Utah

The Supreme Court refused to revisit a lower court ruling on whether roadside memorial crosses erected in honor of fallen highway troopers in Utah violated the Constitution, to the disappointment of one dissenting justice.

“Today the court rejects an opportunity to provide clarity to an Establishment Clause jurisprudence in shambles,” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in a 19-page objection.

He believed that previous high court cases made it difficult for lower courts to rule on the matter, commenting that the “constitutionality of displays of religious imagery on government property anyone’s guess.” more >>

Nearly 3,000 children in Salt Lake City heard the Gospel of Christ during a weeklong campaign held by the Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), the largest Christian ministry to children in the world.

Though the campaign originally began in Brazil, since 2008, the ministry has launched “Good News Across America” every summer in the U.S., reaching children in major cities like Chicago and Boston through 5-Day evangelistic clubs.

“We want to help churches with something they often find challenging: evangelizing children, especially non-churched children,” Moises Esteves, vice president of U.S. ministries for CEF, said in a statement. more >>

Conservatives can say I told you so as Kody Brown of the TLC show "Sister Wives" plans to file a lawsuit Wednesday against Utah's ban on polygamy. Conservatives have been warning lawmakers that amending laws governing moral sexual behavior would open the floodgates for all kinds of consensual sexual relationships including polygamy. Now one Christian leader warns that America is falling into a downward spiral of sin.

Brown's attorney, Jonathan Turley, says he will argue that the arrangement between Brown and his four wives, Robyn, Christine, Meri and Janelle, is consensual and one made in the privacy of their own household and should therefore be legal. He is basing his assertion on a 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning sodomy laws for the benefit of gay couples.

In the case of Lawrence v. Texas, the majority ruled that the state could not prosecute people for engaging in private, consensual sexual behavior. more >>

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to intervene in a case deciding the constitutionality of memorial crosses placed on various state properties to honor fallen state troopers.

Shurtleff requested that the high court issue an opinion on the case after the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the 14 crosses bearing the name of a fallen state trooper violated the U. S. Constitution. Prior to the 10th Circuit Court’s ruling, the high court had upheld the cross as a non-religious display for fallen employees.

“With two simple lines the highway crosses remind us of the ultimate sacrifice made by troopers while trying to protect us,” said Shurtleff in a statement. “The crosses only establish a trooper died in the line of duty.” more >>

Mormons who gathered in Salt Lake City, Utah, for their 181st Annual General Conference this past weekend were again met by a small group of Christians shouting "repent," among other things.

The group is a regular presence at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints conferences, often hurling insults and dragging the Book of Mormon on the ground.

Countering the protesters this year, however, was another group of Christians who offered "free hugs" and some "Jesus style" love for the Mormons. more >>

The very red state of Utah surprised quite a few people this week when Republican Governor Gary Herbert signed into laws immigration bills considered liberal.

Among the most controversial moves was allowing illegal immigrants to obtain legal residency through a two-year guest worker permit if a background check concludes the applicant has committed no serious crimes. But applicants that entered the country illegally would need to pay a fine of up to $2,500 for the worker pass.

Under this new policy, which can only take effect if the Obama administration gives the green light, illegal immigrants would be recognized by Utah as legal residents even though other states would still consider them illegal. The Utah government is trying to negotiate with the Obama administration to allow employers in the state to hire illegal immigrants – a federal crime, according to the Los Angeles Times. more >>