Freethought-Now

We at the Freedom From Religion Foundation haven’t had the opportunity to bask in the afterglow of our recent convention because we’ve had to return to the many urgent tasks at hand.

It was wonderful being among so many of you at our 49th annual convention in Milwaukee last week! And it was great to hear the several amazing speakers enlighten us on such a range of subjects. However, we have to now get back to the several ongoing campaigns we’re engaged in. Among them is reminding everybody about the importance of their vote. This Saturday is Vote Early Day — and we urge you all to take advantage of it. Here’s an early voter toolkit. Remember: Vote like your rights depend on it, because they do.

How college athletes are pressured to ‘pray to play’

We also released an updated edition of our groundbreaking “Pray to Play” report exposing how religious coercion still permeates college athletics. A decade after our original investigation uncovered public universities using athletic department resources to support team chaplains, we have revisited the story to investigate what has changed — and what hasn’t. After more than a year of research, including public records requests to more than 40 colleges and universities, we’ve found that religious pressure still persists.

Ron Reagan’s incredible speech at our convention

The highlight of our Freethought Radio show this week is actually a humdinger of a speech Ron Reagan Jr. (the name is no coincidence) delivered at our recent Milwaukee convention. It dives into how theocratic tendencies are threatening our democracy — and what we can do to defend secularism.

Staying curious

In our newest episode of “Underzealous,” Rowan and FFRF Multimedia Director Leo discuss curiosity, and how it can be and should be a driving force in your life. They also talk about cryptids, ball lightning, and how weird church is.

‘Secularist’ awardee has made secular recovery available in Colorado

The FFRF Action Fund (our legislative affiliate) salutes the American Atheists’ Colorado Secular Advocacy Team as its “Secularist of the Week” for ensuring that Colorado parolees can opt for secular recovery. Thanks to advocacy by American Atheists and its Colorado Secular Advocacy Team, the Colorado Department of Corrections agreed this month to provide secular alternatives for parolees required to attend recovery programs, ending its religious requirement.

‘Theocrat’ threatened violence against satanic invocation

The FFRF Action Fund names Christian nationalist activist Mark Meckler as its “Theocrat of the Week” for bragging about hypothetically resorting to violence to disrupt a satanic invocation. Meckler not only suggested that physical action was needed against the harmless invocation but also falsely claimed that the First Amendment doesn’t protect nontheistic invocations. The Action Fund reminds its “Theocrat of the Week” that freedom of religion always includes freedom from religion.

Supreme Court signals further tilt toward religion

A new blog post from FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence focusing on an expected religion-friendly ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court reminds us of the challenges we are facing. “The Supreme Court’s October term just started — and there are already warning signs for what’s to come,” Sammi writes.

We’re able to deal with all this and keep moving the secular cause forward only due to your support — whether it is at our conventions or elsewhere.

The post Weekly Wrap: Our convention, Ron Reagan, ‘pray to play’ and the importance of the vote appeared first on Freethought Now.