“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Toward The Night” Review by Paulsemel.com
Paulsemel.com has added a new review for James Swallow‘s “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Toward The Night”:
Fans of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are eagerly awaiting the release of the third season, as well as the announced but not yet filmed fourth. But for the ones who just can’t wait, they can actually take a trip in time — way, way back to season 2 — with James Swallow’s new novel Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Toward The Night (hardcover, Kindle, audiobook).
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“Star Trek: Lore War–Shaxs’ Worst Day #1” Review by Positivelytrek.com
Positivelytrek.com has added a new review for Derek Charm and Ryan North‘s “Star Trek: Lore War–Shaxs’ Worst Day #1”:
The Lore War crossover event continues! In this episode of Positively Trek , hosts Dan and Brandi discuss two comics: Star Trek: Defiant #27 ( Lore War Part 4 of 5), and Star Trek: Lore War: Shaxs’ Worst Day , a one-shot that, quite frankly, should be a full part of the Lore War series! Join us as we talk about Sisko and company’s attempt to thwart Lore’s evil machinations, while at the same time a re-awakened Shaxs tries to destroy all of Starfleet!
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New Star Trek Book: “Star Trek: Picard: To Defy Fate”
Star Trek: Picard: To Defy Fate by Dayton Ward has been added to the Star Trek Book Club! There’s no official cover yet, so keep an eye on the book page for updates!
The book is currently scheduled to be published on February 17, 2026
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“Star Trek #32” Review by Aiptcomics.com
Aiptcomics.com has added a new review for Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing‘s “Star Trek #32”:
The mix of optimism, space-faring, and epic stories that made me fall in love with this franchise.
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Vitsaxaki v. Skaneateles Central School District (2025)
On July 17, 2025, FFRF filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Secular Student Alliance in support of the Skaneateles Central School District in New York. The brief was in defense of the New York school district’s student name/pronoun policy, which was challenged by a parent on religious grounds.
The student, Doe, at the center of this case followed the Skaneateles School District’s policy and asked that their teachers refer to them by a traditionally masculine name and they/them pronouns. Doe also sought counseling from the school’s licensed counselor who then developed a plan to ensure Doe had the support they needed at school. Doe did not initially tell their mother, Jennifer Vitsaxaki, that they asked the school to call them by a different name/pronouns. After learning of Doe’s choice to go by a different name and pronouns at school and seek counseling, Mrs. Vitsaxaki pulled Doe out of the school and proceeded to file this lawsuit. She claimed that the District’s policy was unconstitutional on its face, and that the school specifically violated her right to free exercise of religion, and interfered with her parental rights to direct Doe’s religious upbringing and healthcare decisions.
FFRF’s brief urged the Second Circuit to side with the district and affirm the district court’s ruling that dismissed Vitsaxaki’s claims. The brief argued that the practice of allowing students to use nicknames or preferred names is embedded in the history and tradition of American public schooling. Additionally, the District has a moral and legal duty to protect the welfare and safety of all students, including transgender and gender-nonconforming students.
The post Vitsaxaki v. Skaneateles Central School District (2025) appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Court should deny parent’s religion-fueled attempt to veto school policy, says FFRF amicus brief
Photo by Karollyne Videira Hubert on Unsplash
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of the Secular Student Alliance in a case before the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals defending a New York school district policy being challenged on religious grounds.
This case concerns one parent’s meritless, religion-fueled objections to the Skaneateles Central School District’s policy allowing students to request that their school call them by their preferred name and/or pronouns. The district provides a neutral policy that allows students to inform their school of their preferred address style, consistent with the longstanding school policy on nicknames. The policy is intended to ensure the learning environment is safe and welcoming for all students, including transgender and gender-nonconforming students.
The student at the center of the case, “Jane Doe,” was a seventh grader when Doe, who was assigned female at birth, followed the district’s policy and asked teachers to refer to them by a traditionally masculine name and “they/them” pronouns. Doe also sought counseling from the school’s licensed counselor, who developed a plan to ensure Doe had the support they needed at school. Doe did not initially tell their mother, Jennifer Vitsaxaki, that they had asked the school to call them by a different name/pronouns, likely fearing that she would react negatively.
Unfortunately, after learning of Doe’s choice to go by a different name and pronouns at school and seek counseling, Vitsaxakim, a member of the Greek Orthodox Church, pulled Doe out of the school and filed the lawsuit. She claims that the district’s policy is unconstitutional on its face, and that the school violated her right to free exercise of religion and interfered with her parental rights to direct Doe’s religious upbringing and healthcare decisions.
The district court didn’t buy Vitsaxaki’s arguments, instead ruling in favor of the district, holding that Vitsaxaki failed to show why the policy is unconstitutional or that it specifically violated her rights. Vitsaxaki appealed, represented by the aggressive Christian nationalist organization, Alliance Defending Freedom.
FFRF’s brief urges the appeals court to affirm the district court’s ruling and side with the school district.
First, the practice of allowing students to use nicknames, which are essentially preferred names, is embedded in American history and tradition. The district has formalized a policy that has existed for over a century. Anyone who grew up attending American public schools knows how commonplace nicknames are. Sometimes students’ nicknames have no connection to their legal name. Foreign exchange students often ask to be called by an “American name” that is clearly not their original legal name, and teachers and students accede to the request because using someone’s preferred name is a matter of respect and civility.
Vitsaxaki attempts to turn this American tradition on its head, claiming that the school’s policy is tantamount to indoctrination and interferes with Doe’s religious upbringing. Accommodating transgender and gender-nonconforming students’ name preferences doesn’t take away or harm anyone’s right to believe in or practice their religion, FFRF’s brief asserts.
Second, the district has a duty to protect the welfare and safety of all students, including transgender and gender-nonconforming students. New York state law and education policy require that public schools protect students from gender and sex-based harassment and discrimination. Allowing all students to request their preferred name/pronouns helps ensure that the school environment is an inclusive space where students feel comfortable learning. Both educators and youth psychologists recognize that using students’ preferred names and the corresponding pronouns is part of cultivating a positive learning environment. Not surprisingly, students learn better when they feel respected.
For all these reasons, FFRF averts that the 2nd Circuit should rule in favor of the Skaneateles Central School District.
“School policies that make all students feel safe and welcomed shouldn’t be struck down just because some parents are offended by inclusion,” asserts FFRF Senior Litigation Counsel Sam Grover. “American public schools have a long tradition of accommodating students’ preferences for how they are addressed in class. Religious backlash against these near-universal, common-sense practices is a result of Christian Nationalists cruelly turning LGBTQ-plus children’s existence into a culture war issue.”
The Secular Student Alliance (SSA) is an American educational non-profit organization that aims to educate high school and college students about secularism, scientific reason, and human-based ethics. It provides resources and support for students and their organizations and advocates for the separation of church and state.
The full FFRF brief can be read here.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is the largest national association of freethinkers, representing atheists, agnostics, and others who form their opinions about religion based on reason rather than faith, tradition, or authority. Founded in Wisconsin in 1978 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, FFRF has more than 42,000 members, including more than 2,200 members and a chapter in New York. FFRF’s primary purposes are to educate about nontheism and to preserve the cherished constitutional principle of separation between religion and government.
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New Star Trek Comic Books Announced To Preorder! June 2025 Edition
IDW May 2025 Catalog
IDW June 2025 Catalog
IDW July 2025 Catalog
Sqeak, squaw, sssskkkaaa, eh, eee.
[Translation: Cetacean Ops here! Matt and I have brought the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos back to the year 1987 for a top-secret mission of great import.]HHHkkkeeeeee, ska, ska, EeeEEAaa. Squaw, squaw. *Click, cliiiiick*
[Translation: That’s right, Kimolu. We need their help to fix what that blowhole Kirk messed up by bringing the whales George, Gracie, and Ronald to Earth without a way for them to repopulate its oceans. What was Ronald supposed to do, have babies with his mother?]
Skkkesaw. Eehhh, ee, ee, AaaaaAa. AH, AH, EeeEE! Sqqqqaw.
[Translation: But the remaining humpbacks have all heard freaky conspiracy theories about what happened to the last pod who went to Earth. To save the species, the Lower Deckers will have to dissuade them of the rumors and convince them Earth is worth inhabiting. Ah-yikes.]
This issue kicks off the penultimate arc of this season’s run, so be sure to order whale ahead of time!
It’s a race to the top as the anti-Federation spies and the Red Shirts summit the towering antenna on Arkonia 89. The spies seek to escape a transporter disrupter and make it back to their ship with their stolen data, and Raad, Grash, Vesta, and Miller will try to stop them by any means necessary. The climb is made all the more difficult by fire raining from above via a cloaked Warbird captained by a young Romulan and a mysterious Tal Shiar officer.
Meanwhile, on the ground, Lanier, Amiga, and DeMatrio realize a hidden secret about the deceased Cromarty’s base. It just might be their ticket out of this mess alive, but as more lives are senselessly lost, the Red Shirts start to wonder if Starfleet would even care if they made it back at all.
“Star Trek: Defiant, Volume 4: The Stars of Home” Review by Comicsonline.com
Comicsonline.com has added a new review for Christopher Cantwell‘s “Star Trek: Defiant, Volume 4: The Stars of Home”:
IDW continues to build on its impressive track record of blending characters from across the Star Trek franchise from The Original Series and The Next Generation, to Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and beyond into a single, interconnected narrative. With each volume of Star Trek: Defiant, the creative team takes some of our most beloved characters and pairs them in ways we never thought possible, weaving together new adventures that feel as fresh as they are familiar. This fourth volume is no exception, bringing unexpected depth to a familiar foe and expanding on the Star Trek universe in ways that we didn’t know we were craving.
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Freethought Radio – July 17, 2025
We report on state/church violations in the White House, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Then, FFRF Rapid Response Attorney Chris Line tells us what it means now that the IRS has announced that places of worship can endorse political candidates. Finally, we speak with distinguished Dartmouth historian Randall Balmer, who is an Episcopal priest, about his new book, America’s Best Idea: The Separation of Church and State.
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DTI Comic Book Investigation for the week of July 17, 2025
Here are all the comics printed this week in years past.
“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Toward The Night” Review by Lessaccurategrandmother.blogspot.com
Lessaccurategrandmother.blogspot.com has added a new review for James Swallow‘s “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Toward The Night”:
The most recent tie-in novel to the best of the Paramount+ Star Trek shows comes from James Swallow, who is probably my second favorite of the current working Star Trek novelists. So this is a combination I was particularly looking forward to, especially as I very much enjoyed the previous SNW novel, Asylum.
