Articles for Religious Liberty

Supreme Court may free Catholic charities from paying state unemployment taxes for their employees
4 weeks, 1 day ago

Supreme Court may free Catholic charities from paying state unemployment taxes for their employees

LA Times  

The conservative U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled for religious claims that seek government benefits or limit duties set by government. The Supreme Court voted Friday to hear a potentially far-reaching claim of religious freedom and decide whether church- All states exempt churches and church programs from the taxes if they “operate primarily for religious purposes.” But they usually require …

Religious Supreme Court Church Court Taxes Unemployment Case
Airline lawyers spared religious liberty training in case about flight attendant’s abortion views
7 months ago

Airline lawyers spared religious liberty training in case about flight attendant’s abortion views

Associated Press  

NEW ORLEANS — An appeals court on Friday blocked a federal judge’s order that three attorneys for Southwest Airlines get religious liberty training from a conservative advocacy group, saying the judge likely exceeded his authority. After Carter won a jury verdict, Starr ordered the airline to tell flight attendants that under federal law, it “may not discriminate against Southwest flight …

Court Order Flight Airline Carter Southwest Starr
Fake right-wing panic about "trans" Easter is part of Trump's push for Christian nationalism
9 months, 1 week ago

Fake right-wing panic about "trans" Easter is part of Trump's push for Christian nationalism

Salon  

Most Americans spent Easter weekend with traditional activities like church or egg hunts, or, for non-Christians, just enjoying the lovely spring weather. Trump's campaign called it "blasphemous" of Biden to speak out against discrimination and violence. As Paul Waldman wrote in his newsletter addressing Trump's $60 Bibles, it is a grift, but also "a message to Christian nationalists," which is, …

Christianity Religious Trump False Claims Democrats Republican Biden
Georgia lawmakers support immigration crackdown, religious liberty protections at deadline
10 months, 1 week ago

Georgia lawmakers support immigration crackdown, religious liberty protections at deadline

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers pushed through dozens of bills before a key deadline Thursday, the last day for legislation to pass either the House or Senate and advance to the other legislative chamber for consideration this year. GUN TAX BREAKS: Senate Bill 344 would let people buy guns, ammunition and gun safes without paying sales taxes for five days each …

Social Media Georgia School Tax Senate State Bill
Texas’ foot soldiers became federal judges under Trump — securing a conservative stronghold in America's courts
1 year, 5 months ago

Texas’ foot soldiers became federal judges under Trump — securing a conservative stronghold in America's courts

Raw Story  

For decades, an increasingly powerful movement of conservative lawyers, born from the Texas Office of the Attorney General, had been shouldering its way into the federal judiciary, filing lawsuit after lawsuit in an attempt to slowly reshape the nation’s jurisprudence to its liking. Brantley Starr, who worked under Cruz in the solicitor general’s office and “side by side” with Texas …

Supreme Court General Judges Court Trump Office Conservative
How the Texas backlash to Obama fueled the conservative drive to reinterpret the U.S. Constitution
1 year, 5 months ago

How the Texas backlash to Obama fueled the conservative drive to reinterpret the U.S. Constitution

Raw Story  

In November 2008, almost 70 million people turned out to vote for the nation’s first Black president and their hope for once-in-a-generation political change. True believers Ted Cruz, who would ride Texas’ Obama outrage to a U.S. Senate seat in 2012, laid the foundation for the solicitor general’s office as a legal champion of conservative causes. “I thought it would …

Climate Change Supreme Court Legal General Constitution Court States
Tucker Carlson and Mike Pence clash in heated exchange over Ukraine at GOP 2024 forum
1 year, 5 months ago

Tucker Carlson and Mike Pence clash in heated exchange over Ukraine at GOP 2024 forum

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson on Friday appeared to …

Religious Ukraine Church President Leader Ukrainian Carlson
Texas judge who doesn’t want to officiate gay weddings hopes web designer’s SCOTUS win helps her
1 year, 5 months ago

Texas judge who doesn’t want to officiate gay weddings hopes web designer’s SCOTUS win helps her

