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Happy Monday!

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

At the Secular Coalition for A ([link removed]) merica ([link removed]) (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)
Scholars, activists brief lawmakers on role of Christian nationalism at insurrection (RNS, 3/18/22) ([link removed])
"The meeting, which included Rep. Jamie Raskin, was a rare instance of lawmakers openly discussing the prominence of religious expression during the attack."

Researchers warn that Christian nationalists are becoming more radical and are targeting voting (Washington Post, 3/18/22) ([link removed])
"Concern about rising radicalism among a segment of White American Christians led this week to what some religious extremism experts call the biggest Congress-related event on the topic in years."

US Senator calls for release of Hindu teacher jailed in Pakistan's Sindh over false blasphemy accusations (ANI, 3/12/22) ([link removed])
"US Senator Marco Rubio has called for the release of a Hindu teacher Notan Lal who was falsely accused of blasphemy and imprisoned for 25 years in Pakistan's Sindh province."

Religious Groups, U.S. Seek Reversals in LGBT Bias Case Ruling (Bloomberg Law, 3/17/22) ([link removed])
"The Justice Department and Christian groups both signaled they will appeal parts of a Texas federal court’s ruling over a sweeping push to be shielded from LGBT discrimination liability based on sincerely held religious beliefs."

‘Religious Freedom’ Bill Clears Iowa House On 93-1 Vote (Radio Iowa, 3/17/22) ([link removed])
"The Iowa House has passed a bill that would prohibit state and local officials from imposing restrictions on religious institutions, like churches, that aren’t imposed on businesses and other secular institutions."

Oklahoma Christian University allegedly fires professor for having gay guest speaker (KFOR, 3/14/22) ([link removed])
"A longtime Oklahoma Christian University professor was allegedly fired for bringing in a speaker who is openly gay."

How this tiny Christian college is driving the right’s nationwide war against public schools (pt.1) (Salon, 3/15/22) ([link removed])
"In the full-scale conservative assault on public education, Hillsdale College is leading the charge"

Coming to a school near you: Stealth religion and a Trumped-up version of American history (pt. 2) (Salon, 3/16/22) ([link removed])
"Hillsdale College's charter school network pushes "patriotic education." Critics say it's propaganda"

D.C. grants religious exemption from COVID-19 vaccine mandate to Catholic nun after lawsuit (Washington Times, 3/16/22) ([link removed])
"The District has granted a religious exemption from its COVID-19 vaccine mandate to a Catholic nun and doctor who sued Mayor Muriel Bowser over it last week."

Secular Americans
(Who are we? What are we up to?)
​​From Muslims to atheists, small subgroups of the population seem much larger to many Americans ([link removed])
"Americans overestimate the size of minority groups and underestimate the size of most majority groups"

Study: Christians, the Nonreligious, Jews and Muslims encounter workplace discrimination differently ([link removed])
"Nonreligious respondents felt compelled to downplay or hide their identities."

lowed the Lives of 3,290 Teenagers. This Is What I Learned About Religion and Education. (New York Times, 3/15/22) ([link removed])
"Religious boys are not any smarter, so why are they doing better in school? The answer lies in how religious belief and religious involvement can buffer working-class Americans — males in particular — from despair."

Commentary
(Everyone has an opinion...)
Christian nationalist movement an affront to all Americans (Central Maine, 3/18/22) ([link removed])
"It is an effort to nullify the views of others whose rights are guaranteed in the Constitution."

Who is best suited to protect religious liberty? It may depend on whom you voted for. (RNS, 3/16/22) ([link removed])
"Americans (regardless of partisan affiliation) believe that religious organizations need to be given a great deal of latitude and should largely operate unencumbered by the government."

The Right Wing slant on religious freedom is a slippery slope (Religion Dispatches, 3/16/22) ([link removed])
"The very meaning of religious freedom is at stake and the definitional battle lines become clearer with every passing controversy."

Opposing Views
(Always good to know what others are saying)
The Military and Vaccine Mandates: Let the Religious Freedom Restoration Act Work (National Review, 3/16/22) ([link removed])
"In last week’s emergency filing, the solicitor general asked the Supreme Court to parachute into a dispute over the Navy’s Covid-vaccine mandate."

God Will Help Us Fix Climate Change, so 'Drill Baby Drill,' West Virginia Governor Says (Gizmodo, 3/15/22) ([link removed])
"Jim Justice says we don't need to stop burning fossil fuels, because God will give us time to deal with climate change later"

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!
There's a lot going on in the world, and we are cutting through the noise to make sure your rights are upheld. To support this work, please click the “I want to help secular advocacy! ([link removed]) ” button to donate to the (C4) division of SCA which is responsible for lobbying congress, or the “I want to help secular education ([link removed]) ! ([link removed]) ” button for a tax-deductible donation to the (C3) division of SCA which works to educate Americans about our movement and values. Every dollar goes to making sure your voice is heard and your rights are protected on Capitol Hill!


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