent of its 38.6 million population Catholic.
A temporary restraining order was issued to block the quiet college town from officially supporting the march, on May 17.
On April 3, Redlands proclaimed in part that "the March for Jesus was established to provide leadership, coordination and training for an emerging national and international network of Christians who build a local relational network that mobilizes the Body of Christ."
The city proclamation also stated that, "Redlanders will join over 10 million people, in 650 cities, and 170 nations, exalting Jesus Christ, in the March for Jesus, 1997."
"I signed the proclamation as I do a dozen or more proclamations every month for many causes and churches of all faiths," said Redlands Mayor Swen Larson.
The five-member board also fired the superintendent for her cautious attitude toward the bible study classes and accepted the resignation of its lawyer, who warned the new curriculum could spur lawsuits.
The bible history course was approved 4-1 by the local Christian Coalition-backed board in March 1996. Barbara D'Alessandro, then superintendent, was ordered to implement the course even though she said a survey of students found "virtually no interest" in such a class.
D'Alessandro and the board's attorney at the time persuaded the board to allow a citizen's committee to devise the bible history course, within guidelines provided by the Florida Department of Education. The course, as originally proposed by Board member Bill Gross, would have followed a curriculum circulated by the North Carolina-based National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, which had "a conservative, Protestant, evangelical slant," according to the school system's curriculum chief Douglas K. Whitaker.
Rocky Grove educators agreed prior to the ceremony not to have a graduation prayer when an atheist student, with the help of the ACLU, objected to the practice.
School Superintendent Charles Cagno said the district lived up to its agreement with the ACLU and the student, even though administrators knew the content of the class president's remarks ahead of time.
Officials are looking into reports that Assistant Principal Charles Woolwine and science teacher Jack Wilson, faculty sponsor of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, violated religious neutrality rules by holding prayer meetings and healing sessions with students, baptizing them during school-sponsored meetings and urging them to be "saved."
One sophomore said Woolwine called her into his office, where he talked to her about Christianity and read Scriptures to her.
"He's been hounding us about religious things," she said. "He said if I stayed on the same path, I'm not going to heaven . . . We hear him talking about it all the time. It's an everyday thing."
Lisa Herdahl, mother of six, sued the Pontotoc County school district last year when she discovered school officials were allowing prayers over the intercom, classroom group prayer, bible classes and the showing of religious films during school hours. U.S. District Judge Neal Biggers ruled in June 1996 that the school's actions violated the rights of Herdahl's children.
In May, Herdahl's attorneys sent a letter to a school district attorney protesting prayers offered at the K-6th grade assembly on May 6 and at an assembly for grades 9-12 on May 14. A verbal complaint was also lodged with a school attorney on May 7, stating the Herdahl children were made a "captive audience" to prayer.
Superintendent Jerry Horton said prayers were offered at the assemblies, which were part of "School Pride Day," in recognition of the school reaching Level 5 state accreditation, the highest award.
"This was a special occasion. We felt a prayer should be included to solemnize the occasion," said Horton. "Our community believes acknowledgment should be given to God for what we've done."
In late May, the mothers of Plaza de Mayo, who have campaigned for 20 years on behalf of victims of Argentina's 1976-83 military dictatorship, lodged the complaint asking Italy to prosecute Laghi. They also asked that Pope John Paul II lift Laghi's diplomatic immunity so he can be brought to trial.
The complaint includes testimony of senior church members who claim to have seen Laghi at the Argentine government's secret prisons and torture centers. Laghi reportedly personally decided the fate of some detainees and approved the expulsion or execution of liberal priests.
The Vatican press office issued a statment claiming the allegations of "this group of Argentine women are defamatory and without any content or foundation."
The ACLU also criticized the judges for ordering people to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, which have a spiritual component to their 12-step program.
The rescinded statement read: "We, the Michigan State Board of Education, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom, do earnestly desire to secure these blessings undiminished for our children . . . We . . . believe that to teach a child created by God is a noble calling; that throughout life, parents are a child's first teachers with the primary right and responsibility for their child's education . . . "
The statement has been widely criticised since it was adopted by the board two years ago.
A Jewish teacher challenged the schools holiday schedule of Good Friday and the Monday after Easter, claiming religious preference. Judge Alexander Williams Jr. ruled that the county was within its rights because Easter is reportedly no longer a purely religious holiday but a secular one as well.
The workers were fired from their jobs at the St. Katherine's Living Center, a privately-owned religious residential facility for the mentally ill in Davenport.
Administrator Roger Crow openly said he fired the workers because they are "faggots," did not have the proper "moral character," and "They're not part of the Bible."
A complaint was filed with the state Civil Rights Commission and the Iowa office of Nursing Home Examiners when the workers were fired. The home receives $600,000 a year in state funding. Sexual orientation is not a protected right under federal law and the Iowa Civil Rights act.
The Washington Council of Agencies, the Downtown Cluster of Congregations and Jubilee Housing said the authority failed to provide required advance notice, convene a public hearing or discuss the matter in a public meeting before ending the discounts on Dec. 26.
Stephen and Mary Diehl sued the Antwerp church in 1994 for creating a public nuisance by broadcasting Christmas music outdoors.
Judge Hugh A. Gilbert dismissed claims made by the First Congregational Church that the couple slandered the congregation, violated the church's freedoms of speech and religion, and sued merely to harass the church.
The judge refused to dismiss the Diehl's lawsuit, citing an appellate court's decision that there was enough evidence to proceed.
Interior Minister Manfred Kanther and the interior ministers of Germany's 16 states made the decision to put Scientology under surveillance, contending the church's mission is to infiltrate the government.
In June, Judge William Rhea granted a joint motion by attorneys to close the case, which has garnered considerable public attention. Rhea said he would also consider a motion to seal records and rulings.
Dean Young, executive director of CFA, said: "Homosexuals are not welcome in Gadsden, Etowah County or the state of Alabama."
The divorce case was originally assigned to religious Judge Roy Moore, who was removed from the case by the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals.
In late June, James sent a 34-page letter to U.S. District Judge Ira DeMent claiming that much of the Bill of Rights--freedom of speech, press, religion--does not apply to the states.
James cited numerous scriptural accounts, as well as legal arguments on the history of the Constitution, to support his claim that federal courts have no jurisdiction over the states on First Amendment rights. He boldly stated that the nation's highest court is plagued with "lawlessness" and urged DeMent to throw out the lawsuit over the law allowing voluntary prayer in public schools.
DeMent, who struck down the state's 1993 school prayer law in March, declined to comment on the letter, which James said would be followed by formal legal motions.
Circuit Judge Charles Price of Montgomery was given the $25,000 Profile in Courage award in early June for his ruling against Etowah County Circuit Judge Roy Moore's practice of opening court sessions with prayer and displaying a wood carving of the Ten Commandments in his courtroom wall.
The National Clergy Council, a Washington-based network of ministers concerned about "the moral deterioration in American culture," called the award to Price "scandalous." The group has been an outspoken supporter of Moore.
When Price was announced as the award winner earlier this year, Moore supporters demanded the Alabama Ethics Commission investigate whether he could accept the $25,000 prize for an official action. Price was not permitted to keep the prize money.
Schuller reportedly had a disagreement with the attendant during a flight to New York for the memorial service of Betty Shabazz, widow of Malcolm X.
United Airlines spokesperson Tony Molinaro said Schuller "made physical contact with the flight attendant and the flight attendant was injured."
Schuller denied the accusations. The Federal Aviation Administration and the FBI are investigating.