Sources:
Voter Guides:
Secular Values Voters, “2016 Presidential Voter Guides.” http://www.secularvaluesvoter.org

Texas Freedom Network, “2016 SBOE General Election Voter Guide.” http://tfn.org/2016-sboe-general-elec...

Oklahoma Ballot Question SQ 790:
Josh Mcbee, “SQ 790: Buckling church to state in the Bible belt.” Accessed October 26, 2016. https://nondoc.com/2016/10/21/sq-790-...

National Congressional Candidates:
Kimberly Winston, “Nine candidates pioneer ‘political humanism’ in Arizona.” Accessed November 1, 2016. http://religionnews.com/2016/08/25/ni...

Presidential Candidate’s Views:
Brad Marshall, “No Shit.” Accessed August 2, 2016. https://wikileaks.com/dnc-emails/emai...

“Jill Stein on Principles & Values.” On the Issues. July 6, 2015. Accessed August 3, 2016. http://www.ontheissues.org/2016/Jill_...

“Gary Johnson’s Stances on Social Issues.” ISideWith.com. March 10, 2016. Accessed August 3, 2016. https://www.isidewith.com/candidate-g...

Pema Levy, “Trump Praised Saudi Arabia's Shariah Law for Making It Easy for Men to Get Divorced.” Accessed October 26, 2016. http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2...

Media:
David Brody, “Exclusive: Michele Bachmann: 'God Raised Up' Trump to Be GOP Nominee.” Accessed October 27, 2016. http://www1.cbn.com/thebrodyfile/arch...

American Pastors Network, “Stand in the Gap Today 10/11/16.” Accessed October 16, 2016. http://americanpastorsnetwork.net/201...

New Ticker:
Pew Research Center, “Evangelicals Rally to Trump, Religious ‘Nones’ Back Clinton.” Accessed July 19, 2016. http://www.pewforum.org/2016/07/13/ev...




Penny Edgell, Douglass Hartmann, Evan Stewart, & Joseph Gerteis, “Atheists and Other Cultural Outsiders: Moral Boundaries and the Non-Religious in the United States.” Accessed September 15, 2016. http://sf.oxfordjournals.org/content/...

Lauren Markoe, “More ‘nones’ than you think, but many won’t show up on Election Day.” Accessed October 7, 2016. http://religionnews.com/2016/09/22/no...

Christopher Ingraham, “Why Atheist & Agnostics Don’t Believe in Voting.” Accessed October 26, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/w...

Don Byrd, “Poll Sees Decline in Number of Americans Who Prioritize Candidates’ Religious Beliefs.” Accessed October 22, 2016. http://bjconline.org/poll-sees-declin...

The Southern Poverty Law Center Brands Atheists “Anti-Muslim Extremists,” Bill Maher chats atheism with President Obama, 11 secular candidates won, and Donald J. Trump will be our next president… Those are the headlines for the week of Saturday, November 12, 2016.

Sources:

Southern Poverty Law Center Brands Atheist Critics “Anti-Muslim Extremists”:

Southern Poverty Law Center, “A Journalist's Manual: Field Guide to Anti-Muslim Extremists.” Accessed November 10, 2016. https://www.splcenter.org/20161025/journalists-manual-field-guide-anti-muslim-extremists

Stoyan Zaimov, “Atheists Outraged by SPLC Branding Atheist Critics of Radical Islam 'Anti-Muslim Extremists.'” Accessed November 10, 2016. http://www.christianpost.com/news/atheists-outraged-splc-branding-atheist-critics-radical-islam-anti-muslim-extremists-171163/

Stoyan Zaimov, “Atheists Start Petition Against SPLC Branding Atheist Critics of Radical Islam 'Anti-Muslim Extremists.'” Accessed November 10, 2016. http://www.christianpost.com/news/atheists-start-petition-against-splc-branding-atheist-critics-radical-islam-anti-muslim-extremists-171200/

President Obama Interviewed by Bill Maher:

Michael Stone, “Obama Talks Atheism With Bill Maher.” Accessed November 10, 2016. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2016/11/obama-talks-atheism-with-bill-maher/?ref_widget=trending&ref_blog=danthropology&ref_post=president-obama-discusses-atheism-with-bill-maher

Oklahoma Ballot Measure 790:

Heather Clark, “Oklahoma Voters Reject Proposal to Allow Ten Commandments at State Capitol.” Accessed November 10, 2016. http://christiannews.net/2016/11/09/oklahoma-voters-reject-proposal-to-allow-ten-commandments-at-state-capitol/

Conclusion:

Cullen Murphy, Are We Rome?: The Fall of an Empire & the Fate of America (New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2007), pp. 203-206.

