Officials respond after religious decoration removed from SC school

ABC 15 News (Conway, SC)
By Alex Kesler

The post Officials respond after religious decoration removed from SC school appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Here’s an easy 2026 resolution for Oklahoma lawmakers: Stop creating do-nothing advisory boards

News From the States
By Janelle Stecklein

The post Here’s an easy 2026 resolution for Oklahoma lawmakers: Stop creating do-nothing advisory boards appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

FFRF has S.C. school district remove nativity scene door decorations

A holiday season door-decorating contest in South Carolina’s York School District 1 was not hijacked for religious purposes, thanks to the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

A concerned district community member informed the state/church watchdog that for Hunter Street Elementary School’s holiday door-decorating contest, one teacher displayed a Christian nativity scene on her door along with the verse, “For Unto Us A Savior Is Born.”

FFRF wrote to the district to make certain that this First Amendment violation was corrected.

“To protect students’ First Amendment rights, the district must ensure this display is removed, as well as any other religious displays it becomes aware of in its schools,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Charlotte R. Gude stated in the letter. “The district cannot allow promotion of religion on the walls of its schools.”

The district breached the Constitution when it allowed its schools to display religious symbols or messages, FFRF emphasized. It is well settled that public schools may not show favoritism toward or coerce belief or participation in religion. By permitting the display of explicitly religious imagery and a message declaring Jesus was born for “us,” York School District 1 violated this basic constitutional prohibition by signaling clear favoritism toward religion over nonreligion, and Christianity over all other faiths.

Nearly a quarter of the state’s population is not Christian, with 16 percent identifying as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular,” FFRF points out.

Thankfully, it did not take long for the district to listen to FFRF and rectify its mistake.

Just two days after FFRF’s letter, Superintendent Heath Branham emailed back, confirming that action had been taken.

“The display referenced in your letter has been removed,” Branham wrote. “We appreciate you notifying us and consider the matter resolved.”

FFRF is proud to see its work make another school district a more welcoming place for all students.

“By using the door-decorating contest as a means to push her religion, one teacher turned a fun event into a proselytizing environment that signaled Christian students were favored over all others,” FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor says. “Young and impressionable elementary school students are a captive audience whose right to be free from religious indoctrination in the public school setting must be scrupulously honored.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with 42,000 members across the country, including hundreds of members in South Carolina. Our purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.

The post FFRF has S.C. school district remove nativity scene door decorations appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

The Wall or the Cross: America at the Tipping Point

This Ain’t No Culture War
Eric Lane

The post The Wall or the Cross: America at the Tipping Point appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Freethought Radio – January 1, 2026

Actor, comedian and broadcaster John Fugelsang describes his new book, Separation of Church and Hate.

The post Freethought Radio – January 1, 2026 appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Can students fail an assignment if they cite God? Not if Florida Republicans get their way.

Friendly Atheist
By Hemant Mehta

The post Can students fail an assignment if they cite God? Not if Florida Republicans get their way. appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Trump administration crosses constitutional line with sectarian Christmas messages

The Freedom From Religion Foundation lambastes a wave of sectarian Christmas messages issued from government accounts by top officials in the Trump administration.

Multiple federal agencies and cabinet officials used official social media accounts for persuading Americans to observe Christmas as an official religious celebration of “our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” These posts crossed a clear constitutional line by using the authority and platforms of the federal government to promote Christianity and specific Christian doctrine.

The Department of Homeland Security posted messages declaring “Rejoice America, Christ is born!” and stating, “We are blessed to share a nation and a Savior,” accompanied by videos featuring overtly religious imagery, including of Jesus, a manger and crosses. The Department of Labor posted: “Let Earth Receive Her King.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s official social media read: “The joyous message of Christmas is the hope of Eternal Life through Christ,” with a graphic of a star and manger scene and a quotation from Isaiah 9:6: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.”

“Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth posted a message saying, “Today we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May his light bring peace, hope, and joy to you and your families,” with the words “Merry Christmas” emblazoned over an American flag.

