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Happy Monday!

Welcome to Reads of Reason, a weekly compilation of news-clippings that relate to our work advocating for nontheist Americans and secularism here in Washington D.C. Please share this email with those in your network to enhance our secular outreach.

At the Secular Coalition for A ([link removed]) merica ([link removed]) 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)
Religious groups file challenge to Biden vaccine or test mandate (The Hill, 12/19/21) ([link removed])
"Three religious organizations filed a challenge to the Supreme Court on Saturday regarding the Biden administration’s vaccine-or-test mandate for employers with at least 100 employees."

Troops find religious exemption for vaccines unattainable (AP, 12/19/21) ([link removed])
"More than 12,000 military service members refusing the COVID-19 vaccine are seeking religious exemptions, and so far they are having zero success."

Theocrats are coming for the school board — but parents are starting to fight back (Salon, 12/19/21) ([link removed])
"Right-wing Christians launch an assault on public school, starting in Colorado. Parents find a secret weapon: humor."

Christmas trees aren’t religious symbols, judge says (Deseret News, 12/18/21) ([link removed])
"A judge recently ruled that Christmas trees aren’t religious symbols and a menorah is, and thus won’t be displayed at a holiday display in California."
When Biblically Inspired Pseudoscience and Clickbait Cause Looting (Sapiens, 12/15/21) ([link removed])
"A team of anthropologists argues that flawed research linking biblical Sodom to an archaeological site led to media hype that harms science and encourages illegal excavations."

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

How to Tell Your Family That You Are An Atheist (Time, 12/22/21) ([link removed])
"if you’re an atheist with believers in your family, the topic is bound to arise eventually."

Texas Teacher Who Harassed Nonreligious Student Loses Appeal (American Atheists, 12/16/21) ([link removed])
"American Atheists announced yet another victory in its lawsuit on behalf of a nonreligious student whose teacher harassed, disciplined, and retaliated against her for sitting out the Pledge of Allegiance."

Satanic Temple to install Sol Invictus holiday display at state Capitol rotunda (The State Journal-Register, 12/18/21) ([link removed])
"The state Capitol rotunda will have a satanic display alongside other religious art for a third year. The Satanic Temple ([link removed]) is returning with an art installation to celebrate the “satanic holiday” of Sol Invictus."
Commentary
(Everyone has an opinion...)
The Supreme Court's baffling precedent about Christmas trees reveals the reality of Christian hegemony (Raw Story, 12/16/21) ([link removed])
"We all need to acknowledge that the ubiquity of Christmas symbols in America ultimately serves Christian hegemony.."

SCOTUS: Eroding the separation of church and state (LA Blade, 12/20/21) ([link removed])
"The conservative Right has spent years trying to destroy our public education system. With this decision, they now have a clear pathway."

Why so many guns on Christmas cards? Because Jesus was ‘manly and virile.’ (Washington Post, 12/14/21) ([link removed])
"Muscular Christianity — with scriptural interpretations that can favor ‘stand your ground’ over ‘turn the other cheek’ — has a long tradition in the United States."

Opposing Views
(Always good to know what they are saying)
How religious can your religious school actually be? (Deseret News, 12/17/21) ([link removed])
"A program in Maine gives public officials the power to decide which beliefs are OK to support through public funds and which ones are not. All Americans should find that worrisome."

While church and state should be separate, religion and politics should mix (The Herald Times 12/17/21) ([link removed])
"Unfortunately and sadly, too many American Christians believe the Big Lie that we should not mix religion and politics"

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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