A look at most of the major news headlines about Christianity often paints its followers as ultraconservative people who are against certain minority groups, such as refugees and the LGBT community. However, that’s not always the case, and a potentially powerful movement known as the Christian Left, or progressive Christianity, is also present and making impacts in faith communities and beyond.
Category: Positive
![Secular Vote image of the logo for secular vote](https://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b128/cadfile/secularleft/70f7ee6b-d504-4f96-a36a-2e02946f8630.png)
The Secular Coalition for America (SCA) released its 2016 Presidential Voter Guides on Thursday August 18th. It consisted of eight areas of concern for the secular community and what each candidate said about those values, if available. The first two guides were for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump and, as no surprise, Clinton was given an ‘A’ rating while Trump got an ‘F’.
![President Obama visiting Baltimore mosque 2/3/2016 official image of President Obama visiting Baltimore mosque 2/3/2016](https://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b128/cadfile/secularleft/2016/obamamosquevisit2016.png)
President Obama visiting Baltimore mosque 2/3/2016
On Wednesday (2/3/2016), President Obama visited a mosque for the first time while in office. I applaud his visit and his remarks against bigotry toward Muslims, but when he talked about religious freedom, people who don’t subscribe to any religion seemed not to be included.
![Hobby Lobby image of a Hobby Lobby store front](https://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b128/cadfile/secularleft/2014/hobbylobby.png)
The Center for American Progress (CAP) sees the problem with religious freedom after the Hobby Lobby court decision in 2014. Religious freedom is being used as a weapon to discriminate. CAP has some ideas on how to restore the religious freedom balance. They all sound good.
![Pope Francis speaking in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia on Saturday 9-26-2015 screencap of Pope Francis speaking in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia on Saturday 9-26-2015](https://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b128/cadfile/secularleft/2015/popefrancisphilly250.jpg)
Pope Francis speaking in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia on Saturday 9-26-2015
Pope Francis gave a speech about religious freedom in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. While he made some good points about the importance of religious freedom, any mention of the non-religious was missing. Religious freedom is just as important to secular people as it is to the religious.
Popepalooza hit Philadelphia on Saturday and Pope Francis gave a speech in front of iconic Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both signed. The topic was religious freedom. I was interested to hear what he had to say about it.