Sunday is National Religious Freedom Day. There’s a presidential statement as there has been annually since 1993, but officially it’s not really different from “National Cheeseburger Day” (September 18), just with more history and lately more controversy. January 16th was the day in 1786 that the Virginia General Assembly passed the Virginia Statute for Religious …
Heretic on the Hill: National Religious Freedom Day 2022 Read More »
Today is the anniversary of the insurrection at the Capitol. Thousands of people marched there last January 6th to protest, as is their right. The Capitol Police had granted permits. Many of them also fought with police, broke into the building, defaced it, looked for and threatened members of Congress, and forced the delay of …
Christian Nationalism: A Clear and Present Danger Read More »
What is the atheist’s favorite Christmas movie? Coincidence on 34th Street. Thank you. I like to open with a joke, I just don’t usually have one. If you’re interested in a scholarly study on whether atheists and Christians have different senses of humor, you can find one here in the journal Humor. Read sentences like,”The …
As the sun sets on the shortest day of the year, we look back on 2021, a year of progress but also challenge, and look forward to the new light bringing a wonderful 2022. We at the Secular Coalition for America (SCA) wish you a happy winter solstice and new year. May it be spent …
“On the Hill” generally refers to Congress but the Supreme Court is on that same hill, right across the street from the Capitol so I’m watching what happens there too. This week a lot happened in the separation of religion and government. The Court held oral arguments on a case involving state support for religious …
Heretic on the Hill: No tax-dollars for discrimination! Read More »
Following my Thanksgiving meal, I began musing how the the Pilgrims, who were undoubtedly Christian and sacrificed a great deal in the name of their Christian beliefs, resembled many modern American atheists in interesting ways: • When they worshipped in secret in northern England the Pilgrims followed their conscience in the face of societal opposition …
Heretic on the Hill: Post-Dinner Musings & Advocacy Updates Read More »
Dear Friends, On behalf of staff and board of directors at the Secular Coalition for America, I want to express our gratitude for everything you have done to support our work. When I look back at all we have accomplished this past year, I am reminded how much our advocacy here in Washington depends on …
Elections do have consequences, large and small. The previous Administration announced several times that it would be working with Congress to pass infrastructure legislation. No progress was ever made. But this week the new Congress sent President Biden a bipartisan bill to sign that provides $1.2 trillion for infrastructure over several years. That’s a big …
Heretic on the Hill: Elections, their consequences, and Resolutions Read More »
Halloween weekend is usually the scariest time of year, with miniature ghosts and devils going door to door, threatening tricks if there are no treats. This fall is scarier than usual for advocates of separating government and religion. At the recent Ohio Republican Senatorial debate, candidate Josh Mandel said, “There’s no such thing as separation …
Heretic on the Hill: Spooky Season for Secularism Read More »
Demography is destiny: the idea that population trends and distributions determine the future of a region, nation, or a planet. If it’s true, then it’s good news for atheists, agnostics, and those who answer “Nothing in particular” when asked about their religious affiliation. The phrase has only been around for 50 years*, not really enough …
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