Free Republic

All ancient nations were closed societies in which civil and religious obedience were identical. All law was divine law. There was no such thing as religious toleration or religious pluralism. Priests were public officials, and there was no distinction between church and state.In this respect, the Hebrews were like other ancient peoples. However, they were unique in one very important way: they were monotheistic, while other ancient nations typically had pantheons of gods. The Hebrew God was singular, mysterious, and omnipotent, and He was the God of the whole world. In this sense, Judaism prepared the way for Christianity, the...

Vice President Kamala Harris has said she opposes any concessions on a national abortion law if elected president, rejecting any proposal that would include possible religious exemptions. In an interview with NBC News’ Hallie Jackson on Tuesday, the Democrat presidential hopeful was asked about her plan to pass a federal law legalizing elective abortion nationwide. “If you win, it is entirely possible that Congress will be controlled by Republicans,” Jackson said. “So, what specific concessions would you be willing to make in order to get something done on abortion access as soon as possible?” Harris responded by denouncing the overturning...

The Daily Caller reports:A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) advisory board characterized supporters of former President Donald Trump, as well as those who are in the military and religious people, as posing potential domestic terrorism risks, according to internal documents obtained by America First Legal (AFL).The board, called the “Homeland Intelligence Experts Group,” was created in September 2023 to provide DHS with “expert” analysis on subjects such as terrorism and fentanyl trafficking. The panel included former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan and former CIA Operations Officer Paul Kolbe.Do those names ring a bell? They...

A Texas megachurch pastor is out of a job, and his own board reversed course on defending him after allegations emerged that he sexually abused a preteen girl for years, beginning when she was 12. Robert Morris, the founder of the Gateway Church in Southlake and a one-time spiritual adviser to former President Donald Trump, resigned and was slammed by the church’s Board of Elders on Tuesday — just days after the group vehemently defended him as a reformed man. The elders claimed the sudden U-turn came after learning the full allegations from accuser Cindy Clemishire. “Regretfully, prior to Friday,...

President Joe Biden’s Democrat administration is taking flak for prohibiting children from submitting Easter eggs featuring religious artwork for a contest. The event, which is part of the White House’s annual Easter Egg Roll, is called “Celebrating National Guard Families” but will not allow submissions to feature symbols related to the holiday that Christians celebrate all over the world, the Daily Caller reported Friday. The 2024 “Call for Youth Art” flyer said: On behalf of First Lady Jill Biden, The Adjutants General of the National Guard are asking youth from National Guard families across the United States and all U.S....

Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) said Wednesday on CNN’s “News Central” that former President Donald Trump has “no appreciation” for any religious belief. Anchor John Berman said, “Donald Trump weighed in on Jews who vote for Democrats. He said, they hate their religion and should be ashamed of themselves. Donald Trump, who is not Jewish, telling Jewish people how to be Jewish, what’s your reaction to that?” Schiff said, “Well, only to someone who has no appreciation for really any religion, any religious group, or any religious belief could make a statement like that. He’s the last person in the world...

Mayor Eric Adams’ administration issued a plea to faith leaders this week, asking them to open their doors to some of the thousands of migrants currently in the city’s care, The Post has learned. The administration sent out a letter to religious groups across the Big Apple asking for volunteers to provide daytime respite centers for 150 migrants, in exchange for up to $54,000 a month. It also asked if religious centers would be willing to house 19 other migrants at night, for up to $35,500, according to the letter obtained by The Post. The first such shelter opened in...

Kirby reportedly even went so far as to suggest that religiously exempt employees should have to wear a special symbol on their badges.. It has been revealed that United Airlines' Draq Queen CEO Scott Kirby allegedly mocked those seeking religious exemptions from the company's strict Covid-19 vaccine mandate, and proposed treating those who had been granted special accommodation differently than those who got the jab. Kirby reportedly even went so far as to suggest that religiously exempt employees should have to wear a special symbol on their badges, however that idea was struck down by United's lawyers. Kirby is well-known...

A city council in Wisconsin has issued guidelines to its employees suggesting they do not use red and green decorations in public spaces to mark the Christmas holidays for fear of causing offense. The bizarre suggestion was put forward by Deputy City Administrator Melissa Cantarero Weiss in an email under the instruction of City Administrator James Archambo. In the email Weiss encouraged city workers to adopt 'inclusive decorating practices' in how Wauwatosa's municipal buildings are decorated over the holiday season including using more 'winter themed' decorations such as snowflakes or 'snow people'. The message specifically urges employees to choose more...

