Sincerity Is Nice— But Reasonableness Is Better

ACROSS THE COUNTRY, people are making strange claims about religious freedom. That principle, we’re told, allows a photographer, or a baker, or a wedding planner to refuse service to same-sex couples. It permits a pharmacist... Read More
Will a Legal Clash over Old Auto Tires Run Over the First Amendment?

A DISPUTE OVER A RECYCLED TIRE program in Missouri could erode the wall of separation between church and state and compel millions of Americans to support religious institutions against their will. The U.S. Supreme Court... Read More
Humanists and the Rise of “Post-Truth America”

DONALD TRUMP SAW THOUSANDS of Muslims dancing with joy in New Jersey on September 11, 2001. Carly Fiorina watched a video of Planned Parenthood staffers plotting to cut up a live baby and harvest its... Read More
“Right” Trumps “Religious” in Evangelicals’ Support for The Donald

TO THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT, it can be awfully hard for someone to be a “true Christian.” Consider President Barack Obama. He’s a longtime member of the United Church of Christ and has been known to... Read More
Marriage Equality Is the Law of the Land: So Where Do We Go from Here?

By now everyone knows that on June 26 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark decision extending marriage equality nationwide. The five-to-four ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges was written by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, an... Read More
Your Argument Is Invalid—Because It’s Not Very Good

Any organization that advocates for the separation of church and state can expect to get an earful from the public. When attorneys for groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Humanist Association, and... Read More
The Right to Be Rude Why All Religions and Secular Philosophies Must Tolerate Criticism

I’m not in the habit of giving unsolicited advice to the Church of Scientology, but if I were, it would be straightforward: You have critics. Get over it. The controversial church has been accused of... Read More