Newsline 22 February 2013

Newsline 22 February 2013

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News, Blogs & Opinion

NSS draws international attention to UN report that berates USA on its lax approach to clerical child abuse

News | Tue, 19th Feb 2013

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) has expressed deep concern to the US Government about its failure to properly deal with "sexual abuse committed by clerics and leading members of certain faith-based organizations and religious institutions on a massive and long-term scale amounting to sexual slavery or servitude of children".

Concerned that the failure of the US authorities to prosecute the sexual abuse, the UNCRC has urged them to investigate all cases of "sexual abuse of children whether single or on a massive and long-term scale, committed by clerics".

The condemnation (shown in full below) was made as part of a cyclical five yearly review of states by the committee, and followed evidence given by the National Secular Society focussing on the Catholic Church.

NSS executive director, Keith Porteous Wood, commented: "$2 billion has been paid out to abuse victims in compensation by the Catholic Church in the US indicating a massive scale of abuse. Yet very few clerical perpetrators have been convicted and only one official has been convicted for facilitating the abuse. Hundreds, if not thousands, of clerics have wrongly escaped justice due to the continuing secrecy of the Church and the issue being almost ignored by law enforcers.

"That so many perpetrators have escaped scot-free is yet a further abuse of the victims whose whole lives have often been ruined as a result.

"Pope Benedict has been responsible since 1981 for the policing of the Church, and with it, child abuse, and many think, as I do, that no one is more culpable than he is. He has hushed up abuse accusations to protect clerics, the Church's reputation and funds. He has obstructed secular justice rather than encouraged it. We can only hope that his successor opens the secret files and treats victims with the respect they deserve.

"Prosecuting authorities have some very awkward questions to answer, and not just in the USA, and I hope they too take to heart the UN's stinging criticism, where they mention "inaction and/or corruption".

"I acknowledge that child abuse in religious institutions is not confined to the RC Church, but there is no doubt that it occurred within the RC church at a much greater level than any other religious institution."

What the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child concluded (Word doc):

35. The Committee is deeply concerned at information of sexual abuse committed by clerics and leading members of certain faith-based organizations and religious institutions on a massive and long-term scale amounting to sexual slavery or servitude of children and about the lack of measures taken by the State party to properly investigate cases and prosecute those accused who are members of those organizations and institutions.

36. The Committee urges the State party to take all the necessary measures to investigate all cases of sexual abuse of children whether single or on a massive and long-term scale, committed by clerics, to issue clear instructions to all relevant authorities to actively prosecute those cases and to engage in a dialogue with faith-based organizations religious institutions and their leaders, in order to enlist their active and open collaboration to prevent, investigate and prosecute cases. The State party should also draw the attention of law enforcement authorities to the sanctions that may be imposed on them in case of inaction and/or corruption.

The NSS's involvement in this was reported around the world after the story was taken up by Reuters.

Leeds is latest council to consider scrapping free transport to religious schools

News | Wed, 20th Feb 2013

Leeds City Council is the latest to consider scrapping free transport to religious schools. The plan will mostly affect Catholic schools.

The council needs to save £54.9m over the next year and has estimated it spends around £4.76m a year on non-statutory free home to school travel for some children.

John Grady, of the Diocese of Leeds, has said that scrapping passes could lead to falling numbers at Catholic schools as parents weigh up costs and school choice.

Council officials say that pupils who are legally entitled to free home to school transport will not be affected by any proposed changes. Free transport would also remain available to faith schools for pupils from low income families.

Coun Judith Blake, executive member responsible for children's services, said: "In these times of economic uncertainty, it is necessary for us to assess that we are spending council tax payers' money as wisely as possible. This is why we have decided to look at what we currently spend on non-statutory services to make sure these are both fit for purpose and value for money."

But she added: "Should the existing policy be changed we would ensure future provision is implemented carefully and coupled with imaginative and innovative solutions to ensure children and young people are provided with affordable and effective support."

In neighbouring Wakefield, free bus passes for children attending Catholic schools are to be withdrawn through a phased approach from September 2013.

Council chiefs say a final decision on the future of the transport policy would be made following a 28-day consultation which starts this month.

Cash-strapped Kent may restore subsidised school transport

News | Wed, 20th Feb 2013

A council that is facing devastating cuts to services and employment is considering reinstating free transport to "faith schools" and grammar schools after scrapping it last year.

