Religious News
The Daily Signal reports on faith and religion in America, covering Christian, Jewish, and other faith communities, with analysis and commentary on cultural trends, religious liberty, and moral issues that influence public life.
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After Shutting Down Christian Bakers’ Fundraising Campaign, GoFundMe Makes Policy Change
The popular crowdfunding website, GoFundMe, quietly changed its public policies Wednesday after coming under scrutiny for shutting down a campaign setup for the Christian bakers facing a $135,000 fine for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. Instead of prohibiting “campaigns in defense of formal charges of heinous crimes, including violent, hateful, or sexual…Kelsey Bolar -
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Caving to Conservative Pressure, GOP Leadership Agrees to Hold Vote to Protect Religious Freedom in D.C.
After facing pressure from conservative lawmakers, House leadership has agreed to hold a vote on a measure that could strike down a Washington, D.C., anti-discrimination law that opponents say infringes on the ability of organizations to operate in accordance to their religious beliefs. “We exerted a lot of pressure in the last 48 hours to…Kelsey Bolar -
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Should GoFundMe and Christian Bakers Be Treated the Same? We Ask
Why does GoFundMe, a crowdsourcing website that raises money for a variety of personal causes and life events, get to choose who they do business with, but the owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa do not? After GoFundMe shut down a campaign set up for Aaron and Melissa Klein, bakery owners who were fined $135,000 by…Paul Runko -
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Angie’s List CEO Resigns After Stirring Controversy Over Indiana’s Religious Freedom Law
Bill Oesterle, co-founder and chief executive of Angie’s List, announced he is stepping down from his position just weeks after the company took an outspoken stance against Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Oesterle’s announcement comes after Angie’s List decided to withdraw a proposal before the Indianapolis City Council to expand its headquarters. Angie’s List provides…Kate Scanlon -
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To Protect Religious Freedom, Republicans Attempt Historic Move Against D.C.
A powerful congressional committee last night passed a measure to kill one of two controversial pieces of legislation from taking effect in the District of Columbia, moving closer to acting out a historic power play against a bill that critics believe infringes on religious liberty. Opponents of the bill, called the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act,…Kelsey Bolar -
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Do Sofia Vergara’s Embryos Have a Right to Life?
Should a separated couple’s frozen embryos be allowed to survive? “Modern Family” actress Sofia Vergara and her ex-fiancé Nick Loeb have two frozen embryos created from when they were still in a relationship and were pursuing in-vitro fertilization. At the time, the couple, who planned to use a surrogate to carry the children to term, reportedly…Katrina Trinko -
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Will We Surrender on Religious Freedom?
“They won’t go to Indiana, but they will go to Saudi Arabia.” That’s Carly Fiorina speaking about Apple CEO Tim Cook and his well-publicized opposition to Indiana’s religious freedom law. Fiorina, a former CEO herself, was underscoring what she quite rightly views as hypocrisy. Here Cook is, excoriating Indiana lawmakers for protecting the freedom of business owners to…Ed Feulner -
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Q&A With Washington Florist on Religious Freedom: ‘Who Are the Real Bigots Here?’
Barronelle Stutzman, a Christian florist from Washington state, is all too familiar with the public backlash that the owners of Memories Pizza faced after supporting Indiana’s controversial religious freedom law. “I think it is sad that it has come to this,” Stutzman told The Daily Signal via email in an exclusive interview. “We all have…Kelsey Bolar -
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A Pastor’s Easter Message on Religious Freedom
Pastor Jesse Johnson of Immanuel Bible Church just outside Washington, D.C., has a new appreciation for religious freedom in the United States after a recent trip overseas. He shared his insights with The Daily Signal about the fight for religious freedom around the globe and here at home. “It is in light of the resurrection and God’s sovereignty that…Jamie Jackson -
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What Would the Founders Think About Religious Liberty and Indiana?