Salon  

Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune's daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. This new brief, submitted last week by Hensley's legal team, argues that though the Supreme Court used the First Amendment and not state law in the 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis case, the decision is also applicable in …

Law Supreme Court Court Texas Lawsuit Case Creative
Native Americans argue in court that 2 mining projects would destroy religious sites
1 year, 6 months ago

Native Americans argue in court that 2 mining projects would destroy religious sites

NPR  

Native Americans argue in court that 2 mining projects would destroy religious sites Two large mines important for America's green energy transition are being fought in federal court by Native Americans who say the developments would destroy sacred, religious sites. Native Americans are arguing the mines, on federal land once controlled by tribes, would destroy their sacred religious sites. NPR's …

Court Land Religious Sites Native American Nevada Native Americans Federal
"Unfriending" America: The Christian right is coming for the enemies of God — like you and me
1 year, 6 months ago

"Unfriending" America: The Christian right is coming for the enemies of God — like you and me

Salon  

"You've got a friend in Pennsylvania!" But as with any religious movement, the NAR's notion of what God requires is a matter of interpretation, and in this case God's intentions are said to be revealed through modern-day, mutually recognized apostles and prophets, some of whom lead vast networks of believers, whom they often call "prayer warriors." Apostle Kent Mattox identified …

Christianity Supreme Court Church Pennsylvania Texas Leaders California
Battle for Oak Flat: How Apache opposition to a copper mine became a religious liberty test
1 year, 6 months ago

Battle for Oak Flat: How Apache opposition to a copper mine became a religious liberty test

LA Times  

On a recent morning about an hour outside Phoenix, the pounding of tribal drums reverberated across the desert from a stand of oaks in the Tonto National Forest, where nearly 20 men had packed into a squat green sweat lodge to pray. We’re fighting Rio Tinto,” Nosie said, referring to the multinational mining company that wants to excavate the surrounding …

Religious Congress Resolution Indian Land Mining Native American
How senators ‘defied political gravity’ on same-sex marriage
2 years, 1 month ago

How senators ‘defied political gravity’ on same-sex marriage

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin was on the Senate floor, but her mind was on the other side of the Capitol. “Did you see this?” Baldwin asked, showing Portman a list of Republicans who had voted for the House bill — almost four dozen. “It both surprised and heartened me,” she said, “because it suggested we could get the …

Marriage Religious Democrats Senate House Vote Collins
How senators 'defied political gravity' on same-sex marriage
2 years, 1 month ago

How senators 'defied political gravity' on same-sex marriage

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Did you see this?” Baldwin asked, showing Portman a list of Republicans who had …

Marriage Religious Democrats Senate Collins Republicans Bill
Marco Rubio lashes out against passage of same-sex marriage bill after his attempt to create special religious rights fails
2 years, 1 month ago

Marco Rubio lashes out against passage of same-sex marriage bill after his attempt to create special religious rights fails

Raw Story  

Senator Marco Rubio lashed out with a Bible verse Wednesday morning, after the Senate passed legislation protecting same-sex and interracial marriage, while rejecting his attempt to infuse special religious rights through an amendment that even some Republicans refused to support. "Consistent with the First Amendment to the Constitution, nonprofit religious organizations, including churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, nondenominational ministries, interdenominational and …

Law Marriage Religious Amendment Christian Lord Bible
Faith groups split over bill to protect same-sex marriage
2 years, 1 month ago

Faith groups split over bill to protect same-sex marriage

Associated Press  

Among U.S. faith leaders and denominations, there are sharp differences over the bill advancing in the Senate that would protect same-sex and interracial marriages in federal law. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, chairman of the Catholic bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, dismissed the bipartisan amendment as failing even the “meager goal” of preserving the status quo in balancing religious …

Marriage Religious Church Legislation Senate Republican Bill
Mormon church voices support for same-sex marriage law
2 years, 1 month ago

Mormon church voices support for same-sex marriage law

Associated Press  

SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Tuesday it would back proposed federal legislation to safeguard same-sex marriages, marking the latest show of support for the measure from conservative-leaning groups. Yet it said it would support rights for same-sex couples as long as they didn’t infringe upon religious groups’ right to believe as they …

