A weekly secular news briefing from the Secular Coalition for America

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Happy Monday!

Welcome to our first Reads of Reason, a compilation of news-clippings that relate to our work advocating for nontheist Americans and secularism here in Washington D.C. Some of our long-time supporters might remember SCA's daily Morning Read email, this is a similar email that will be distributed weekly.

At SCA we know that being well-informed is a vital part of being an effective advocate.
News We Care About
(Good to know for protecting the Wall of Separation)
Poll: Most Americans support church-state separation; Christian nationalists differ (RNS, 10/28/21) ([link removed])

"The study, a first-of-its-kind, conducted online in March among 12,055 Americans, finds that even among highly religious Christians, only a third said the U.S. should abandon its adherence to the separation of church and state or declare the country a Christian nation..."

Parading the Horribles: The Risks of Expanding Religious Exemptions (Law, Rights & Religion Project, 11/8/21) ([link removed])
A new policy brief from The Law, Rights, and Religion Project #ParadingTheHorribles analyzes risks associated with expanding religious exemptions beyond LGBTQ and reproductive rights. They cite cases about workers' rights, race discrimination, criminal law, public services and more. ..

Safeguarding Equality and Religious Freedom (U.S. Department of Labor Blog, 11/8/21) ([link removed])
The Biden Administration and the Department of Labor propose rescinding a Trump-era regulation, which the DOL has characterized as "unnecessary" and "problematic", that allows federal contractors to discriminate against workers on the basis of religion...

Court to clarify the right of death-row inmates to receive spiritual guidance during execution (SCOTUSblog, 11/8/21) ([link removed])
"On Oct. 21, when Willie Smith III was executed in Alabama for the 1991 murder of Sharma Ruth Johnson, his pastor was at his side. Witnesses reported that the pastor, Robert Wiley, put his hand on Smith’s leg and appeared to pray with him. Last Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in a Texas inmate’s bid to obtain the same kind of aid from his pastor that Alabama allowed Wiley to provide to Smith."

Senators Call for Federal Investigation Into Liberty University’s Handling of Sexual Assaults. School Promises Independent Probe. (ProPublica, 11/10/21) ([link removed])
"Citing possible violations of federal law, three senators, including the two from Virginia, are pressing the U.S. Department of Education to investigate Liberty University’s handling of sexual assault claims...Like all universities that receive federal funds, the Virginia-based Liberty has to properly handle claims of sexual assault and violations of Title IX, the law banning colleges from discriminating on the basis of gender."
7 states ban atheists from public office, but Supreme Court ruling make those bans unenforceable (PolitiFact, 11/8/21) ([link removed])
Did you know 7 states ban atheists from public office? Thankfully these bans are unenforceable under our Constitution. This post from PolitiFact goes deeper into the context of these bans.
Commentary
(Everyone has an opinion...)
What the Latest Gods Not Dead Gets Egregiously Wrong and Right About Homeschooling (Religion Dispatches, 11/9/21) ([link removed])
"Despite [the film's] failure, it’s important to grapple with the film’s message and intentions. We The People presents a fictional world where homeschoolers can be prosecuted for failing to meet certain educational standards. Because this prospect is absolutely terrifying to evangelicals, it’s worth understanding exactly why..."

Religion Must Not Substitute Science in the Abortion Debate (Ms. Magazine, 11/9/21) ([link removed])
When Gov. Greg Abbott signed Texas law S.B. 8, he provided an oft-heard reason for why the Lone Star state is effectively banning nearly all abortions: “Our creator endowed us with the right to life.” Abbott’s religious invocation to justify Texas’s law, of course, begs the question: Whose vision of a creator, exactly?


Secular Americans
(Who are we? What are we up to?)

Gen Z is Turning Away From Religion in Order to Live Out Their Values (Religion Dispatches, 11/5/21) ([link removed])
A new survey from Springtide Research Institute finds that members of Gen Z are often hesitant to turn to a religious community in times of need—& it stems from a disconnect in values between young people & their religious institutions.

Bobbie Kirkhart, Former Atheists United President, has Died (Atheists United, 11/2/21) ([link removed])
"Bobbie Kirkhart died on October 31, 2021, in her home in Los Angeles, CA. She was 78 years old and is survived by her daughter Monica Waggoner, son-in-law Matthew Waggoner, grandsons Donovan and Raphael Waggoner, sister Marjorie Hohnbaum, and a plethora of nieces, nephews, and chosen family she had collected over her life. Some features on Bobbie's life from RNS ([link removed]) and the LA Times ([link removed]) ."

The views expressed in the articles included in the Reads of Reason do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Secular Coalition for America or its coalition members--varying opinions may be included in an effort to inform our readers as much as possible. Please let us know of any feedback you might have!
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