What is the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF)?

Response

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is a nonprofit national membership organization with the stated goals of promoting the constitutional principle of separation of state and church and educating the public on matters related to nontheism. It is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, and was established by Annie Laurie Gaylor, a third-generation freethinker (atheist) who, along with her mother, Anne Nicol Gaylor, co-founded FFRF in 1976. Presently, Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor (who married in 1987) serve as co-presidents of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and co-hosts of Freethought Radio.

In recent times, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has gained recognition for its endeavors to halt religious activities or eliminate expressions of religion from public institutions. The FFRF has participated in legal actions to cease prayers at high school graduations and football games, eliminate Bible verses at local school events, and prohibit similar manifestations of faith.

Such legal actions are typically grounded in what the Freedom From Religion Foundation refers to as the Jeffersonian “wall of separation between church and state.” It is worth noting that the concept of separation of church and state is not explicitly outlined in the U.S. Constitution. Instead, the First Amendment to the Constitution declares that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” This provision restricts Congress from enacting certain laws while also safeguarding the religious freedom of U.S. citizens. The Bill of Rights appears to contradict the mission of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, as it underscores freedom “of” religion rather than freedom “from” religion.

The framers of the Constitution were apprehensive about the potential abuses of a state church and took measures to prevent the establishment of an official state religion through legislation. However, they did not harbor concerns about religious expression in the public sphere. The primaryThe majority of the Constitution’s signers claimed to be devout Christians and affirmed Christian beliefs. Thomas Jefferson himself originally emphasized the separation of church and state due to his desire to protect religious liberty from an overreaching government.

Christians in the United States have sometimes been put in difficult situations due to the actions of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. For example, a local school that wants to include a graduation prayer could face a lawsuit or other legal action. Local Christians then must determine how important the issue is to their faith and religious liberty.

The Bible offers examples of believers who faced legal opposition to their faith, centuries before the establishment of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Daniel prayed despite the king’s edict and the threat of death in a den of lions. Peter and John were beaten and commanded not to preach in Jesus’ name, yet they continued to spread the gospel. The apostle Paul was arrested on multiple occasions for teaching Jesus was the Messiah. The suppression of truth is nothing new «For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; », (Romans 1:18). Christians still face difficult decisions and sometimes persecution today because of their expressions of faith. Even so, Jesus says, “I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” «But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; », (Matthew 5:44).