Appeals Court: Religious Freedom Doesn’t Require Guns in Church

Written by Don Byrd
The 11th Circuit turned away a minister’s argument that he has a constitutional right to carry guns in church. Jonathan Wilkins claimed that a Georgia law banning firearms in houses of worship violated his religious freedom rights, but …

Federal Judge Orders Murfreesboro Mosque Open as BJC, Others Offer Support

Written by Don Byrd
A federal judge in Tennessee has issued a temporary restraining order halting a state court’s order prohibiting a mosque in Murfreesboro from opening because the County Commission that granted the building permit violated the state’s open meeting laws in the process. …

Justice Department Backs Religious Liberty Challenge to Prison Tobacco Ban

Written by Don Byrd
The Justice Department has filed a brief on behalf of two Native American inmates in a South Dakota prison. Citing the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, they are challenging the state’s removal of a religious exemption from the general ban on tobacco use that was in place for several years. …

Does State Law Prohibit Snake-Handling Exercise?

Written by Don Byrd
In East Tennessee’s La Follette, Pastor Andrew Hamblin is on a mission to overturn the state’s law prohibiting the ownership of venomous snakes. His argument? That the law conflicts with his religious exercise, which regularly involves snake-handling as a test of faith.