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We have had these protests before. Probably they will be with us for quite a time yet. I will pray for the protesters. I do not promise to speak publicly on the theme at every protest. But the protesters must realize that the church's teaching on this matter cannot, will not, change.

EEOC threatens to sue NEA over religious discrimination
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says it will sue the National Education Association if the teachers union doesn't stop harassing religious educators, reports The Washington Times. Critics say the union promotes "pro-abortion, pro-homosexuality positions and policies that interfere with parental rights," but teachers who don't want their dues to fund such initiatives find themselves the subject of a harassing investigation. The main case brought to the EEOC was that of Ohio teacher Dennis Robey, represented by the National Right to Work Foundation. "During the 1999-2000 school year, union officials rebuffed his longstanding objection and demanded that every year he must describe, in detail, his deeply held religious views, fill out a lengthy and invasive form, and file it with the union," a foundation press release says. "On the form, union officials asked probing personal questions about his relationship with God, his 'religious affiliation,' and required him to obtain a signature from a 'religious official' attesting to the validity of his beliefs."

Stefan Gleason, vice president of the foundation, says the NEA is trying "to force teachers of faith to shut up and pay up. The EEOC's action further underscores that the nation's largest teacher union is systematically persecuting people of faith."

The NEA said it was waiting to read the EEOC ruling before issuing a comment.

Persecution:

• Religious tensions in asylum camps | Christians and others in Australia's immigration detention centers are being persecuted and physically assaulted by Muslim asylum seekers, according to Amnesty International (BBC)
  
  
• Also: Australia warned on asylum camps | The Catholic Church says government could be sued for negligence for failing to protect young asylum seekers held in detention camps (BBC)
  
  
• U.S. Catholic bishops ask Bush to intercede with Putin for Russian church | President will likely meet with Catholic bishop in Russia (The Washington Post)
  
  
• Over 100 Korean missionaries detained in China | China is detaining more than 100 South Korean missionaries on charges of supporting North Korean defectors and engaging in religious activities in China (The Korea Times)
  
  
• Saudis deport men for owning Bible | 2 Filipinos also caught with Christian music CDs (WorldNetDaily)
  
  
• Danforth stays as US envoy to Sudan (Associated Press)
  
  
• Prejudicial journalism | The media has gotten it wrong lately about slave redemption in the Sudan (Nat Hentoff, The Washington Times)
  
  
• Priests tell Gloria: Probe deeper to solve Abu problem | Senior church leaders say military solution isn't working (The Philippine Inquirer)
  
  
• Pakistan's blasphemy law: Words fail me | Musharraf should consider the Koranic verse that says, "There is no compulsion in religion." (Akbar S. Ahmed, The Washington Post)

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May (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46