Creationism Could Now Be Taught In Arkansas Science Classrooms

On April 7th, Arkansas’s House Bill 1701, which would allow Christian beliefs to be taught in schools, passed the House vote 72 to 21. The voting was strictly partisan, with Republicans having the majority.

SHAME: The Arkansas House just passed an unconstitutional bill that allows public schools to teach the Christian theory of creationism as science. https://t.co/TV9vdwyEPy

French Senate Bans Hijab for Muslim Women Under Age 18

France’s move to outlaw wearing the hijab in public places for girls under age 18 was proposed under France’s “Separatist Bill” and approved by Members of Parliament (MP) on February 16th. The French Senate decided in favor of the bill on March 30th.

The Separatist Bill was officially named for “reinforcing Republican principles.” The objective of this legislation is to give France the resources to fight Islamic radicalism.

Prophet Muhammad cartoon sparks massive fallout at UK Grammar School

On March 22nd, a West Yorkshire school teacher showed his students a cartoon image depicting the prophet Muhammad to illustrate a lesson within the school’s curriculum. Within three days, at least 50 demonstrators gathered outside of Batley Grammar School to protest the teacher’s actions.

New Study Finds That Being ‘Godless’ May Be Good For Your Health

Several studies in recent decades found that being religious correlates with good health. New studies have challenged the finding that being an atheist correlates with poor health!

Believers who attend church services regularly are less likely to smoke, use drugs or become obese. They may live longer than those who do not attend any religious church services. Some have been led to conclude, according to those findings, that if religion is good for you, then being an atheist must be bad for your health.

Canada Declares China’s Actions Against Uyghurs is Genocide

Canada’s House of Commons voted unanimously to affirm that China’s actions toward it’s ethnic minority of Uyghurs is genocide. Justin Trudeau and liberal members of his cabinet did not attend the vote on Monday. By declaring China’s “reeducation” camps as part of an ongoing campaign of genocide, Canada joins the United States as the second nation to stand up to China’s violations of human rights.

New Bill Forbids Sexuality Displays In Public Schools In Anti-LGBT Move

West Virginia Legislature introduced a controversial bill on February 10th, 2021, to remove essential teachings from public schools.

House Bill 2157 proposes eliminating any teachings of sexuality and forbids displays meant to promote understanding among all students related to such instructions in public schools. Although it doesn’t specify any particular group or sexuality in written form, it is widely known as an attempt to ban any mention of the LGBTQ+ community.

Nine Thousand Children Married in Iran in Summer of 2020

On January 31st, the Statistical Center of Iran reported that approximately 9,058 girls between ages 10 and 14 were married in 2020.

Officials who enact marriage laws based on the Islamic constitution often cite the eighth-century Muslim scholar Imam Sadiq, who stated that a 'happy father' does not permit his daughter to menstruate in his house. Today, the basis of Iran’s matrimonial laws is formed from this specific interpretation of Islam.

Over 9,000 10–14 year-old girls married in 3 months

Five Sentenced to Death in Bangladesh for Killing Atheist Blogger

In February 2015, a renowned Bangladeshi-American blogger and published author, Avijit Roy, was gruesomely murdered in Dhaka at age 42. Roy was a notableadvocate of the free-thought movement, particularly in Bangladesh,

Roy was an American citizen of Bangladeshi provenance and a critic of religious extremism. He was publicly assaulted by machete-wielding assassins who butchered him to death as he and his wife were leaving a Dhaka book fair in February 2015. His wife, Rafida Ahmed, suffered head injuries and lost a finger.

Gaza Revises Recent Ruling That Women Need Male Permission to Travel

On Sunday, February 14th, a Hamas-run Islamic court ruled that unmarried women in the Gaza Strip now require permission from a male ‘guardian’ to travel, which is usually an older male relative. A married woman would require approval from her husband. Permission to travel without guardianship would have to be authorized by a court.

27% of White Evangelicals Think QAnon is Real

Among white evangelicals, over 25 percent still believe in “QAnon” conspiracy theories. This may suggest some people experience difficulty abandoning one conspiracy theory when they believe whole-heartedly in another.