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“Star Trek: Omega #1” Review by Fanbasepress.com
Fanbasepress.com has added a new review for Christopher Cantwell and Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing‘s “Star Trek: Omega #1”:
Last week with Star Trek: Omega, IDW brought its current line of Star Trek comics to a close. With the conclusion of Lore War, the crews of the Theseus and the Defiant set out on new paths as they grapple with the monumental events they’ve just experienced.
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IRS Weakens Johnson Amendment—Nonprofits Push Back
Nonprofit Quarterly
By Isaiah Thompson
The post IRS Weakens Johnson Amendment—Nonprofits Push Back appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
St. Isidore lawsuit in Oklahoma County court to be dropped following SCOTUS decision
The Oklahoman
By Murray Evans
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Protecting religious liberty, parental rights, and Idaho values in charter school development: The battle lines drawn
Idaho Education News
By Branden Durst
The post Protecting religious liberty, parental rights, and Idaho values in charter school development: The battle lines drawn appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
J. Pharoah Doss: SCOTUS deadlocked on first Catholic charter school…is there an Islamic route?
Chicago Defender
By J. Pharoah Doss
The post J. Pharoah Doss: SCOTUS deadlocked on first Catholic charter school…is there an Islamic route? appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Liberal groups drop Okla. Catholic charter school lawsuit, declare victory over its rejection
The Christian Post
By Michael Gryboski
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“Star Trek: Omega #1” Review by Trekcentral.net
Trekcentral.net has added a new review for Christopher Cantwell and Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing‘s “Star Trek: Omega #1”:
Star Trek: Omega marks the end of an era! The denouement of over two years of storytelling, bridging the gap between Star Trek: Insurrection and Nemesis. Featuring series Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant, crossover events Day of Blood and Lore War, miniseries Sons of Star Trek, and one-shots like Shaxs’ Best Day, it’s been a hell of a ride.
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Humble Comics Bundle: Star Trek Comics Megabundle
This is an absolutely massive bundle with all of this for just a few Federation credits:
Countdown to Darkness TPB
Star Trek Classics #4 – Beginnings
Star Trek Classics #5 – Who Killed Captain Kirk?
Star Trek Volume 1
Star Trek Volume 10
Star Trek Volume 11
Star Trek Volume 12
Star Trek Volume 13
Star Trek Volume 2
Star Trek Volume 3
Star Trek Volume 4
Star Trek Volume 5
Star Trek Volume 6
Star Trek Volume 7
Star Trek Volume 8
Star Trek Volume 9
Star Trek, Volume Three: Glass and Bone
Star Trek: Alien Spotlight #1
Star Trek: Alien Spotlight #2
Star Trek: Aliens
Star Trek: Assignment Earth
Star Trek: Best of Klingons TPB
Star Trek: Boldly Go TPB #1
Star Trek: Boldly Go TPB #2
Star Trek: Boldly Go TPB #3
Star Trek: Burden of Knowledge TPB
Star Trek: Captain’s Log
Star Trek: Countdown
Star Trek: Day of Blood
Star Trek: Debt of Honor
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Fool’s Gold
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Dog of War TPB
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Too Long a Sacrifice
Star Trek: Defiant, Volume 1
Star Trek: Defiant, Volume 2: Another Piece Of The Action
Star Trek: Defiant, Volume 3: Hell Is Only A Word
Star Trek: Discovery – Aftermath TPB
Star Trek: Discovery – The Light of Kahless TPB
Star Trek: Discovery: Adventures In The 32nd Century TPB
Star Trek: Discovery: Succession TPB
Star Trek: Holo-Ween TPB
Star Trek: Khan Ruling in Hell TPB
Star Trek: Khan TPB
Star Trek: Leonard McCoy: Frontier Doctor TPB
Star Trek: Lower Decks – Warp Your Own Way
Star Trek: Lower Decks TPB
Star Trek: Manifest Destiny
Star Trek: Mirror Images TPB
Star Trek: Mirror War TPB
Star Trek: Mission’s End TPB
Star Trek: Nero TPB
Star Trek: New Frontier: Turnaround
Star Trek: New Visions TPB #1
Star Trek: New Visions TPB #2
Star Trek: New Visions TPB #3
Star Trek: New Visions TPB #4
Star Trek: New Visions TPB #5
Star Trek: New Visions TPB #6
Star Trek: New Visions TPB #7
Star Trek: New Visions TPB #8
Star Trek: Picard: Countdown TPB
Star Trek: Picard: Stargazer TPB
Star Trek: Picard’s Academy: Commit No Mistakes
Star Trek: Resurgence TPB
Star Trek: Sons of Star Trek TPB
Star Trek: Spock: Reflections TPB
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy TPB
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Illyrian Enigma TPB
Star Trek: The City on the Edge of Forever
Star Trek: The Mirror Universe Saga
Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Echoes TPB
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Enemy Unseen
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Ghosts TPB
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Hive TPB
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Intelligence Gathering TPB
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Mirror Broken TPB
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Terra Incognita TPB
Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Gorn Crisis
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Through the Mirror TPB
Star Trek: The Official Motion Picture Adaptation TPB
Star Trek: The Q Conflict TPB
Star Trek: Volume One: Godshock
Star Trek: Volume Two: The Red Path
Star Trek: Voyager: Encounters with the Unknown
Star Trek: Voyager: Seven’s Reckoning TPB
Star Trek: Warriors of the Mirror War
Star Trek: Waypoint TPB
Star Trek: Year Five TPB #1 – Odyssey’s End
Star Trek: Year Five TPB #2 – The Wine-Dark Deep
Star Trek: Year Five TPB #3 – Weaker Than Man
Star Trek: Year Five TPB #4 – Experienced in Loss
Star Trek: Year Four TPB
Star Trek: Year Four: The Enterprise Experiment TPB
FFRF slams Trump for ridiculing atheists and advancing religious agenda at CEO lunch
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is strongly condemning President Donald Trump’s latest effort to entangle religion and government through a White House event rewarding wealthy business leaders for promoting religion and aligning the federal government with sectarian interests.
FFRF is also taking issue with Trump’s derogatory joke about atheists at Monday’s luncheon in the White House’s State Dining Room. During the event, Trump said: “And you’re all believers… Is there an atheist in the room? Any atheists? I don’t think so. I wouldn’t want to raise my hand if I were. You’d be in big trouble.”
“Trump is not only once again blurring the line between state and church,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor, “but also treating atheists and other nonbelievers as targets.”
She added: “A president shouldn’t be rewarding CEOs for promoting religion or using his public office to advance a ‘faith-centered’ agenda. The government must serve all Americans, not just the religious.”
Trump welcomed more than 60 CEOs and business leaders who donate to faith-based charities. The event was organized by the White House Faith Office, which Trump established by executive order in February. Trump used the occasion to praise religious influence in public life, attack his political opponents and further promote his religious-political agenda.
At the event, during which Trump used an expletive, he continued to erase the existence of nonreligious Americans, telling attendees, “Our country was founded by pilgrims and believers, and every generation since Americans of faith have built our communities and forged new industries and enriched our country by millions and millions of people and ways.” He insisted that “the steady compass of faith has guided the strong hands of American workers, builders and entrepreneurs, like really no other.” He went on to say that “we have to bring religion back into the country. And we’re starting to do that, I think, at a very high level.”
Trump claimed that his 2024 electoral victory was due to Democrats trying to “take God and religion out of your lives,” and reiterated his intent to dismantle the Johnson Amendment — the federal law that bars tax-exempt organizations from endorsing political candidates. The IRS recently has indicated it now considers that the Johnson Amendment permits churches (but not other 501(c)(3) entities) to tell their members who to vote for.
High-profile donors attending the luncheon included Hobby Lobby founder David Green, who underwrote the Bible Museum, Jockey International CEO Debra Waller and leaders from Goodyear and JCPenney. A complete attendee list was not released, but Cabinet officials present included Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler.
The event concluded with a prayer led by Paula White, director of the White House Faith Office, followed by a Christian worship song.
“Trump’s repeated attempts to intertwine religion with government policy betray his duty to our secular Constitution,” Gaylor added. “This event is about building a theocratic political machine with the help of wealthy allies. Faith-based favoritism has no place in a secular democracy.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters of nontheism. With more than 42,000 members, FFRF advocates for freethinkers’ rights across the globe. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
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“Star Trek: Lower Decks #8” Review by Getyourcomicon.co.uk
Getyourcomicon.co.uk has added a new review for Tim Sheridan‘s “Star Trek: Lower Decks #8”:
The second half of Star Trek: Lower Decks two-part flashback story arrives in comic book stores today. With Dr. Pulaski now taking control of the USS Illinois, the crew beamed off the ship to an unknown destination and mutiny in the ranks, it’s up to Ensign Freeman to attempt to save the day. Can Tim Sheridan steer the Illinois to a smooth landing? Or is Pulaski’s return to Star Trek about to leave another poor taste in fans mouths?
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Star Trek Book Deals For The Middle of July 2025
This month’s ebook deals have landed with 10 books on sale for $0.99 – $3.99 each, books that have never been on sale are in bold:
It’s not a typical sale, these mid month price drops are as ephemeral as a Q’s resolve to not meddle in the affairs of Jean Luc’s life, but if you click quick, you might be able to get these books on the cheap!
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: 14 The Long Night
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: 15 Objective: Bajor
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: 16 Invasion! Book 3: Time’s Enemy
Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations: The Collectors
Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations: Shield of the Gods
Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations: Time Lock
Star Trek: The Next Generation: 5 Strike Zone
Star Trek: The Original Series: The More Things Change
Star Trek: Titan: Absent Enemies
Star Trek: Vulcan’s Soul Book 1: Exodus
Preview of “Star Trek: Red Shirts #1”
Here’s a preview of Star Trek: Red Shirts #1 by Christopher Cantwell which is due to be released this Wednesday on July 16, 2025 at your local comic shop and digital retailers:
They face threats not only from their faceless enemies but from the brutalizing elements and wildlife of a planet far from home. The red shirts’ lives and Starfleet’s sanctity are on the line…and no one is safe.
FFRF rebukes Speaker Johnson’s attack on Johnson Amendment and state/church separation
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is calling out Speaker of the House Mike Johnson for misrepresenting the history of state/church separation while praising the dismantlement of the Johnson Amendment, a crucial safeguard to protect electoral integrity.