Kent County Council — which has just agreed a £94 million package of budget cuts — dropped free travel in September, except for families on maximum working tax credit and those receiving free school meals.

Now a cross-party committee is to look at the impact of the change. Trudy Dean, who is the leader of the Liberal Democrat group at the council, said the decision was a "big mistake".

She told the BBC: "We know that the grammar schools only take very few pupils from lower income families, about 3% in comparison with five times that number at non-grammar schools... this can only make that worse."

The decision to review the fees has been welcomed by some headteachers, including Brendan Wall, from St Simon Stock Catholic School, in Maidstone. He said: "People need to have transport to get to the school of their choice.

"I think it has affected some families – I've had one or two conversations with parents who said that they wouldn't be coming to our school because they can't afford the cost of transport for their child."

Mike Whiting, cabinet member for education at the council, said: "Perhaps we could move the threshold from maximum tax credit to bring more people into the frame," he said.

However, he said the council would still have to make large savings. He said: "The coalition has put massive pressure on local authorities to make cuts... this policy when it runs its course will save £2m per year."

The council is now cutting services for the elderly, young people's services and drastically reducing spending on the arts. A hundred more jobs are to be axed at the council on top of the 1,200 already dispensed with.

Edinburgh secularists back bid to abolish religious observance in schools

News | Thu, 21st Feb 2013

An Edinburgh parent has launched a petition requesting that City of Edinburgh Council conducts a local vote to challenge "religious observance" (RO) in the city's non-denominational state schools. The move is being backed by Edinburgh Secular Society (ESS).

The petition by mother-of-one Veronica Wikman was launched on 20 February to coincide with the UN World Day of Social Justice.

Under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, which repeats the legislation of previous acts, education authorities have a statutory requirement to provide religious observance and religious education in Scottish schools. This legislation originally dates from 1872. Scottish Government guidelines state every school should provide opportunities for religious observance at least six times in a school year. In England and Wales (uniquely in the world) the legal requirement in all state schools is for a daily act of (broadly Christian) worship.

However, under Section 8 of the 1980 Act, Local Authorities in Scotland are empowered to abolish RO, subject to a resolution in favour of discontinuance being approved by a majority of local voters.

Launching the petition, Ms Wikman said: "RO has nothing to do with education but everything to do with religious indoctrination. The Church of Scotland has not owned our schools since 1872. It should retain no privileged access to the education of my child or any other."

Edinburgh Secular Society has warned that religious observance creates an "open door for external religious groups to target children and instil their religious beliefs".

Gary McLelland, ESS Chair, said: "School is for teaching, not for preaching. Edinburgh's children deserve an education free from religious indoctrination."

Neil Barber, ESS media officer, said: "Religious education is a balanced, important part of education if taught in a comparative and philosophic way. RO, on the other hand, is imposed as truth, sometimes by evangelising visitors. Compulsory RO makes schoolchildren a captive audience for Christians and others who seek to recruit them into their faith, with no provision made for the choice of non-belief."

The petition requires 500 signatures by the closing date of May 7 but can be considered with at least 250 signatures at the discretion of the council. Edinburgh residents can sign the petition here.

Visit the Edinburgh Secular Society website

NSS meet with Scottish Minister to discuss St Margaret's adoption charity case

News | Fri, 22nd Feb 2013

The National Secular Society has met with Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Mike Russell MSP, to discuss the Scottish-based St Margaret's Children and Family Care Society, the last Catholic adoption agency in Britain to continue to exclude same-sex couples from consideration as prospective parents.

An NSS complaint to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) about St Margaret's led to it concluding that St Margaret's had broken both equality and charity law and gave it until April to change, or face deregistration as a charity.

Mr Russell has publicly expressed disappointment at the OSCR ruling, stating: "We do not believe that this outcome is in the best interests of the children St Margaret's helps, who are in need of a safe and loving family home."

Prior to the meeting, the NSS wrote to Mr Russell to express regret at his intervention, which appeared to support the charity rather than the independent statutory regulator, which the NSS believes to have acted entirely properly and in accordance with the law. The NSS would almost certainly have taken legal action had the OSCR not come to the conclusion that St Margaret's was breaking the law.