A private Christian preschool has issued a complaint of religious discrimination against Colorado state officials. Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) attorneys are representing Darren Patterson Christian Academy, which runs a preschool called “Busy Bees” in Buena Vista, Colorado. The academy was denied state funding of the new universal preschool program (“UPK”) unless it forgoes its religious character, beliefs and exercise. Effective July 1, the UPK program gives every 4-year-old in Colorado a minimum of 15 hours per week of free preschool services for the next year. All licensed preschools in Colorado have been encouraged to join the program, but they must...

Fox News anchor Kayleigh McEnany is set to host the 8 p.m. time slot for the week of May 8 to May 12 after Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson parted the network.

North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Michigan saw drops in total religious adherents of at least 10%.(RNS) — One of the most fascinating aspects of American religion is the peculiarity of its distribution across the United States. We know that large swaths of New England are dominated by mainline Protestants and white Catholics, while parts of South Florida have large Jewish enclaves, and Utah is the base for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Seeing these geographic affiliations up close, however, means looking at religious populations at the county level, which is notoriously difficult. Many local religious...

A dozen Catholic school students were kicked out of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., because they were wearing beanies with a pro-life message. The American Center of Law and Justice is representing the parents of the students from Our Lady of the Rosary School in Greenville County, South Carolina.

Canadian broadcaster Sid Seixeiro mercilessly attacked Christians and insisted that the NHL punish the Philadelphia Flyers for allowing player Ivan Provorov to refuse to participate in the team’s gay pride night on Tuesday. Seixeiro was infuriated when Provorov refused to don a gay pride jersey and sat out the team’s warm-ups ahead of Tuesday’s game, citing his Russian Orthodox beliefs as his reason. After the game, the 26-year-old Provorov told reporters that he “respects” everyone, but his religion prevents his participation in gay pride demonstrations.

A bill to enshrine the right to same-sex marriage into federal law cleared a major procedural hurdle in the U.S. Senate Wednesday, with critics saying that a religious freedom amendment added to the legislation doesn't adequately protect those with deeply held beliefs that marriage is between one man and one woman. In a 62-37 vote, the U.S. Senate invoked cloture on the Respect for Marriage Act. The support of 12 Senate Republicans enabled the bill to clear the 60-vote threshold for cloture required for most legislation to pass the Senate. Debate on the bill will continue before a final vote...

A group of Republican lawmakers are calling on the Biden administration to reassess the U.S. Coast Guard’s policy for “religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccination order,” which will likely force the involuntary discharge of a service member whom President Joe Biden thanked last month for his “heroic work.” Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., along with 16 other congressmen, sent a letter to Biden, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan on Monday regarding the administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for U.S. Coast Guard members. “Service members that have not obtained a COVID-19 vaccine risk an...

MSNBC contributor Claire McCaskill said Monday on “Deadline” that religious leaders need to be pushed to criticize former President Donald Trump. The panel was discussing Trump saying on Truth Social Saturday that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) had a “death wish” for supporting Democrats’ bills. He referred to McConnell’s wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, as “China-loving wife, Coco Chow.”

A federal court denied a petition for rehearing in a case surrounding United Airlines’ vaccine mandate — one judge accusing the company of “coerc[ing] its employees into violating their religious beliefs.” Judges for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, widely considered the most conservative federal court, voted 13-4 on Thursday to deny a rehearing. The court also denied United Airlines’ request to vacate a panel opinion from February, which held that the mandate inflicted irreparable harm and remanded the case to district court. Trump-appointed Judge James Ho penned a concurring opinion, admonishing the airline for creating...

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito mocked Prince Harry, Boris Johnson, Emmanuel Macron, Justin Trudeau, and other foreigners who have taken it upon themselves to intervene in America’s abortion debate.In a speech to Notre Dame Law School’s Religious Liberty Summit in Rome, Italy, the conservative justice quipped he “had the honour this term of writing I think the only Supreme Court decision in the history of that institution that has been lambasted by a whole string of foreign leaders who felt perfectly fine commenting on American law,” referring to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.“One of these was former prime...

Just curious, has anyone obtained religious exemption as a DoD contractor working on a military base?