Christian nationalist Rep. Ogles loses Tenn. primary after FFRF called for resignation
Tags:Freedom From Religion Foundation, Politics, Religion
One of Congress’ most outspoken Christian nationalism proponents has lost his bid for re-election months after the Freedom From Religion Foundation called on him to resign for declaring that Muslims do not belong in American society.
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., was defeated on Thursday by former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, a more traditional conservative Republican backed by the state’s party establishment, in the GOP primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District. The two-term incumbent lost despite receiving President Trump’s “complete and total endorsement” hours before polls closed.
Ogles’ defeat follows his congressional tenure marked by repeated efforts to portray the United States as a fundamentally Christian nation and to cast Americans of other faiths as outsiders. In one particularly striking social media post, Ogles shared a video depicting himself, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as medieval crusader knights emblazoned with crosses and marching in front of the U.S. Capitol.
“This is a battle of good vs evil,” Ogles wrote. “We must reaffirm that our nation was built on Christian principles.”
The imagery encapsulated the Christian nationalist ideology that FFRF has spent decades opposing: the false notion that the United States belongs especially to Christians and that the government should privilege Christianity over other religions and nonreligion.
“The United States is not a Christian nation — and members of Congress are not Christian crusaders,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “Our Constitution created a secular government belonging equally to Christians, Muslims, Jews, atheists, agnostics and every other American. Rep. Ogles repeatedly used his position to promote precisely the kind of religious division our Constitution was designed to prevent.”
That rhetoric took an especially disturbing turn earlier this year.
FFRF called on Ogles to resign in March after he publicly declared that “Muslims don’t belong in American society” and that “pluralism is a lie.” In a letter to Ogles, FFRF Legal Counsel Chris Line condemned the statements as “profoundly bigoted, fundamentally un-American, and incompatible with the oath” of a U.S. representative.
“Members of Congress take an oath not to a religion, ideology, or political movement, but to the Constitution of the United States,” Line wrote. “If you cannot accept the basic constitutional principle that Americans of all religions — including Muslims — and no religion belong fully and equally in this nation, then you cannot faithfully discharge the duties of your office.”
Ogles’ comments at that time were not isolated. He additionally announced plans during his during his time in office for legislation barring immigration from certain Muslim-majority countries, proclaimed that “diversity is our weakness” and called for the deportation of Muslims, including U.S. citizens. He also joined the congressional “Sharia Free America Caucus,” which was launched in December 2025 and promoted alarmist claims about Islamic law in the United States. FFRF has pointed out the obvious constitutional flaw in this fearmongering: The First Amendment already prevents the government from imposing any religion’s laws on Americans.
The First Amendment’s Establishment Clause bars the government from imposing Islamic doctrine just as surely as it prevents the government from imposing Christian doctrine. At the same time, its Free Exercise Clause protects Muslims, Christians and members of other faiths from government discrimination because of their religious beliefs. And Article VI of the U.S. Constitution expressly prohibits religious tests for public office.
Ogles’ defeat is an encouraging development in the broader fight against Christian nationalism. His rhetoric represented an especially stark version of an ideology that seeks to merge Christian identity with American citizenship and governmental power. The rejection of that rhetoric by voters in his own party is a welcome reminder that Christian nationalism is neither inevitable nor synonymous with American values.
“Christian nationalism may be loud, but it does not speak for America,” adds Gaylor. “Our nation’s promise is far better than the divisive vision promoted by politicians like Andy Ogles. America belongs equally to Christians, Muslims, Jews, atheists, agnostics — and everyone else. Any setback for the effort to turn our secular republic into a Christian nation is a victory for the constitutional principles that protect us all.”
FFRF will continue challenging Christian nationalism wherever it appears in government and defending the foundational principle that public officials swear an oath to the Constitution, not to Christianity. Ogles’ upcoming departure from Congress marks a welcome victory in that ongoing fight.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with about 41,000 members and several chapters nationwide, including more than 400 members and a local chapter in Tennessee. FFRF’s purposes are to defend the constitutional principle of separation between church and state, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
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August 24, 2026 – ‘Great American Freethought Songbook’ – Cole Porter (Madison, Wis. and live-streamed)
Tags:Freedom From Religion Foundation, Politics, Religion
Photo by Chris Line
The Freedom From Religion Foundation in the fifth installment of its unique monthly freethought concert series spotlights composer and songwriter Cole Porter on Monday, Aug. 24!
“The Great American Freethought Songbook with Dan & Darcie” (approximately one hour in duration), presented before a live audience in Madison, Wis., will be livestreamed starting at 7 p.m. CDT on FFRF’s Facebook page, YouTube channel and Freethought TV, FFRF’s free streaming service for smart TVs and other devices. (It’s easy and free to download) The show will be available to watch afterward on YouTube and Freethought TV at your convenience.
The seven-month concert series celebrates major figures of the Great American Songbook and their secular viewpoints. August’s program highlights Cole Porter, whose sophisticated lyrics and unforgettable melodies helped define the Great American Songbook. Porter produced an extraordinary catalog that includes favorites such as “Night and Day,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “Anything Goes” and “Begin the Beguine.” Though he was raised with religion, Porter later described himself as an agnostic, and his independent outlook shaped both his life and his art. The show will feature performances of many of his best known works, accompanied by stories about his remarkable career and freethinking philosophy.
The monthly series is hosted by FFRF Co-President Dan Barker, a veteran pianist and freethinker, alongside Madison vocalist Darcie Johnston. Through live performances and historical commentary, they examine the stories behind some of the nation’s most enduring songs while highlighting the secular and freethinking ideas that influenced many of their creators.
Upcoming performances will feature Richard Rodgers (with Mary Rodgers) on Monday, Sept. 21, and a finale on Monday, Nov. 9, featuring a medley of nonreligious 20th-century songwriters, including Jay Gorney, Burton Lane, Tom Lehrer, Frank Loesser, Thelonious Monk, Stephen Sondheim and Charles Strouse.
If you missed earlier installments, you may catch them now on YouTube or look for them in Freethought TV’s archive. If you live in the Madison area, you may RSVP at ffrf.us/RSVP-Concerts.
Celebrate the music, life & views of COLE PORTER.
Monday, August 24, 2026 ( RSVP by Thursday, August 20 ) (Please only RSVP if you are able to attend in person)
Charlie Brooks Auditorium
Freethought Hall, Madison, Wis.
6:15 – 6:45 p.m. Refreshments served: Wine, non-alcoholic beverages, dessert.
6:45 – 6:50 Please be seated. (Concert is being video-recorded and live-streamed.)
7 – 8 Enjoy the performance with Dan Barker & Darcie Johnston.
RSVP by Thursday, August 20. Invite your family, friends and colleagues! (Please only RSVP if you are able to attend in person)
Watch the performance live by going to FFRF’s YouTube channel or Facebook page. It can also be viewed on Freethought TV, FFRF’s new streaming service for smart televisions and mobile devices. For installation instructions, go to freethoughttv.ffrf.org on your smart tv or cellphone.
Free street parking after 6 p.m. Close to Overture Center parking ramp, West Mifflin.
Mark your calendar for future concert dates:
Monday, September 21 — Composers Richard & Mary Rodgers.
Monday, November 9 — Finale. Medley including Dorothy Fields, Jay Gorney, Burton Lane, Tom Lehrer, Frank Loesser, Thelonious Monk, Stephen Sondheim and Charles Strouse.
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