30 episodes
We Dissent Rebecca Markert
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- News
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4.9 • 76 Ratings
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We Dissent is a monthly podcast by three secular women, who also happen to be powerhouse attorneys at major secular organizations in the U.S. Join us as we discuss developments affecting the separation of church and state in the US Supreme Court and lower federal courts. We’ll also explore other advocacy work we do to help atheists and other nonreligious people outside the courtroom. We know there are so many atheist podcasts and legal podcasts and you have a lot to choose from, but we hope you’ll join us, the only legal podcast for atheists and agnostics hosted completely by women lawyers. We can’t wait to start these conversations.
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Christians Against Christian Nationalism
Alison, Liz, and Rebecca welcome guest Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee and lead organizer of BJC’s Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign. They discuss the urgent threat that Christian nationalist ideology poses to American democracy, how nonreligious and religious Americans alike can fight back, and Amanda explains the strong historical tradition of supporting state/church separation in the Baptist movement.
Show Notes
Amanda Tyler’s Bio
How to End Christian Nationalism by Amanda Tyler
Baptist Joint Committee
Respecting Religion Podcast
Roger Williams Symposium: Is This a Christian Nation?
BCJ and FFRF’s joint report “Christian Nationalism and the January 6, 2021 Insurrection”
Christians Against Christian Nationalism
Previous episode that talks about the Texas chaplain bill
BJC’s "say 'no' to chaplains in public schools"
FFRF’s 2023 Convention Panel on Christian Nationalism
Check us out on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts. -
Tax the Church!
Join Rebecca, Alison and Liz for a journey through the history and principles behind the U.S. exempting churches from taxation! We discuss the practice of tax exemption for charitable organizations, including churches, the major cases about the constitutionality of these ideas, and abuses of the Johnson Amendment.
Background
History of churches and taxes
2024 State of the Secular States report
FFRF FAQ on churches and tax exemption
Churchtrac - The State of Church Giving: Trends and Statistics (2024)
IRS requirements for church audits
Other podcasts that talk about church taxation
Tax Chat
Evangelicalish
Cases
Trinidad v. Sagrada Orden (1924)
Walz v. Tax Commission of the City of New York (1970)
FFRF’s IRS Cases
FFRF v. Geithner (2014)
FFRF v. Daniel Werfel (2014)
Gaylor v. Mnuchin (2016)
Nonbelief Relief v. Kautter (2019)
Texas Monthly v. Bullock (1989)
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Check us out on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts. -
State of the State Legislatures in 2024
It’s that wonderful time of year when Alison guides Rebecca and Liz through the upcoming legislative sessions in states across the country. We discuss upsetting trends in state legislation and bills we’re monitoring that affect the separation of church and state and threaten true religious liberty for everyone.
Background and Resources
Previous episode about the legislative process
Previous episode about Texas
2024 State of the Secular States report
American Atheists State Legislation Tracker
What you can do
FFRF and American Atheists’ Action Alerts
Equality Florida
ACLU State Affiliates
Reproductive Freedom For All
Bills Discussed
Religion in schools
School chaplain bills
Texas
Florida
Indiana
Nebraska
Alabama
Oklahoma HB 2962: Would require the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms
Utah HB 269: Would allow teachers to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms
Arizona SB 1151: Would allow teachers to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms
West Virginia SB 280: Would allow teachers to each intelligent design as a theory of how the universe came to exist
Trans bills
The Guardian - “Missouri is ground zero for the firehose of anti-trans legislation”
Missouri HB1674: Would make it discrimination for a business to allow trans employees to access appropriate bathrooms
Utah HB 257: Would make using a bathroom that does not align with one’s sex assigned at birth a criminal trespass offense
Healthcare
Missouri HB 1519: Prohibits discrimination against health care professionals who refuse to assist in trans healthcare
Oklahoma SB 1729: Would recognize abortion as homicide
Idaho HJR001: Would remove the no aid clause from the Idaho constitution
Cases Discussed
Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)
Kennedy v. Bremerton School District (2022)
Stone v. Graham (1980)
Van Orden v. Perry (2005)
Check us out on Instagram, Facebook, and X (Formerly Twitter).
Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.
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You’ve Got Mail
Liz and Rebecca answer your burning questions on religious liberty issues and more! This episode, we reach into the mailbag and take on topics from YOU, our loyal listeners.
Background
FFRF’s Website
American Atheists’ Website
Alliance for Justice: Statement of Principles: The Biden Administration Must Prioritize Judges
Check us out on Instagram, Facebook, and X (Formerly Twitter).
Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.
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Inside the Mormon Church
Alison, Liz, and Rebecca interview Anaya Gayle—lawyer, ex-Mormon, and former BYU assistant dean. They discuss the power and influence the church wields and life for LGBTQ+ students at BYU, as Anaya shares her experience inside the insular LDS community.
Background
More about Anaya Gayle
Anaya's Bio
Interview with the Human Stories podcast
News story - “Former BYU assistant dean speaks out against Honor Code”
BYU Honor Code controversy
BYU Honor Code
"The Divine Institution of Marriage": An Overview of LDS Involvement in the Proposition 8 Campaign
Check us out on Instagram, Facebook and X ( Formerly Twitter).
Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.
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It’s Time to Wake Up! With Prof. Marci Hamilton
Alison, Liz, and Rebecca are joined by Professor Marci Hamilton, legal icon and leading expert on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and extreme religious liberty. Professor Hamilton explains the origin story of RFRA, how it has led us to the emerging theocracy we face, and what Americans can do to reclaim true religious liberty before it’s too late.
Submit a question for the holiday mailbag episode here!
Background
Professor Marci Hamilton’s bio
CHILD USA, Prof. Hamilton's think tank
FFRF’s FAQ on RFRA
Congressional Research Service primer on RFRA
Cases
City of Boerne v. Flores (1997)
Employment Division v. Smith (1990)
Tanzin v. Tanvir (2020)
FFRF’s amicus brief, written by Marci Hamilton
American Atheists and Center For Inquiry’s amicus brief
303 Creative LLC v. Elenis (2023)
U.S. Pastor Council (Braidwood Management) v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2023)
Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC (2012)
Check us out on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.
Customer Reviews
Not too nerdy
3 women lawyers bring the secular look at the law that the constitution demands without drowning the audience in case law trivia. Worth the time!
The best legal podcast
I found this when I was listening to the Freedom from Religion podcast and I am so happy I found this podcast. I appreciate the work that they do and how they keep the listeners informed on what’s going on.
I do not dissent
Is there a perfect legal podcast? If there is, this is it. Direct and focused on state/church entanglement which in this day and age just may be the source of all the legal and government hellscapes we're enduring. Amazingly knowledgable hosts who know how to deliver the information directly to lay people.