Newsline 16 November 2012

Newsline 16 November 2012

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News, Blogs & Opinion

Secular Medical Forum condemns Irish abortion law cruelty

News | Wed, 14th Nov 2012

The Secular Medical Forum has condemned the state of abortion laws in Ireland after a 31-year old woman died of septicaemia following a protracted miscarriage in Galway, Ireland.

It was reported this week that Savita Halappanavar repeatedly asked for her non-viable pregnancy to be medically terminated but this request was refused and she was told that Ireland is "a Catholic country". Mrs Halappanavar subsequently developed septicaemia and died.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, The Secular Medical Forum said it believed that "this death could have been prevented if Ireland's law on abortion focused upon the need of vulnerable patients, rather than upon Catholic doctrine. The SMF believes that healthcare should be provided free from the intrusion of religion. Bioethics is hindered, not helped, by relying upon religious sentiments.

"The SMF is aware that women around the world suffer due to the imposition of religious beliefs which takes away their autonomy over their own bodies. If this case had occurred in the United Kingdom, it would have been legal for Mrs Halappanavar to have a safe abortion. However in the UK there is the continual threat to abortion rights by religious groups who wish to inflict their particular beliefs upon other people. The SMF defends the right of religious people to hold their beliefs; however, patients must remain free from unwelcome religious interference.

"The SMF is saddened that Mrs Halappanavar had to die in order for this issue to make the front page of this morning's Irish Times. The SMF hopes that Ireland's abortion laws are reformed so that this tragedy is not repeated."

See also: Ireland's abortion ban: a history obstruction and denial

Ireland's law and Catholic culture allowed Savita to die

Government confirms school worship guidance can be ignored

News | Fri, 9th Nov 2012

The Department for Education has confirmed that its own controversial guidance on collective worship can be ignored by schools. The guidance, published in 1994, stipulates that worship in schools "should be concerned with reverence or veneration paid to a divine being or power."

The law in England and Wales provides that children at all maintained schools "shall on each school day take part in an act of collective worship". In community schools, the worship must be wholly or mainly of a Christian character. Parents have a legal right to withdraw children from collective worship in all schools but many parents regard this is an unsatisfactory option as they feel it is unfair to exclude and separate their children from classmates.

The guidance stipulates that school worship must contain some elements which relate specifically to the traditions of Christian belief and which accord a special status to Jesus Christ. When published, John Patten, the Minister of State for Education at the time, described the guidance as a potential "turning point in the spiritual life of this country". The guidance, know as Circular 1/94, caused an outcry amongst education professionals. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers asked why circulars were "being used to promulgate Ministers' personal predilections".

A spokesperson for the Department for Education told the NSS: "The guidance has not been withdrawn, but we are now leaving it up to schools to interpret the law how they see fit."

England and Wales are the only countries in the world where daily Christian worship is mandatory in all schools – even community schools.

The National Secular Society has long campaigned for an end to compulsory worship in state schools. Stephen Evans, campaigns manager at the NSS, said: "We very much welcome the Government's apparent confirmation of the irrelevance of this piece of guidance.

"We now hope that the Government will go further and consider a change to the law to remove the requirement for all schools provide a daily act of worship.

"We fully appreciate that school assemblies provide an excellent opportunity to bring members of a school together and create a sense of community. We also recognise that assemblies with an ethical framework can make a positive contribution to school life – but we do not accept that that it is either necessary or appropriate to do this within a religious context.

"Head teachers that regard religious worship as inappropriate for their pupils should expect the law recognise their situation – and allow them the freedom to decide for themselves.

"Likewise, young people deserve to have right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion respected and not have religion imposed upon them by the State."

Find out more about collective worship in schools

Also see: Good God, will the role of Jesus be downplayed? (TES)

Meanwhile, the Accord Coalition has commissioned a ComRes poll of 2003 people asking the question: "To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement? State funded schools, including state funded faith schools, should not be allowed to select or discriminate against prospective pupils on religious grounds in their admissions policy."

Seventy-three per cent agreed with the statement, 18 per cent disagreeing. See the full results.

In the wake of this, the British Humanist Association and a local education pressure group in Richmond, Surrey, this week launched a High Court challenge to try to stop the Government creating more "faith schools" by the back door, without proper consultation. Read the full story.

Christian MPs accuse Charity Commission of having “secularising agenda”

News | Thu, 15th Nov 2012

Nick Hurd, the Government minister for civil society, fended off a barrage of criticism this week over the Charity Commission's decision not to grant charitable status to the Plymouth Brethren.