News Ticker:

Radio New Zealand, “Secular education case heads to Human Rights Tribunal.” Accessed October 24, 2016. http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/315728/secular-education-case-heads-to-human-rights-tribunal

Daniel Reed, “Study links poor understanding of the physical world to religious & paranormal beliefs.” Accessed October 25, 2016. http://www.psypost.org/2016/10/study-links-poor-understanding-physical-world-religious-paranormal-beliefs-45293

Thomas D. Williams, “Atheists Fight to Remove ‘God’ From AA Program.” Accessed October 28, 2016. http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/10/25/atheists-fight-god-taken-aa-program/

Tim Peacock, “Christians in Lincoln, NE Shut Down Atheist Billboard.” Accessed October 27, 2016.

Poland’s Anti-Abortion Initiative:

BBC, “Poland abortion: Parliament rejects near-total ban.” Accessed October 13, 2016. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-...

Anti-Blasphemy in the Digital Age:

Joelle Fiss, “Anti-blasphemy in the digital age: When hardliners take over.” Accessed October 13, 2016. https://www.brookings.edu/research/an...

New Atheists Set to Work with Reform Minded Muslims:

Robyn Blumner, “Newsletter September 21, 2016.” Accessed October 12, 2016. http://us8.campaign-archive2.com/?u=d...

Peter Boghossian, James Lindsay, & Phil Torres, “How to Fight Extremism with Atheism.” Accessed October 12, 2016. http://time.com/4484681/new-atheism-j...

Freedom From Religion Foundation National Convention:

FFRF, “FFRF Pittsburgh convention unveils major surprise opening night.” Accessed October 6, 2016. https://ffrf.org/news/news-releases/i...

News Ticker:

Ray Sanchez, “Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore suspended over same-sex marriage order.” Accessed October 12, 2016. http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/30/politic...

Ekathimerini.com, “State, Church make peace after row on religion classes.” Chttp://www.ekathimerini.com/212591/ar...

Hemant Mehta, “Texas County Leaders Reject Atheist Banner on Courthouse Lawn (But the Nativity Scene Can Stay)” Accessed October 6, 2016. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendly...

Jennifer Fenn Lefferts, “Public grants can be used for church renovations, judge rules.” Accessed October 12, 2016. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/reg...

China issues new regulations on religion, a suspect is arrested in the murder of a Bangladeshi blogger, the Supreme delays oral arguments in an important church state case, a Texas Republican attacks his opponent for being an atheist, and we cover the 2016 election in a special report. Those are the headlines for the week of Saturday October 29th 2016.

Sources:
China’s New Regulations on Religion:

Matthew Bell, “China's atheist leaders issue some striking new rules on religion.” Accessed October 26, 2016. http://weku.fm/post/chinas-atheist-le...

Arrest of Islamic Militant in Blogger’s Murder:
Tekendra Parmar, “Police Arrest ‘Islamic Militant’ for the Killing of Bangladeshi Atheist Blogger Nazimuddin Samad.” Accessed October 26, 2016. http://time.com/4534504/bangladesh-at...

Trinity Lutheran Church v. Pauley:
Juliet Ellperin & Robert Barnes, “Is the Supreme Court counting on getting a ninth justice in January?” Accessed October 26, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/p...

Don Byrd, “Report: Trinity Scheduling Delay Indicates the Supreme Court Awaits a 9th Justice.” Accessed October 26, 2016. http://bjconline.org/trinity-scheduli...

Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, “Trinity Lutheran Church v. Pauley : Government money should not fund churches.” Accessed October 26, 2016. http://bjconline.org/TrinityLutheran/

Republican Attack on Atheist Candidate for Texas State House:
Michael Stone, “Texas Democrat Attacked For Being An Atheist.” Accessed October 27, 2016. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progress...

News Ticker:
Steve Benen, “Alabama’s Roy Moore, suspended, doesn’t want to leave.” Accessed October 25, 2016. http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-sh...
Hazel Torres, “Atheist-Led Canadian Church Dispenses With Bible, Replaces Lord's Prayer With Secular Invocation.” Accessed October 25, 2016. http://www.christiantoday.com/article...
Stephen Magagnini, “Atheists celebrate 15th annual Freethought Day in Sacramento.” Accessed October 25, 2016. http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/arti...
Patrick Lang'at, “Atheists to petition House to remove 'God' from national anthem.” Accessed October 23, 2016. http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Atheists...
Elizabeth Roberts, “Sweden opens first cemetery free of religious symbols.” Accessed October 25, 2016. http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/21/europe/...

Clinton failed to energize secular voters, Trump makes troubling cabinet appointments, an Indonesian governor faces charges of blasphemy, New Zealand atheists march to celebrate our ancestors, and I interview John S about We Agnostics, Atheists, & Freethinkers International AA Convention. Those are the headlines for the week of Saturday, December 10th, 2016.

