Religion News Briefs

Jesus statue can stay, court rules

PORTLAND, Ore. — A federal appeals court has ruled that a 6-foot statue known as Big Mountain Jesus can remain on U.S. Forest Service property in Montana.

The statue was erected on a ski slope in the Flathead National Forest in 1954 by the Knights of Columbus to honor World War II veterans who fought in the Alps. It’s included in the National Register of Historic Places.

In the decision released Monday, a three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a lawsuit filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The court ruled that a government permit allowing the statue to remain served “a primarily secular purpose” and was not an unconstitutional establishment of religion.

— The Associated Press

School looks into gridiron baptisms

VILLA RICA, Ga. — A school district is investigating a mass baptism of football players that happened on the football field of Villa Rica High School.

WXIA-TV reports the video was posted online by First Baptist Villa Rica.

It shows football players being submersed in a water tub on school grounds. Church officials wrote that they had baptized players and a coach.

Carroll County officials said they are investigating an incident that happened Aug. 17.

The Freedom from Religion Foundation sent a letter to the district Tuesday asking that officials make sure there will be no further religious events that violate students’ constitutional rights.

An official from the foundation, Annie Laurie Gaylor, said the coach misused his authority to promote religious beliefs.

— The Associated Press

Muslim inmates sue over jail’s meals

MIAMI — A federal lawsuit on behalf of four inmates is challenging Miami-Dade County’s refusal to provide meals that meet Muslim religious standards.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday, says the policy in place since October 2014 violates the rights of Muslim inmates to exercise their religion and asks a judge to strike it down. The county provides kosher meals for Jewish inmates but not halal meals for Muslims.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and Council on American-Islamic Relations Florida are representing the inmates.

The lawsuit says Muslims must eat a general population diet that does not meet religious standards that prohibit eating certain animals, require animals to be slaughtered in a particular way and mandate separation of halal foods.

A Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department spokesman declined to comment.

— The Associated Press

Governor to speak at Christian rally

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory is distancing himself from a full-page newspaper ad about a Christian rally he plans to speak at in Charlotte.

The Charlotte Observer reports that McCrory is set to speak at a rally called The Response on Sept. 26. The ad over McCrory’s name and picture invites people to join him for worship, prayer, fasting and repentance. It also calls on Jesus to hear those at the rally and heal America.

McCrory’s spokesman, Graham Wilson, says the governor will speak on underage drinking, substance abuse and other issues. But Wilson says the governor did not give organizers permission to invite people on his behalf.

Senior Rabbi Judy Schindler of Temple Beth El in Charlotte said the ad goes too far and raises questions about separation of church and state.

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