Secularism

And I don't think the word secular is particularly helpful.

You look at what my Indian colleagues in the law and religion studies would look at and say, "Secular, we have Indian secularism," and it means pluralism, and it means, uh, Hindu, uh, cultural practices in the public sphere because they're cultural, not religious, remember, so that's okay.

Uh, and then you look at what the French would say, and the French would say, "Well, there's a, a strict separation, Laïcité, but we also are gonna fund the churches." You look to what America would say is American secularism.

"We're gonna have a strict separation, but God save America." You look to Canadian secularism, and you have a form of pluralism, but it's completely different in Quebec.

The word secularism means what it means in its context.

Today, listen to some of his drumming prowess during the breaks in the songs Tom Sawyer, Fly by Night, Limelight, and Subdivisions.

This week on FFRF's YouTube show Secular Spotlight, stand-up comedian Elizabeth Booker Houston joined FFRF Governmental Affairs Director Mark Dan and multimedia producer Leo Costello to break down complex legal and political issues, but in a humorous way.

Elizabeth has degrees in psychology, law, and public health.

She spent years working at the FDA.

Only 4% or 5% of lawyers are Black, you know, even fewer are Black women, and really just trying to make sure the information is, is accessible and understandable to my community specifically, that's always, like, the top of my mind because Black Americans are going to very often be the most impacted by the negative outcomes of things that happen in the law.

So you wanna watch that entire episode and go to FFRF's YouTube channel.

Look for Secular Spotlight playlist, or you can subscribe there, or also catch it on Free Thought TV, which is FFRF's free TV app.

Just Google it to figure out how to use it.

You name your choice.

Secularism.

Do you know what secularism means? Secular humanism, they call it.

Easy, Google it.

It's pushing Christ out, not any God.

It pushes Christ.

Secularism is people who, for whatever reason in their heart, do not want Christ.

They reject him.

in the Christian Research Journal.

There's a terrific article titled, Sex, Lies, and Secularism.

And she is pointing out the extreme consequences to young people, even Christian young people, who are sincere in their belief, but have become very secular in their behavior.

Nancy Peercy has a book out called Saving Leonardo, and the article in the journal is based on that book, but she's also the author of the best-selling, award-winning Total Truth, Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity.

Why did Notre Dame burn? Because it's owned by the state.

Why is it owned by the state? The laws of Laïcité from the early 20th century.

Well,

yeah, okay.

Listen for some of Waters' music during today's show, including Another Brick in the Wall, Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, and perhaps a song with his most recognizable bass riff, Money.

This week on FFRF's YouTube show, Secular Spotlight, FFRF attorneys Ryan Jane and Sammy Lawrence, along with our Regional Governmental Affairs Director, Mickey Dollins, spoke with the Executive Director of the Secular Student Alliance, he's Kevin Bolling, we've had him on this show before, about how non-religious students can organize, advocate for their rights, and push back against religious coercion in public schools.

They explored real-world examples of student activism and they offered practical advice for young people who want to defend church-state separation in their schools and their communities.

Let's listen to a clip where Bolling explains why it's so important for secular students to speak up right now.

Over the last year and a half, we've continued to find very small but deliberate things that are making it more and more harder for student organizations to start and to be active on their campuses.

And of course, FFRF can do something about that.

Catch that episode of Secular Spotlight on our YouTube channel, and you can also subscribe to Secular Spotlight, the playlist.

New episodes are posted by end of day Tuesdays, Central Time.

What they do, what they wear when they're off duty is entirely up to them.

I mean, remember, the first part of that Laïcité law protects the right of everyone to practice their religion.

And also, if you are visiting the prefecture just as a member of the public, you're perfectly free to wear any religious garment that you like because you're not a representative of the state.

So that's the basic law.

We're gonna hear some of Parker's music today during the breaks, including Confirmation, Just One of Those Things, Now's the Time, and The Song is You.

And Dan, this week on FFRF's YouTube show, Secular Spotlight, you were joined by an ex-evangelical pastor who had personally sent you a letter thanking you for helping him in his pursuit for truth.

Because I also wa- am an ex-evangelical pastor.

Yes, his name is Timmy Gibson.

Yeah.

You can watch that episode on FFRF's YouTube channel.

Look for the Secular Spotlight playlist, and new, new episodes go up Tuesday afternoons.

So a lot of news to report, uh, and some of it is very good.