By Adriana Clark
It all started with a Pride display in June. Every month, the staff at the Camp Verde Community Library puts together a display of library books and media highlighting a particular theme. The display gathers materials from all areas of the library, including adult fiction and nonfiction, teen fiction and nonfiction, and audio-visual materials. The June theme was “Read with Pride” and featured books by and about the LGBTQ community. Continue reading
Christian nationalists voted to censure Rep. Stephanie Stahl-Hamilton over her prank hiding Bibles in the Senate members’ lounge. A censure by the chamber is an expression of sincere disapproval but carries no penalty. Continue reading
A few weeks ago, we accomplished something big. We called on Phoenix’s Washington Elementary School District to end a teacher training contract with the discriminatory Arizona Christian University, over its policies of hate and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.
Unfortunately, it seems high-powered lawyers from hate group Alliance Defending Freedom have pressured the school district into reversing the decision. Continue reading
The religious right seems to have exposed its latest strategy in Phoenix school boards: drain money out of public schools by attracting as many lawsuits as possible. Continue reading
It’s been long known that poor pay and work conditions have created a teacher retention crisis in Arizona. But now white Christian nationalists are starting to force out administrators as well. Continue reading
Secular AZ recently sat down with Dr. Mia Bloom, author of Pastels and Pedophiles: Inside the Mind of QAnon to talk conspiracy theories in Christian socio-political movements. (Watch the full talk here.)
The conversation illuminated not-always-obvious connections between conspiracy theory culture and religious belief—as well as racism, mental illness, and more. Her conclusions illustrated that separating church and state is becoming an increasingly intersectional issue. Continue reading
During our Annual Secular Summit, we hosted a panel called Leaving Cults and Conspiratorial Thinking Behind. We gathered three experts with deep backgrounds in the subject, including two which fled extreme beliefs themselves. They discussed what motivates people to become victims of high control groups—including Q-Anon, evangelicalism, MAGA, and ultra-fundamentalist sects—and how we can pull people out. Continue reading
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom just issued a report revealing that when governments don’t rigorously protect freedom of belief, they create conditions leading to a slew of human rights abuses. Continue reading
by Angela Manion
On July 11, 2022 Congressman Jared Huffman of California introduced H.R. 8324 (the Health Share Transparency Act of 2022) into the House of Representatives. The bill seeks to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, requiring health care sharing ministries (HCSMs) to disclose pertinent information regarding HCSMs to consumers. Continue reading
While not winning every race, supporters of separation of church and state had a great showing at school boards. This is especially encouraging in districts like Paradise Valley, where extremists spent enormous sums only to lose two out of three available seats. Continue reading
Counting ballots continues for the 2022 midterm elections—part of the state’s usual process as county recorders tabulate early ballots dropped off on election night.
No winners have been called in most major races yet, and many are too close to call—including legislative races where it is still uncertain whether Democrats will flip key seats.
But regardless the outcome, voters have already sent a clear message: Christian nationalism far from represents an overwhelming majority of the state’s people. Continue reading