President Trump’s official White House Christmas message likewise crossed a constitutional line by transforming a presidential greeting into a sermon. Instead of offering an inclusive holiday message to all Americans, the statement repeatedly advanced Christian doctrine as government speech, describing Jesus as “our Lord and Savior,” “the living Son of God” and “the source of eternal salvation,” while invoking prayer and divine favor for the nation.

FFRF notes that these messages represent a sharp departure from the longstanding practice of issuing neutral, inclusive holiday greetings that focus on widely shared cultural themes rather than religious doctrine. Christmas trees, winter scenes and general well wishes have traditionally allowed government agencies to acknowledge the holiday without endorsing a particular faith.

The Trump administration’s decision to abandon that tradition — from Cabinet agencies to the White House itself — reveals a calculated decision to pander to its Christian nationalist base by misusing government authority to endorse and support Christian doctrine.

“These posts are not harmless greetings,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “They send a message that the federal government aligns itself with Christianity and that Americans of other faiths, or of no faith at all, are outsiders in their own country. That is divisive, unconstitutional and un-American.”

Gaylor points out that the largest single “denomination” by religious identification today in the United States is the religiously unaffiliated, at 29 percent of the population larger than any one sect, including Roman Catholic (at 19 percent) or evangelical Protestants (at 23 percent). Christians today make up 62 percent of the population, compared to about 90 percent in the 1990s.

FFRF emphasizes that the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause exists precisely to prevent the government from favoring one religion over others or religion over nonreligion. Federal officials remain free to celebrate and express their personal religious beliefs on their own time and on their personal platforms. What they may not do is use official government channels to proselytize.

“The promise of church-state separation is what allows religious freedom to flourish for everyone,” Gaylor says. “When government officials forget that, they undermine the very constitutional values they are sworn to uphold.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation calls on the Trump administration to immediately cease issuing sectarian religious messages from official government accounts and to reaffirm its obligation to serve all Americans, regardless of belief.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With about 42,000 members, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.

The post Trump administration crosses constitutional line with sectarian Christmas messages appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

In their own words: What nonbelievers do at ‘Christmas’

This is an addendum to the press release about FFRF’s informal survey of nearly 1,600 nonreligious Americans about what atheists (and other nonbelievers) do at “Christmas.” Below is a representative sampling from pages and pages of personal comments. (Note: Some individuals indicated they could be identified by name.)

What expresses your feelings about the holiday season? Some of the “bah humbug” responses: 

Although the “bah humbugs” were a minority, they disproportionately added personal comments explaining their answer.

“It’s the most god-awful time of the year,” quipped one FFRF’er.

Stan said he has given up on being part of the “Holiday Industrial Complex” and restricts himself to celebrating birthdays and anniversaries. 

“I post a picture of Ebenezer Scrooge on my office door,” another volunteered.

One FFRF’er said they grit their teeth and “wait for December to be over.” “The whole thing disgusts and repels me. It’s a holiday dedicated to hypocrisy, greed and lies.”

Joked one member, “I’m exhausted. Fighting this war on Christmas is brutal.”

An environmentalist bemoaned the waste of millions of tons of plastic: “We are in a plastic crisis. We need to outgrow our dependency on spending, overeating and getting intoxicated. We all need to relax, stop the light pollution and enjoy the beauty of a dark and quiet winter.”

An emergency room physician writes: “I agreed to work most December 25th days and it’s always the craziest day of the year in hospital emergency rooms.”

Don Ardelle, deliberately misquoting Tim Minchin, writes: “I really dislike Christmas. It’s sentimental and I have all the usual objections to consumerism and the miseducation of children who, in churches and institutions are taught to externalize blame and to feel ashamed and to judge things as plain right or wrong.” Adds Don: ”Unlike Minchin, I quite dislike Christmas songs and white wine, but I love listening to him sing ‘White Wine in the Sun.’”

“Look forward to the season” responses:

“The spirit of gifts, of giving and being kind to others is a noteworthy thing and should be the spirit that we carry every day.” 

“I just love that, as an atheist, I get to experience the parts of the holiday I find enjoyable with none of the discomfort I always felt as a child forced to go to church.” 

