On October 6, 2020, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case on the issue of whether individual FBI agents can be held financially liable if they are found to have violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The underlying case involves Muslim-Americans who alleged that individual FBI agents put them on the “no fly” list after they refused to act as informants against fellow Muslims in terrorism-related investigations.
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Satanic Temple claims abortion is a religious ritual protected by the Free Exercise clause
The Satanic Temple is asserting a free exercise right to abortion as a religious ritual in lawsuits against the state of Missouri and against a Louisiana advertising agency.
Church deserves trial on constitutionality of shutdown order rules judge
Contempt of court is a quasi-criminal act, and the court cannot punish someone for breaking a regulation if that regulation is not constitutional.
“I dissent!” A Survey of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Religion Clause Jurisprudence
Ginsburg wrote little on the religion clauses, but she frequently joined with those Justices who favored a strong separation of church and state.
Wohlberg: Churches Should Not Surrender Right to Assemble
White Horse Media director Steve Wohlberg spoke this past weekend about the ramifications churches may face when they surrender their right to choose to meet or not during the pandemic.
LA County fails bid to shut down church and must prove why free exercise rights should be infringed
Los Angeles County lost another battle in its bid to stop Grace Community Church from meeting indoors today. Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff found that, contrary to the County’s representation, the Sun Valley megachurch led by Pastor John MacArthur did not violate any court order because no court order prohibited the congregation from meeting indoors.
Why Churches are Fighting Shutdown Orders
Five months into the pandemic shut-down, Los Angeles County is asking for the courts to find that Grace Community Church Pastor John MacArthur acted in contempt of court for holding services this past weekend, and for fines of $20,000 against church leaders and the congregation.
Two Southern California Judges Refuse to Shut Down Churches This Weekend
With outdoor temperatures expected to pass the 100-degree mark, two Los Angeles area judges have given local churches some comforting news.
Ventura County Sues to Stop Church from Meeting Indoors
On August 2, 2020, the church again met indoors and Pastor McCoy said he was “willing to go to jail” and “willing for them to take our building” rather than comply with the state and local orders.
Founders’ First Freedom urges Supreme Court to Restore Title VII Workplace Religious Accommodation Standard
Today, Founders’ First Freedom, Inc. filed an amicus brief urging the United States Supreme Court to revisit and restore the workplace religious accommodation standard found in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.