Law Support Marriage Religious Church Utah Lgbtq
Democrats punt same-sex and interracial marriage vote until after election
2 years, 3 months ago

Democrats punt same-sex and interracial marriage vote until after election

LA Times  

A bipartisan group including Sen. Tammy Baldwin requested more time before a vote to build support for the same-sex and interracial marriage bill. Democrats are punting a vote to protect same-sex and interracial marriages until after November‘s midterm election, pulling back just days after Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer vowed to put the Senate on the record on the issue …

Support Marriage Election Legislation Democrats Senate Vote
Alito’s Speech Mocking Foreign Leaders Has a Deeper, Darker Message
55 years ago

Alito’s Speech Mocking Foreign Leaders Has a Deeper, Darker Message

Slate  

Last Thursday, Justice Samuel Alito gave a talk in Rome It speaks volumes about Samuel Alito that, in the face of international outrage over the impact of this ruling on the lives of millions of women, he centered himself and his own feelings. In his Rome speech on religious liberty, Justice Alito mocked "foreign leaders" who condemned his opinion overturning …

Religion Religious Public Notre Dame Liberty Rome Court Justice
Is the Religious Liberty Tent Big Enough to Include the Religious Commitments of Jews?
2 years, 6 months ago

Is the Religious Liberty Tent Big Enough to Include the Religious Commitments of Jews?

Slate  

One of the notable trends in the current Supreme Court’s religion jurisprudence is the shrinking of the establishment clause as the free exercise clause grows ever more robust. * In the complaint, petitioners note that while Florida seeks to ban abortion at 15 weeks’ gestation, “in Jewish law, abortion is required if necessary to protect the health, mental or physical …

Law Religion Religious Florida Abortion Court Religious Freedom
Supreme Court says Maine cannot exclude religious schools from tuition assistance programs
2 years, 6 months ago

Supreme Court says Maine cannot exclude religious schools from tuition assistance programs

CNN  

CNN — The Supreme Court said Tuesday that Maine cannot exclude religious schools from a tuition assistance program that allows parents to use vouchers to send their children to public or private schools. “Maine’s ‘nonsectarian’ requirement for its otherwise generally available tuition assistance payments violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the …

Religious Supreme Court States State Maine Ruling Roberts
Supreme Court rushes to end a term like no other
2 years, 6 months ago

Supreme Court rushes to end a term like no other

CNN  

CNN — Because of a blockbuster docket, an unprecedented leak, a fraught political atmosphere and Covid, everything has changed at the Supreme Court. Here are the highlights of the court’s docket: Abortion It was Justice Clarence Thomas, the longest serving justice on the current court, who likely assigned fellow conservative Justice Samuel Alito to write the draft majority opinion in …

Opinion Supreme Court School Court Texas Case Gun Rights
Abcarian: The right to abortion is deeply rooted in the Constitution and flows from amends for slavery
2 years, 8 months ago

Abcarian: The right to abortion is deeply rooted in the Constitution and flows from amends for slavery

LA Times  

Protesters gather outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday after the leak of a draft opinion in an abortion case showed the court’s conservative majority is poised to overturn Roe vs. Wade. The court’s three newest justices, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, all said under oath during their confirmation hearings they believed that the two major …

Opinion Supreme Court Abortion Constitution Court Rights Right
From activist rabbis to the Temple of Satan: Surprising tactics in the fight to preserve abortion rights
2 years, 8 months ago

From activist rabbis to the Temple of Satan: Surprising tactics in the fight to preserve abortion rights

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “They were very visible and they were unambiguous in the moral justifications and the …

Religion Support Women Religious Supreme Court Abortion Independent
Jackson invokes her Christian faith, stays mum on specifics
2 years, 9 months ago

Jackson invokes her Christian faith, stays mum on specifics

Associated Press  

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has put her religious faith front, center — and vague. Alluding to Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s famous exchange with Barrett, Graham said, “How would you feel if a senator up here said, ‘The dogma lives loudly within you and that’s of concern’?” If Jackson has a specific church affiliation, it could not be readily found in …

Church Constitution Court Christian Barrett Public Graham