The tiny southeast Asian country of Brunei has adopted a harsh legal code that calls for stoning to death anyone found guilty of engaging in same-sex relationships, adultery, abortion [or] blasphemy. 

In effect, the Alabama prison’s policy is that a Christian inmate has the right to receive spiritual solace from a member of his faith – but members of other faith traditions or those who seek secular counselors can be denied that same right.

Earl Jackson is an old hand at manufacturing right-wing outrage. In January 2009, he went ballistic after President Barack Obama, speaking during his inauguration, made the non-controversial (and rather obvious) point that Americans hold many different religious and philosophical beliefs.