Federal Appeals Court Rules That Employee Pensions At Religiously Affiliated Organizations Are Protected

Employees at religiously affiliated organizations in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin can breathe a sigh of relief today—now that a federal appeals court has ruled that their pensions and employee benefits are safe for now.

 

Religious Right Curiously Silent During Management-Muslim Religious Liberty Dispute

With two different labor disputes between management and Muslims looking to fulfill their religious practice of praying five times a day, the most notable silence is coming the traditional defenders of religious freedom, the Religious Right.

Last Week In Review: February 22–26

As bills continue to pick up speed through their respective legislatures, we've decided to add a new feature to our legislative coverage that helps our readers keep track of the previous week's bill movement.

Sense-Free Zone: Okla. Gun Range Owners Face Lawsuit For Turning Muslim Customer Away

Arkansas “patriot” Jan Morgan announced to the world two years ago that her gun range would no longer serve Muslim customers. At the time, I noted that her actions violated public accommodation law and that she would lose an inevitable lawsuit; that did not deter Morgan, and it did not deter a number of other gun-range owners from implementing the same policy.

Marine Does Not Have A Right To Display Religious Signs On Government Property, Says Americans United

Disciplinary Actions Taken Against Monifa Sterling Were Appropriate, Church-State Watchdog Group Asserts In Court Brief

Unfriendly Skies: American Airlines Accused Of Discriminating Against Muslim And Sikh Passengers

Religion-based discrimination takes many forms in modern America. Often it looks like a county clerk who won’t give a marriage license to a same-sex couple. Other times, it looks like three Muslims and one Sikh getting booted from a flight because they allegedly made passengers and crew “uneasy.”

Legal Lesson: Texas Lt. Gov. Is Clueless About American History And The First Amendment

It seems Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has a poor understanding of both American history and the First Amendment. So let’s take a few moments to educate him.

Selective Worry: Poll Shows Americans Have Greater Concern For The Rights Of Christians

A new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll reports that Americans overwhelmingly prioritize the religious freedom rights of Christians over other faith groups.

Interfaith Leaders Continue To Speak Out Against Anti-Muslim Rhetoric

Faith leaders across the country are continuing to be some of the loudest voices of reason in this era of anti-Muslim vitriol. 

Donald Trump Says... Something... About The War On Christianity

GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump took to the radio waves to say... something... about the War on Christmas and America's supposed war on Christianity in general with Tony Perkins of of the Family Research Council. It's just as incomprehensible and eyeroll-inducing as you would expect.

This Just In: Abuse Of Muslim-Americans Is A Religious Freedom Issue

Abuse of Muslims in American is a religious freedom issue, and it's sad that it took the horrific comments from Donald Trump to bring some church leaders to that realization.

God’s Boycott: Ala. Lawmaker Asks Constituents To Only Shop At Christian Businesses

An Alabama state representative thinks he has a solution for combating terrorism: People should shop only at businesses owned by “God-fearing Christians.”

Terror At Planned Parenthood: Facing The Consequences Of The Far Right’s Lies

In the wake of Friday’s horrific shootings at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, we’re hearing calls to deescalate the rhetoric around the issue of abortion.

American Muslims Face Threats, Gunfire After Paris Attack

The reverberation from ISIS' horrific attacks on Paris this Friday are being heard around the world. While most of the reactions have been an outpouring of love and support for the victims, their families, and the whole of France, Muslims have already felt the brunt of the Islamophobic backlash.

Give Us Your Huddled Masses (If They’re Christians): GOP Hopefuls Call For Rejecting Muslims Refugees Fleeing ISIS

The U.S. government should refuse to resettle Syrian Muslims, two presidential candidates announced this weekend. Reacting to Friday’s devastating Paris attacks, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) both advised the government to agree to resettle only Syrian Christians.

We Don’t Need No Education?: Texas High Court Mulls Limits Of Homeschooling

The Texas Supreme Court is set to determine if parents have a religious-freedom right to homeschool with no state oversight whatsoever. Michael and Laura McIntyre, who homeschooled their nine children after pulling them out of a local Christian school, claim the El Paso Independent School District violated their rights when it attempted to verify the children were being educated.