“I am comfortable that it is a universal secular seasonal holiday and people can celebrate it as they see fit, religiously or otherwise.” 

“I think of Christmas like Thanksgiving — as holiday — I celebrate it as a time when other families/friends come together. I don’t consider it a religious holiday anymore than merchants think it’s religious.”

“The bottom line is to celebrate family and community. Those things are foundational to being human, and can take many forms, some wrapped in religion and some in patriotism and plenty with no excuse at all.”

More responses to what FFRF’ers and their families celebrate: 

“I’m happy to go with the flow.” 

I gift memories, not stuff!”

“We celebrate our made-up holiday called Winterium, complete with a Winterium bush that resembles a Christmas tree.” 

“We get together family for what we call Mythmas.” 

“Christmas is just a placeholder for the holiday. Giving is more important than acts of obeisance to a nonexistent deity.”

“The best parts of the holiday are all of pagan origin. I’m happy to share Yule and Krampus with people of all religions or no religion!” — Mike Leibensperger.

“Amazing to me that ancient Roman influence carried this far into the future. They reset the human calendar. Extraordinary influence/power on/over the human species.”

“The exclusion, pressure to celebrate a Christian holiday, results in a feeling of loneliness.”

“I don’t feel alone because I’m a nonbeliever. I know there are others. But when I see large family gatherings, couples, children, etc., that’s when my living alone makes me feel more alone.” 

“I prefer Nature’s calendar to capitalism. I refuse to participate in a system that sees me as a commodity to be exploited.” — Matthew Bryan Elliott.

“I celebrate a good life every day of the year.” 

“I’m the refuge for those escaping family drama.”

Funny responses to how FFRF’ers celebrate:

“At a gathering, a minister told my 4-year-old daughter, ‘Bless you, my child.’ Her response was, ‘I didn’t sneeze!’ I was quite proud.”

“When greeted at Easter, our daughter cheerily replies, ‘Happy Zombie Jesus Day!’ So far no one’s punched her. (They wouldn’t dare!)”

“When my younger son was about 5, he misheard the word ‘solstice’ for ‘salsa.’ So twice a year on June 21st and December 21st, we celebrate ‘Salsa Day’ by going out for Mexican food.”

“At an ‘inclusive’ sing-along, before we were asked to sing ‘Silent Night,’ one guy boasted that he would be ‘belting it out.’ ‘Belting out’ ‘Silent Night.’ Count on a sanctimonious bible thumper to be unintentionally comical.”

“My first son developed an interest in dolls when he was about 4 when his mom was pregnant with his younger brother. For Christmas, we put an antique doll from my mother’s collection in a little crib and left it under the tree. Our son had been trying to make sense out of the whole Santa/Jesus thing. So he wakes up that morning and we hear the thunder of little feet running into the living room. Silence. Then more footwork as he burst into the bedroom and exclaims: ‘Santa brought me the baby Jesus!’”

One mother recalled that when her daughter was 3 or 4, she pronounced, “Emmy and Daryl don’t believe in Santa Claus. But I see him everywhere.”

Members write about being freed from dogma during the season:

“I was baptized Catholic, confirmed Protestant and married a Jew. I don’t believe in anything but science, but I don’t mind what others choose to believe in. That has made my relationship with my spouse last a long time.”

“After a long journey and transition, my family no longer recites a prayer before our large family holiday meals.” — John Sutton

“My strict Seventh Day Adventist mother raised us not to believe in Santa Claus. This year my Christmas tree is decorated exclusively in Santa Claus/Father Christmas ornaments, which feels like an act of rebellion long after my parents are gone, while at the same time it feels like I’m staking out some childhood wonder that I never got to experience.”

“I am proud to be an apostate, godless Infidel. Being a freethinker is hard work as we do not accept anything based on faith. We think for ourselves using logic, science and rational thinking that is not based upon fear and punishment. We interact with people, animals and the environment with the same compassion, love and empathy we would hope to receive.” — R. Scott Buel, Freethinker.

