Freethought-Now

We here at the Freedom From Religion Foundation have taken heart from the election results but are not going to be lulled into complacency.

Not that we haven’t experienced some joy. The FFRF Action Fund, our legislative affiliate, celebrated a major victory for public safety and religious equality after Wisconsin voters rejected the dangerous constitutional proposal we dubbed the “Superspreader Amendment.” Wisconsinites Tuesday voted by 52 percent to 48 percent to reject Question 2, which would have prohibited state and local governments from limiting gatherings in places of worship during declared emergencies. The FFRF Action Fund has worked hard for months to defeat Question 2, building a campaign around a straightforward message: Religious freedom is already protected, and public safety should be, too.

As part of its campaign, the Action Fund successfully placed pieces in two notable Wisconsin publications warning about the dangers of the proposed amendment. Wisconsin Council of Churches Advocacy Director Emeritus Peter W. Bakken wrote a hard-hitting op-ed for the Capital Times newspaper in Madison, Wis. And Wisconsin Coalition for Religious Freedom Chair Rev. Dr. Christopher J. Ross had a letter published in both The Capital Times and The Milwaukee Courier (the city’s African American publication) condemning the ballot measure. The Action Fund is pleased to have worked with religious allies on this important issue.

Our brief before the Supreme Court

We didn’t let the elections distract us from other pressing work. We argued in an amicus brief filed in a case, Grand v. City of University Height, before the U.S. Supreme Court that it should dismiss the suit because it’s built on a nonexistent dispute with the aim of overriding constitutional rules governing who can sue in federal court. FFRF Senior Counsel Sam Grover remarks, “Religious litigants should have exactly the same access to the courts as anyone else, but not preferential access.”

We asked IRS to again probe N.M. megachurch electioneering
We once again asked the IRS to investigate a New Mexico megachurch for violating federal tax law due to its endorsement of political candidates. We sent a letter to the IRS on Nov. 2 after The Guardian’s recent reporting (which mentioned our work) exposed renewed electioneering by Legacy Church, an Albuquerque-based megachurch with nine locations across New Mexico. This is just four years after FFRF reported the same church to the IRS for similar misconduct.

President Trump’s false narrative

We called out President Trump for using the presidency to promote Christianity and perpetuate the false narrative that the United States is a Christian nation. In two official presidential messages issued just one day apart (one of which ridiculously referred to Oct. 31 as “Reformation Day”), Trump repeatedly portrayed Christianity as the foundation of American identity, morality and national greatness. We strongly object to the president’s suggestion that the United States was founded on Christianity or that his administration has a mandate to restore supposedly lost Christian foundations.

New prayer breakfast is no improvement
We are castigating the latest attempt to cloak a Christian religious event in the prestige and authority of the federal government. The event formerly known as the congressional National Prayer Breakfast, scheduled at the U.S. Capitol Complex on Feb. 3, 2027, has been recently rebranded the “United States Prayer Breakfast.” Despite a new name and promises of inclusivity, the prayerful event continues to promote Christianity, maintains troubling connections to the secretive religious network behind the original National Prayer Breakfast, and inappropriately unites church and state.

Good riddance to civil rights head

We are cheering the resignation of Harmeet Dhillon as head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. 

“Harmeet Dhillon was supposed to lead a division dedicated to protecting Americans from discrimination, not transform it into an instrument for advancing the administration’s ideological and religious agenda,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “We warned that her appointment would jeopardize the division’s commitment to equality under the law. Her tenure has vindicated those concerns. Her departure is welcome, but the damage she leaves behind will take years to repair.”

Fla. school district does the right thing
We are applauding a Florida school district for ending school-sponsored religion after we brought up multiple such instances. We welcome Gadsden County’s comprehensive response and its commitment to reinforcing constitutional requirements with administrators throughout the district.

We’ve received assurances about stricter oversight

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has secured assurances from an Illinois school district that it will engage in stricter oversight after a guest presenter promoted Christianity at an anti-vaping assembly. We do not object to schools educating students about the dangers of vaping, drugs or addiction, needless to say, but that mission cannot become a pretext for exposing students to religious proselytizing.

Hawaii first graders will not be subjected to prayer after we intervene
First graders in a Hawaii public elementary school will no longer begin their school day with their teacher’s Christian prayer — thanks to our intervention. After receiving our complaint, school officials took action. Public schools serve children from every religious and nonreligious background. Their constitutional neutrality allows those children to learn together as equals. Thanks to one parent who spoke up and school officials who responded, that principle has been restored in this Hawaii first grade classroom.

Genetically Modified Skeptic talks on ‘Secular Spotlight’ about community-building

The latest episode of FFRF’s “Secular Spotlight” hosted a special guest Drew McCoy for a discussion on how to better build community in nonreligious spaces. The Genetically Modified Skeptic asserts that a religious debate culture can do more harm than good, particularly when secular voices give powerful religious institutions control over their message.

‘We of Little Faith’ author offers key insights

After we celebrate the midterm election results on the most recent episode of Freethought Radio, columnist Kate Cohen, author of “We of Little Faith,” provides key secular insights.

‘Theocrat’ Sen. Moreno propagates Christian nationalism

The Action Fund’s theocrat and secularist picks are intertwined this week.

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, is the “Theocrat of the Week” for claiming that “our rights come from God Almighty” while disparaging Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed. Moreno’s Christian nationalist remarks are an affront to all non-Christian Americans, as they claim that only those who worship the Christian god and Jesus are fit to hold public office. The Action Fund reminds Moreno that he must adhere to the Constitution as a U.S. senator — not to Christian nationalism. 

‘Secularist’ Sen. Warnock castigates Sen. Moreno

The Action Fund bestows its “Secularist of the Week” award to Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., for challenging Moreno’s remarks. The FFRF Action Fund thanks the senator for his defense of our secular democracy. Warnock, a pastor, does not obscure his public office with his personal religious beliefs; we appreciate his commitment to the U.S. Constitution. 

Whether it is ballot measures, Christian nationalism in our federal government or prayer in our public schools, we are able to tackle so much only because of you.

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