Religious Freedom News
The Daily Signal provides coverage of religious freedom issues in the United States and around the world, with reporting on policy, legal challenges, persecution, and the impact on people of faith.
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- News
A Supreme Court Justice’s Dire Warning for Those Who Value Religious Freedom
The Supreme Court’s decision not to hear a case challenging a Washington state law that forces a family-owned pharmacy to dispense emergency contraceptives is an “ominous sign” for those who value religious freedom, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. said. “If this is a sign of how religious liberty claims will be treated in the years…Kelsey Bolar -
- Opinion
Latest Assault on Religious Freedom: Illinois Abortion Bill Restricts Doctors and May Violate Federal Law
In the latest assault on the First Amendment right of Americans to freely exercise their religious beliefs, the Illinois Legislature has passed a bill that will force doctors to violate their religious convictions about the immorality of abortions. Illinois SB 1564 has passed both houses and is headed to the governor to sign or veto. This…Hans von Spakovsky -
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‘We Will Never Be Silent’: Mississippi Governor Receives Religious Freedom Award
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant received a religious freedom award Thursday evening in Washington, D.C., for his courage to protect and stand up for the religious rights of citizens in his state. “We want to honor those who have courage,” Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said. Perkins honored Bryant, a Republican, with the Family Research…Leah Jessen -
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House Rejects Amendment That Would Have Curtailed Religious Freedom
On Thursday, the House of Representatives voted to reject the Maloney Amendment. The Maloney Amendment would have ratified President Barack Obama’s executive order barring federal contractors from what it describes as “discrimination” on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in their private employment policies. And, of course, “discrimination” on the basis of gender identity…Ryan T. Anderson -
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Liberals’ Double Standard on Bathrooms, Boycotts, and Religious Freedom
If it wasn’t for double standards, some liberals would have none at all. That seems to be the lesson from the past few weeks, where liberals have displayed three distinct forms of hypocrisy. Liberal governors and mayors signed travel bans to North Carolina and Mississippi, CEOs of major corporations pledged boycotts and relocations, and Bruce…Ryan T. Anderson -
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Gov. Bryant Stands Up to Liberal Bullying, Signs Mississippi Religious Freedom Bill
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, a Republican, has signed the Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act, a law that guarantees religious freedom in the wake of last year’s activist Supreme Court decision redefining marriage for the country. The left, big business, and even Planned Parenthood weighed in against the legislation. Mississippi policymakers, reflecting the…Roger Severino -
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Mississippi Moves to Protect Religious Freedom on Marriage
This morning, the Mississippi House passed a bill, HB 1523, protecting religious freedom. If the House disposes of a procedural maneuver that has delayed a final vote until Monday, the bill will go to the governor’s desk for his signature, as the Senate passed the bill earlier this week. The bill is good policy and the governor should…Ryan T. Anderson -
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Sponsors of Georgia’s Religious Freedom Bill Decry Governor’s Veto
The sponsors of the religious liberty bill vetoed by Georgia’s governor say they are disappointed and disheartened by his action. Gov. Nathan Deal, a Republican, vetoed the legislation—called the Free Exercise Protection Act—on Monday, saying the bill did not reflect Georgia’s image as a state full of “warm, friendly, and loving people.” Sponsors said they…Mariana Barillas -
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Georgia Governor Caves to Big Business, Vetoes Religious Freedom Bill
Georgia’s Republican Governor Nathan Deal has caved to pressure from big business and special interests and vetoed a very modest religious liberty bill. This shows the lack of courage of many in the political class, and it also highlights the extreme nature of the left and the business community. To these groups, even mild religious…Ryan T. Anderson -
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Georgia Guts Religious Freedom Bill
On Wednesday night, the Georgia legislature introduced new language to its religious freedom bill and passed the bill in mere hours. Haste makes waste. This new language significantly waters down a religious freedom bill that had real force even though it was, as we pointed out three weeks ago, already lacking in certain respects. The…Ryan T. Anderson -
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Obama’s Hypocrisy on Religious Freedom
President Barack Obama’s 2016 proclamation for Religious Freedom Day, which was celebrated Jan. 16, rightly stated that religious freedom has long been considered one of America’s “most cherished ideals.” He wrote: The United States stands for the protection of equal rights for all people to practice their faith freely, without fear or coercion, and as…Melody Wood -
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Mike Pence Promises to Protect Religious Freedom in Indiana
Last March, Indiana became a hot zone in the culture wars when big business and the cultural left teamed up to water down Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). They alleged that RFRAs lead to rampant discrimination against gays and lesbians and, in a striking example of cultural cronyism, bullied the Indiana legislature into rolling…Roger Severino -
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Poll: 8 in 10 Americans Support Religious Freedom for Christians
A new poll shows that Americans prioritize protecting Christians’ religious freedom. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research’s poll found that 82 percent of Americans believe that religious liberty protections are important for Christians. Sixty-one percent of respondents said religious liberty protections are important for Muslims, “ranking Muslims as the least deserving of the…Leah Jessen -
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How This Governor Upheld Religious Freedom in Issuing Marriage Licenses
Acting to resolve a conflict between personal conscience and political duty on the subject of same-sex marriage, Kentucky’s new governor decided that marriage licenses don’t have to bear the name of the county clerk whose office issues the license. Gov. Matt Bevin, a Republican, announced his executive order last week along with four others. “To ensure that the sincerely…Leah Jessen -
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Attacks on Religious Freedom: Coming Soon to a Church Near You
Assaults on religious freedom are becoming ever more common. Barely a day goes by without news of a baker punished for not catering a same-sex wedding, a Catholic adoption service banned from limiting its services to married couples, or companies that are run in accordance Christian values being forced to provide health insurance policies that…David Bernstein -
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Supreme Court Will Hear Obamacare Abortion-Inducing Drugs Case. Why That’s Important for Religious Freedom.
Today, the Supreme Court announced it will take up seven cases challenging the Obamacare requirement that non-profit employers offer their employees health care coverage that includes Plan B, ella, and other potentially life-ending drugs and devices, contraception, and sterilization. Plaintiffs in the cases the Court will decide include Little Sisters of the Poor; Priests for…Elizabeth Slattery -
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Ralph Reed: Religious Freedom Needs to Be a ‘Priority’
Ralph Reed, the influential CEO of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, believes the issue of religious liberty will be front and center throughout the 2016 presidential campaign. “I think it’s important because of what are likely to be the consequences of the Obergefell decision,” Reed tells The Daily Signal. “I think the redefinition of marriage begins…David Brody -
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The Murder of Mohammad Akhlaq: Concerns on Religious Freedom in India
The ordeal did not take long. The quiet of the evening in Bisara, India, was replaced by the clamor of a vicious mob and the screams of a terrified family. The mob came through the door into the home of Mohammad Akhlaq, a Muslim man rumored to have killed a cow and eaten the beef….Thomas Whittaker -
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How to Avoid Another Kim Davis Situation, Without Surrendering on Religious Freedom
Editor’s note: This article was originally published Sept. 10. Kim Davis is out of jail and taking a few days off before going back to work as the Rowan County, Ky., clerk. In the meantime, it’s worth reflecting on what we’ve learned thus far from the controversy. After all, it will not be the last….Jennifer Marshall -
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In Obamacare Mandate Case, Appeals Court Rules in Favor of Religious Freedom
Thursday, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of a challenge to the Affordable Care Act requirement that employers offer their employees health care coverage that includes Plan B, ella, and other potentially life-ending drugs and devices—or fill out a form notifying the Department of Health and Human Services of their religious objection…Elizabeth Slattery