Sources:
Secular Turn-out for Clinton Down:
Mark Brockway, David Campbell, & Geoffrey Layman, “Secular voters didn’t turn out for Clinton the way white evangelicals did for Trump.” Accessed November 25, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/m...
Trump Taps Anti-Secularists for Cabinet Positions:
Deidre Fulton, “Trump Nominates ‘True Enemy’ of Public Schools for Education Secretary.“ Accessed December 1, 2016. http://churchandstate.org.uk/2016/11/...
Stephanie Mencimer, “Mike Pence's Voucher Program in Indiana Was a Windfall for Religious Schools.” Accessed December 2, 2016. http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2...
Rob Boston, “Jeff Sessions Is No Fan Of Separation Of Church And State.” Accessed December 1, 2016. https://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-sepa...
The Intellectualists, “Trump’s New Policy Adviser Said: There Is “Nothing More Christian” Than Cutting Food Stamps.” Accessed December 7, 2016. http://theintellectualist.co/trumps-n...
Indonesian Blasphemy Case:
John McBeth, “Blasphemy probe rocks Indonesia’s secular foundations.” Accessed November 29, 2016. http://www.thenational.ae/world/south...
Kate Lamb, “Jakarta's Christian governor to face blasphemy trial over Islam insult claim.” Accessed December 3, 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/world/201...
WAAFT AA Convention:
We Agnostics, Atheists, & Freethinkers in AA: waaft.org
New Zealand Atheist Pride March:
Shawn McAvinue, “Atheist Pride march, rain, hail or shine.” Accessed November 29, 2016. https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/at...
Roger Grauwmeijer & Bruce Mahalski, “Photos of the Atheist Pride March in Dunedin.” Accessed November 29, 2016. http://www.vice.com/en_nz/read/photos...
News Ticker:
Ekathimerini, “Archbishop Ieronymos against separation of Church & state.” Accessed November 29, 2016. http://www.ekathimerini.com/213628/ar...
Gregory Tomlin, “Atheist group loses hometown radio station to 24-hour Christmas music.” Accessed November 28, 2016. http://christianexaminer.com/article/...
Heather Clark, “Atheist Activist Group Objects to Weekly Bible Study at Wisconsin State Capitol.” Accessed November 29, 2016. http://christiannews.net/2016/11/18/a...
Anita Cates, “Jack T. Chick, Cartoonist Whose Tracts Preached Salvation, Dies at 92.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/27/art...
BBC. “US atheist sues after Kentucky refuses 'IM GOD' number plate.” Accessed December 2, 2016. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-cana...
Colin Perkel, “Minister asks to be defrocked over treatment of atheist colleague.” Accessed November 29, 2016.

Sources:
Jordanian Atheist Writer Murdered:
Suleiman Al-Khalidi, “Jordanian writer shot dead outside court before trial over cartoon.” Accessed September 30, 2016. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-jor...
Bethan McKerman & Agencies, “Alleged killer who shot atheist Jordanian writer identified.” Accessed September 30, 2016. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wor...
Ishaan Tharoor, “Arab TV host cheers secular writer’s assassination on television.” Accessed September 29, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/w...
NSS Calls on British Government to Outlaw Caste Discrimination:
National Secular Society, “NSS accuses Government of showing contempt for Parliament and UK’s international obligations on caste discrimination.” Accessed September 10, 2016. http://www.secularism.org.uk/news/201...
National Secular Society, “Calls for Government to outlaw caste discrimination after tribunal rules in favour of victim kept in “domestic servitude.” Accessed September 10, 2016. http://www.secularism.org.uk/news/201...
The Fundamentalizing of IDF:
David Zoldan, “The Ever-diminishing Dissonance of Being a Religious Soldier in Israel's Secular Army.” Accessed September 5, 2016. http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/books/....
Poll on Morality of Enhancing Body:
Michael Lipka, “The religious divide on views of technologies that would ‘enhance’ human beings.” Accessed September 15, 2016. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/...
Ticker:
Peter Montgomery, “Mexico’s Religious Conservatives Seek Anti-LGBT Constitutional Amendment, LGBT Activists Defend Secular Government; Cash From Qatar Funds ‘Traditional’ Family Activism Worldwide; Global LGBT Recap.” Accessed September 8, 2016. http://religiondispatches.org/mexicos...
Penny Edgell, Douglass Hartmann, Evan Stewart, & Joseph Gerteis, “Atheists and Other Cultural Outsiders: Moral Boundaries and the Non-Religious in the United States.” Accessed September 15, 2016. http://sf.oxfordjournals.org/content/...
Frances Beroset, “Retired general Martin Dempsey emphasizes importance of religion in developing moral values.” Accessed September 13, 2006. http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/...
Garrett Mitchell, “Lawsuit accuses Arizona charter schools of teaching history with religious slant.” Accessed September 29, 2016. http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Matt Payton, “Record numbers leave Church of Denmark after atheist adverts.” Accessed September 29, 2016. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wor...

