Press Release
Abortion Pill Suspension Contradicts Beliefs of Most People of Faith, Says Interfaith Leader
People of diverse faiths and beliefs are criticizing Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s decision Friday to halt FDA approval of the abortion pill mifepristone as an egregious violation of religious freedom.
The Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement:
"The suspension of mifepristone is the anti-choice movement’s latest attempt to force the religious beliefs of a few on the bodies of many. Contrary to the narrative being pushed by Christian nationalists, with whom the ruling judge has close ties, reproductive freedom is an essential part of religious freedom. This is a clear overstep by an activist judge, motivated more by theology than the law.
"Various religious traditions approach matters of health care differently. Americans should have the ability to make decisions based on their own beliefs and circumstances, not the religious views of public officials. This ruling is completely out of step with the views of Americans from almost every religious tradition according to polls and underlined by the recent Supreme Court vote in Wisconsin, where abortion was a major factor in the landslide victory of Janet Protasiewicz.
"If one thing has become clear since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, it’s that people of faith and conscience will not cede ground to an extreme minority, and will continue to fight for all people to have access to comprehensive reproductive services."
I.R.S. Support for Political Endorsement by Houses of Worship Erodes Critical Boundary Between Religion and Government
WASHINGTON – Interfaith Alliance, a national leader in defending religious freedom and inclusive multi-faith democracy, is deeply concerned by a new I.R.S. court filing that says churches and other houses of worship can endorse political candidates to their congregations from the pulpit. This action by the Trump Administration violates the fundamental purpose and spirit of the Johnson Amendment, a decades-old ban on political campaigning and endorsement by non-profits, including houses of worship.
Interfaith Alliance Condemns Islamophobia and Extremist Targeting of Public Officials
As a national leader in defending religious freedom and multi-faith democracy, Interfaith Alliance is appalled by the recent surge of Islamophobic hate speech and incitement against NYC Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, and the broader pattern of extreme hate directed against public officials and vulnerable minorities. This hateful rhetoric seeks to spread polarization and division and wrongly pit diverse American communities against one another.
SCOTUS Ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor Enables LGBTQ+ Discrimination, Harms True Religious Freedom
WASHINGTON, DC – Interfaith Alliance, a national leader in defending religious freedom and multi-faith democracy, is deeply disturbed by the Supreme Court’s ruling today in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor. The decision clears the way for further discrimination against diverse groups and undermines public education. While falsely claiming the mantle of religious freedom, it in fact suppresses diversity and promotes exclusion.