In a strongly worded letter to the speaker sent today, the state/church watchdog criticized Johnson’s recent op-ed praising an IRS-proposed consent decree that paves the way for churches to endorse political candidates while maintaining their tax-exempt status. The IRS filing, while technically applicable to only two litigating churches, claims it’s now legal for churches (but not other tax-exempt organizations) to tell their own members how to vote in elections. Johnson falsely portrays the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 tax law provision prohibiting 501(c)(3) nonprofits, including churches, from engaging in partisan electioneering, as a violation of free speech.
FFRF charges that Johnson’s essay is “deeply flawed and historically inaccurate,” and that his advocacy for religious privilege over constitutional neutrality betrays his oath of office.
FFRF’s letter rebuts Johnson’s claims that the Johnson Amendment “censors” religious speech, explaining that houses of worship, like all 501(c)(3) organizations, are free to speak and preach, but may not use tax-subsidized resources to endorse candidates. FFRF also corrects Johnson’s selective historical interpretations by highlighting the secular nature of the U.S. Constitution and the clear intent of the Founders to keep religion out of government:
“The Framers of the Constitution made the United States first among nations to invest sovereignty not in a deity, but in ‘We the People.’ The proscription against religion in government has served our nation well, with the U.S. Constitution now the longest living constitution in history, and our nation spared the constant religious wars afflicting theocratic regions around the world.”
Johnson’s remarks, including his assertion that American politics must be guided by a “fear of eternal judgment,” are especially alarming given his role as speaker, the third-highest constitutional officer in the country.
“Speaker Johnson’s op-ed reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of our secular form of government and our pluralistic nation,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “Nonreligious Americans are the largest single ‘denomination’ by religious identification, making up nearly a third of the population, and his words suggest that they and other non-Christians are second-class citizens.”
Johnson’s revisionist history claims the Constitution was designed primarily to protect religion, not to limit its influence on government.
“Your insistence that Thomas Jefferson’s ‘wall of separation between church and state’ was only intended to protect religion from government interference disregards his actual words and his actions,” the letter points out. “Keeping religion out of the government is a fundamental American ideal, essential for true religious freedom, and has been a tremendous asset to our society.”
FFRF warns that gutting the Johnson Amendment would further erode the constitutional wall between religion and government, allowing houses of worship to become unregulated vehicles for political campaigns — subsidized by taxpayers.
FFRF’s letter concludes by calling on Johnson to either uphold his constitutional duty to govern without religious bias or resign.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters of nontheism. With more than 42,000 members, FFRF advocates for freethinkers’ rights across the globe. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
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Trump uses expletive in front of faith leaders in unscripted rant about ‘evil’ Democrats
AlterNet
By David Badash
The post Trump uses expletive in front of faith leaders in unscripted rant about ‘evil’ Democrats appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Oklahoma St. Isidore lawsuit dropped in light of spring SCOTUS ruling
KGOU (Norman, OK)
By Beth Wallis
The post Oklahoma St. Isidore lawsuit dropped in light of spring SCOTUS ruling appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Oklahoma parents, faith leaders drop lawsuit over Catholic charter school
Oklahoma Voice
By Nuria Martez-Keel
The post Oklahoma parents, faith leaders drop lawsuit over Catholic charter school appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Advocates mark victory against religious public school, ending lawsuit against St. Isidore
Fox 25 (Oklahoma City, OK)
By Alexandra Sharfman
The post Advocates mark victory against religious public school, ending lawsuit against St. Isidore appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Oklahomans challenging nation’s first religious public school declare victory, end lawsuit
Americans United
By Staff
The post Oklahomans challenging nation’s first religious public school declare victory, end lawsuit appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
White House Action Ensures Churches ‘Can No Longer Be Intimidated’ by IRS for Endorsing Candidates
The Washington Stand
By Ben Johnson
The post White House Action Ensures Churches ‘Can No Longer Be Intimidated’ by IRS for Endorsing Candidates appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
DTI Treklit Investigation for the week of July 15, 2025
Here’s a look at the books printed this week in the past.
Oklahomans challenging nation’s first religious public school declare victory, end lawsuit
Declaring victory in the legal effort to block what would have been the nation’s first religious public school, a group of Oklahoma faith leaders, public school parents and public education advocates today filed a notice dismissing their lawsuit to stop Oklahoma officials from sponsoring and funding St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School.
The notice was filed with the District Court of Oklahoma County in the case OKPLAC Inc. v. Statewide Charter School Board. The substantive claims brought in the OKPLAC case were resolved when the U.S. Supreme Court, in May, let stand the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s June 2024 decision that it would be an unconstitutional violation of church/state separation for St. Isidore to operate as a religious public charter school. That decision was issued in a lawsuit similar to the OKPLAC case that was subsequently brought by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, which was fast-tracked and heard first.
The plaintiffs were represented by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union and Education Law Center, and supported by Oklahoma-based counsel Odom & Sparks PLLC and J. Douglas Mann.
“We are pleased that the courts have put a stop to the nation’s first religious public charter school,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president. “This outcome upholds the core constitutional principle of state/church separation and affirms that public schools should remain just that — public.”
“OKPLAC has been resolved to stand for students, taxpayers, and religious freedom from the beginning as the original plaintiff in a lawsuit opposing the state’s use of tax dollars to operate a religious public charter school,” said Misty Bradley, chair of OKPLAC, the Oklahoma Parent Legislative Advocacy Coalition. “We are grateful for the organizations and individuals who stood with us and for Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s successful efforts to uphold Oklahoma’s constitution and protect its taxpayers and public schools.”
“Americans United is proud to work closely with Oklahomans to protect inclusive public education and religious freedom,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United. “While we celebrate victory in this case, AU continues to litigate two other church-state separation lawsuits in Oklahoma to stop Ryan Walters and his Christian nationalist allies from imposing their religious beliefs on public school children. We won’t let them turn Oklahoma’s public schools into Sunday schools.”
“The very notion of a religious public school is a legal contradiction in terms,” said Daniel Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. “We’re pleased that the courts stopped this direct assault on public education and religious freedom. Public schools must remain secular and welcome all students, regardless of faith.”
“We are gratified that the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling that charter schools, like all public schools, must be open to all students,” said Robert Kim, executive director of Education Law Center. “We will continue to work with public school advocates, parents and faith leaders to ensure that all students across Oklahoma and the nation have the right to attend public schools without barriers to admission.”
The OKPLAC case was the first lawsuit to challenge the state’s approval of St. Isidore. It was filed in July 2023 on behalf of faith leaders, public school parents and public education advocates who objected to their tax dollars funding a public charter school that intended to indoctrinate students into one religion, planned to discriminate against students, families and employees based on their religion and LGBTQ-plus status, and wouldn’t commit to adequately serving students with disabilities.
The plaintiffs include OKPLAC (Oklahoma Parent Legislative Advocacy Coalition), Melissa Abdo, Krystal Bonsall, Brenda Lené, Michele Medley, Dr. Bruce Prescott, the Rev. Dr. Mitch Randall, the Rev. Dr. Lori Walke and Erika Wright.
The plaintiffs also filed amicus briefs in the attorney general’s case, Drummond v. Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board, before both the U.S. Supreme Court and the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The Oklahoma Supreme Court’s opinion incorporated many of the arguments made in the amicus brief that was submitted to it.
The team of attorneys that represented the plaintiffs was led by Alex J. Luchenitser of Americans United and included Luke Anderson of Americans United; Daniel Mach and Heather L. Weaver of the ACLU; Robert Kim, Jessica Levin and Wendy Lecker of Education Law Center; Patrick Elliott of FFRF; Benjamin H. Odom, John H. Sparks, Michael W. Ridgeway and Lisa M. Mason of Odom & Sparks; and J. Douglas Mann.
Media contacts: Requests for information or media interviews should be directed to:
- FFRF: Sara Tetzloff, tetzloffs@ffrf.org, 608.256.8900
- Americans United: Moisés Serrano, media@au.org
- ACLU: ACLU Media, media@aclu.org
- Education Law Center: Sharon Krengel, skrengel@edlawcenter.org, 973.624.1815, x240
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with over 42,000 members across the country. Our purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
Americans United is a religious freedom advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, AU educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom. Learn more at www.au.org.
For more than 100 years, the ACLU has worked in courts, legislatures, and communities to protect the constitutional rights of all people. With a nationwide network of offices and millions of members and supporters, the ACLU takes on the toughest civil liberties fights in pursuit of liberty and justice for all. For more information on the ACLU, visit www.aclu.org.
Education Law Center pursues justice and equity for public school students by enforcing their right to a high-quality education in safe, equitable, non-discriminatory, integrated, and well-funded learning environments. We seek to support and improve public schools as the center of communities and the foundation of a multicultural and multiracial democratic society. For more information about ELC, visit edlawcenter.org/.
The post Oklahomans challenging nation’s first religious public school declare victory, end lawsuit appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
New Star Trek Book: “Star Trek: Ashcan #1”
Star Trek: Ashcan #1 by has been added to the Star Trek Book Club!
Previews of:
- Star Trek: The Last Starship #1
- Star Trek: Voyager: Homecoming #1
- Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Seeks of Salvation #1
The book is currently scheduled to be published on July 2, 2025
Buy on Amazon.com
Buy On Books-A-Million.com
Texas Families Sue to Block Law Mandating Ten Commandments in Public Schools
On July 2nd, 2025, FFRF and a coalition filed a lawsuit on behalf of a group of sixteen multifaith and nonreligious Texas families to block a state law requiring all public elementary and secondary schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
Texas Senate Bill 10 requires all public elementary and secondary schools statewide to display either a “durable poster” or “framed copy” of the Ten Commandments in a conspicuous location within every classroom. The law specifies a particular Protestant version of the Ten Commandments.
The plaintiffs include Jewish, Christian, Baptist, nonreligious, Hindu, and Unitarian families. The complaint argues that SB 10 violates both the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects the separation of church and state and guarantees religious freedom.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The plaintiffs are represented by the ACLU, the ACLU of Texas, American United for Separation of Church & State, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, and FFRF. Legal Director Patrick Elliot, Senior Litigation Counsel Sam Grover, and Staff Attorney Nancy Noet are serving as co-counsel.
