Privileging Religion

The Constitution prohibits our government from advancing any particular religious belief or religion in general, and from inhibiting individual religious beliefs. The Secular Coalition for America opposes government actions that privilege religion in over non-religion in public policy or society.

Eliminate Taxpayer-Funded Housing for ‘Ministers of the Gospel’

A special tax exemption in the Internal Revenue Code allows a house of worship to provide one or more of its “ministers of the Gospel” to receive tax-free housing or tax-free income equivalent to the rental value of the clergy’s residence [1]. This housing income is not counted as part of the clergy’s income, and has Read more »

Secular Coalition Applauds N.Y. Lawmakers Who Supported Marriage Equality Over Religious Beliefs

Mon, 06/27/2011 - 12:23

Key Catholic Republican Said He Based His Vote on “Reason” – Not Religious Upbringing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the wake of the New York State Senate’s historic vote to legalize same-sex marriage, the Secular Coalition for America today commended those New York State lawmakers who cast aside anti-gay religious beliefs and voted in favor of equal marriage rights for all their constituents. Read more »

Take Action: Tell President Obama to End Federally Funded Religious Bias in Hiring

Tue, 06/21/2011 - 11:33

Nearly three years ago, then-candidate Barack Obama made a campaign pledge to end a Bush-era policy that allowed religious organizations receiving federal tax dollars to discriminate in hiring on the basis of religion. Read more »

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House Members, Secular Coalition Urge Obama to End Religious Bias in Hiring

Tue, 06/21/2011 - 09:41

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a press conference today, members of the U.S. House, the Secular Coalition for America, and the Coalition Against Religious Discrimination (CARD) will call upon President Obama to fulfill the promise he made nearly three years ago during a campaign speech in Zanesville, Ohio, to end federally funded hiring discrimination on the basis of religion.
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Take Action: Urge Your Governor to Reject Extremist Prayer Meeting Invitation

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 16:50

Declaring that “some problems are beyond our power to solve,” Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) is asking his 49 fellow governors to join him at an evangelical Christian prayer meeting in Houston to “call upon Jesus to guide us” and ask for “God’s forgiveness, wisdom and provision.”
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Governors Should Reject Perry Prayer Invitation, Secular Coalition Says

Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:21

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Secular Coalition for America urged the nation’s governors to reject an invitation from Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) to attend an explicitly Christian August 6 prayer gathering in Houston where Perry says the nation must “call upon Jesus to guide us” and ask for “God’s forgiveness, wisdom and provision.”
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