”I mostly keep my unbeliefs to myself and avoid as much as possible all the religious activities.”

“I do my best to keep things to myself because if you don’t you may have to listen to a rant and howl from some deluded believer.”

More on what other activities/traditions do FFRF’ers engage in at Solstice time:

One member recommends listening to “The 12 Days of Christmas Song” by Bob and Doug, Cheech and Chong and watching Stephen Colbert explain the House Speaker’s beliefs via a Jurassic Park parody (Oct. 30, 2023).

It’s no surprise that music figures in responses, such as those who love (and hate) “The Messiah,” and someone else who gets a kick out of making money as a nonreligious musician by playing religious songs on Christmas Day.

“We go to see the Boston gay men’s chorus. A great mix of traditional music from many religions, plus a campy spin on the whole Christmas thing!” 

Nature, such as taking a “traditional hike on the 25th,” received mentions, including making Winter Solstice bonfires and going to the zoo!

“On Christmas Day, we often go bird watching if the weather is nice.” 

Someone else posts the ten commitments on social media while another likes more traditional board games. A few “gamble at the Casino.” And then there were ubiquitous mentions of “eating Chinese food and going out to a movie.”

More comments on how freethinkers and non-Christians are treated at this time of year:

“Yes, definitely as an outsider.” 

“Explicitly Christian proselytizing in work breakrooms reminds me of the pain caused by my religious upbringing as a child.”

“I don’t really advertise my atheism. I live in the South.”

“I was once asked to say the ‘blessing’ before Christmas dinner. That was awkward, but also a bit comedic (‘Dear baby Jesus …’).” 

Another cited “the subtle social pressure of assuming I believe in ‘God’ and expectation to go along with religious activities.” 

One member laments, “Sitting there trying not to roll my eyes whilst others are praying before family meals” and another that “Carols are played in the workplace. All day long.”

 “The whole thing annoys the shit out of me. Yes, I am the Grinch,” writes one frank FFRF’er. 

“I just think it is all TOO MUCH,” says another. 

More on what freethinkers say when store clerks or others wish them “Merry Christmas.”
“When the debate arises I’ve been known to reply ‘Happy Christma-Kwanz-Anukka-Saturnali-Estivus,’ followed by ‘Life is short, celebrate them all!’”

One member recounts buying some expensive shoes in a specialty shop and wishing the clerk “Happy Holidays.” She recalls: “She leaned across the counter into my face and LOUDLY said, ‘Merry Christmas! What’s wrong with that?’ You could have heard a pin drop, it got so quiet. I said something about being polite, not knowing if she was Jewish or Muslim and not wanting to assume she was a Christian. After paying, I walked toward the door to leave and the male owner shouted ‘Merry Christmas!’ Have I burdened them with my purse since then? That’s a hard NO.”

“Tired of the persecuted Christian act, I’ve retorted, ‘When has anyone ever denied you the right to say Merry Christmas?’”

FFRF thanks the nearly 1,600 members who took the time to share what they do (or do not do) at “Christmastime.” It is clear that whatever they do (or don’t do), they are using their critical thinking skills to good purpose.

The post In their own words: What nonbelievers do at ‘Christmas’ appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

What do atheists (and other nonbelievers) do at ‘Christmas?’ — FFRF survey results

Every December, the Freedom From Religion Foundation gets media inquiries asking: “What do atheists or nonbelievers do at Christmas?” And every year, FFRF gets accused of being a “Grinch.”

To debunk myths about freethinkers and better answer reporters’ questions, we sent a short survey to our nearly 42,000 members — and 1,591 replied!

First, a little background about respondents: About three-quarters are Baby Boomers or older. Of those raised with a religion, 45 percent were raised as some type of Protestant, but Roman Catholic at 28 percent was the single largest denomination. Fully 18 percent never had a religion (isn’t that nice?). Almost 6 percent grew up in a Jewish home. Nearly two-thirds chose the designation of “atheist” to best describe their views, followed by humanist, freethinker and agnostic.
.
While FFRF has long pointed out that the Winter Solstice, a natural holiday, is the origin of many Christmas and New Year customs, we were curious to what degree our members incorporate this understanding in any of their celebrations or feelings about the season. Read on to find out!

