The First Freedom Foundation advances freedom of religion or belief worldwide by equipping freedom fighters with tools and training.
Salt Lake City, UT
Joined September 2022
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Wild how fast this blew up! 😂
With all the bad news out there, if you’re craving inspiring stories from young advocates on the frontlines of religious freedom, come follow us.
You deserve a break too!
First Freedom Foundation retweeted
The mainstream media, in large part, has chosen its side, and they won’t let plain facts—like dozens of Christians slaughtered every year on the same Holy Days by jihadists in Nigeria—get in the way.
This is disgusting. A new low, even for the @NYTimes. It’s been barely a day since Jos was rocked by this horrific attack by radical Islamic terrorists against peaceful Christians, and the Times couldn’t bother to ask for comment before running this anti-Christian hit.
Here’s what I would have said if you asked for comment:
"How many more Christians need to be slaughtered by Muslims, particularly on holy days, before the failing New York Times acknowledges that Christians in Nigeria are being massacred for their faith in our Lord and Savior? It’s pretty obvious if you aren’t trying to pass your radical political agenda off as news."
We didn’t steal anything, we promise.
But Heaven knows the world of religious freedom could really use a break!!!
Who’s coming Thursday for sweet success stories?
JUST IN: KitKat releases statement after 413,793 candy bars (12 tons) were stolen while in transit.
“We can confirm that 12T of KitKat products were stolen while in transit between our factory in Central Italy and their destination in Poland,” KitKat announced.
“We are working closely with local authorities and supply chain partners to investigate.”
“The good news: there are no concerns for consumer safety, and supply is not affected. Thank you.”
We didn’t steal anything, we promise.
But Heaven knows the world of religious freedom could really use a break!
Who’s coming Thursday for sweet success stories?
There you have it — not a simple story of villains and victims, but a reminder that religious freedom is a universal right, not an absolute one.
Sometimes safety limits belief, and sometimes belief limits safety. The challenge is knowing when those limits are justified, and when they are simply power in disguise.
If you think more people should reflect on these questions instead of reacting to headlines, help us widen the conversation. Like, share, and send this #BeliefBrief to someone who cares about freedom of religion or belief in a complicated world.
🌍 GOOD NEWS: Global Call to Defend Religious Freedom from the Vatican
Pope Leo XIV declares belief rights not optional but essential
Pope Leo XIV has issued a powerful call for a worldwide defense of religious freedom and human dignity. He reminded the global community that freedom of belief is not a privilege granted by governments but a universal right rooted in the inherent worth of every human being.
The Pope warned that when faith is silenced, fear replaces trust and oppression breeds violence. He described religious liberty as the moral space where conscience forms and societies flourish, urging political leaders to protect this right as essential for justice, peace, and authentic human development.
Source: vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/…
5/5 🌏 Women in Christian-Minority Countries Are Easy Targets for Persecution
Gender and faith collide as female believers face abduction, rape, and rejection
At a recent global panel, experts highlighted how Christian women are kidnapped on their way to school, forcibly converted, raped, and then rejected by both their families and churches upon return. Many survivors come back pregnant or with children fathered by militants, facing deep social stigma and isolation.
Speakers emphasized that such violence is not random but part of a deliberate strategy that exploits both gender and religious vulnerability. By targeting women often seen as “easy” and unprotected, persecutors aim to break communities from within. The testimonies reveal that gender-based religious persecution remains one of the most under-reported and least addressed dimensions of global FoRB violations.
Source: christiandaily.com/news/wome…
4/5 🇺🇸 California’s New Antisemitism Law Sparks Debate Over Whether Protecting One Faith Can Punish Others’ Beliefs
When speech becomes a regulated category, the ability to manifest belief becomes a permission, not a right
California has enacted a law requiring state-funded schools to classify certain statements about Judaism, Israel, or Zionism as discriminatory conduct. This can trigger disciplinary action for students or faculty, investigations under campus bias rules, and even loss of funding or accreditation if a school fails to respond.
Supporters say the law equips schools to confront genuine antisemitic threats and harassment. Opponents argue that by treating religious, moral, or political disagreement as discrimination, the law extends school discipline into areas of protected belief and expression.
At issue is how to prevent threats and intimidation against Jewish students while still protecting the rights of others to hold, debate, and manifest their beliefs — a line that free societies have been negotiating for centuries.
Source: apnews.com/article/californi…
3/5 🇿🇦 South Africa Advances Laws That Criminalize Religious Speech and Expand State Power Over Faith Communities
When the state decides which beliefs may be spoken, freedom of religion exists only on paper
South Africa’s new Hate Speech Act introduces prison penalties for speech the government deems “hateful,” a definition broad enough to include statements rooted in sincere religious conviction. At the same time, proposals to license religious leaders and impose state-approved content in early education have raised alarms among legal and faith groups who say these measures place doctrine and parental rights under government review.
Critics argue the combined effect is a shift from protecting citizens against violence to policing belief itself — a standard far outside the “necessary and proportionate” limits allowed under international law.
