In a nation founded on religious freedom, defending the right to diverse beliefs is not just important—it’s essential to our survival.

Many forces at play seek to undermine this country’s founding principle of religious freedom. Right-wing groups are increasingly advocating for limiting this constitutional right. Such ideas should be deeply troubling to every American, especially those in multi-faith families or relationships.

The strength of this nation has been built upon centuries of religious freedom, safeguarded by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” These words, written by the founding fathers, form the bedrock of our democracy.

Yet, there are forces that threaten this vital foundation. One such group, the Heritage Foundation, has taken center stage with its Project 2025, which aims to reshape the U.S. into a constitutional dictatorship under a white Christian Nationalist regime.

The push for a state religion not only desecrates our Constitution but also seeks to tear apart the very fabric of our diverse society. Ironically, many of the individuals leading this charge consider themselves the true defenders of the Constitution and American patriotism, even as they seek to undermine the fundamental rights that it guarantees.

This assault on pluralism is not only a political problem but a moral one, and it’s precisely why I, as a secular atheist, feel compelled to defend it. While I do not adhere to any particular religious belief, I understand the value of pluralism.

Pluralism—the belief that society benefits from accepting and practicing multiple religions through multiculturalism and tolerance—is essential for maintaining social harmony. It ensures that people of all faiths and backgrounds can coexist peacefully, respecting each other’s beliefs and traditions.

To a lot of people, atheism seems like a single, straightforward category—just a rejection of gods, plain and simple. But that’s an oversimplification. Atheism isn’t about actively denying gods; it’s about a lack of belief or certainty in their existence. That’s it. But within that definition, there’s a whole spectrum of attitudes toward religion.

The distinctions I’m about to make aren’t official classifications—they’re just the way I personally see the different approaches people take.

Some atheists—what I’d call “religious atheists”—don’t believe in gods but engage with religion in ways that resemble religious behavior. They may treat their atheism as a core identity, argue passionately about the harm of religion, or even proselytize like the very people they criticize.

A subset of this group is what’s commonly called anti-theists, who believe religion is inherently harmful and should be actively opposed. This particular stance is often mistaken as representative of all atheists, which only fuels misconceptions.

I consider myself a “secular atheist.” Like all atheists, I don’t hold a belief in deities, but I’m not out to debate or dismantle religion. My focus is on keeping religion and government separate, ensuring that no belief system—religious or nonreligious—gets special treatment under the law.

Secular atheists, as I see it, value pluralism because we recognize that true religious freedom isn’t just about the right to be nonreligious, it’s about making sure everyone has the right to believe (or not believe) as they choose, without interference.

And that’s all without even getting into Gnosticism, agnosticism and the whole spectrum of belief and non-belief. Some atheists identify as agnostic, admitting they don’t or can’t know for sure whether gods exist, while others lean toward certainty one way or the other.

The point is that atheism isn’t a monolith, and the way different atheists engage with religion—or don’t—plays a huge role in how they approach issues like religious freedom and pluralism.

Among atheists and advocates for religious freedom, one organization stands out from the rest: The Satanic Temple (TST). For many people, their only exposure to TST is when they have been placing satanic displays next to nativity scenes at state capitols, but more than ever in the past five years, they have been hard at work to ensure the freedom of religion across the U.S.

 When state legislatures sought to place chaplains in public schools, a clear violation of the First Amendment, TST went to the legislative sessions and promised to place satanic chaplains into schools.

 This public declaration that satanic chaplains would be placed in schools alarmed and upset the Christians who were pushing these policies back down. These reactions illustrate a fundamental hypocrisy: many who advocate for religious influence in public life only support it when it aligns with their beliefs.

TST’s strategy exposes the dangers of selective religious liberty. If a Christian chaplain is welcome in public schools, then so too should be a Satanic chaplain—or else the policy itself is unconstitutional.

This fight is not just about symbolism; it’s about ensuring that religious freedom remains an equal right for all, rather than a tool for religious majorities to impose their views on others.

However, attempts to infringe upon First Amendment protections are not limited to symbolic battles over displays or school chaplains. Across the U.S., policies are being pushed that threaten true religious liberty.

For instance, recent legislative efforts in multiple states have sought to mandate prayer in public schools, restrict LGBTQ+ rights based on religious doctrine and allow businesses to discriminate under the guise of “religious freedom.” These efforts violate the spirit of the First Amendment, which was designed to protect individuals from government-imposed religion, not to privilege certain faiths over others.

Some of these efforts come from organizations that have previously advocated for freedom of religion and pluralism such as the Heritage Foundation, which is unrecognizable from the organization it was 15 years ago.

It and many other organizations have changed their views to only favor the political right within the discussion of religious freedom, arguing that “No citizen should be personally and professionally destroyed for declining to embrace a current cultural norm.”

The “cultural norm” the Heritage Foundation is referring to is the existence of LGBTQIA+ folk and their right to marriage. For the right, religious freedom is not about protecting everyone’s right to worship, it is expressly about limiting the rights of those they deem sinful.

Pluralism is not just about tolerating different beliefs—it is about ensuring that no single ideology, religious or secular, dominates public life to the detriment of others.

The moment we allow one group to dictate the religious landscape of our country, we open the door for discrimination, oppression and the erosion of the freedoms that define American democracy. Defending religious liberty means defending it for all—Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, atheists, Satanists and everyone in between.

If we truly value religious freedom, we must recognize that it is not a weapon to enforce majority beliefs but a shield to protect everyone, especially minorities.

The question before us is simple: Do we stand by the First Amendment and its guarantees, or do we allow its promise to die with the rest of our democracy?

Dylan Podlinski can be reached at [email protected]