Speaking after the meeting, Keith Porteous Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society, said: "Mr Russell pointed to his Government's record on equality and emphasised his commitment to equality and "diversity". He told us that he thought St Margaret's do a good job, and he wanted them to be able to continue "with enthusiasm". He said Scotland would not be a better place if St Margaret's closed.

"He assured us that he wanted St Margaret's to follow the law, but he would not be drawn on whether that required them to be open to same-sex couples, despite the wealth of case law concluding it does. We pointed to Scottish Adoption, and the Christian-founded Barnardos and Coram Foundation adoption agencies all advocating opening their doors to same-sex couples as being in the best interests of children. But Mr Russell declined to express a view on this."

St Margaret's has claimed that it is following the law and has asked the OSCR to review their decision, and the outcome is awaited. Given the cogency of the OSCR report, and the sound legal foundation on which it is based, any change seems unlikely.

The NSS also took the opportunity to present Mr Russell with the European Commission Justice Directorate's recent formal acceptance of the NSS's complaint alleging that the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 breaches the EU Employment Directive in relation to non-religious teachers in denominational (i.e. Roman Catholic) schools in Scotland.

Mr Russell said that he would vigorously resist these allegations, and reaffirmed his Government's commitment to Catholic education in Scotland. However, he noted that infractions were dealt with by the UK government, who would have to pay any fines imposed.

Win £250 – just write an uplifting Secular Thought for the Day

News | Thu, 21st Feb 2013

The ongoing irritation at the BBC's exclusion of secular voices from The Thought for the Day slot has spurred one the NSS's previous presidents, David Tribe, to sponsor a prize of £250 for the best secular Thought for the Day.

To win the prize, we are looking for a short essay in a similar format to the BBC's religious slot.

Thought for the Day is supposed to be an 'uplifting' reflection on a topical issue from a religious point of view.

To be in with a chance, your secular Thought should be between 450 - 650 words and be positive in approach and ideally related to a topical matter. We are not looking for a humanist Thought or an atheist Thought, but specifically for a secular Thought. We suggest you look at the NSS's Secular Charter for some ideas.

So, let's have some great (secular) Thoughts for the Day and good luck!

Send your Secular Thought for the Day to admin@secularism.org.uk or by post to NSS, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. Entries that require a great deal of correction or editing are unlikely to win the prize, so please let us have copy that is clean and finalised to your satisfaction. Please submit entries by Monday 18 March.

OIC coming back with another attempt to stamp out free speech

News | Thu, 21st Feb 2013

Getting the go-ahead from the Cairo Islamic Summit, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has been actively trying to get the "denigration of religions" recognized as a criminal offence, according to a top official.

"Next session of the Istanbul Process on Islamophobia will be held in the first half of this year, and the session will squarely focus on the issue of criminalizing denigration of religions," said Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, director of cultural affairs at the OIC general secretariat and spokesman for the OIC secretary general.

In an interview with the Saudi Gazette, Sheikh underscored the need for transposition of the international law to domestic one to effectively combat Islamophobia, which he claimed is "a contemporary manifestation of racism mainly targeting Islam and Muslims". He said the OIC seeks establishment of an international observatory, based in Geneva, with a global mandate not only to monitor denigration of Islam but all other religions.

"The OIC is of the firm view that any religion or its symbols should not be denigrated. The Cairo Islamic Summit endorsed this position and tasked the OIC secretariat to develop a unified strategy to impress upon the international community to take effective measures against such acts of incitement of intolerance and hatred that may lead to violence and loss of lives," he said while noting that Islamophobia figured high on the agenda of the summit.

Sheikh, a Pakistani national and an "expert on Islamophobia", explained the steps taken by the OIC in confronting "Islamophobia" by ensuring active involvement of the international community.

"OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu launched a process, known as the Istanbul Process, in July 2011, together with the then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, as well as with leaders of OIC and non-OIC member states, to build consensus on confronting Islamophobia.

Similar meetings were held later in Washington and London as part of the Istanbul Process, and now the US, UK, the African Union, the Arab League and the OIC are subscribing to the process and taking it forward to discuss the issue specifically. The OIC is going to hold the next event focusing squarely on the issue of criminalizing denigration and deciding on whatever actions need to be taken on the basis of Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)," he said.