Source: blog.g20interfaith.org/2025/…
2/5 🇮🇹 Italy: Bill Proposes Nationwide Burqa, Niqab Ban and Strict Religious Funding Oversight
International law starts with freedom of religion; the burden now falls on Italy to prove restrictions are “necessary,” “proportionate,” and non-discriminatory.
Italy’s governing coalition has introduced a bill that would prohibit full-face coverings, including the burqa and niqab, in all public spaces, with fines of €300 to €3,000 for violations. The proposal also increases financial reporting requirements for religious groups not officially recognized by the state, including disclosure of foreign donations, which the government says is necessary to prevent extremist influence.
Supporters argue the measures are aimed at public safety, social cohesion, and transparency in religious funding. Critics say the bill disproportionately affects Muslim women, risks setting a precedent for state control over minority faiths, and pushes the legal boundaries of religious freedom.
Source: reuters.com/world/new-italia…
1/5 🇺🇸 U.S. Trump Re-Designates Nigeria a "Country of Particular Concern" — and Warns of Consequences if Abuja Fails to Act
Tens of thousands have been slaughtered--churches burned, villages emptied--yet Nigeria’s leaders offer excuses instead of justice.
The United States government placed Nigeria on their list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC), a re-designation which opens the door to targeted sanctions, conditional assistance, and closer scrutiny of impunity for attacks on religious communities.
The Nigerian government responded by framing the crisis as a general security problem rather than a pattern of religiously targeted attacks, a stance long challenged by human-rights monitors.
The CPC designation now places Nigeria under closer U.S. review, and next steps will hinge on measurable progress in prosecutions and civilian protection. If Abuja continues to minimize the violence and shield perpetrators, it will narrow the diplomatic options available, and risk escalating the situation toward harsher measures truly no one wants to see.
abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-d…
@USCIRF
Most weeks are as clear-cut as a machete. This week was not.
Some limits on religious expression come from real public goods — preventing violence, preserving order, protecting the vulnerable.
Other limits arrive disguised as “safety,” but are really tools to silence belief.
The only way through is compassion and honest debate.
Buckle up for this week’s #BeliefBrief.
First Freedom Foundation retweeted
Such a meaningful time at the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh—spending time with the community as part of a deeply committed @JFAorg delegation led by @MalikMujahid, with Sameer Hossain, Rafi Uddin Ahmed, and Richard Reoch.
More than 1.2 million Rohingya refugees have fled genocide in Myanmar, enduring unimaginable crimes—many losing family members, homes, and livelihoods—yet they still have hope.
That hope is most visible in education. Rohingya-led community learning centers have emerged to fill the enormous gap for the 500,000 children under 18 in the camps. Most formal education ends around 4th grade, but these community schools—and a few others—are now producing high school graduates, even some moving on to university level. Remarkably, girls now make up about 3% of those enrolled.
We met students, teachers, and principals—mostly inspiring young people—who refuse to let this be what they call a “lost generation.” They are determined to change the trajectory of their community, preparing to one day return to Myanmar and rebuild their homeland with the skills and confidence to shape a better future.
With so much religious persecution around the world, we cannot forget the Rohingya—mostly Muslims, along with small Hindu and Christian communities—who still live with the consequences of genocide.
Please pray for the Rohingya. They deserve to live with dignity and, one day, to return home.
Courage is contagious. 🕊 Help amplify stories of faith and freedom: like, comment, share, and subscribe to the Belief Brief 👉 firstfreedom.org/belief-brie…
#FoRB4All
And for this week's good news:
US: Faith & Freedom on Display at the Charlie Kirk Memorial
In a stunning display of religion in the public square, millions of people — including religious and high-level political leaders — gathered to memorialize Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated for speaking his religious convictions on gender identity.
The highlight of the event was Erika Kirk’s breathtaking demonstration of her Christian faith when she forgave the young man who killed her husband and the father of her children. Other speakers chose instead to express hatred for the shooter and to call for censorship against those who celebrated the assassination.
To paraphrase Charlie Kirk himself: “There was beautiful speech. There was ugly speech. And all of it was protected by the First Amendment.” May the bullet that silenced Charlie never silence our freedom to believe and to speak according to our convictions.
#CharlieKirkMemorial nypost.com/2025/09/24/busine…
5/5 Afghanistan: Taliban push girls into religious schools as only path to education
Afghan girls face a grim future as secular learning is stripped away
The Taliban have barred Afghan girls from nearly all forms of formal education and are now pressuring families to send daughters to madrasas (religious schools) as their sole remaining option. A new Guardian report reveals that many of these madrasas lack accredited teachers, provide only basic religious instruction, and leave girls without paths to higher education or employment.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have shuttered secondary schools and universities to women, banned most work outside the home, and dismantled protections for women’s rights. Families interviewed described despair and fear: sending girls to madrasas is often the only way to avoid scrutiny or punishment.
International rights groups urge the global community to pressure the Taliban to restore access to secular education for girls, warning of a lost generation.
theguardian.com/global-devel…
