We at the Freedom From Religion Foundation have recently been in the spotlight.
A House subcommittee heard testimony earlier this week (available to view here at about 1:01:40) from FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor in support of a bill (HR 9600) to finally erect a memorial to Thomas Paine in Washington, D.C. Annie Laurie spoke in her capacity as secretary of the Thomas Paine Memorial Association. The congressional praise was bipartisan. HR 9600 would rectify a glaring omission and finally grant this Forgotten Founder his due — a fitting conclusion for America’s 250th birthday.
JD Vance’s apocalypse
We expressed our concern over Vice President JD Vance’s recent disturbingly apocalyptic remarks about “the AntiChrist walking among us.” Vance is, of course, free to hold whatever religious beliefs he chooses. But when one of the most influential public officials in the world speaks of his work in terms of carrying out God’s will, while expressing apparent indifference to whether that work helps usher in an apocalypse he believes may actually occur, Americans have every reason to be alarmed.
Military school curriculum is loaded with sectarianism
We are objecting to a new history curriculum for the federal school system serving military families that appears designed to promote Christianity and present Islam as a threat. “This is exactly the kind of religious favoritism that has no place in a federal public school,” says Annie Laurie. Students of military families deserve rigorous history, not religious propaganda.
Alabama paper runs our op-ed
An Alabama newspaper has published an op-ed of ours examining the unwarranted role of religion in Auburn University’s baseball program. “I grew up in a small Oklahoma town, was raised in a Christian family and attended public school. Our head football coach led pregame prayers — and Christianity was woven into our locker room, practices, games and team meals,” Regional Government Affairs Manager Mickey Dollens begins his piece in the Florence (Ala.) TimesDaily.
Our new scholarship awardees
We’re pleased to announce the awarding of $30,000 to the recipients of the First in the Family Forward Freethought scholarship, thanks to the generosity of the late FFRF benefactor Lance Bredvold. Black Skeptics Los Angeles (BSLA), an African American humanist/atheist organization, selected the students. We have proudly partnered with the group for 13 years to provide tuition grants, gradually increasing the funding and number of scholarships.
An atheist philosopher for the ages
We crafted a variety of media offerings this week.
After Freethought Radio co-hosts Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor remembered the life of the great feminist and humanist Gloria Steinem (more on her below) on this week’s episode, they interviewed Professor Steven Nadler about his new bombshell book, “Spinoza, Atheist.”
Nonreligious students are organizing
Secular Student Alliance Executive Director Kevin Bolling joined FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence, Senior Policy Counsel Ryan Jayne and Regional Government Affairs Manager Mickey Dollens on our “Secular Spotlight” YouTube show to discuss how nonreligious students can organize, advocate for their rights and push back against religious coercion in public schools. “More and more of our high school students are becoming more and more active at a time when the administration and principals are actually making it slightly more difficult for nonreligious students and secular groups to be able to get up and start running,” he said.
Gen Z discussion about the meaning of life
Our new Gen Z and Millennial show “Underzealous” has a fresh episode out this week. Our host FFRF Digital Media Manager Rowan and guest PhD student Gustavo discuss the meanings of evil and good, and how religious philosophies shape our world.
How a Pakistani hospital is correcting religion-created gender inequities
I spotlighted on my global affairs community radio show a Pakistan hospital that is doing remarkable work to remedy deep-seated inequities regarding women’s health in that country — inequities that most often arise due to patriarchal religion.
A DoJ unit is ‘Theocrat of the Week’
The FFRF Action Fund (our legislative affiliate) has named a Justice Department unit its “Theocrat of the Week” for advancing unfounded accusations of the Biden administration’s supposed anti-Catholic bias. The Trump administration is misreading the evidence to further its specious claims of past anti-Christian bias in the federal government.
ACLU of Texas is ‘Secularist of the Week’
The Action Fund salutes the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas as its “Secularist of the Week” for helping obtain a recent free speech win. A federal judge in Texas has again struck down a 2023 religion-inspired state law that sought to restrict drag shows, ruling it unconstitutional. Plaintiffs represented by the ACLU of Texas filed the lawsuit. The FFRF Action Fund thanks the ACLU of Texas for its tireless work protecting free speech and religious freedom in the Lone Star State.
God is asleep at the wheel
FFRF Co-President Dan Barker has written a very entertaining blog on a potentially life-ending event he experienced in his youth — and God’s role, or the lack thereof.
“I no longer believe in God, of course,” Dan concludes. “But if he does exist, he’s asleep at the wheel.”
Gloria Steinem lives on
Annie Laurie has penned a heartfelt tribute to Gloria Steinem that draws on her personal interactions with Steinem over the years — and also highlights Steinem’s irreverent views on religion. Among those memorable views: “It’s an incredible con job when you think of it, to believe something now in exchange for life after death. Even corporations with all their reward systems don’t try to make it posthumous.”
An unforgettable book event
FFRF Regional Affairs Manager Mickey Dollens warmly remembers in a new blog a conversation he was privileged to recently host on behalf of FFRF (along with longtime FFRF spokesperson Ron Reagan) with Rep. Jared Huffman about his new book.
“Moderating the discussion between Rep. Jared Huffman and Ron Reagan made me grateful for the work we do at FFRF,” he states. “We helped launch an important book and gave our members a chance to ask questions that too often go unanswered.”
That conversation is now available to watch in full and FFRF’s shop has copies of Huffman’s “No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism for sale. Or sign up now for FFRF’s mid-October convention in Milwaukee, where Huffman will be speaking at the opening and signing copies of his book, and where Reagan will deliver the closing keynote!
Everything that we have been doing (no exaggeration!) on Capitol Hill and elsewhere is all due to you.