The post Texas Families Sue to Block Law Mandating Ten Commandments in Public Schools appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
First Liberty Institute takes defendants’ side in 10 Commandments lawsuit in Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette (Fayetteville, AR)
By Edward McKinnon
The post First Liberty Institute takes defendants’ side in 10 Commandments lawsuit in Arkansas appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
‘Unshackling the pulpit’ or ‘a brazen attack’?: 7 reactions to IRS letting pastors endorse politicians
The Christian Post
By Michael Gryboski
The post ‘Unshackling the pulpit’ or ‘a brazen attack’?: 7 reactions to IRS letting pastors endorse politicians appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
IRS lifts ban on churches getting involved in politics and endorsements: What to know
USA Today
By BrieAnna J. Frank and Angele Latham
The post IRS lifts ban on churches getting involved in politics and endorsements: What to know appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Local Courier-Journal Doggedly Maligns Us Yet Again
Answers in Genesis
By Ken Hamm
The post Local Courier-Journal Doggedly Maligns Us Yet Again appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
FFRF opposes DoD’s coercive bible study classes at Walter Reed Hospital
Photo by Diego González on Unsplash
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Defense Health Agency, the Department of Defense and staff at Walter Reed Hospital to end coercive religious programming and activities.
A Walter Reed employee informed FFRF that during the week of March 17, an email went out to all Walter Reed Hospital staff inviting them to a recurring “Soul Care Bible Study.” The program was billed as “a spiritual readiness program that supports the Defense Health Agency Director’s spiritual pillar of readiness.” The invitation asserted that the “Department of Defense recognizes that Spiritual Fitness is an essential area that requires some training and development for DoD personnel to be healthy, fit and resilient.” The invitation describes “Spiritual Fitness” as “one of the major components of the Total Force Fitness Framework, first established by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.” FFRF learned that chaplains would encourage staff members to wash their hands with Holy Water.
“The overtly religious practices taking place at Walter Reed are unnecessarily divisive and coercive,” FFRF Anne Nicol Gaylor Legal Fellow Kyle Steinberg writes.
By offering bible study, Walter Reed and the Department of Defense show that Christians (especially those who subscribe to their selected bible version) have preferential status in the nation’s armed services. Blatant endorsement of Christian beliefs disrespects our proud military community — especially those who do not share the DoD’s belief. About 30 percent of individuals in the armed forces have no religious affiliation or identify with a religious belief other than Christianity.
Discussing religion risks dividing the armed forces community among different sects and between believers and nonbelievers. It can disrupt unit cohesion and distract from the “shared purpose” of protecting American interests and freedoms. The Department of Defense cannot express religious favoritism or sponsor religious activity. It cannot contort the mission of the armed forces to support religious beliefs that align with those of its leaders. DoD and DHA policy should focus on universal, secular directives and their shared purpose of constitutional freedom.
Religion by compulsion further defies the ideals that our armed forces community stands by and defends. DHA signals that to reach full “readiness” and military excellence, individuals must pass faith-based standards. In essence, the DHA policy denotes that good soldiers are Christian soldiers; fitness for duty requires fitness of faith. Such mandated orthodoxy is plainly un-American and unconstitutional. DHA’s sponsorship of religious activity would require more from its employees than is necessary and more than the Constitution allows.
To respect the Constitution and the First Amendment rights of all members of the military community, FFRF asserts that the DHA must refrain from sponsoring bible studies.
“Theocrats are embedding Christian nationalism into the highest levels of government, and the effects are already being felt,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “America is not a Christian nation, and it certainly does not need members of the armed forces to be ‘spiritually fit’ in order to serve.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters of nontheism. With more than 42,000 members, FFRF advocates for freethinkers’ rights. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
The post FFRF opposes DoD’s coercive bible study classes at Walter Reed Hospital appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Freethought Radio – July 10, 2025
We criticize Texas Governor Gregg Abbott for using the flood devastation as an opportunity to preach his personal religious views. We point out that in spite of the IRS decision not to punish two churches for politicking from the pulpit, the Johnson Amendment prohibiting such action is still the law of the land. After honoring the life of our friend, the Pulitzer-Prize winning political cartoonist Steve Benson, who died this week at age 71, we talk with attorney Kat Grant about their Freethought Now “Pride Month” blog: ”Don’t make sacrifices on the altar of authoritarianism.”
The post Freethought Radio – July 10, 2025 appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Happy 2025 Birthday to Steve Mollmann!
(no image available)
Happy birthday to Steve Mollmann!
Steve Mollmann is a writer, author of a number of Star Trek stories.
Check out the Steve Mollmann credit page to view more updates and a full list of credits!
Find Steve Mollmann’s work on Amazon.com
Happy 2025 Birthday to Hans Beimler!
(no image available)
Happy birthday to Hans Beimler!
Hans Anthony Beimler is a writer, producer, and script editor of many Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes. He also appeared in Deep Space Nine’s final episode, “What You Leave Behind”, as a holographic guest at Vic’s Las Vegas Lounge.
Check out the Hans Beimler credit page to view more updates and a full list of credits!
Find Hans Beimler’s work on Amazon.com
DTI Comic Book Investigation for the week of July 10, 2025
Here are all the comics printed this week in years past.
Shore Leave 45 Returns July 11–13, 2025, in Lancaster, PA
Lancaster, PA — Shore Leave, the longest-running fan-run science fiction media convention in the U.S., is back for its 45th year. The event will take place July 11–13, 2025, at the Wyndham Lancaster Resort and Convention Center. Organized by the STAT Club of Maryland, Shore Leave offers a weekend filled with celebrity guests, panels, workshops, and unique fan experiences.
Celebrity Guests
This year’s lineup includes stars from beloved sci-fi franchises:
- Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Walking Dead, The Suicide Squad)
- Michael Ironside (Top Gun, Total Recall, Starship Troopers)
- Adrianne Palicki (The Orville, Agents of SHIELD, Friday Night Lights)
- J. Lee (The Orville, American Dad, Family Guy)
- James Frain (Star Trek: Discovery, True Blood, Tron Legacy)
- Melissa Navia (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Billions, Dietland)
- Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer (Starship Troopers)
- Seth Gilliam and Cooper Andrews (The Walking Dead)
- Tracee Cocco and Stephanie Czajkowski (Multiple Star Trek Series)
- Kathy Coleman and Wesley Eure (Land of the Lost)
Attendees can participate in photo ops, autograph sessions, and the “Fest With Our Guests” dinner event, featuring an Italian buffet and opportunities to dine with select celebrities. Proceeds from this event support St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and the Navy & Marine Corps Relief Society.
Programming Highlights
Shore Leave 45 offers a diverse range of activities:
- Panels on Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, and more
- Science presentations from institutions like NASA and the Space Telescope Science Institute
- Over 40 Authors performing readings, panels, and autograph sessions Writing workshops led by professional authors
- Stargazing sessions on Friday and Saturday nights
- A 15,000 sq ft Vendor Hall featuring unique merchandise
- A gallery of sci-fi and fantasy artwork
- Gaming rooms, cosplay events, and the “Ten Forward” all-ages dance party
Registration and Accommodations
Weekend memberships are available at the door for $140. Single-day passes and discounted rates for teens and youth are also offered. Active-duty military personnel receive a $10 discount.
Discounted hotel rates are available at several nearby hotels, including the Cartoon Network Hotel and Fairfield Inn & Suites.
For more information, visit www.shore-leave.com.
July 2025 Traffic Just Beat 2024 Total Traffic
Thank you for stopping by, I’m happy you were here! We’ve been on an upward trajectory for the last 3 or 4 years, but I was surprised to notice that with 4 months left in the year, we’ve already beaten 2024. I’m going to be dropping business cards and stickers at Shore-Leave, so if you see me there, be sure to ask for a sticker. I’m sure that this will double the traffic as well!
IRS says pastors endorsing political candidates doesn’t violate Johnson Amendment
The Christian Post
By Leonardo Blair
The post IRS says pastors endorsing political candidates doesn’t violate Johnson Amendment appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Sorry, FFRF — IRS says churches can give political endorsements from the pulpit
1819 News
By Craig Monger
The post Sorry, FFRF — IRS says churches can give political endorsements from the pulpit appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Out Today: “Star Trek: Lower Decks #9”
Out today: “Star Trek: Lower Decks #9“, by Tim Sheridan.
On a mission to collect gormangander excrement, the U.S.S. Cerritos is attacked by a Ferengi warship! The Ferengi are hot on the tail of a debt dodger who owes them a fortune-D’Vana Tendi. But as a member of Starfleet, Tendi has no way to earn the money to pay them back, and if she tells her family in the Orion Syndicate, they’ll simply murder her to clear the account. One thing is for certain: If Tendi can’t devise a way to clear her ledger, the Lower Deckers are going to find themselves in deep doo, regardless of whether they find any gormaganders.
Buy From Things From Another World
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IRS refusal to act doesn’t repeal Johnson Amendment, FFRF asserts
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is sharply condemning the IRS’s stunning decision to openly abandon enforcement of the Johnson Amendment when it comes to churches, which could effectively turn them into unregulated political action committees subsidized by taxpayers.
But the state/church watchdog advises that this action, while unconscionable, does not and cannot repeal an act of Congress. Furthermore, the IRS action technically only applies to the two litigating churches, FFRF points out. The case involves a challenge by the Sand Springs Church and First Baptist Church of Waskom in Texas. The IRS is stipulating that it will not fight the lawsuit.
In its recent court filing, the IRS admitted that it will no longer pursue legal action against churches that endorse political candidates from the pulpit to their congregants. This action stems from the baseless lawsuit brought by right-wing Christian organizations, which claim they are being unfairly silenced. Instead of defending its own rules, the IRS folded, asserting that “communications from a house of worship to its congregation in connection with religious services” do not violate the Johnson Amendment.
“This is not the repeal of the Johnson Amendment — this is the IRS choosing to ignore it when churches violate it,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “If the IRS is saying that churches and only churches are being given a pass from the Johnson Amendment, this clearly discriminates against other similarly situated 501(c)(3) tax-exempt groups, such as FFRF.”
The Johnson Amendment, enacted in 1954, prohibits all 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits — including churches — from endorsing or opposing political candidates. The obvious rationale for the federal law is that political contributions are not tax-deductible; therefore, tax-exempt organizations cannot use their tax-exempt resources for electioneering purposes. The Johnson Amendment ensures equal footing on the political battlefield and ensures that tax-deductible charitable donations, intended to serve the community, are directed to charitable works rather than political campaigns.
