Religious Liberty News
Stories on legal battles, faith in public life, and policies that affect religious freedom. The Daily Signal reports on challenges and victories surrounding First Amendment protections.
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- News
Christian Baker Must Make Cakes Celebrating Gay Marriage, Appeals Court Rules
A custom cake baker in suburban Denver can’t cite his religious convictions in declining to make a wedding cake for two men, a Colorado appeals court ruled today. “Cake artist” Jack Phillips said he gladly serves gays and lesbians in his family business. But, Phillips said, he could not in good conscience design a wedding…Ken McIntyre -
- Opinion
3 Historical Developments That Explain Our Current Religious Liberty Battles
In recent political memory, religious liberty was a value that brought together conservatives, libertarians and progressives. As recently as 1993, the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act was passed by a nearly unanimous Congress and signed by a Democratic president. Today, the same value is a political liability. Bakers, photographers, and florists are being ruined, adoption…Ryan T. Anderson -
- News
Conservative Action Project: ‘We Must Act Now to Protect Religious Liberty in America’
The Conservative Action Project has released a “Memo to the Movement” on the state of religious liberty in the United States. The project was founded by former Attorney General Edwin Meese and includes leaders of over 100 organizations in the conservative movement. The signatories urge that “we must act now to protect religious liberty in…Kate Scanlon -
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Conservatives Plot to Get Religious Liberty Bill to Obama’s Desk
Conservative members of Congress appeared confident today that a new bill designed to prohibit the federal government from taking “discriminatory action” against a person or institution based on his or its religious beliefs about marriage will reach the president’s desk sooner, rather than later. The bill, called the First Amendment Defense Act, was written in…Kelsey Bolar -
- News
‘Full House’ Star Defends Christian Bakers: ‘I Don’t Think This Is Discrimination’
The talk show “The View” pitted two childhood stars against each other to discuss the controversial issue of Christian bakers receiving a $135,000 fine for refusing to bake a lesbian wedding cake. Candace Cameron Bure of “Full House” and Raven-Symoné of “That’s So Raven” went head to head discussing the hot topic issue, coming down…Samantha Reinis -
- News
Christian Bakers Fined $135K Over Lesbian Wedding Cake Raise More Than $210K
A fundraising campaign that was launched to help Aaron and Melissa Klein, the bakers fined $135,000 for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding, has raised more than $210,000. The Kleins told The Daily Signal in an earlier interview that their income has virtually been cut in half since they were forced to…Diana Stancy -
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Christian Baker Makes Case for Not ‘Expressing’ Support of Same-Sex Marriage
The owner of a family business that makes custom cakes today asked a Colorado appeals court to strike down state rulings that he discriminated against a same-sex couple by declining to provide a cake to celebrate their wedding. “People shouldn’t be forced to choose between earning a living and exercising their fundamental rights.”—@AllianceDefend’s Jeremy Tedesco…Ken McIntyre -
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Bobby Jindal: ‘Religious Liberty Created the United States of America’
BOONE, Iowa—Wearing cowboy boots and jeans, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal told supporters watching him speak at an Iowa cafe that he will “fight for our religious liberties” if elected president. Jindal, who recently declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination for president, said he is disappointed in last week’s Supreme Court decision to legalize gay…Leah Jessen -
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Senator Mike Lee’s Call to Action for Religious Liberty
If Americans are to preserve religious liberty in the country, they must tackle the topic proactively, live by their beliefs and set an example, said Sen. Mike Lee Thursday in a talk at Hillsdale College’s Kirby Center. “We will have this debate. The only question is whether we start a conversation or we let the…Diana Stancy -
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Christian Bakers Respond to Government Agency’s Ties to LGBT Group
The Oregon couple who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding says the case against them should be "pulled out" of the state's administrative court system due to concerns that the government agency responsible for overseeing the trial is biased. The Daily Signal obtained communications between Basic Rights Oregon, a prominent gay rights group, and the Bureau of…Kelsey Bolar -
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Bobby Jindal on Religious Liberty Order: ‘Don’t Waste Your Time Trying to Bully Me in Louisiana’
Defying state legislators who rejected a measure that sought to protect “the right of conscience as it relates to marriage,” Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal acted on his own Tuesday. “I’m going to do anything I can to protect religious liberty,” the Republican governor told The Daily Signal in a phone interview on Wednesday. His executive…Kelsey Bolar -
- News
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 -
- News
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 -
- Opinion
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 -
- Opinion
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 -
- News
‘It’s a Two-Way Street’: What Americans Think About Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Liberty
A new Associated Press-GFK poll shows that more Americans favor legalizing same-sex marriage, but a majority believe businesses that provide wedding services shouldn’t have to participate in a same-sex marriage if they have a religious objection. According to the poll, 44 percent of Americans favor legalizing same-sex marriage, 39 percent oppose it, and 15 percent…Kate Scanlon -
- Opinion
Here’s How the Media Got the Latest Religious Liberty Bill Wrong
Finishing off a week that was pretty bad for the media, CBS News is now spinning a story about a Michigan religious freedom bill. Their headline reads: “Bill would let Michigan doctors, EMTs refuse to treat gay patients.” But the bill does nothing of the sort. The bill, passed by the Michigan House last week,…Ryan T. Anderson -
- Opinion
Sexual Liberty and Religious Liberty Can Coexist. Here’s How.
Sexual liberty and religious liberty need not be in tension. Indeed, most Americans don’t want them to be in tension. It’s true there are bad stories out there where people have been victimized by intolerance. Some of this has been at the hands of market leaders. Consider Brendan Eich, who six years ago made a…Ryan T. Anderson -
- News
Rick Santorum on Religious Liberty, the LGBT Agenda and ‘Very Clear’ Plans for 2016
Will Rick Santorum run for president again? The former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania doesn’t waste time denying his interest. In between campaigning for fellow Republicans in the midterm elections, Santorum stopped Friday in Washington, D.C., to speak at The Heritage Foundation’s semiannual President’s Club meeting. Afterward, in an exclusive interview with The Daily Signal, Santorum discussed the…Kelsey Bolar -
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Q&A: Couple Look to Paul’s Example in Resisting Order to Perform Gay Marriages
Perform same-sex wedding ceremonies or pay tens of thousands of dollars in fines and spend months behind bars. That’s the choice their Idaho town gave one Christian couple who have made marriage ministry their life's work. Donald and Eyelyn Knapp, ordained Pentecostal ministers, are married to each other. Together, they have run Hitching Post Lakeside Wedding Chapel in…Kelsey Bolar