51 Arkansas faith leaders have signed a letter opposing SB433, requiring the display of a government-selected version of the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms and buildings. They gathered at the Capitol in Little Rock yesterday to hold a press conference that is making waves across the state. You can watch the press conference here.
“A government mandate that the Ten Commandments be displayed in all government buildings demeans religious freedom,” the faith leaders wrote in a letter. “The government oversteps its authority when it dictates an official state-approved version of any religious text."
If you'd like to learn more, you can get the full story here.
Interfaith Alliance is dedicated to supporting our faith communities as they showcourage and leadership in defending religious freedom and combating Christian nationalism!
Do No Harm: Resisting the Misuse of Religious Exemptions
When does the right to religious freedom become a justification for harm? This question is at the heart of the misuse of religious exemption laws. These laws – protections granted under the First Amendment and utilized for centuries by individuals of all faiths – have been exploited by Christian Nationalists to undermine other fundamental rights, including equality and non-discrimination.
The Moral and Financial Harm of Conversion Therapy: Why Chiles v. Salazar Matters for All of Us
One of the most harmful manifestations of discrimination is so-called “conversion therapy,” which is a debunked and dangerous practice that falsely claims to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear Chiles v. Salazar, a case challenging Colorado’s ban on “conversion therapy” and the constitutionality of Colorado’s Minor Conversion Therapy Law (MCTL), we face a pivotal moment. The central legal issue concerns whether Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for minors infringes upon the First Amendment rights of licensed mental health professionals.