Theocracy Watch: Week of November 1, 2026
FFRF fights church-state mixing in Texas, the Pentagon, and Arkansas schools.
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This week: FFRF challenges a Texas pastor over electioneering restrictions, warns of Christian nationalism at the Pentagon, and secures a secular display replacement in Arkansas.
FFRF challenges Texas pastor on election law
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is challenging a Texas megachurch pastor’s claims that attempting to have federal electioneering restrictions enforced amounts to intimidation tactics. Josh Howerton, senior pastor of Lakepointe Church in Rockwall, Texas, accuses FFRF of engaging in street-level lawfare and aiming to silence conservative pastors because the state/church watchdog reports violations of the Johnson Amendment to the IRS. The Johnson Amendment is a federal law that prohibits tax-exempt organizations from intervening in political campaigns. Howerton’s accusations come two years after FFRF filed an IRS complaint over his October 2024 sermon, How to Vote Like Jesus, in which he appeared to encourage congregants to support Donald Trump over Kamala Harris.
Read more at FFRF
Pentagon Christian nationalism concerns grow
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is decrying the growing influence of Christian nationalism at the Pentagon following disturbing revelations about a senior adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. A new CNN investigation reveals that Ryan Higgins, Hegseth’s senior adviser on religious matters, has spent years promoting conspiracy theories, spreading racist and homophobic rhetoric and openly rejecting the separation of church and state. For example, Higgins has declared that the Separation of Church and State does not exist and proclaimed, THIS IS A CHRISTIAN NATION. His social media history includes describing LGBTQ Americans as the satanic cult of LGBTQ, condemning same-sex marriage as abominable, and attacking Muslims with the claim that Islam teaches death to all who do not follow its tenets.
Read more at FFRF
Arkansas school swaps cross for inclusion
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has successfully persuaded an Arkansas public elementary school to replace a divisive Christian display with a far more welcoming message. What began as a display featuring a large Latin cross and the words One Nation Under GOD inside a silhouette of the United States now features inclusive messages such as United, Common Ground, Opportunity, Kindness, We the People and Belonging. The change came after a concerned community member contacted FFRF about the original display, which had been featured on the school’s official Facebook page. Seeing this display made my heart hurt for the students that are not Christian, the complainant explained. FFRF wrote to Bergman Public Schools on Aug. 31, explaining that public schools cannot promote Christianity.
Read more at FFRF
Around the country
Washington, DC: The Secular Coalition for America raises concerns about the new Office of Religious Affairs in a letter to the Senate Armed Services. Secular Coalition
This week on the map
Kentucky: Voters rejected a voucher amendment in Nov 2024, but HB 1 (2026, enacted over veto) opted Kentucky into the federal tax-credit scholarship program. On Oct 22, 2026, the US Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional a Kentucky law requiring posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools. Source
Montana: HB359 (2023) remains blocked after the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the preliminary injunction on March 13, 2026, keeping the state from enforcing the drag performance restriction. Source
Arkansas: Act 372 makes 'furnishing a harmful item to a minor' a Class A misdemeanor. The Eighth Circuit reversed the injunction on July 30, 2026, so it is now enforceable. A separate unchallenged provision is a Class D felony, up to 6 years, for library employees. The challengers have asked the Eighth Circuit to rehear the case, and the court asked both sides for briefs (Oct 2026). However, a court ruling on Sep 29, 2026, blocked the state from enforcing the section making librarians criminally liable for obscene materials. Source
Idaho: Felony, up to 5 years, to recruit, harbor or transport a minor for abortion without parental consent. The Ninth Circuit upheld the law, reversing the prior block on the 'recruiting' clause; the entire statute is now in effect. Source
Missouri: The 2024 Right to Reproductive Freedom amendment protects abortion to viability. A 2026 ruling struck the 72-hour waiting period and mandatory pelvic exams; medication abortion resumed in June 2026 for the first time since 2018. On October 7, 2025, the court ruled in favor of defendants regarding restrictions on gender transition procedures for minors. Source
Arkansas: Act 372 lets city and county boards relocate challenged library material out of minors' reach; HB 1646 requires K-5 'sexual content' titles in locked storage. Section 1 (criminal liability for librarians) is blocked following a court ruling, while the rest of the law remains in force. Source
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Good news
Ron Reagan, the unabashed atheist and honorary director of FFRF, received the Robert G. Ingersoll Freethinker of the Year award. Read more at FFRF
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