In a debate in Westminster Hall about the use of the public benefit test for religious charity registrations. Christian MPs lined up to express their anger at the Charity Commission. Robert Halfon, Conservative MP for Harlow, called for an inquiry into the Commission's decision and said it "puts the tax status of hundreds of charities in doubt".

He said: "The Brethren are trying to deal with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs on the question of how each hall should communicate with its donors—thousands of people making donations with gift aid declarations, and making claims with their self-assessment returns. The charities do not know what to tell them. What has happened is unjust and inconsistent and is creating fear in many churches, not just in Harlow but across the country."

Last Monday Halfon, Fiona Bruce, Conservative MP for Congleton and Stephen Pound, Labour MP for Ealing North had a meeting with William Shawcross, Charity Commission chair. Pound said Shawcross had "sought to reassure us that there is no anti-Christian bias in the Charity Commission, although I suspected some of us were slightly more convinced than others".

Stewart Jackson, Conservative MP for Peterborough said: "This is about a battle, about the secularisation of society and about calling a spade a shovel, which is quango activism," he said.

But Nick Hurd said that the Charity Commission was an independent organisation, not under the control of the government. "It is not subject to ministerial direction or control," he said. "It is an independent registrar and regulator. Its independence is set out in statute, and ministers and the government have no power to intervene in Charity Commission decisions."

Throughout the debate the Commission was subject to a tirade of abuse from some of the 40 MPs who attended. They called it "'Rotten', 'discriminating', 'a bureaucratic bully crushing the little guy', 'a hidden agenda', 'unjust', 'inconsistent', 'arbitrary', 'a wolf in sheep's clothing'.

Mr Hurd said: "There were concerns that the Charity Commission is pursuing an anti-Christian agenda. I am satisfied that that is not the case. As a public body, the Charity Commission is bound by equalities duties and by law must not discriminate in its dealings with different religions or faiths. A fact that has not emerged from the debate is that the Charity Commission continues to register hundreds of Christian charities each year, including charities that were previously excepted. That fact has to be reconciled with various statements—some of them quite wild—about the Commission discriminating."

Christian debt advice expands as CAB contracts

News | Tue, 13th Nov 2012

A Christian debt counselling organisation that offers prayers with its advice is spreading rapidly throughout the country.

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) has opened up 21 new debt counselling centres in churches across the UK – bringing its total up to 218. New centres have been established in Glasgow, Magherafelt in Northern Ireland, the Isle of Wight and Chester.

Last year, CAP "parted company" with Advice UK, the umbrella organisation that provides support to community groups offering free advice, after it was discovered CAP was offering prayers with the counselling it provided.

Christians Against Poverty was told that its membership of Advice UK was incompatible with the constitution that states that advice should be impartial and offered with no strings attached.

At the time, Christians Against Poverty said in a statement: "Whilst CAP is committed to provide impartial help and advice to all members of society, as an expression of our care for clients we do offer to pray with people. We also have the furtherance of the Christian faith as a charitable objective. In order to protect the integrity of both organisations it was amicably agreed that CAP would not continue to be an Advice UK member."

As CAP expands, the Citizens' Advice Bureau — which offers its services on a neutral basis — is closing branches after local authorities have run out of money to subsidise them.

Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said: "This is another example of the Big Society in action. If you want services, then you may have to pray to get them. I don't suppose CAP would turn people away on the basis that they refused to participate in prayers, but no doubt there are other organisations that would. And adding the world 'Christian' to the title would immediately discourage some members of the community from approaching them – perhaps very vulnerable people who really need debt advice."

Mr Sanderson said it was essential that the Government provide some sort of framework for service-providers — at least those using public money — to ensure that services were free from discrimination and religious demands.

Almost thirty per cent of Brits now say they don’t believe in God

News | Wed, 14th Nov 2012

A YouGov poll (pdf) for the Sunday Times of 1,642 adults has found that 29% of respondents said they definitely don't believe in God (another 21% say they don't believe in God but believe in an unidentified "higher power"). Thirty-seven per cent definitely believe in God.

A third of those interviewed identified themselves as belonging to the Church of England. Only 7% said they attended a place of worship once a week. 53% said they never attended a place of worship.

Respondents were also asked their opinions about the new Archbishop of Canterbury and his predecessor, Rowan Williams. Unsurprisingly, when asked to judge the relative merits of present and former Archbishops, there were a great number of "don't knows". This seems to indicate a massive indifference to the Church and its activities.

