There’s been a lot of talk recently about religious freedom, and it seems to have intensified as gay marriages have become legal in many states. Sen Orrin Hatch calls judges “uniformly hostile to religion.” Pundits see Sen Ted Cruz building a presidential campaign on the idea that religious liberty has “never been in more peril.” But the researcher and activist Jay Michaelson says this is a political strategy to marshal allies in the ongoing culture wars. He’ll join us to dissect what he sees as a “covert campaign against civil rights.”

Jay Michaelson is the author of a 2013 report Redefining Religious Liberty: The Covert Campaign against Civil Rights, published by Political Research Associates, a liberal think-tank focused on social issues.

Eric Ethington is communications director for Political Research Associates, and co-founder of Utah Political Capitol.

Today, we asked The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whether they provide financial support to The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. We received this statement from spokesperson Jessica Moody. The pressures on churches with regards to religious freedom are growing and we, as well as many other faiths, are deeply concerned. We have been happy to provide financial and other support to the Becket Fund in helping to reassert religious freedom.

You can hear a talk on religious liberty given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks at Utah Valley University earlier this year.

RadioWest is planning a second show on religious liberty from the other side of the debate. Stay tuned.