Hello and welcome to the lowdown. Mother Theresa is canonized, John Kasich wonders what the hell is wrong with Daniel Radcliffe, Evangelicals seek to amend the Mexican constitution, and the National Secular Society celebrates its 150th anniversary. Those are the headlines for the week of Saturday September 17th 2016.

Sources:

Mother Theresa Cannonized:

Christopher Hitchens, “Mommie Dearest: The pope beatifies Mother Teresa, a fanatic, a fundamentalist, & a fraud.” Accessed September 12, 2016. http://www.slate.com/articles/news_an...

UdeMnouvelles, “Mother Teresa: Anything but a saint.” Accessed September 14, 2016. http://nouvelles.umontreal.ca/en/arti...

John Kasich Comments on Radcliff’s Atheism:

David Silverman, “A Challenge to Governor John Kasich.” Accessed September 8, 2016. http://www.atheistvoter.org/20160906_...

Proposed Amendment to Mexican Constitution:

Peter Montgomery, “Mexico’s Religious Conservatives Seek Anti-LGBT Constitutional Amendment, LGBT Activists Defend Secular Government; Cash From Qatar Funds ‘Traditional’ Family Activism Worldwide; Global LGBT Recap.” Accessed September 8, 2016. http://religiondispatches.org/mexicos...

National Secular Society Celebrates 150th Anniversary:

National Secular Society, “Secularism 2016 Conference: Secularism ‘on the frontline of the most important issue of our time.’” Accessed September 8, 2016. http://www.secularism.org.uk/news/201...

News Ticker:

Kevin Rothrock, “To Satirical to Release on Bail.” Accessed September 8, 2016. https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/p...

People’s Daily Morning Star, “Iraqi Trade Unionists Call for Secular State & End to Privatisations.” Accessed September 8, 2016. http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-...

Jessilyn Justice, “United Church of Canada Takes Bold Stance Against Liberal Agenda, Defrocks Atheist Minister.” Accessed September 15, 2016. http://www.charismanews.com/world/598...

Michael Friedson, “Latest Round of Secular vs. Religious in Israel Goes to Secular.” Accessed September 9, 2016. http://www.themedialine.org/mideast-d...

Harsha Prabhu, “Thousands March Against the Murder of Freethinkers in India.” Accessed September 8, 2016. http://www.echo.net.au/2016/09/march-...

The ACA strives to promote positive atheist culture. In this special report we take a look at their collaboration with the Texas Ramp Project which aims to provide wheelchair access to low income and elderly folks.

Sources:

Texas Ramp Project: texasramps.org
Atheist Community of Austin: atheist-community.org

France overturns burkini ban, Russia’s new and questionable education minister, Argentinian secular activists struggle to separate church and state, new Religious Landscape survey sheds light on why "Nones" leave religion, and we debut an events calendar! Those are the headlines for the week of Saturday September 3rd, 2016.

Sources:

French High Court Overturns Burkini Ban:

BBC, “France burkini: Highest court suspends ban.” Accessed August 31, 2016. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-...

Christine Ockrent, “A bathing suit tests France’s secular identity.” Accessed September 1, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...

Russia’s New Minister of Education:

Anna Plotnikova, “Russia's New Education Minister Gives Stalin a Nod.” Accessed September 2, 2016. http://www.voanews.com/a/russia-educa...

Tom Balmforth, “Critics Of Russia's New Education Minister See Threat To Secular Values.” Accessed September 2, 2016. http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-e...

Argentine Separation of Church and State Battle:

Santiago Del Carril, “Row over use of religious symbols in City reignites.” Accessed September 2, 2016. http://www.buenosairesherald.com/arti...

Pew Research Center: Why Nones Left Religion:

Michael Lipka, “Why America’s ‘nones’ left relgion behind.” Accessed August 31, 2016. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/...

News Ticker:

Anugrah Kumar, “Baptist Children’s Home Refuses $28,000 Donation Given in ‘Honor’ of Atheist Group.” Accessed August 30, 2016. http://www.christianpost.com/news/bap...

Kate Perelman, “North Carolina Law Allowing Magistrates To Avoid Officiating Marriages For Same-Sex Couples Facing Challenges In Federal Court.” Accessed September 2, 2016. http://www.protectthyneighbor.org/pos...

Diana Chandler, “Atheists block city grant to National Baptists.” Accessed September 1, 2016. http://www.brnow.org/News/August-2016...

David Weissman, “Dillsburg Non-Believers Group Sues State House.” Accessed August 30, 2016. http://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/new...