When told that the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, apparently opposes same-sex marriage, people were asked whether the law should be changed to permit same-sex couples to marry. 51% said yes, 38% said no.

The new Archbishop should have no special say

Opinion | Sat, 10th Nov 2012

The Times's top leader yesterday welcomed the appointment of Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, to succeed Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury. From what I hear of Welby, he is a thoughtful man who is likely to be an effective Church leader. Where I differ from our argument is the notion that Welby's ecclesiastical leadership entitles him to any special say in public affairs.

The Church of England is entitled to express a collective view on any civic issue, but even its historic role entitles it to no special say in policy, let alone a formal constitutional role. Why should it? Our argument as a newspaper is that Welby represents the claims of faith in a secular and pluralist culture. But we don't argue why faith should have an inherent virtue. I don't believe it has any: there is too much faith and not enough reasoning in public affairs. Reason has its limits, but the sceptical and scientific method – by which no one has a special say, and empirical claims are always subject to scrutiny and revision – is the most reliable course we have to knowledge.

I'm concerned that the Church is enjoying an intellectual deference even though religious observance has declined over the past 50 years or so. When William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1942-44, wrote his immensely influential book Christianity and Social Order, which affected the thinking of postwar policymakers on the welfare state, he felt the need to justify his "interference" in the secular realm. Now, as religious belief has become increasingly untenable, the role of the Church appears to be little other than theatre, ritual and declaratory pronouncement.

There is a value to society in the views of the Archbishop of Canterbury if, and only if, they adhere to the canons of evidence that any thinking person should follow. The Jeffersonian principle of the separation of civic and religious authority is an essential principle of a free society. The Church is entitled to religious liberty and freedom of speech, but it is not entitled to a privileged hearing, nor is faith a source of strength.

Maltese Catholic extremist examined for post of European Commissioner

News | Wed, 14th Nov 2012

On Tuesday, Members of the European Parliament examined Tonio Borg's bid to join the European Commission. Alarm has been raised about Mr Borg's performance in his home country of Malta, where he has opposed women's rights, gay rights and issues such as contraception and abortion. His Catholicism is conservative and this has informed his track record so far.

MEPs grilled the Maltese politician for three hours on his views and political record. Mr Borg insisted that he would observe all the conventions of the European Commission and honour the commitment to human rights. All the same, MEPs express very mixed feelings about his bid to take the public health, environment and consumer protection portfolio. Some questioned Borg on reports that he had adopted stances against abortion and gay cohabitation.

Borg denied the claims repeatedly. On abortion, he said that under the EU Treaties, issues surrounding abortion remain firmly within the competencies of the member states, but he said he would act as a European Commissioner, rather than a Maltese one. He said 14 years ago he was criticised in Malta for refusing to condemn as illegal the actions of a young woman who travelled to the United Kingdom for an abortion.

On issues relating to gay cohabitation, Borg said that he had helped to initiate rules in Malta designed to enable same-sex cohabitants to register their interests and had beefed up protections against homophobic crimes.

Sirpa Pietikäinen MEP (EPP), vice-chair of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, said: "Fundamental rights are not a matter of subsidiarity, they are universal. None of them are to be neglected or considered outside the competence of the EU, and I hope Mr Borg will abide by his unreserved commitment to these universal rights."

NSS honorary associate Michael Cashman MEP remarked: "I do remain concerned about Tonio Borg's track record. But given the reassurances he has given us on fundamental rights, I believe we could entrust him with the public health portfolio, and hold him strictly to account on the commitments he made tonight. He said his door would 'always be open', so we should immediately work on issues such as blood donation for gay men, the depathologisation of transgender people, and sexual and reproductive health rights."

Another NSS honorary associate, Sophie in 't Veld MEP, said: "He gets a clear 'no' from me Tonio Borg said he won't abandon his views, and I'm very much opposed to them – his Europe isn't my Europe. The Parliament cannot ask the Commission to press ahead with better fundamental rights, and then vet a Commissioner with very different views."

Green MEPs Ulrike Lunacek and Raül Romeva said: "Even though Mr Borg brandished subsidiarity and the treaties when asked about his personal views, we don't trust him to go beyond the strict minimum and actually defend the Charter of Fundamental Rights, rather than simply abide by it. The Commission must not only respect minimum standards; it must set these standards – and set them high. We do not trust him to work for all EU citizens regardless of their gender and of their sexual orientation."

