Friendly Atheist - Latest News and Information
Two Catholic priests from Minnesota’s St. Cloud Diocese have been charged under a state law that classifies clergy as a prohibited occupational relationship, making sexual contact a crime regardless of consent. Their shared defense attorney, Paul Engh, filed motions to dismiss, arguing that prosecuting them violates their religious freedom because the statute targets them specifically as priests. Minnesota is one of only 14 states with statutes that explicitly cover clergy in sexual‑abuse cases. The controversy highlights a clash between religious‑liberty claims and accountability for power‑imbalanced abuse.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a lawsuit compelling the Statewide Charter School Board to detail every non‑constitutional reason it rejected the Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School, arguing the board’s reliance on religious grounds creates a thin record for courts....
A Marion County Superior Court judge ruled that Indiana's near‑total abortion ban violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act for plaintiffs whose faith requires access to abortion. The decision grants a permanent injunction, allowing those individuals to obtain abortions despite the...
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit claiming the Department of Public Safety illegally barred religious advertisements in the state Driver's Handbook. The handbook, however, contains no ads at all, and DPS confirmed it has never accepted advertising. Lacking...
Georgia lawmakers are on the brink of enacting Senate Bill 542, which would criminalize sexual exploitation by clergy members who abuse their spiritual authority. The bill adds clergy to the list of offenders eligible for "improper sexual contact" charges, carrying...