According to Sheikh, international law, represented by Article 20 of ICCPR, clearly states that denigration of symbols or persons sacred to any religion is a criminal offence. This law ratifies OIC's position and the only remaining problem is the absence of enforcement in the true spirit by member states.

"This international law is sufficient to cover OIC's concern but the problem is either a gap of interpretation because of political reasons or a gap of implementation. Though this law is binding on all countries that signed and ratified the article, it is not effectively transposed to the domestic laws of the respective countries. The OIC is exerting efforts to get it enforced globally through the framework of the OIC-sponsored UN Human Rights Council resolution number 16/18, which is an outcome of the Istanbul Process."

Sheikh also discussed the activities of the OIC observatory, which is under the supervision of the secretary general. "The observatory is monitoring Islamophobia on a daily basis and translating it into monthly and annual reports. The OIC is publishing annual reports and so far it has published five reports, the last of which was submitted at the Djibouti session of foreign ministers held in November. The Cairo summit appreciated the role of the OIC observatory in confronting Islamophobia and asked the secretary general to put more mechanisms in place to strengthen the observatory," he said.

Meanwhile, Baroness Warsi, Britain's "Minister for Faith" gave a speech to the OIC in which she tried to reassure them that their concerns were being listened to, but also making the case for free speech.

Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said: "We had thought the OIC had abandoned its plans for an international blasphemy law after it was roundly rejected by the United Nations, but here they are, coming at it again by a different route – but with exactly the same end result, a blanket ban on any criticism of Islam. This is dangerous and dictatorial. We can see in Pakistan what horrors are perpetrated when these kinds of laws are in effect. Imagine it on an international scale.

"The OIC may represent powerful interests, but its stifling and tyrannical approach to free speech must be resisted very strongly by the West."

Mr Sanderson said that the OIC and Baroness Warsi appeared to be operating in parallel universes. "The OIC wants to stamp on free speech, but Baroness Warsi seems to think there is some kind of compromise that can be reached with them. Her encouragement of this Istanbul process is a dangerous fantasy. The OIC is not going to embrace free speech any time in the future."

See also this blog about Baroness Warsi, "Minister for Faith", trying to interact with the OIC.

Marie Curie ComRes poll shows 37% have no religion

News | Wed, 20th Feb 2013

A ComRes poll for Marie Curie Cancer Care is the latest to ask people about their religious affiliations.

Although the poll is primarily about "perceptions of death", it included the question "which of the following religious groups do you consider yourself to be a member of?"

Of the 2,601 questioned, 53% said they were Christian, 37% said they had no religion, 8% were other religions and 2% did not say.

The number professing no religion peaked among the under-45s (49% for the 18–24s, 46% for the 25–34s, 43% for the 35–44s), falling to 22% with the over-65s. There was also an above-average proportion of 'nones' in the lowest (DE) social group (42%), among private sector workers (42%), in the North East (42%), and in the South East (44%).

People who reported that somebody close to them (a relative or friend) had died in the last three years were somewhat less likely to declare themselves to have no religion (35%) than those who had not been bereaved on this timescale (39%); they were also more prone to say that they were Christian (55% against 52%). Perhaps the proximity of death still exercises a marginal pull towards the religiosity end of the religious-secular spectrum?

For more detail, see Table 43 on pages 104/5 of the poll: Perceptions of Death Survey (pdf).

Is Europe secular or Christian?

Opinion | Fri, 15th Feb 2013

By Revd Dr Darrell Jackson, Senior Lecturer in Missiology, Morling College, Sydney.

During 2009 and 2010, the Nova Research Centre, Redcliffe College, Gloucester(which I served as founding Director between 2007 and 2011) began to identify ways of measuring secularity across Europe. We selected six items from the European Values Survey (first conducted in 1980 and repeated in 1989, 1999 and 2008). The items selected included responses to these questions:

  1. Do you believe in God?
  2. How important is religion in your life?
  3. Are you religious, non-religious or atheist?
  4. How often do you attend religious services?
  5. How often do you pray?
  6. How much confidence do you have in the church?

Responses are available from between 1,000 to 2,000 people for each of the 47 countries surveyed. The scope of the questions provides a high level of confidence that this can be considered a comprehensive measure of secularity across Europe. A summary version of these responses enabled us to construct a 'Nova Index of Secularity in Europe' (or NISE!).