While the rule has long been unevenly enforced, it remains a cornerstone of the legal firewall separating religion and government. Now, under the Trump Administration, the IRS has not only abandoned its duty to enforce the law, but it has also twisted its interpretation to claim that church endorsements are tantamount to “family discussions,” as the IRS motion puts it, and a matter of religious freedom.
Churches already receive favored treatment over secular nonprofits but they are not entitled to ignore the other rules and laws that apply equally to all 501(c)(3) educational nonprofits. Already, churches are automatically tax-exempt, don’t have to file annual financial disclosures (Form 990s) that all other tax-exempt groups, including FFRF, are required to file and they’re rarely audited. Now, the IRS is telling churches that they can also engage in politics from the pulpit, so long as they cloak their campaigning in religious language. The motion says such endorsements are “on matters of faith in connection with religious services, concerning electoral politics viewed through the lens of religious faith.”
Polls routinely reveal that a majority of Americans think religious institutions should stay out of politics. In 2022, Pew Research found that “about three-quarters of U.S. adults (77 percent) say that churches and other houses of worship should not endorse candidates for political offices. Two-thirds (67 percent) say that religious institutions should keep out of political matters rather than expressing their views on day-to-day social or political questions.”
While secular nonprofits like FFRF must adhere to the law or risk losing their tax-exempt status, the IRS is now granting churches a religious loophole: claiming that endorsements during sermons are akin to private, faith-based discussions and thus protected. The result is blatant favoritism toward religious organizations and unequal treatment under the law.
In 2017, FFRF sued Trump and the IRS after Trump signed an executive order that falsely claimed to “get rid of the Johnson Amendment.” FFRF’s attorneys successfully persuaded the Trump administration to acknowledge in court that the president lacked the authority to revoke a congressional statute by executive fiat. The current action by the IRS similarly cannot invalidate a law passed by Congress. FFRF successfully sued the IRS in 2012 to compel it to enforce its own regulations barring tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofits from engaging in partisan political activity.
While the IRS under the Trump administration may choose not to enforce this provision, the law remains on the books — and so does the possibility of future accountability.
“The law hasn’t changed — but the will to enforce it has,” says FFRF Co-President Dan Barker. “This decision is just the latest item checked off the Project 2025 wish list — the Christian nationalist plan to reshape the U.S. government. The administration is signaling to churches that they can be involved in elections without consequences.”
FFRF remains committed to holding tax-exempt organizations accountable and is exploring all legal avenues to respond to this abdication of responsibility. In the meantime, it urges members of the public and elected officials to demand congressional oversight, press the IRS to reverse course, and support efforts to restore robust, even-handed enforcement of the Johnson Amendment. Vigilance and public pressure are essential to preserving the constitutional principle of separation between religion and government, FFRF asserts.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters of nontheism. With more than 42,000 members, FFRF advocates for freethinkers’ rights across the globe. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
The post IRS refusal to act doesn’t repeal Johnson Amendment, FFRF asserts appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
FFRF Co-President’s op-ed defines stakes of Ryan Walters lawsuit
FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor has written an op-ed featured in Oklahoma’s Tulsa World newspaper detailing the threat to the state/church watchdog’s First Amendment rights posed by a lawsuit from State Superintendent Ryan Walters.
“For the first time in our nearly 50-year history, our nonprofit group, dedicated to the constitutional principle of separation between religion and government, has been taken to court by a public official — a move that challenges the very essence of our work,” Gaylor writes. “Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters and the Oklahoma State Department of Education are currently suing the Freedom From Religion Foundation in federal court because we contacted several Oklahoma public schools on behalf of parents over our constitutional concerns.”
Gaylor continues her examination of the dangerous legal threat by detailing how FFRF stays well within the law when receiving complaints:
This attack on free speech should alarm every Oklahoman who values the First Amendment. Walters has essentially filed a “SLAPP” (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) lawsuit, which is used to weaponize the legal system to punish and silence constitutionally protected speech under the First Amendment. The Bill of Rights protects our right to speak up and criticize the government directly when we think it is violating the law, and it likewise protects our ability to advocate for change.
Notably, Walters’ lawsuit fails to identify any actual violation of law. That’s because FFRF has not violated the law — in fact, we’ve worked diligently to uphold the First Amendment itself.
FFRF concentrates on a particular section of the First Amendment: the establishment clause, which, as President Thomas Jefferson explained in a famous metaphor, builds “a wall of separation between Church and State.” But we could not accomplish our advocacy on behalf of our 42,000 members nationwide (including hundreds in Oklahoma) and those in the public who rely on our assistance without the other essential rights embodied in the First Amendment. Beyond the establishment and free exercise clauses, the First Amendment promises freedom of speech and of the press and the right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances.
When parents or other members of the public contact our state/church watchdog over entanglements of religion and government, FFRF reviews the complaint, and if we find it likely that a First Amendment violation has taken place, FFRF contacts public officials to remedy it or seek more information.
Many Oklahoma parents have contacted FFRF over such concerns since Walters became state superintendent. Since individuals encountering promotions of religion by a government official are fearful of reprisal, particularly if the violation involves their vulnerable children in a public school setting, FFRF steps in to defend their rights and our views. Our attorneys often remind officials that our nation was founded on a secular Constitution and that honoring true religious liberty requires that the government and its public schools may not take sides over religion.
The piece concludes with a final rebuke of the lawsuit, warning of its true dangers: “FFRF’s defense against Superintendent Walters’ frivolous lawsuit is crucial for the protection of the free speech rights of all organizations, including organizations with which Walters agrees. Walters is attempting to set a dangerous precedent — that government officials have the right to legally muzzle advocacy critical of their policies. This the First Amendment does not tolerate. Rather, it protects the rights of all people to petition the government for a redress of grievances and to hold public officials accountable.”
You can read the full op-ed here.
This column is part of FFRF’s initiative, this time through its legislative arm, to engage with pertinent national and state issues and spread the messages of freethought and nontheism to a broader audience.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with more than 42,000 members nationwide, including hundreds of members in Oklahoma. FFRF’s purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between church and state, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
The post FFRF Co-President’s op-ed defines stakes of Ryan Walters lawsuit appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Most Americans Back Chaplains in Schools
Finish the Race
By Eric Thompson
The post Most Americans Back Chaplains in Schools appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Sen. Phil King predicts legal victory as Texas schools begin displaying Ten Commandments
Fort Worth Report (Fort Worth, TX)
By David Montgomery
The post Sen. Phil King predicts legal victory as Texas schools begin displaying Ten Commandments appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Senate Bill 10 signed into law for school districts
South Texas News
By Landan Kuhlmann
The post Senate Bill 10 signed into law for school districts appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Lawsuit filed against Texas SB 10 requiring Ten Commandments in public school classrooms
Amarillo Globe-News (Amarillo, TX)
By Michael Cuviello
The post Lawsuit filed against Texas SB 10 requiring Ten Commandments in public school classrooms appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Texas families sue to block law requiring Ten Commandments in every public-school classroom
Double Mountain Chronicle (Rotan, TX)
By Staff
The post Texas families sue to block law requiring Ten Commandments in every public-school classroom appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Chattanooga Now Events – Leighann Lord: The Scopes Trial Centennial Conference
Chattanooga Times Free Press (Chattanooga, TN)
By Staff
The post Chattanooga Now Events – Leighann Lord: The Scopes Trial Centennial Conference appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Texas families file suit over Ten Commandments law
The Victoria Advocate
By Michael Milliorn
The post Texas families file suit over Ten Commandments law appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Annie Laurie Gaylor: Free speech at stake in Superintendent Ryan Walters’ suit against us
Tulsa World (Tulsa, OK)
By Annie Laurie Gaylor
The post Annie Laurie Gaylor: Free speech at stake in Superintendent Ryan Walters’ suit against us appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
DTI Treklit Investigation for the week of July 8, 2025
Here’s a look at the books printed this week in the past.
FFRF condemns Abbott’s call for prayer after Texas flood disaster, urges investment in science
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is strongly criticizing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for issuing yet another hollow “Day of Prayer” proclamation and for making insensitive remarks following the devastating flooding that claimed dozens of lives in Central Texas.
In a formal letter sent to Abbott today, FFRF criticizes the governor for using a natural disaster to promote religion instead of taking meaningful, science-based steps to address future crises. “Your prayer proclamation does nothing to help those currently suffering or prevent similar devastation in the future,” the letter states. “As governor, you have many tools to actually help prepare for weather-related disasters, and you should use these tools rather than using your office and state resources to promote your personal religious beliefs.”
At least 80 people, including 27 children, most of them in Kerr County, have died in the flooding. Many were attending a Christian girls’ camp along the Guadalupe River when the floodwaters surged.
Instead of focusing on tangible actions or solutions, Abbott used his press conference to praise his own response, thank President Trump and encourage prayer: “Prayer matters.” Prayers “could have been the reason why water stopped rising,” he insisted. ”Those prayers are answered in so many ways. … All we know is that prayer does work. Your prayers have made a difference. … We thank God almighty. God has blessed Texas and will continue to bless our great state.”
Abbott also issued an official proclamation declaring Sunday, July 6, as a statewide “Day of Prayer,” asking Texans “to turn to God for comfort, healing, and strength.” It states, “I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday—for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines.” The proclamation, addressed to “Texans of all faiths and religious traditions and backgrounds,” pointedly ignores the 26 percent of state residents who identify as nonreligious — atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular.”
Responds Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president: “Abbott’s statements are part of the ‘God always gets the credit, never the blame’ phenomenon.” She adds, “If God was watching out, why did he allow the Guadalupe River to rise 22 feet over a couple of hours in the first place? Why did this all-powerful, all-seeing deity allow 27 campers and counselors at a Christian camp to be tragically swept away? Abbott can’t have it both ways.”
FFRF’s letter reminds Abbott of his constitutional obligations, stating: “You have taken an oath to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution, an entirely godless and secular document, and are charged with great responsibility over citizens, including those who may not share your personal religious viewpoints.” It concludes: “Leaving religion as a private matter for private citizens is the wisest public policy. Observing a strict separation of church and state offends no one and honors the First Amendment.”
FFRF is also deeply concerned that the Trump administration is echoing this misplaced reliance on prayer. On July 6, the official White House X account posted: “The White House Faith Office asks you to join us in prayer for the precious lives lost in the Texas floods. Amidst this tragedy, our nation must come together to pray for the victims, their families, and the first responders conducting rescue missions to find those still missing. May God wrap his loving arms around all those in Texas.” The message was accompanied by a Bible verse: Psalm 34:18, ‘The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.’