As the loud opposition to Indiana’s religious freedom law subsides, plenty of confusion needs to be cleared up. We need to explain to our friends what religious liberty is, why it matters, and what the consequences are of undermining it or, as is the case with the “fix” enacted in Indiana, restricting its protections. Now is…Ryan T. Anderson -
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The Religious Freedom Debate Explained in 90 Seconds
Lawmakers in Indiana and Arkansas have revised language in two controversial religious freedom bills. Originally, both bills were intended to prohibit state and local government from infringing on someone’s religious beliefs without a compelling reason. Here’s what you need to know about the debate in 90 seconds.Alex Anderson -
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Indiana Has Changed Its Religious Liberty Law. Here Is What That Means.
Editor's Note: The Indiana Legislature passed a bill Thursday after facing backlash over the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Gov. Mike Pence quickly signed the bill into law before leaving for a European vacation. Earlier Thursday, The Heritage Foundation's Ryan T. Anderson explained why the so-called "fix" is bad policy. — • — At a press conference in the Indiana Statehouse Thursday morning, Senate President…Ryan T. Anderson -
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Christian Groups Call for Boycott of Company That Opposes Indiana’s Religious Freedom Law
The American Family Association and Family Research Council want customers of Angie’s List to boycott the company in an act of support for religious freedom. Angie’s List recently announced that it has withdrawn a proposal to expand its Indianapolis headquarters because of the corporation’s disapproval of Indiana’s controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Angie’s List is an online…Kate Scanlon -
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Indiana Pizzeria Under Fire for Support of Religious Freedom Law
A pizzeria in Indiana has come under fire for supporting the state’s controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Memories Pizza is owned by the O’Connor family of Walkerton, Ind. Crystal O’Connor told Indiana’s WBND that the family business is “a Christian establishment.” “If a gay couple came in and wanted us to provide pizzas for their wedding,…Kate Scanlon -
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Facts vs. Spin: Here Is What the Indiana Religious Freedom Law Would Do
There is so much noise and hype surrounding the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act it’s hard to know what is real and what is spin. So I decided to seek out a real expert to get the facts. I asked Ryan Anderson, my colleague at The Heritage Foundation, to explain exactly what the law does—and…Genevieve Wood -
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Does Dan Savage Support Religious Liberty for American Muslims?
Why is Dan Savage opposing a religious liberty bill that would protect all Americans—Muslims included? Savage sent out this tweet: “@Heritage says American Muslims should be free to discriminate based on Islamic teaching.” And he linked to this press release: “Heritage Foundation says American Muslims should be free to discriminate based on Islamic teaching” The…Ryan T. Anderson -
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Where the 2016 Hopefuls Stand on Indiana’s Religious Freedom Law
Eight Republican presidential hopefuls have offered their support to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as he scrambles to put out a political wildfire over a new state law designed to protect the religious freedom of Hoosiers. “It’s a fix of a bill that through confusion has come to be greatly misunderstood.” —@GovPenceIN Other than unannounced front-runner…Ken McIntyre -
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Religious Freedom Laws Are About Tolerance, Which Is Exactly Why the Left Doesn’t Like Them
Discrimination is going on all right but not against the groups many on the Left are claiming. Here’s the bottom line: many people who support abortion or who support same-sex marriage don’t just want those rights for themselves. They want society at large to approve of their actions. And they will fight any law or movement that…Genevieve Wood -
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These 19 States Have Religious Freedom Laws Similar to Indiana’s. Here’s What That Means.
Gov. Mike Pence gained national attention when he signed the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law last week. It caused the Twitter hashtag #BoycottIndiana to go viral and triggered Apple CEO Tim Cook to pen a Washington Post op-ed calling “pro-discrimination” laws “dangerous.” Yet, despite the uproar, Indiana isn’t alone in enacting legislation that…Kelsey Bolar -
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The ACLU’s Hypocritical Defense of Laws That Violate Religious Liberty
One of the great ironies of our politics is that the American Civil Liberties Union is now actually hostile to traditional American civil liberties. This is the conclusion one must draw from a letter the organization has sent to the House of Representatives, seeking to defend two District of Columbia laws that, under the guise…Carson Holloway