‘None of Big Government’s Business’—Robert Jeffress Testifies to Religious Liberty Commission About IRS Inquiry Into First Baptist Dallas

Church Leaders
By Dale Chamberlain

The post ‘None of Big Government’s Business’—Robert Jeffress Testifies to Religious Liberty Commission About IRS Inquiry Into First Baptist Dallas appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

The Labor Department just held a prayer service for employees

MS Now
By Julianne McShane

The post The Labor Department just held a prayer service for employees appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

January 10-24, 2026 – Meet FFRF Co-President Dan Barker on His Western Tour This January! (Washington, California, and Utah)

Freedom From Religion Foundation Co-President Dan Barker will head west this January for a multi-city series of public events across Washington state, Northern California and Utah, with stops in Olympia, WA, San Francisco, CA, Palo Alto, CA, Sacramento, CA and Salt Lake City, UT. Audiences can look forward to an energizing mix of thoughtful commentary, live music, and engaging freethought conversations as Barker meets with local communities. All events are open to the public, and everyone, members, friends, and newcomers alike are warmly invited to attend. The events will be hosted by FFRF member Darrell Barker, the San Francisco Bay, Greater Sacramento, and Salt Lake Chapters of FFRF, with the Palo Alto event co-sponsored by the Atheist Community of San Jose and Humanist Community of Silicon Valley. We look forward to seeing you there! See the event details below:

Event Details

Olympia, Washington: Saturday, January 10th, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Afternoon with Dan Barker, with talk and music
Olympia Unitarian-Universalist Church
2306 E End St NW, Olympia WA 98502
Hosted by Darrell Barker
Questions: darrellbarker@msn.com

San Francisco: Saturday, January 17, 2:30–4:30 p.m.
Dan Barker speaks about his book, God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction
San Francisco Public Library, Main Branch
Latino/Hispanic Community Room, on the lower level
100 Larkin St, San Francisco
Hosted by the SF Bay Chapter of FFRF
Questions: info@sfbayffrf.org

Palo Alto: Sunday, January 18, 2:30–4:30 p.m.
Music and Conversation with Dan Barker
Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto
505 E Charleston Rd, Palo Alto
Hosted by the SF Bay Chapter of FFRF, Atheist Community of San Jose, and Humanist Community of Silicon Valley
Questions: info@sfbayffrf.org

Sacramento: Monday (MLK Day), January 19, 1–3 p.m.
Dan Barker — on the “Battle of Church and State” with a musical performance
Sacramento Reason Center
1300 Ethan Way #675, Sacramento
Hosted by the Greater Sacramento Chapter of FFRF
Questions: sac@ffrf.org 

Salt Lake City: Saturday, January 24, 2:00 p.m.
An Afternoon with Dan Barker
Sandy Library — Large Conference Room
10100 Petunia Way, Sandy, UT
Hosted by the Salt Lake Chapter of FFRF
Questions: ffrfslc@gmail.com

The post January 10-24, 2026 – Meet FFRF Co-President Dan Barker on His Western Tour This January! (Washington, California, and Utah) appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Coercion of another kind

Mingo Messenger (Williamson, WV)
By Russ Cassady

The post Coercion of another kind appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Robert Jeffress: Sunday Preaching Is ‘None of the Government’s Business,’ He Says at Liberty Panel

Christianity Daily
By Staff

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December 18, 2025 – Watch the live stream of FFRF’s 2025 Winter Solstice celebration! (on Facebook and YouTube)

You are invited!

Watch the live stream of FFRF’s 2025 Winter Solstice celebration!

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025
1:30 p.m. EST/12:30 p.m. CST/10:30 a.m. PT

You’re cordially invited to view the live stream of Freedom From Religion Foundation’s annual Winter Solstice celebration, via Facebook and YouTube. The program will start at 12:30 p.m. CST on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025.

Special musical guest Kristin Lems, a Midwest topical songwriter, performer and freethinker, will join FFRF Co-President Dan Barker, a talented pianist and songwriter, for a warm and convivial Winter Solstice concert.

The program will kick off with brief remarks from FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor about the real reason for the season, honor the anniversary of the Bill of Rights — and divulge the results of FFRF’s recent membership poll on how members celebrate (or not) the season.

Simply go to FFRF’s Facebook page or YouTube Channel on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 12:30 p.m. CST to watch!

The staff of the Freedom From Religion Foundation wishes you a serene Winter Solstice Season and a bright New Year.

The post December 18, 2025 – Watch the live stream of FFRF’s 2025 Winter Solstice celebration! (on Facebook and YouTube) appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Oklahoma higher ed committee lacks power to effectively police free speech, advocate says

Oklahoma Voice
By Emma Murphy

The post Oklahoma higher ed committee lacks power to effectively police free speech, advocate says appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

North Texas pastor, many others testify at religious liberty hearing

Spectrum News 1
By Blessing Iwuchukwu

The post North Texas pastor, many others testify at religious liberty hearing appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Proposed Christian charter school sues Knoxville so they can indoctrinate kids with public money

Friendly Atheist
By Hemant Mehta

The post Proposed Christian charter school sues Knoxville so they can indoctrinate kids with public money appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

FFRF’s solstice displays return to Chicagoland

The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Metropolitan Chicago Chapter has once again put up secular displays in honor of the Winter Solstice.

The chapter has erected the “Bill of Rights Nativity” display at North School Park in Arlington Heights, Ill., honoring the Dec. 15 anniversary of the Bill of Rights. Also returning this year is a Winter Solstice banner in the village of Glenview, Ill., underneath a lighted Scarlet “A” sign. FFRF thanks the FFRF South Central Wisconsin Chapter President Tom Cara, FFRF Metropolitan Chicago Chapter Executive Director Steve Foulkes and FFRFMCC Board Member Brian Emerick (pictured) for their work in putting up both displays.

Dedicated chapter members of the state/church watchdog assembled the installations to act as a counter to ubiquitous Christian nativity displays on public land. The Freedom From Religion Foundation is proud to present a freethinking presence during the Winter Solstice season, especially when December is overpopulated with religious messages.

“We’re delighted to see our members continuing to show up and represent their fellow freethinkers with displays of our own,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “Religious displays can’t be allowed to monopolize the public space. As we always say, if a governmental body creates a public forum for religion in December, there must be ‘room at the inn’ for dissenting viewpoints.”

FFRF expresses its appreciation to the members who volunteered to help make these displays possible.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is the largest national association of freethinkers (atheists and agnostics) with 42,000 members and several chapters all over the country, including more than 1,400 members and the Chicago chapter in the state of Illinois. The organization works to protect the constitutional separation between religion and government.

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