Thread: Muslim sues Feds

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'Bible-based' marriage counseling under fire
Group led by Muslim sues federal agency over nuptial classes

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Posted: January 16, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern



© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com



Ayesha Khan (Photo: CNN.com)
In another legal challenge to faith-based funding, a secular watchdog group is suing the Bush administration for allegedly bankrolling "Bible-based" marriage counseling.
The lawsuit was filed by a Muslim activist and liberal attorney working for Americans United for Separation of Church and State in Washington, D.C. Ayesha N. Khan is legal director for the nonprofit group.

If successful, the suit could have a chilling effect on faith-based funding.

At stake are more than $750 million in marriage-related education and research grants the federal government plans to spend over the next five years.

(More $$ for special interest groups, Muslim and other immigrant special interest groups!?)


The case "has the potential to be quite significant," George Washington University law professor Robert Tuttle said in a recent interview. He is an expert on President Bush's initiative to allocate more federal dollars to faith-based organizations.

Specifically, the potentially landmark suit seeks to block current and future funding for the Northwest Marriage Institute, which allegedly advocates religious beliefs that "derive from a specific form of biblical literalism particular to fundamentalist Christianity," according to pages 14 and 15 of the lawsuit, filed last year in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington state.

In addition to the Vancouver, Wash.-based institute, the suit names Health and Human Services Secretary Michael O. Leavitt as a defendant. HHS already has paid out two grants totaling almost $100,000 to the institute and has awarded an additional grant expected to total $1.25 million over five years.

Under new federal guidelines, religious groups aren't barred from receiving such grants. But the money can be used only for secular purposes, not "worship, religious instruction or proselytization."

The director of the Northwest Marriage Institute says he is well aware of the rules and has not violated them.

"We are squeaky clean in this matter," Bob Whiddon Jr. told the Christian Chronicle. "Those that have filed suit did not do their homework. They have assumed a lot of things that are not true. The truth will come out and show their ignorance."

Whiddon served as pulpit minister at the Eastside Church of Christ in Portland, Ore., for nearly 10 years before starting the marriage institute in 2004. The Church of Christ follows a literal interpretation of Scripture.

Whiddon conducts the premarital and marriage-counseling seminar at the institute, including counseling married or engaged couples in his office. His secretary, Deborah Hubbell, handles financial and fund-raising duties.

Whiddon is also a staff counselor in the Sumner, Wash., office of the Agape Counseling Center, a Christian counseling and training center. Hubbell also serves as the office manager and secretary of a church in Portland, according to the lawsuit.

"The government's financing of and support for the Marriage Institute have the primary effect of advancing religion," the Americans United lawsuit claims. "Governmental cash aid is being delivered directly into the coffers of a religious organization."

Whiddon insists none of the HHS funds were spent for religious purposes but were used to pay for computers and supplies, as well as website and financial consultants, to "increase the capacity" of the institute to serve clients, who are charged $200 for weekend retreats on "Building Healthy Marriages."

The lawsuit, filed on the docket as Christianson vs. Leavitt, claims the funds also are used to pay employee salaries.

"The Marriage Institute and all its programs and services are thoroughly religious," the suit charges, citing the institute's mission statement that it exists to provide "Bible education in marriage and related subjects, and to provide professional, Bible-based pre-marital and marriage counseling."

It also says it works to promote "successful biblical principles for everyday life," and has a religious agenda of taking "biblical marriage counseling" to the many "unchurched" in the Pacific Northwest.

Whiddon counters that the institute has developed a curriculum for the non-religious presentation of workshops and refers to major secular research on healthy marriages that happen to share biblical principles.

"A lot of the principles are still the same because they work," he asserted.

But Americans United argues the institute cites God and the Bible in counseling against premarital sex, while encouraging wives submit to their husbands and maintain a "quiet spirit." It cites both the institute's website and newsletter as evidence of what it calls "fundamentalist dogma."

It also maintains that the institute's logo of an ambulance with a red cross and the words "Every Marriage Saved!" is "intended to convey an explicitly religious message."

Americans United singled out HHS for rebuke in not monitoring and auditing the institute's program for Christian content. It claims HHS has violated the constitutional ban against government promoting religion and seeks a permanent injunction stopping HHS from funding or supporting the Marriage Institute, while demanding the institute return all grant money plus interest.