Dennis de Jong MEP, Member of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, said: "Mr Borg appeared to be competent, but he fell short of expectations when he refused to endorse the horizontal anti-discrimination Directive, which the Commission proposed in 2008, and which all Commissioners stand by. Avoiding concrete answers on legal proposals is a very negative sign."

Members of the European Parliament will now discuss Mr Borg's performance within their political groups. The plenary of the European Parliament will then vote on his nomination next week in Strasbourg.

Turkish government moves its Islamist agenda forward another step

News | Thu, 15th Nov 2012

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has continued its attempt at step-by-step Islamisation of the country by removing "Atatürk's reforms and principles" and "secularism" from the wording of the parliamentary oath in its submission to the Constitutional Conciliation Commission, daily newspaper Hürriyet has reported.

Deputies currently swear in to "remain true to the secular and democratic republic and to Atatürk's reforms and principles," however the AKP's submission excludes those lines.

Meanwhile, the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party's (BDP) submission suggests that deputies do not recite the oaths all together, while the Republican People's Party's (CHP) proposal included "loyalty to the constitution," as well as human rights.

See also:

Women pro-abortion protesters could get three years jail

Police can't deter marchers for a secular Turkey

Italian Catholic Church to pay property tax from next year

News | Thu, 15th Nov 2012

Italy's Catholic Church will be forced to pay taxes starting in 2013 after the EU pressured the country's government to pass a controversial law stripping the Church of its historic property tax exemption.

The Catholic Church in Italy is excluded from paying taxes on its land if at least a part of a Church property is used non-commercially – for instance, a chapel in a bed-and-breakfast. "The regulatory framework will be definite by January 1, 2013 – the start of the fiscal year – and will fully respect the [European] Community law," Italian premier Mario Monti's government said in a statement on Tuesday.

The move could net Italy revenues of 500 million to 2 billion euros annually across the country, municipal government associations said. The extra income from previously exempt properties in Rome alone – including hotels, restaurants and sports centres – could reach 25.5 million euros a year, La Repubblica daily newspaper reported.

On Monday, the Council of State, Italy's highest ranking court for administrative litigation, ruled against the new law. Authorities stepped in, arguing that everyone in Italy should pay property tax, including the Church.

The measure came after the country's leadership decided in February to alter Italy's property tax code, ending the Church's longstanding privileges due to the severe debt crisis.

Last December, after new austerity measures were adopted in the country, 130,000 Italians signed an online petition urging the government to strip the Church of its tax exemption.

"It was time that they paid, too, with all the exemptions they've had throughout the years," Marco Catalano, a 35-year-old shopkeeper in Rome, told the New York Times in February, adding that he goes to church twice a month. "They own the most beautiful buildings in downtown Rome, on Italian soil, and rent them out at market prices. They don't give them for free or at low prices for charity."

Two years ago, the EU began to investigate whether the tax privileges of some Church properties in Italy could be considered illegal state aid.

Brazil prosecutors in legal bid to remove ‘God be Praised’ from currency

News | Thu, 15th Nov 2012

A public prosecutor in Brazil is calling for the removal of references to God from Brazilian banknotes. Jefferson Dias argues that the country is a secular state and that the phrase "God be praised" disregards the rights of non-Christians.

Brazil's public prosecutor's office is separate from the executive branch of government and it is supposed to defend the social and individual rights of citizens as well as serving as a watchdog over the government.

Dias says the fact most Brazilians are Christian does not justify the "violation of the fundamental rights of those that follow different religions or do not believe in God".

The move is being opposed by one of the largest evangelical churches in Brazil. A spokesperson for the church said: "God must be praised all the times and everywhere."

Brazil's strictly secular constitution recognises and protects religious freedom, and does not grant special recognition to any particular faith. Despite religious diversity increasing dramatically in Brazil over the last three decades, the country's secular framework has ensured minimal inter-communal or state-religion conflict. Schools run by religious groups do not receive state funding.

Meanwhile, in the United States, citizens are getting behind a petition to the White House calling for the removal "In God We Trust" from the U.S.currency and the removal of "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance.

Competition winner

The winner of our competition for tickets to see AC Grayling and Mick Gordon's play On Religion at the Tower Theatre in London was David Wilton.

The play looks at the reactions of a mother with a seething contempt for religion when she discovers that her beloved son intends to become a priest. It will run from 20–24 November.