Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a state/church watchdog that is also the largest association of North American freethinkers, have released the following statement:

“The Freedom From Religion Foundation denounces the dismaying recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that its civil rights office has been restructured to go after so-called ‘anti-Christian bias.’ It seems clear that the intent is to intimidate critics of Christian nationalism and the growing unification of conservative Christianity with our secular government.

“The department contradicts its alleged goal to ‘advance the protection of conscience rights’ by then saying it will ‘eradicate’ anti-Christian bias. Americans are free to believe or disbelieve in any religion, to advocate for or criticize any religious doctrines. Even if there were such a thing as ‘anti-Christian bias,’ Americans would be free to hold it. The law should go after actions, not beliefs.

“FFRF is also troubled to see that instead of upholding civil rights, particularly of racial minorities, the office has been tasked with addressing race-based discrimination ‘in a color-blind manner.’ We also find it disturbing that HHS charges its civil rights office with restoring  ‘biological truth,’ obviously a threat to transgender Americans, a threat mainly posed by religion. 

“True freedom of conscience hinges on a government that does not take sides over religious debates, that does not confer its blessings on religion over nonreligion, or on a particular religion over other religions, and that does not possess an ‘anti-freethinker’ bias. Most Americans support the separation between religion and government. FFRF represents more than 41,000 freethinking members, mainly atheists and agnostics, seeking to uphold the First Amendment. We also represent the views of nearly one-third of U.S. adults today who are religiously unaffiliated. FFRF will continue our peaceful, lawful work in defense of state/church separation, free speech and true religious freedom by exercising our First Amendment rights.”

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