The secular watchdog group's legal director, Khan, has also argued for the removal of "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance because she says it "prevents many immigrants outside the Judeo-Christian tradition from participating in this fundamental ritual of American patriotism."
Khan, meanwhile, has threatened to sue school districts over their ban on Muslim headscarves to conform to their dress codes of no hats, caps, bandannas or other headgear. She argued in a recent Oklahoma case that a Muslim girl was "simply complying with her religious faith by wearing a hijab."

Another view:


If this is Ayesha Khan, Muslim activist and liberal attorney, then I accuse her of being hypocritical.

Khan was lead attorney for two of the three plaintiffs abusing the legal process in order to unseat Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore in the famous 10 Commandments case (Glaswroth). Apparently, his opinions on the death penalty (legal and justifiable) and the Protestant and Judeo-Christian roots of our Founding Fathers and American jurisprudence (historically accurate) offended Glaswroth,et al to the point of violating their civil rights.

While the historical accuracy of Ms. Khan's flowery praise of Islam is easily refutable to anyone but the most brainwashed adherent, her attack on the 10 Commandments as part of a display of American jurisprudence, based on separation of church and state, is belied by her Islamic faith alone.

In Islam, everything, all nations, and everyone is subject to Allah. There is no such thing as a secular state in Islam. In Islam, the religion is the state and the law.

Therefore, Khan's use of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State to separate Judeo-Christian culture from an American court was hypocritical.

Prayer Space Requested
Muslims say they need quiet room at Welsh-Ryan
Dan Fletcher and Paul TakahashiIssue date: 1/9/07 Section: CampusPrintEmail Article Tools Page 1 of 1 By Dan Fletcher and Paul Takahashi
The Daily Northwestern

Amid the cheering Northwestern football fans at Ryan Field, all Ashar Wasi wanted was a quiet place to pray. The only place he could find was a spot of less-than-clean floor in a public walkway.

"We had to pray in front of the concession stand, in front of all the people," the McCormick junior said.

Perhaps someone noticed. At last Wednesday's ASG meeting, the Muslim-cultural Students Association proposed a bill establishing a designated prayer area at Welsh-Ryan Arena for Muslim students for football and basketball games.

McSA President Amir Siddiqui estimates more than 20 Muslim students are in attendance at nearly every game.

"Oftentimes while students are at sporting events, the prayer time falls during the game," the Weinberg senior said. "If there was a space to pray, or even an opportunity for students to leave and re-enter, things would be better. Right now, it can be difficult."

John Mack, associate athletic director of external affairs, said McSA contacted him about the problem as early as mid-October. Despite discussing the request in staff meetings, Mack said they couldn't provide a solution.

"This is a request we took seriously," he said. "We appreciate all student support, but we didn't feel there was a suitable area for prayer. There's not enough space in the arena."

Mack said the athletic department doesn't allow any spectators to leave and re-enter the facilities during an event.

"When you give preferential treatment, while respecting their group's religion, it's tough to determine where to draw the line in terms of our entire fan base," he said.

Regardless, some Muslim students said the current rules present an inconvenience that warrants more discussion.

"Right now, we have to pray late afterwards or early and it's annoying," said Ramah Kudaimi, a Medill senior. "It's a lot more convenient to have a designated area than having to pray at different times."

Kudaimi said she occasionally uses the designated prayer area in Parkes Hall on Friday, the Muslim holy day. Another area was established in the Technological Institute for a similar purpose.

"It's a lot more comfortable for other students who may not want to come upon someone praying," she said.

Siddiqui said he hopes the ASG resolution, if passed, will open up a dialogue with the athletic department.

"If we just had an opportunity to talk, we could find a solution," he said.

For his part, Mack said he would be willing to listen again. He doubts, however, that much can be changed for this season.

But Wasi, who frequents the prayer area at Tech five days a week, wishes it were different.

"All I want is a little bit of privacy, he said. "Carpets would be nice. It doesn't need to be soundproof, just clean."

http://link.toolbot.com/dailynorthwestern.com/55205

I must say that I’m glade that my years are fading because when a Muslim can sue for the removal of every Christian item because it a fins them and sue for the rights of Muslims to Where articles of there fate because it is mandate in the Koran.
Our judges believe that criminals have the right to disobey the law and any police officer who try’s to do his or her job is subject to criminals prosecution for offending the right of the criminal.

I think it's time that somebody stood up and tells these people to stuff it!
If you don't like our ways go live some place else and leave us alone!
We do not have to conform to you so take your blankie and your book of jihad and go play with explosives some where else!

Funny MD! If I didn't know better, I'd think they are trying to get free publicity. It is only a matter of time before Hollywood jumps on the bandwagon.