On July 4, many newspapers across the country ran a full-page ad placed by the Hobby Lobby corporation. Headlined “God Bless America,” the ad’s purpose is to imply that Christianity once had a prominent place in American law and government but was forced out by the mean old courts.
Americans United has worked for decades to protect Americans’ access to effective and affordable birth control, standing up to foes who seek to use religion as an excuse to deny healthcare that is so vital to women and their families. Contraception is crucial to women’s health and equality.
Yesterday concluded the four-day Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings for President Donald J. Trump’s U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch.
As we’ve written before, Gorsuch’s history as a federal appeals court judge indicates that he does not support true religious freedom. His performance during the hearings did nothing to allay our concerns.
You probably haven’t read much lately about Neil Gorsuch, the federal appeals court judge President Donald J. Trump has nominated to the Supreme Court – but that’s about to change.
Gorsuch’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee starts on Monday. The first day will be taken up by statements from committee members and Gorsuch himself. On Tuesday, Gorsuch will start answering questions.
By Kelly Percival
Thirty-eight states protect religious liberty in their constitutions by prohibiting taxpayer money from being used to fund religion or religious institutions. These “no-aid clauses” safeguard the integrity of houses of worship by ensuring that they do not become beholden to state interests. Next week, however, Oklahoma voters will face State Question 790, a dangerous ballot measure that, if passed, would repeal Oklahoma’s no-aid-to-religion clause and erode the separation of church and state there.
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) was born of good intentions: to protect the fundamental American value of religious freedom.
In the two decades since, however, many have misconstrued and exploited the law in ways that would result in harm to others. We can’t stand by and watch the corruption of the noble concept of freedom of religion and belief. RFRA should be restored to its original purpose so that the law, once again, can be a shield to protect religious freedom and not a sword to harm others.
An up-and-coming Religious Right legal group has a new name and a new look. The Texas-based Liberty Institute has rebranded itself First Liberty, and it has inaugurated its fresh look with a newly-released report that purportedly proves the existence of a wave of hostility toward American Christians.
If you’re like me, you’ve been sitting around anxiously awaiting the release of the American Family Association’s “Naughty or Nice” list of retailers for the 2015 holiday season.
Just kidding. I haven’t been awaiting the release of this list – and I suspect you haven’t either – but the AFA sent it to me earlier this week, so let’s take a look at it, shall we?
American women today enjoy a right that for thousands of years of human civilization was virtually unheard of: The power to decide if they will have children and if so, how many they will have.
For that, you can thank lots of people, chief among them the scientists and researchers who invented and later perfected safe and effective forms of contraception.
But you can also thank a woman many people have never heard of. Her name is Estelle Griswold.
The Religious Right has hijacked the concept of religious freedom, changing it from a noble principle intended to protect minorities into a weapon by which the majority oppresses others, a Baptist minister said recently.
In an April opinion piece for Baptist News Global, the Rev. Corey Fields, associate pastor at First Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., wrote that “religious freedom” was once used to help individuals and groups get legal protections. Now, however, it has become an excuse to ignore laws.