FFRF points out that while Americans are free to pray if they choose, it is not the role of the government — including the White House — to issue religious calls to action on behalf of the entire nation. In times of crisis, Americans deserve policy, preparedness, and science — not scripture.
Gaylor adds that the focus on prayer distracts from real questions about public safety and preparedness — such as whether vacancies at the National Weather Service (NWS) contributed to the scale of the disaster. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has called for an investigation by the Commerce Department’s inspector general.
As The New York Times reports, key positions at local offices of the National Weather Service were unfilled: “The National Weather Service’s San Angelo office, which is responsible for some of the areas hit hardest by Friday’s flooding, was missing a senior hydrologist, staff forecaster and meteorologist in charge, according to Tom Fahy, the legislative director for the National Weather Service Employees Organization, the union that represents Weather Service workers,” according to the Times.
The San Antonio office also had significant vacancies, including individuals who work with local emergency managers on flood planning, warnings and evacuation. The warning coordination meteorologist took the early retirement package used by the Trump administration to reduce the number of federal employees, the Times reports. At both offices, the vacancy rate doubled after Trump took office.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation points to the role of white evangelical Christians, 80 percent of whom voted for Trump, in enabling a political climate that continues to undermine climate science and emergency preparedness. Last week, Trump called to zero out all climate research at NOAA. Although white evangelical Christians are also the most skeptical of human-made climate change, a third accept the science.
“Without crucial research, science, climate-change mitigation or even proper alert systems, these weather-related tragedies will continue and multiply, kill more Americans and wreak destruction,” Gaylor warned.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with over 42,000 members nationwide, including 1,800 members and a local chapter in Texas. FFRF’s purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between church and state, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
The post FFRF condemns Abbott’s call for prayer after Texas flood disaster, urges investment in science appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Preview of “Star Trek: Lower Decks #9”
Here’s a preview of Star Trek: Lower Decks #9 by Tim Sheridan which is due to be released this Wednesday on July 9, 2025 at your local comic shop and digital retailers:
Happy 2025 Birthday to Susan Wright!
(no image available)
Happy birthday to Susan Wright!
Susan Wright is an author who has written many Star Trek books, all published by Pocket Books.
Wright founded the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom in 1997, which promotes BDSM and sex positivism, and continues to serve as the organization’s spokesperson. She currently resides in New York.
Check out the Susan Wright credit page to view more updates and a full list of credits!
Find Susan Wright’s work on Amazon.com
Happy 2025 Birthday to Rick Sternbach!
(no image available)
Happy birthday to Rick Sternbach!
Richard “Rick” Michael Sternbach was the (senior) production illustrator/designer for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek: The Next Generation, the first two seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager. He was also the scenic artist for Star Trek Nemesis, providing designs for everything from the Argo shuttle to a Romulan Valdore-type sculpture. Sternbach’s most recognized work by far has been the designs of the PADD, Deep Space 9 and USS Voyager.
Check out the Rick Sternbach credit page to view more updates and a full list of credits!
Find Rick Sternbach’s work on Amazon.com
Happy 2025 Birthday to John Byrne!
(Image © Luigi Novi, used with permission.)
Happy birthday to John Byrne!
John Lindley Byrne is a British-born American comic book artist and writer. Since breaking into the industry in the early 1970s, he has worked on almost every major comic superhero. His most famous works were on Marvel Comics’ X-Men (with Chris Claremont) and Fantastic Four titles and on the DC Comics Superman relaunch in the mid-1980s. In 1992, he teamed up with Larry Niven to produce the graphic novel Green Lantern: Ganthet’s Tale.
Check out the John Byrne credit page to view more updates and a full list of credits!
Find John Byrne’s work on Amazon.com
Happy 2025 Birthday to Ronald D. Moore!
(Photo by Keith McDuffee)
Happy birthday to Ronald D. Moore!
Ronald “Ron” Dowl Moore is a writer and producer of several Star Trek series and films, as well as several other science fiction and genre programs. Moore was recognized for his writing work on the Star Trek franchise with seven award nominations, winning two of them. In his post-Star Trek years, he greatly added to this list of laurels.
While residing in Los Angeles as a struggling and budding writer, Ron Moore started to date a woman who worked on the set of Star Trek: The Next Generation. In 1989, Moore, an avid fan of the original Star Trek, convinced her to take him on a tour of the lot. He had written a script for the show, which the producers liked enough to actually film. It became “The Bonding”, and Moore was soon hired as a staff writer.
He remained at that position until the end of the series. He co-wrote 27 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation including the series finale, “All Good Things…” for which he won the Hugo Award for excellence in science fiction writing along with Brannon Braga. Moore and Braga also co-wrote two films featuring the Next Generation cast, Star Trek Generations and Star Trek: First Contact. As producer of TNG in 1994, Moore shared an Emmy Award nomination when the series was nominated as Outstanding Drama Series that year.
Check out the Ronald D. Moore credit page to view more updates and a full list of credits!
Find Ronald D. Moore’s work on Amazon.com
No Book Sales for July 2025
For the first time in nearly a decade there’s no Star Trek book sales from Simon & Shuster. I’ve reached out to a couple people that may know a thing or two, or at least pass me on to someone that does. I’ll be sure to pass on any information that comes my way, officially or not.
Shore Leave 45 is just one week away!
Shore-Leave 45 is just a few days away, running July 11-13, 2025. David Mack, Dayton Ward, and Christopher Bennett have posted their schedules on their sites. I’m going to be heading there myself, this time I’m bringing my wife, who’s going to be acting as my intern and emotional support human.
If you remember last year, I did a series of fun interviews with authors that gave me a solid plan on how to experience the show. Now that I’m experienced at it, I didn’t need to talk to them about that, but it would have still been nice if I had the presence of mind to set up the interviews again this year. The combination of me starting a new mentally heavy job as a project manager and the death of the Shore-Leave coordinator meant that I didn’t even have it in my mind. Luckily my intern was on top of her assignments and has procured hotel, cars, and flights!
Freethought Radio – July 3, 2025
FFRF announces another Ten Commandments lawsuit, this one in Texas. After covering state/church news at the federal, state and local levels, we talk with Joe Gerstein, MD, founder of SMART recovery, a secular program for dealing with alcoholism and other addictions that is based on science and evidence, not faith.
The post Freethought Radio – July 3, 2025 appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Texas’ Ten Commandments School Display Draws Another Suit
Bloomberg Law
By Ryan Autullo
The post Texas’ Ten Commandments School Display Draws Another Suit appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Civil liberties organizations sue Texas over law requiring Ten Commandments display in public schools
Houston Public Media (Houston, TX)
By Andrew Schneider
The post Civil liberties organizations sue Texas over law requiring Ten Commandments display in public schools appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Texas Families Sue to Block Law Requiring Ten Commandments in Every Public-School Classroom
ACLU
By Staff
The post Texas Families Sue to Block Law Requiring Ten Commandments in Every Public-School Classroom appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Lawsuit challenges Texas law requiring 10 Commandments in classrooms
The Hill
By Lexi Lonas Cochran
The post Lawsuit challenges Texas law requiring 10 Commandments in classrooms appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
FFRF calls for Wash. school district to keep curriculum secular
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is urging the Quilcene School Board not to adopt a proposed “Bible-based curriculum.”
A concerned parent reported that the Quilcene School Board is considering adopting a “Bible-based curriculum,” but has not yet voted on or adopted the proposed materials. FFRF’s complainant stated that the board claimed that a bible-based curriculum “will raise the test scores of our students.”
The complainant explained that their family “does not resonate with Christianity in the form of organized religion” and that if people wished to participate in bible study, they can do so at church, religious schools and in their own homes and private clubs. FFRF learned that the proposal to bring a bible-based curriculum to the district is “causing division amongst community members,” and the complainant believes that “education should unite, not divide” because the school “is the heart” of the community.
FFRF is urging the district to refrain from adopting a religious curriculum for the district’s schools.
“Students are a vulnerable and captive audience,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence writes to the legal counsel for the school district. “The school environment is ripe for coercion, particularly for younger students.”
Public schools may not provide religious instruction, FFRF emphasizes. Here, the board is reportedly seriously considering implementing a curriculum based on the Christian bible. This would unconstitutionally indoctrinate students, coercing them to learn about Christianity and the bible in a religious, devotional manner.
This school-sponsored Christian indoctrination would also needlessly marginalize students and families who do not subscribe to Christianity. A full 38 percent of adult Washingtonians are religiously unaffiliated, and 10 percent belong to a non-Christian faith. At least a third of Generation Z (those born after 1996) has no religion, with a recent survey revealing almost half of Gen Z qualifies as religiously unaffiliated “Nones.”
In order to respect the rights of all students, as well as adhering to constitutional dictates, FFRF is asserting that the district must not approve an explicitly Christian curriculum.
“Any religious instruction must be left to the family, not our public schools,,” FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor says. “Shaping the curriculum to include bible study is a blatant abuse of power.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national educational nonprofit with more than 42,000 members and several chapters across the country, including over 1,800 members and a chapter in Washington. FFRF protects the constitutional separation between state and church and educates about nontheism.
The post FFRF calls for Wash. school district to keep curriculum secular appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Happy 2025 Birthday to Mel Gilden!
(no image available)
Happy birthday to Mel Gilden!
Mel Gilden has written over forty books for adult and children, and over a hundred original TV scripts. He earned his BA at the California State University and currently lives in California.
Check out the Mel Gilden credit page to view more updates and a full list of credits!
Find Mel Gilden’s work on Amazon.com
Happy 2025 Birthday to Marc Okrand!
(Image Credit: Lieven L. Litaer)
Happy birthday to Marc Okrand!
Marc Okrand is the inventor of the Klingon language. He initially created the Vulcan dialogue in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. He was hired by Paramount Pictures to invent the language and coach the actors on Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Okrand’s basis for the Klingon language came from the few samples spoken in Star Trek: The Motion Picture which were made up by James Doohan. He is also famous as the author of The Klingon Dictionary and all its addenda.
On Disc 2 of the Star Trek III: The Search for Spock DVD, Okrand said he was asked to create Klingonese for scenes that had already been shot in English. During post-production, he turned off the sound and observed the actors’ lip movements as they spoke their lines. From these movements, he developed new vocal “sounds” for the actors to dub over their original English. He was asked to do the same for Spock and Saavik in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, during their brief discussion about Kirk in the Torpedo Bay. Okrand was also interviewed on 21 August 1991 for the TNG Season 5 DVD special feature “Alien Speak” (“The Klingon Linguist”).
