Are evangelical Christians abandoning public schools?

Conventional wisdom suggests that evangelical Christians, often among the most vocal advocates of school choice efforts in the U.S., are promoting choice out of a sense of frustration with public schools and perceived bias against religion. Research by Marilyn Anderson Rhames, however, suggests that evangelicals are no more concerned about religious bias in their local schools than other Americans. Using data from the 2019 PDK poll into the public’s attitudes toward the public schools, Rhames analyzed responses to questions about pressure to “fit in” or conform; religious bias; bias against gay, lesbian and/or transgender students; and the perceived risks of improper civics, Bible, and comparative religion instruction. In most cases, evangelical responses were not significantly different from those of other parents. In some case, racial identity and ideology were stronger drivers of parental opinion.

Restructuring, Insecurity and the Challenges of Development in Nigeria

The macabre of violence orchestrated by high degree of ethnic colouration and religious intolerance gave credence to this research topic. Overtime the Nigeria nation has been besieged by different altercations that have consequently retarded the pace of progress and development of the country. The study which adopted the frustration aggression theory and using the secondary data as a source submits that economic dissatisfaction arising from politics of exclusion, religious bias, leadership problem, insurgency among others have conspicuously created division among people who have agreed under one federating unit to live as one have rather consistently been denied their fair share of the "national cake". Consequently, this has led to bottled up anger, frustration and some level of disenchantment. It is against this backdrop that this paper seeks to interrogate-the nature and dimension of the Nigerian security situation and its slow pace development. The study concluded that the agitations for fair treatment, equal representation, effective governance are basic and necessary ingredients of restructuring that could help guarantee a peaceful co-existence devoid of rancour and acrimony. The study therefore among other things recommended that true federalism, good governance, justice would guarantee security and development in Nigeria. Keywords: Restructuring, Insecurity, Development, Underdevelopment

The (Mis)Fortunes of Ordinary Men

Rarely is there a middle ground in the way poor golf caddies in Bangalore analyze their situation and the plight of others similarly disadvantaged in the society. If there is success—measured in the ability of some caddies to win consistent financial support from members—then it is a matter of their remarkable work ethic and high morals. If they fail at this effort, then it is owing to bad luck or fate. Club members and the clubs where they play golf, along with structural forms of caste and religious bias in the society at large, are rarely implicated, one way or the other. Ultimately, disadvantaged golf caddies carry forward the rhetoric and ideology of individualism, while unwittingly justifying the inequality between caddies and club members, and between a select few up-and-coming caddies and the rest.

PELAKSANAAN ITSBAT NIKAH PASCA BERLAKUNYA UU NO. 1 TAHUN 1974 TENTANG PERKAWINAN DI PENGADILAN AGAMA

Abstrak: Itsbat nikah merupakan sebuah proses penetapan pengesahan pernikahan yang telah dilangsungkan berdasarkan syariat Islam, namun tidak dicatat di KUA. Tujuan dari itsbat nikah adalah untuk mendapatkan akta nikah sebagai bukti sahnya perkawinan sesuai dengan peraturan perundang-undangan yang berlaku di Indonesia, sebagaimana diatur dalam pasal 2 ayat (1) dan (2) UU No. 1 Tahun 1974 dan pasal 7 ayat (1), (2), dan (3) Kompilasi Hukum Islam. Prosedur pengajuan itsbat nikah di Pengadilan Agama Manado setelah berlakunya Undang-Undang Nomor 1 Tahun 1974 yaitu, melakukan pendaftaran ke Pengadilan Agama Manado, membayar panjar biaya perkara, menunggu panggilan sidang dari pengadilan, serta menghadiri persidangan dan putusan pengadilan. Ada beberapa yang menjadi alasan pengajuan itsbat nikah di Pengadilan Agama Manado, antara lain; (1) kehilangan akta nikah, (2) pengurusan perceraian, (3) Perkawinan yang dilangsungkan sebelum berlakunya UU No. 1 Tahun 1974, dan (4) perkawinan yang dilakukan oleh mereka yang tidak mempunyai halangan perkawinan menurut Undang-Undang No. 1 Tahun 1974. Perkara itsbat nikah (pengesahan nikah) bisa diajukan secara voluntair (permohonan) dan diajukan secara kontentius (gugatan) ke pengadilan agama. Dasar pertimbangan hakim dalam memberikan penetapan itsbat nikah di Pengadilan Agama Manado diantaranya yaitu: 1) Legal standing (kedudukan hukum) pemohon untuk mengajukan perkara itsbat nikah di pengadilan agama berdasarkan ketentuan pasal 7 ayat (4) KHI, 2) Posita (fakta kejadian dan fakta hukum), 3) Keterangan saksi dan bukti di persidangan, serta 4) Alasan-alasan mengajukan itsbat nikah. Kata Kunci: Perkawinan, Itsbat Nikah, Voluntair, Pengadilan Agama Abstract: Itsbat of marriage is an endorsement of the assignment process, which has been held on the basis of Islamic jurisprudence, but not recorded at KUA. The goal of itsbat is to get a marriage license deed as evidence of legitimate marriage in accordance with the legislation in force in Indonesia, as provided for in article 2 paragraph (1) and (2) of law No. 1 of the year 1974 and article 7 paragraph (1), (2) and (3) Compilation Of Islamic Law. Itsbat procedure for making marriage a religious Court in Manado, after the enactment of law number 1 year of 1974, namely, registration to court Religious bias, pay fees, waiting for the call from the Court of session, as well as attend the trial and the verdict of the Court. There are some who became the reason of filing itsbat of marriage in a religious Court in Manado, among others; (1) the lost deed, (2) management, (3) the marriage took place before the enactment of law No. 1 year 1974, and (4) a marriage conducted by those who have no impediments to marriage according to the law No. 1 year 1974. Itsbat matter of marriage (endorsement of marriage) may be filed in voluntair (the petition) and filed in kontentius (the suit) to the Court. Basic consideration of judges in giving the setting of itsbat marriage in a religious Court in Manado of which namely: 1) Legal standing (legal position) the applicant to litigate itsbat marriage in a religious court based on the provisions of article 7 paragraph (4) KHI, 2) Posita (facts and legal facts of the incident), 3) witnesses and evidence in the trial, as well as 4) the reasons for filing the itsbat marriage.