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Roy Moore Won’t Be Joining The US Senate. Here’s Why That’s A Good Thing

The people of Alabama did America a favor last night by voting against Roy Moore for a seat in the US Senate. Moore is just what we don’t need right now. His disdain for fundamental American values—from religious freedom to civil rights and equality to the rule of law—makes him a danger to our democracy.

Should Religiously Affiliated Hospitals Be Allowed To Ignore A Federal Law That Protects Employee Pensions?

Today the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a trio of cases that will decide whether religiously affiliated hospital systems must comply with federal pension protections. The large health systems don’t want to; they argue they should get a narrow exemption to the law carved out for houses of worship. But these health systems, with nearly 100,000 employees, are not churches.

For Some Children, "Religious Freedom" Is Detrimental To Their Health

In an article for The Atlantic, journalist Emma Green writes about the children who are harmed by others' religious beliefs, and the laws which enable that harm. Cases of parents using state Religious Freedom Restoration Acts as defense in child abuse trials are starting to make headlines, but the harm some children face because of their caretakers' religious convictions goes beyond physical abuse. For these kids, it can mean death from treatable medical conditions.

False Martyrdom: Another Religious Right Horror Story Collapses

Litigation Fellow Bradley Girard explains how disingenuous claims of persecution and the misuse of RFRA harm both the people whose religious exercise is actually at risk and the institutions that work hard to protect genuine religious liberty.

Ninth Circuit Agrees: Hospital Pension Plans Are Not “Church Plans”

Three circuit courts have now determined that religious healthcare systems cannot qualify for church retirement plans under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. This means that employee pensions from religiously affiliated hospitals will be protected from organizations that attempt to shirk the law.

Cruz Control?: Texas Senator Says Religious Freedom Protects Atheists, Muslims

It should surprise no one that U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) mentioned religious freedom in his speech to the Republican National Convention last night. But this time, Cruz deviated from his usual rhetoric.
 

Genuine Oppression: The Religious Right Should Study China To Learn What Real Christian Persecution Looks Like

In what is a genuine case of government-sponsored religious persecution, Chinese authorities have reportedly removed crosses from 1,200 to 1,700 churches over the past two years in an apparent attempt to keep the symbol from public view.

No-Fly Zone: Muslim Kicked Off Flight For Speaking Arabic Is Another Example Of Real Religious Persecution

The same day a Muslim man was kicked off a flight just for speaking Arabic, Glenn Beck and a show guest whined that Christians are soon going to be locked up for their faith.

Lousy Landlord: RV Park Owner Allegedly Booted Couple Because His Church Opposes Interracial Marriage

In a move that seems straight out of the 1960s, a Mississippi landlord has asked a husband and wife to leave his recreational vehicle (RV) park for no reason other than the fact that they are an interracial couple. And like so many attempts to discriminate in 2016, the owner of the park is relying on an old tactic, reportedly booting the two because his church opposes such marriages.

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.

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.