The Freedom From Religion Foundation is denouncing a new presidential memorandum for dangerously equating dissent and nonbelief with terrorism.

President Trump issued a broadly worded memorandum on Sept. 25 titled “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence” that briefly but explicitly singles out “anti-Christianity” and “hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on family, religion, and morality” as supposed drivers of terrorism. The memo authorizes government-wide investigations into nonprofits, activists, their donors and funders, using vague and overbroad labels of “terrorism” and “conspiracy against rights.”

The memo states: “Common threads animating this violent conduct include anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, and anti-Christianity; support for the overthrow of the United States government; extremism on migration, race, and gender; and hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on family, religion, and morality.”

FFRF, which unequivocally condemns political violence, says it appears that the president is invoking political violence in this instance as an excuse to target nonprofits and activists and stigmatize them with the false label of “domestic terrorism.”

“FFRF is deeply concerned that the president is misusing the power of his civil, secular office to brand dissent from Christian nationalism as terrorism,” warns FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “By naming ‘anti-Christianity’ alongside violence and insurrection, and invoking ‘family, religion and morality,’ this administration is telling millions of nonreligious Americans and religious minorities that their views are not only unpatriotic, but could be considered a national security threat.”

FFRF reminds the administration that the United States was founded on freedom of thought and conscience, not loyalty to religion. To demonize those who reject Christianity or call everyone who advocates on issues of race, gender, immigration and LGBTQ rights as “extremists” — is a chilling attack on democracy itself.

“The First Amendment guarantees the right to criticize religion, including Christianity,” adds FFRF Legal Director Patrick Elliott. “This memorandum is not about protecting the nation from violence. It is about silencing open debate over the president’s favored religion and ideology.”

FFRF urges the administration to rescind the memorandum and for Congress to investigate its unconstitutional targeting of religious dissent.

“Labeling tens of millions of peaceful Americans as potential terrorists because they don’t buy into a Christian nationalist worldview is reckless, discriminatory and profoundly un-American,” concludes Gaylor.

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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