Below is what we asked them and what they replied. (Opinion questions were optional and many questions allowed for multiple answers. The survey offered opportunities to write-in comments.)

What expresses your feelings about the holiday season?
• “I look forward to and generally enjoy this time of year and the customs of the seasonal customs” was a statement chosen by slightly more than half of the respondents.
• Similarly, nearly two-thirds, at 59 percent, agreed with the statement, “I take advantage of the opportunity to relax and/or spend time with friends and family.”
• Three-quarters said, “I agree with Robert Ingersoll: ‘I’m happy to celebrate the fun parts of anybody’s holiday.’” So much for being grinches!
• “‘Bah humbug.’ I actively dislike the hype and the pressure” was selected by 19 percent.

In the “Bah Humbug corner” a member wrote: “Reasons: Family pressure to buy presents for a dozen people I barely even know, the relentless ads, the maudlin, vapid and inescapable Xmas ‘music,’ the sheer bullshit of the ‘Peace on Earth, Good Will to men’ messages from all the Christian right-ringers. Otherwise, I’m fine with it. Merry Christmas!”

A typical example from the “pro” corner is: “In my world, Christmas is about family, food, parties, sparkle and gifts!” Writes another, “It delights me that the ‘Christmas’ tree is actually rooted in paganism, as are all of the Christian holidays.” Quips a third: “I am not out to gore their ox as long as it doesn’t trample my mistletoe.”

Read more write-in responses for all questions here.

What do you and your families celebrate? 
More than 60 percent celebrate a “secular Christmas” while 17 percent explicitly celebrate the Winter Solstice in place of Christmas. Five percent celebrate a secular Hanukkah. A surprising 8 percent celebrate Festivus, 1 percent celebrates HumanLight and less than 1 percent a secular Kwanzaa. Thirteen percent “celebrate something else.” Fourteen percent celebrate no December “holiday” at all. (Among them is someone who works “a 24-hour shift for that sweet holiday bonus.”)

Those 13 percent who selected “I celebrate something else” often cite nature: “I celebrate the peace and beauty of the year and look forward to snow and negative degrees. It’s a free day to myself like a school snow day.” Another “appreciates cosmic beauty of night sky & outdoors.”

Several mentioned that Dec. 25 is their birthday or the birthday of somebody in their family: “I celebrate my birthday, as opposed to Jesus’, at my favorite Chinese restaurant.” Several members celebrate Dec. 25 as “Gravity Day” because it is the birthday of Isaac Newton. Chinese restaurant-going, by the way, figures pretty highly in responses, such as the member noting they celebrate “a Jewish Xmas, i.e., Chinese food and a good film!” Another member writes: “Christmas is all about the three F’s to me: family, food and football!”

In secular Uruguay, December 25 is a national holiday known as Family Day (Dia de La Familia). What are your family get-together traditions, if applicable?
More than 70 percent get together with family for at least a meal and usually a gift exchange. Twenty-one percent indicated they did not have family, at least in the area, which corresponds with the older-age bracket of most respondents. A small percentage (about 8 percent) give gifts to their family, but do not get together.

For those who celebrate the Winter Solstice or secular Christmas with family, half celebrate on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, 7 percent celebrate around the Winter Solstice to make a freethought statement and a robust 36 percent celebrate both dates at different times with extended family. About 6 percent skip Christmas and celebrate around New Year’s Day.

Loneliness figured in several responses: “I spend the holiday alone because I’m a transgender man and certain family members refuse to invite me,” writes one member.

Although it wasn’t strictly a question, many members wrote about their pleasure in being freed from dogma in their own celebrations: “I’m appalled at all the media and streaming services that cater to Christians. The Taliban has come to America and it is not Muslim.” (See more responses here.)