Okrand previously worked with Native American languages, from which he borrowed the unusual Klingon tlh [IPA: /t͡ɬ/] sound (common in North and Central American indigenous languages, in which it is usually transcribed as tl; this is the sound at the end of the word “Nahuatl” as the Aztecs pronounced it themselves).
Recent work includes the Atlantean language which he was hired to do for Disney’s film Atlantis: The Lost Empire, which featured the voice of Leonard Nimoy. He also contributed Klingon and Vulcan dialogue for several episodes of the fourth season of Star Trek: Enterprise. He was a consultant for the Klingon, Romulan and Vulcan languages on 2009’s Star Trek and served as an uncredited consultant on Star Trek Into Darkness.
Check out the Marc Okrand credit page to view more updates and a full list of credits!
Find Marc Okrand’s work on Amazon.com
Out Today: “Star Trek: The Starship Library: Volume 3: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 (Kelvin Timeline)”
Out today: “Star Trek: The Starship Library: Volume 3: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 (Kelvin Timeline)“, by .
When the big screen version of Star Trek was rebooted in 2009, the creators redesigned the Enterprise to look sleeker and sexier than ever. As director JJ Abrams said, this was the “hotrod” version of the ship. This version also appeared in Star Trek: Into Darkness before it was modified for Star Trek Beyond.
This Enterprise was designed by Ryan Church, who is famous for his work on the Star Wars movies.The model is part of Master Replicas new range of 4 to 5-inch long die-cast models, and is accompanied by a 48-page book, which slides into the base to make a display.
The model is part of Master Replicas new range of 4 to 5-inch long die-cast models, and is accompanied by a 48-page book, which slides into the base to make a display.
Buy on Amazon.com
Buy On Books-A-Million.com
DTI Comic Book Investigation for the week of July 3, 2025
Here are all the comics printed this week in years past.
Transportation secretary delivers Christian sermon and insults nonbelievers
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is castigating Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for hijacking the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy commencement to deliver a Christian sermon and denigrate the nonreligious.
Speaking in his official capacity before more than 200 graduates on June 23, Duffy delivered in part a sectarian sermon rather than an inclusive or inspirational speech. He promoted prayer, invoked the Virgin Mary, and offered an unmistakably Christian message, concluding with, “Stay faithful and never underestimate the power of prayer.”
Duffy even went so far as to insult nonbelievers. In offering “a few life lessons I learned along the way,” he stated: “There are two kinds of people in life: those who believe in God and those who think they’re God.” This rhetoric, FFRF notes, is a blatant attempt to cast nonreligious Americans who reject religion for intellectual reasons as arrogant or morally deficient. He declaimed:
There are two kinds of people in life: those who believe in God and those who think they’re God. There’s something beautiful, humbling, and properly ordered about a man and woman who understand that there is a power greater than themselves. That everything is not in their control. And that they are the beloved child of a merciful God who hears their prayers. …
No one knows the unpredictability and storms of nature and life like a sailor. A good sailor knows that in the end, only God can calm the seas and bring them to safety. So stay faithful and never underestimate the power of prayer.
“As a representative of the federal government speaking in your official capacity, you are bound by our secular Constitution to remain neutral on matters of religion.” FFRF Legal Counsel Chris Line writes to Duffy. “Instead, you sent an exclusionary message to non-Christian graduates, including the many atheists, agnostics, Jews, Muslims and others who have chosen to serve their country.”
FFRF reminds Duffy that public officials have a constitutional duty to remain neutral on matters of religion and may not use their positions to promote their personal faith. Citing landmark Supreme Court cases, FFRF writes, “Americans have a constitutional right to be free from government coercion to observe religious practices.”
“This was a moment for unity and shared purpose,” says Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president. “Instead, Duffy used it to impose his personal religion and imply that nonbelievers aren’t just wrong — they’re dangerous. That kind of thinking has no place in our government.”
FFRF is calling on Duffy to refrain from using official events to promote religion in the future and to remember that he serves all Americans, including the third of the nation that is religiously unaffiliated.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters of nontheism. With more than 42,000 members, FFRF advocates for freethinkers’ rights. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
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Texas families sue to block law requiring Ten Commandments in every public-school classroom
A group of 16 multifaith and nonreligious Texas families filed suit in federal court today to block a new state law requiring all public elementary and secondary schools to display a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
The plaintiffs in Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District are represented by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP serving as pro bono counsel. In their complaint, filed with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, the plaintiffs, who are Jewish, Christian, Unitarian Universalist, Hindu or nonreligious, assert that SB 10 violates the First Amendment’s protections for the separation of church and state and the right to free religious exercise.
The plaintiffs also plan to file a motion for a preliminary injunction, asking the court to prevent the defendants from implementing the law pending the resolution of the litigation.
Plaintiff Allison Fitzpatrick (she/her) says: “We are nonreligious and don’t follow the explicitly religious commandments, such as ‘remember the Sabbath.’ Every day that the posters are up in classrooms will signal to my children that they are violating school rules.”
“As a rabbi and public-school parent, I am deeply concerned that SB 10 will impose another faith’s scripture on students for nearly every hour of the school day,” says plaintiff Rabbi Mara Nathan (she/her). “While our Jewish faith treats the Ten Commandments as sacred, the version mandated under this law does not match the text followed by our family, and the school displays will conflict with the religious beliefs and values we seek to instill in our child.”
“Posting the Ten Commandments in public schools is un-American and un-Baptist,” says plaintiff Pastor Griff Martin (he/him). “SB 10 undermines the separation of church and state as a bedrock principle of my family’s Baptist heritage. Baptists have long held that the government has no role in religion — so that our faith may remain free and authentic. My children’s faith should be shaped by family and our religious community, not by a Christian nationalist movement that confuses God with power.”
“SB 10 imposes a specific, rules-based set of norms that is at odds with my Hindu faith,” says plaintiff Arvind Chandrakantan (he/him). “Displaying the Ten Commandments in my children’s classrooms sends the message that certain aspects of Hinduism — like believing in multiple paths to God (pluralism) or venerating murthis (statues) as the living, breathing, physical representations of God — are wrong. Public schools — and the state of Texas — have no place pushing their preferred religious beliefs on my children, let alone denigrating my faith, which is about as un-American and un-Texan as one can be.”
Enacted last month, SB 10 requires the scriptural postings to be a minimum of 16 by 20 inches in size and hung in a “conspicuous place” in each classroom. The commandments must be printed “in a size and typeface that is legible to a person with average vision from anywhere in the room.” The law also mandates that a specific version of the commandments, associated with Protestant faiths and selected by lawmakers, be used for every display.
“One need only read the First Commandment (‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me’) to see how this state-imposed injunction is the antithesis of the First Amendment and its protections of religious liberty,” says Annie Laurie Gaylor (she/her), co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. “The state of Texas has no right to dictate to children how many gods to worship, which gods to worship or whether to worship any gods at all.”
“SB 10 is catastrophically unconstitutional,” says Heather L. Weaver (she/her), senior counsel for the ACLU’s Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. “States may not require children to attend school and then abuse their access to those children by imposing scripture on them everywhere they go.”
“In a state as diverse as Texas, families from both religious and nonreligious backgrounds are coming together to challenge this unconstitutional law. Their message is clear: Our public schools are not Sunday schools,” says Adriana Piñon (she/her), legal director of the ACLU of Texas. “Politicians do not get to dictate how or whether students should practice religion. We’re bringing this lawsuit to ensure that all students, regardless of their faith or nonreligious beliefs, feel accepted and free to be themselves in Texas public schools.”
“Our Constitution’s guarantee of church-state separation means that families — not politicians — get to decide when and how public-school children engage with religion,” says Rachel Laser (she/her), president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. “This law is part of the nationwide Christian nationalist scheme to win favor for one set of religious views over all others and over nonreligion — in a country that promises religious freedom. Not on our watch. We’re proud to defend the religious freedom of Texas schoolchildren and their families.”
“The right to be free from government establishment of religion enshrined in the First Amendment is a bedrock principle of our republic,” says Jonathan Youngwood (he/him), global co-chair of Simpson Thacher’s Litigation Department. “This law — in requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in every classroom throughout a child’s entire public school education — violates both the ban on establishment of religion as well as the protections the First Amendment gives to free exercise of religion.”
The Supreme Court has long prohibited displays of the Ten Commandments in public schools. Forty-five years ago, in Stone v. Graham, the court struck down a similar Kentucky law. More recently, in Roake v. Brumley, a federal district court reached the same conclusion regarding a similar law in Louisiana. That ruling was unanimously affirmed last month by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. And just last week, in Mahmoud v. Taylor, the Supreme Court held that a public school “burdens the religious exercise of parents when it requires them to submit their children to instruction that poses a very real threat of undermining the religious beliefs and practices that the parents wish to instill.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters of nontheism. With more than 42,000 members, including over 1,800 members in Texas, FFRF advocates for freethinkers’ rights. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
The post Texas families sue to block law requiring Ten Commandments in every public-school classroom appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Gov. Cox insults Utahns with a ‘Day of Prayer and Fasting’ for rain
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is once again calling out Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s show of governmental piety in proclaiming a day for Utah citizens to “pray for rain.”
“Utah is facing a tough season, and we need both divine help and practical action,” Cox recently remarked. “I invite every Utahn, whatever your faith or belief system, to join me this Sunday [June 29] in a unified fast and prayer for rain. And while we look heavenward, let’s do our part here at home — fix leaks, water lawns less and use every drop wisely. Small actions, taken together, can make a big difference for our state.”
Mark Twain once quipped: “It is best to read the weather forecast before we pray for rain,” advice Cox failed to heed — since Utah’s coming weekend is predicted to be hot and dry.
In a letter to Cox on behalf of its hundreds of nonreligious Utah members and its Salt Lake City chapter, FFRF, a state/church watchdog, notes that whether to pray, and whether to believe in a god who answers prayer, is an intensely personal decision protected under our First Amendment as a matter of conscience.
“While we are sorry about the continuing drought situation in Utah and the hardships it creates, that is no excuse for disrespecting the First Amendment,” say FFRF Co-Presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker.
The prayers will not increase the small chance of rain, but Cox’s show of piety scores some cheap political points while giving the illusion of doing something to address the crisis. It improperly inserts religion into state governance, placing the state’s stamp of approval on a religious practice in disregard of the constitutionally mandated separation between state and church.
