AB 2017 — Eid as a State Holiday
Pastor Talking Points | California Family Council
For use in sermons, Bible studies, or small group settings
Biblical Framing
As followers of Jesus, we believe God is sovereign over every nation and every government. Scripture calls us to seek justice, love our neighbors, and — as the church — to speak with wisdom when the state begins making decisions that touch on religious equality and the integrity of our public institutions.
Key Talking Points
●
AB 2017 would make two Islamic holidays — Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha — official California state holidays, with mandatory excused absences for students in every public school.
●
California has never extended this same statutory recognition to Christian holidays like Easter or Good Friday. This isn't equal treatment — it's selective government favoritism of one faith's observances over others.
●
When government picks religious winners and losers, it creates a tension that can ultimately harm all religious communities, including churches. Proverbs 29:2 reminds us that how leaders govern matters deeply.
●
Parents already have the right to request absences for their children's religious observances — that right exists today. This bill goes further by embedding specific Islamic holidays into state law in a way no Christian holiday enjoys.
●
Romans 13 reminds us that government's proper role is to serve the common good equitably. We can love and respect our Muslim neighbors — and we should — while still asking whether this policy is fair to everyone.
●
This is a religious liberty concern for all Californians: once government begins elevating specific religious days into law unequally, every faith community is at risk.
How to Pray
●
Pray for wisdom for California legislators — that they would govern with genuine fairness and impartiality (Micah 6:8).
●
Pray for our Muslim neighbors — that our disagreement with this policy never becomes hostility toward people made in God's image (Genesis 1:27).
●
Pray for California's church community — that we would speak clearly, lovingly, and without fear when equality under the law is at stake (Joshua 1:9).
Discussion Question
What does it look like for Christians to stand for equal treatment under the law while genuinely loving neighbors of other faiths — and how do we do both at the same time?
Call to Action
If you feel led, contact your California State Assembly representative and share your concern about equal treatment for all religious communities in our state's laws. Visit californiafamily.org to learn more and find your legislator's contact information.