[dc]L[/dc]ast week the Fort Des Moines Church of Christ voluntarily dismissed a lawsuit against the state and the city of Des Moines over language in a brochure that they interpreted as interpreted as requiring churches to accommodate transgender bathroom access. The law prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, but the Iowa Civil…
Defense budget bill would roll back Obama’s 2014 anti-discrimination order
President Obama threatens to veto defense budget bill if language permitting discrimination on basis of religion or sexual orientation remains.
Evangelicals’ witness suffers due to political maneuvering
For almost 40 years Evangelical Christians, under the guise of the Religious Right, courted political power specifically through the Republican Party. As a political group, they have accomplished little of what they desired.
Christians called to higher standard of truthfulness
By Stephen Allred, Esq. – We’ll do whatever it takes to help our candidate win, whatever the cost, even if it means sacrificing the truth. In other words, truth doesn’t really matter anymore. At least that’s what it feels like in America these days.
California Governor Brown signs SB1146 into law
Last Friday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 1146(SB 1146) into place which requires private religious universities that have been granted a federal exemption from Title IX to disclose the fact to the California Student Aid Commission and notify students and staff. Title IX prohibits institutions that receive federal funding from discriminating based on gender,…
Airline made reasonable decision when accommodating monks
On September 19, Mary Campos, a Southern California woman, was asked to switch her pre-booked ticketed seat when what she has described as two “Pakistani monks” who were wearing orange robes told United Airlines that their religious beliefs prohibited them from sitting next to her because of her gender.
Preventing (and Solving) the Polarization Problem
By Brent Buttler – I hate to say it, but sometimes the church can have striking similarities with the current U.S. Congress. Thankfully, there is a solution to that problem.
Why the United States should not give up control of the Internet naming system
Congress has two more days to act to save free speech, but in a year when the Internet has been the biggest thorn in the side of both parties, my guess is that Congress will tragically let control of ICANN slide away. The world deserves the full range of First Amendment protections of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, free exercise of religion, and other freedoms that only the United States is constitutionally obligated to maintain.
U.S. Civil Rights Commission report gives free exercise of religion second-tier status
In a stunning report, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Chairman Martin Castro attacked the Religious Freedom Restoration Act at both the state and federal level, challenged the terms “religious liberty” and “religious liberty” as code for intolerance, and argued that free exercise rights should yield to other civil rights if they come into conflict.
Civil Rights Advocacy Highlighted at Northwest Religious Liberty Association Anniversary Banquet
On August 16, 2016, the Northwest Religious Liberty Association (NRLA) celebrated its 25th anniversary by highlighting key legislative achievements, including the passage of the Idaho Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) in 2000 and the two-part passage of the Oregon Workplace Religious Freedom Act (WRFA) in 2009 and 2010.