Instead of calling for “thoughts and prayers,” Cox should focus on combating climate change and water shortages by investing in reason-based science. Belief that the environment and rainfall are controlled by a supernatural deity who listens to our pleas is one of the stumbling blocks that prevent our country from addressing challenges underlying environmental disasters, such as global climate change, FFRF asserts.
Pew’s new Religious Landscape Survey reveals that Utah has a higher than average number of “Nones” at 34 percent. They, too, are Cox’s constituents, and care as much about the future of Utah as religious residents. However, they do not believe in the efficacy of appealing to supernatural forces in response to human-made climate change or any other challenges — and should not be subjected to the government instructing them to believe otherwise.
This is neither the first time Cox has “prayed for rain,” nor is Cox the first governor to turn to wishful thinking when facing a drought. In 2007, Georgia’s then-Gov. Sonny Perdue infamously led a prayer meeting to beseech God for rain. Needless to say, that prayer was ineffective. Still, this embarrassing spectacle did not stop the U.S. Senate from confirming Perdue as President Trump’s secretary of agriculture. Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s three-day “Days of Prayer for Rain in the State of Texas” was followed by a horrific drought.
FFRF notes: “Nothing fails like prayer. Wishful thinking cannot suspend natural law, much less cause precipitation. Utahns do not need prayers, they need real solutions.” Cox should pray on his own time and dime.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with about 42,000 members and several chapters across the country, including hundreds of members and a chapter in Utah. Our purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
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Karmelo Anthony advocate sues over Ten Commandments displays that teach ‘slavery is acceptable’
The Christian Post
By Ian M. Giatti
The post Karmelo Anthony advocate sues over Ten Commandments displays that teach ‘slavery is acceptable’ appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
ACLU Wins Court Ruling Over Ten Commandments Display
The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC)
By Laura Mitchell
The post ACLU Wins Court Ruling Over Ten Commandments Display appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
FFRF applauds decision ending threat of 19th century abortion ban in Wisconsin
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is commending the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision today that a draconian 19th century statute can’t be used to ban abortions.
In a 4-3 decision, the state high court ruled that the pre-Civil War near-total abortion ban is unenforceable. Writing for the liberal majority, Justice Rebecca Dallet explained that the Wisconsin Legislature effectively repealed the 1800s law by passing numerous other abortion-related laws over the past 50 years.
After the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the state’s few clinics halted abortion care out of fear of prosecution under a state statute dating to 1849, adopted long before women won the right to vote. The penalties included years of imprisonment.
“That was a difficult, painful 15 months for women and reproductive rights in the state of Wisconsin that we would never want to return to,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “We’re so pleased that reason and justice have prevailed.”
Thankfully, abortion care resumed after a county judge ruled in December 2023 that the pre-Civil War statute actually banned feticide (an assault resulting in death of a fetus) rather than elective abortion. That challenge was brought by Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul, who asserted the law did not ban “consensual abortions” and that even if it did, it had been superseded by modern laws, such as one criminalizing abortion at 20 weeks, enacted in 2015.
Janet Protasiewicz, who supports reproductive rights, won a high-stakes election to the state high court in 2023, replacing a conservative and tilting the court toward support for legal abortion. During oral arguments in November 2024, Justice Jill Karofsky suggested that applying a 175-year-old ban with almost no exceptions to the present day was a sign of a “world gone mad.”
In February 2024, Planned Parenthood filed its own lawsuit contending that the Wisconsin Constitution protects the right to bodily autonomy, including abortion. The state’s Supreme Court has agreed to decide that case, but has yet to hear arguments in it. Likely, the court was waiting to hand down today’s decision before turning to Planned Parenthood’s challenge.
Although this is a great victory for reproductive rights in Wisconsin, Christian nationalists and anti-abortionists have enacted bans in 12 states and severe restrictions in seven others. A number of surveys have found that atheists as a group are by far the most supportive of the right to abortion, which makes sense since organized religion has been abortion’s greatest foe. It will take perseverance and political might to undo these bans, protect bodily autonomy and ensure that the will of the American people (nearly two-thirds believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases) prevails over minority rule based on religious ideology.
FFRF is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Wisconsin with more than 42,000 members across the country, including over 1,800 members in Wisconsin. FFRF’s purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between church and state, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
The post FFRF applauds decision ending threat of 19th century abortion ban in Wisconsin appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Happy 2025 Birthday to Rich Handley!
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Happy birthday to Rich Handley!
Rich Handley has written, edited, and contributed to numerous books and magazines for multiple publishers, including DC Comics, IDW, BOOM! Studios, Topps, Dark Horse, Titan Books, Eaglemoss, West End Games, and more. He edited 100 volumes of the Star Trek Graphic Novel Collection; has penned licensed Star Trek, Star Wars, and Planet of the Apes fiction; and currently writes articles for Star Trek Explorer magazine, as well as books for Magnetic Press’s Planet of the Apes Role-Playing Game.
Rich has written about many pop-culture franchises, including the above, as well as Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, Watchmen, Battlestar Galactica, Stargate, Dark Shadows, Red Dwarf, Batman, Godzilla, classic monsters, and more. He has 25 years’ experience as a B2B magazine editor in the tech sector, and he now works with the IEEE as a publications administrator of academic peer-review manuscripts. View Rich’s publications, blog and résumé.
–Used with permission from richhandley.com
Check out the Rich Handley credit page to view more updates and a full list of credits!
Find Rich Handley’s work on Amazon.com
Out Today: “Star Trek: The Starship Library: Volume 2: U.S.S. Cerritos NCC-75567”
Out today: “Star Trek: The Starship Library: Volume 2: U.S.S. Cerritos NCC-75567“, by .
The U.S.S. Cerritos is a California-class starship that is tasked with making second contact, offering engineering support and making supply runs. It’s the star of Star Trek: Lower Decks, and is where Mariner and Boimler served their time as ensigns.
The Cerritos was designed by Eric Nyquist, who worked with Lower Decks’ creator Mike McMahan. The design was finalized by Joseph Martinez and Bobby Walker.The model is part of Master Replicas new range of 4 to 5-inch long die-cast models, and is accompanied by a 48-page book, which slides into the base to make a display.
Buy on Amazon.com
Buy On Books-A-Million.com
FFRF cheers poll showing most oppose religion in public schools
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is pleased that a new survey shows majorities or pluralities of the public still favor keeping most aspects of religion out of public schools.
Laudably, nearly two-thirds of Americans (64 percent) polled by Associated Press-NORC believe that the separation of church and state is extremely or very important, even if other First Amendment protections rate higher in comparison.
Among the findings showing support for secular schools and policies:
- 60 percent oppose a mandatory period during school for private prayer and religious reading — which remains the legal status quo.
- 55 percent believe teachers should not be allowed to lead a class in prayer, which also has been deemed unconstitutional in several vaunted high court cases since the 1960s.
- 43 percent — a plurality — oppose allowing religious schools to become tax-funded public charter schools, the subject of a recent Supreme Court decision, in which the tie vote kept in place a state court decision ruling it unconstitutional. Only 23 percent favor such a scheme.
- 45 percent, another plurality, oppose religious exemptions for childhood vaccines otherwise required to attend public schools. Only a quarter of Americans support these religious exemptions.
- 38 percent, yet another plurality, oppose tax-funded vouchers for support of private, largely religious schools. A third overall support vouchers, which state legislatures unfortunately have increasingly adopted across the nation.
The most disturbing showing for support for some religion in schools was response to a question about whether to allow religious chaplains to provide support services in public schools: 58 percent support them. The question, however, did not explicitly indicate that chaplains were providing religious support. (Read more about the dangers of this new legislative campaign in this statement by FFRF Action Fund).
Other findings showing some nuanced support for religion in schools include:
- A narrow majority, 51 percent, believes public schools should provide parents with a list of books made available to students, a pet project of groups like the misnomered Moms for Liberty, which leads book banning campaigns.
- 57 percent weighed in that there is too much federal government influence on public schools, a MAGA talking point.
- A plurality of 38 percent thinks religion has too little influence on what children are taught in schools, compared to 32 percent who think there’s too much.
- Roughly half of the public, even those with no religious affiliation, thinks major religious groups have the right level of influence on American public schools, a finding that is open to interpretation considering that current precedent forbids religious indoctrination in public schools.
Notably and not surprisingly, those with no religious affiliation show the strongest support for keeping religion out of public schools.
For instance, 59 percent of “Nones” oppose chaplains in schools, the only group in which a majority did so. In question after question, those with no religious affiliation were far more concerned about religion in schools, with 84 percent opposing a teacher leading a class in prayer, 76 percent opposing a mandatory period for private prayer, 52 percent opposing vouchers, 60 percent opposing vaccine exemptions for the religious and 61 percent opposing religious public charter schools. Even so, a plurality of Nones had no opinion about requiring public schools to provide parents with book lists, which may indicate general lack of familiarity with the issue.
“White evangelical Christians, nonwhite Protestants, and Catholics are all more likely than those who are not affiliated with a religion to approve of religious chaplains providing support services, teachers leading prayer in class, and mandatory periods for private prayer and religious reading at public schools,” reports Associated Press.
A plurality of Americans overall, 41 percent, says that religion has too much influence on Donald Trump. Another plurality, 37 percent, says that religion has too much influence on the U.S. Supreme Court. In this set of questions, “Nones” also distinguished themselves, with a majority indicating that that religion has too much influence on both.
Most people polled were not concerned that the religious freedom of atheists or Christians is under threat. Those without a religious affiliation were more likely than white evangelical Christians to be at least somewhat concerned about the religious freedom of atheists (45 percent versus 27 percent).
Although the survey did not ask about Ten Commandments postings in public schools, which is one of the current major attacks on secular education, it can be deduced from the findings above that a majority of Americans seemingly would disapprove. FFRF is party to two lawsuits against Ten Commandments postings in public schools in Louisiana and Arkansas, and is preparing with a coalition to file a challenge against Texas’ new law requiring a Protestant version of the bible edicts to be posted in every classroom.
“This poll shows at least a majority understands the importance of keeping religious ritual and proselytizing out of our public schools,” comments Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president. “But it also shows that the Freedom From Religion Foundation and other state/church proponents need to step up education about why it’s so important to protect the right to freedom from religion for a captive audience of students, as well as the right of taxpayers not to be forced to support religious indoctrination.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters of nontheism. With more than 42,000 members, FFRF advocates for freethinkers’ rights. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
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