Beliefs matter. They are the soul-garments that keep us warm in life’s cold winds. They are our guides on life’s twisting trails. They are the hands that unify a community. They are our conscience. It is necessary, then, for us to have the freedom to seek and choose our beliefs, religious and non-religious.

Even as President Donald Trump pursues construction of a border wall, he, in cahoots with his Religious Right allies, is hard at work tearing down the church-state wall. His actions could not be more misguided.

Courtroom oaths to 'tell the whole truth' have a long lineage in Western culture – they’re mentioned in the writings of the Roman statesman Cicero. It’s unclear when the religious element crept in – perhaps during the Middle Ages – but more and more courts are making secular alternatives available for those who’d rather not, for whatever reason, say the words 'So help me God.'