What activities/traditions do you and your family take part in?
Fifty-seven percent decorate an indoor tree, 42 percent send out seasonal greeting cards and put up a wreath, a third or more install outdoor lighting, donate to food drives and do cookie baking or prepare other special food for friends and family. A quarter donate to toy drives and watch sports (now there’s a national religion!). A surprising 14 percent wear “ugly” sweaters, Santa hats, etc. Eleven percent throw open houses or parties for friends or neighbors and 9 percent volunteer, such as at food pantries or shelters.

Many cite other activities, including the prosaic, such as “Go to the movies on Christmas Day,” and the less prosaic, such as this very quirky tradition: “Letting off fireworks at dawn on Solstice, singing ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,’ and ‘The Sun Has Got His Hat On’ as Christmas carols, watching the Hogfather on Hogswatch on Solstice Eve, which is an alternate nativity scene with dinosaurs, etc., and putting up Solstice and pagan decor to piss off the neighbors.”

Do you do anything a little irreverent at this time of year?
The vast majority say no, but about a quarter send a greeting card promoting the Winter Solstice or with irreverent messages. A small minority put up a yard sign or wear apparel with freethought messaging. Among the bolder is someone who sets up a “moose nativity, which includes moose angels suspended from a curved wire.” Another leads “an annual Festival bike ride, with Xmas lights on the bikes.”

One well-read member “has devotions, by reading Ingersoll and Thomas Paine” with their spouse.

Nontraditional movies came up, such as “Life of Brian.” “Die Hard” was named repeatedly as a “Christmas movie.”

Several mention using nontraditional ornaments, such as those depicting Charles Darwin, and someone else lights a “Dr. Fauci” candle.

“Did you tell your child(ren) Santa Claus was real?” 
This was perhaps the most controversial question. Surprisingly, a slight plurality, 33 percent, said yes, while 26 percent said no. About 40 percent claimed no children. One percent agreed with a tongue-in-cheek option, “I threaten the neighborhood kids with a visit from Krampus.”

As a freethinker and non-Christian, have you ever felt excluded/uncomfortable at this time of the year?
Nine percent indicated they or children or grandchildren had been expected to sing Christian songs in our public schools. Fifteen percent have been pressured by family to participate in religious functions such as attending religious services and 20 percent have been made to feel like an outsider by encountering Christian nativity scenes on government property and when shopping in stores playing Christian Christmas songs. Overall, however, 53 percent agreed with the statement, “I have not had any problems at this time of year.”

In comments, consumerism was often mentioned: “The only pressure I feel is to buy gifts. The commercialization is overwhelming.” Writes one FFRF’er: “Sadly, I’m more often in a state of depression, knowing that our democracy is controlled by a population so poorly equipped to handle their own affairs without being reliant on magical fantasies.”

When store clerks or others wish you ‘Merry Christmas,’ what do you say in return?
Nearly half (47 percent) respond by wishing them “Happy holidays,” “Happy Winter Solstice” or “Happy New Year.” But 39 percent simply thank them or wish them “Merry Christmas” in return. Given a chance to indicate other responses, there were many, including “I say Happy Everything!” One plain speaker says: “Enjoy your fairy tale.” Others have creative replies: “Happy Holidaze,” “Merry Commerce,” “Solstice Salutations” and “A happy Yule to you, too.”

“I consider it important to help those in need at the end of the year and typically donate to charities.”
FFRF’ers are a charitable lot, with more than three-quarters (79 percent) answering yes to the question. Among the 21 percent who said no were some who indignantly indicated that they give all year round. One gives all year round — except in December.

One kind member writes: “I pass on giving to charities because I believe that it is more important to give to FFRF to help with the elephant in the room: religion.” (Thank you!)

Finally, let’s end with two quotes from the survey: “Right now, a ‘war on Christmas’ seems like a very good idea.”’’ “It’s always a relief when it’s over!

View basic results here. Read more of the comments here.

The post What do atheists (and other nonbelievers) do at ‘Christmas?’ — FFRF survey results appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.

‘You’re wrong’: Fox host slammed for saying America is a ‘Christian nation’

AlterNet
By David Badash

The post ‘You’re wrong’: Fox host slammed for saying America is a ‘Christian nation’ appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.