Reads of Reason (February 28, 2022)

Happy Monday!

Welcome to Reads of Reason, a weekly compilation of news-clippings that relate to our work advocating for the rights of nonreligious Americans and the separation of religion and government.

At the Secular Coalition for A merica (SCA) we know that being well-informed is a vital part of being an effective advocate. If there is an issue that inspires or concerns you, please reach out and we can take action as your voice in Washington D.C!

News We Care About
(Good to know for protecting the Wall of Separation)

Supreme Court will hear another clash pitting religious rights against laws protecting LGBTQ persons from discrimination (Washington Post, 2/22/22)
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will decide whether a Colorado designer can tell same-sex couples she will not create a website for their weddings, reviving the issue of where to draw the line between someone’s religious beliefs and protections against discrimination for LGBTQ people.

VA Bible lawsuit dismissed; separate display proposed (AP, 2/23/22)
A judge agreed to dismiss a nearly 3-year-old lawsuit Wednesday over a Bible displayed on a table at a New Hampshire veterans hospital after the plaintiffs’ lawyer proposed a separate display and sought to work with the hospital.

Air Force officers sue over religious exemption denials (AP, 2/24/22)
A dozen U.S. Air Force officers have filed a lawsuit against the federal government after the military denied their religious exemptions to the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine.

US religious freedom chair demands Finland to stop Christian prosecution (Fox, 2/23/22)
The United States’ commission in defense of religious freedoms has condemned Finnish efforts to prosecute Christians for intolerant speech against homosexuality.

Virginia House passes bill to exempt religious organizations from nondiscrimination laws (The Hill, 2/18/22)
“Anti-equality legislators in Virginia have repeatedly pushed legislation this session that would allow discrimination including against LGBTQ+ individuals,” Cathryn Oakley of the Human Rights Campaign said in a statement.

“Religious freedom” bill dies in Virginia Senate (The Hill, 2/24/22)
LGBTQ+ advocates say the bill would have allowed groups and businesses in the state to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people.

An Alabama high school basketball team say they were forced to choose faith over a tournament game. The governor is demanding answers (CNN, 2/23/22)
Alabama's governor is demanding answers after a high school basketball team say they were forced to choose between their faith or a game.

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

The atheist movement is…dead? (OnlySky, 2/23/22)
"The 'atheist movement' is more like a number of movements that can work independently or together in common cause. There are more good agents than bad—but we can still do better."

Commentary
(Everyone has an opinion...)

‘The next frontier’: Supreme Court case could open door to religious charter schools (Chalkbeat, 2/24/22)
"An upcoming Supreme Court decision about school vouchers could have a broader impact in the decades ahead, creating an opening for Christian, Jewish, or other religious charter schools."

Don’t like anti-discrimination laws? The Supreme Court wants to hear your case. (Washington Post, 2/23/22)
"Last week, the Supreme Court announced that it will hear the case of a website designer seeking a right to discriminate against gay couples because of her religious beliefs, despite the fact that such discrimination is against the law in her state. That the court is taking the case at all is a strong hint that it could become a vehicle to take the law where it hasn’t been before."

Five takeaways from the Report on Christian Nationalism and January 6 (Baptist News Global, 2/24/22)
“Things like this are an important corrective and a way to show the world that many of us are still able to spot evil in broad daylight.”

Opposing Views
(Always good to know what others are saying)

There’s No Crisis of Faith on Campus (WSJ, 2/24/22)
"Many religious parents worry that higher education will weaken their children’s belief, but evidence shows the result is often just the opposite."

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!