What connects evangelicals to QAnon?
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
Four historical legal facts about the “War on Christmas”
‘Tis the season for right-wingers to wallow in their persecution complex whenever a public entity acknowledges the existence of non-Christian beliefs! Continue reading
Federal report: human rights abuses flourish where freedom of belief isn’t protected
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
ACTION ALERT: Dispel myths about LGBTQ+ at Oct. 25th Phoenix School Board Meeting
Our friends at one.n.ten and GLSEN have alerted us to a school board issue in Central Phoenix which could use your support tomorrow, 10/25/22. Continue reading
School vouchers exposed… again
With just three weeks until the deadline to turn in signatures for Save Our Schools’ voucher expansion referendum, school vouchers are exploding on the news. Here’s why: Continue reading
Top four things to bring up when talking about school vouchers
We’ve been talking a lot with our neighbors lately about the issue of school vouchers. If there’s one thing we’ve learned after hundreds of these conversations, it’s this:
Not nearly enough people understand vouchers. Continue reading
AZ’s primary: what the results mean for separation of church and state
The votes are in. This primary, Republicans shifted harder toward the religious right, but Democrats pushed out some legislators who were soft on Christian nationalism. The balance of power in the Legislature may be decided by five races. And conspiracy theorists are vying for control of major statewide offices.
Here are the top results secular supporters need to know: Continue reading
At the Podium: Board Meetings and Civic Significance
An important measure was on the agenda of a July 28 Washington Elementary School District board meeting: a resolution affirming LGBTQ+ students and staff. This was the first official school board meeting I attended.
AZ Democrats who voted for Christian nationalist bills in 2022
This legislative session, the Arizona State Legislature heard 27 bills that advanced religious extremist causes—including those that sought to indoctrinate children in public schools, discriminate for religious reasons, and give religious entities exemptions from a sweeping array of laws and public safety policies. Several were signed into law.
An unprecedented 24 Democrats crossed party lines to pass three such bills. Below is a breakdown of the bills and who supported them. Continue reading
The State of Secular Government in the 2022 Arizona Legislature
The Fifty-fifth Legislature tested whether the separation of church and state will change from constitutional protection to a constitutional violation. There are two cases to be made in the aftermath of this session. First, the state of secular government in Arizona is strong thanks to Democrats who mostly (though not always) heeded constitutional mandates barring the establishment of religion. Second, the state of secular government in Arizona is weak thanks to Republicans who are resolved to promote their faith in every area of public life. The outcome of the 2022 Midterm Elections will decide whether the state of Arizona is governed as a democracy or a theocracy—and it rests upon the civic participation of secular voters and citizens who value fundamental civil liberties.
What June at the Supreme Court meant for church and state—in plain English.
The Supreme Court ruled on a number of cases this month that will significantly reshape our country. There’s been a lot to keep track of, so here’s the roundup of the top ones impacting our movement and what they mean: Continue reading