It was also important for us to be able to make crucial distinctions between the way that we were using various closely related terms. We took the view that we should distinguish between the philosophy or ideology (secularism), its associated socio-cultural phenomenon (secularity) and the social conditions (secularization) that are the result of constant and consistent secular policies and politics. Our primary interest would be in trying to illustrate the varying levels of secularity across Europe.

It's certainly true that the historical development of ideological and philosophical secularism in Europe has been welcomed by relatively few of its theologians and Christian leaders. Many tend to see it as the antithesis, even corrosive, of historic Christian faith. It was the case that a number of western theologians in the 1960s and 1970s accepted the view that the shifting social context pointed to a secular future and attempted to reframe an understanding of Christian faith and theology accordingly. So, John Robinson's Honest to God (1963), Harvey Cox's The Secular City (1965), and Peter Berger's The Sacred Canopy (1967) each dealt in a similar way with the sense that western Europe was increasingly secular.

Other theologians, including Lesslie Newbigin, attempted to articulate a more critical response (for example, his Honest Religion for Secular Man (1996)) although even Newbigin left unchallenged the basic assumption that secularization was the future of western societies.

Interestingly the missionary engagements of faith with the futures of secularism was a challenge that Newbigin left for others, following his death in 1998. One of the best examples of this has been Andrew Kirk's work, most importantly in his 2007 book The Future of Reason, Science and Faith: Following Modernity and Postmodernity which is a demanding read and probably not recommended for all but the most determined of readers!

From the NISE measures we believe that the 2008 data points to a 'developing post-Christendom identity', characteristic of people who have previously been, or who remain, 'Christian' but who presently have no institutional affiliation (or a very diluted form of it). This is a shift from religiosity towards spirituality, not a shift from non-religiosity towards spirituality. The newly 'spiritual' are not on a journey towards faith but are more likely to be on a journey away from church affiliation. Whether this data represents a deepening of secularity or a mutation of religiosity deserves closer and more rigorous attention and debate.

From the EVS data we have identified a markedly irreligious generation of 50-69 year olds, best characterised as 'ideologically hostile' to religiosity. This generation is now beginning to retire from influential roles in the media, politics, education, and the arts. The havoc that these 'lost generations' have wreaked – in constructing a narrative of hard secularism – may finally be waning. In contrast there is some evidence to suggest that the current generation of 20-29 year olds is less hostile to religion and religiosity, a generation that is best characterised as 'benignly indifferent'. This more 'open generation' may prove to be more amenable to creating the space necessary for a discussion of religion and religiosity within the media, politics, education, and the arts.

Although our use of the EVS data and our summation of it in the NISE tends to obscure national variations across Europe, these nevertheless are a crucial element in representing more accurately the nuances and variances in levels of secularity across Europe. It is probably accurate to describe contemporary Europe as simultaneously experiencing 'pre-secularity', secularity, and 'post-secularity'.

While Europe as a whole may be seen as increasingly secular, there are a surprising number of mentions of God, the church and religion in the constitutions of individual countries. Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Malta all have constitutional state churches, while others such as Sweden, Finland or Spain have formally separated (or are in the process of doing so) although some recognition of the relationships remain. France, Kosovo, and Serbia & Montenegro define themselves as a 'secular state' whereas some countries compromise – for example while Albania has no 'official religion', it references 'faith in God and/or other universal values'. Ireland, the Ukraine and Poland have the most overtly 'Christian' preambles to their constitutions, with mentions of the Trinity (Ireland), and 'our culture rooted in the Christian heritage (Poland).

Our work has added to the debate implied by the question in the title to this brief article. Whilst it points to the widespread impact of secularising policies and programmes, it allows some space for exploring minority reports and resists the prevailing tendency to paint the future as overwhelmingly secular.

The Revd Dr Darrell Jackson was formerly Executive Researcher for the Conference of European Churches, Geneva; Director of the Nova Research Centre, Redclffe College, Gloucester and since 2012 has been the Senior Lecturer in Missiology at Morling College, Sydney, a Recognised Training Institute of Melbourne University of Divinity. He can be contacted at darrellj@morling.edu.au

Turkey wants to retrieve children adopted by Christians and gays

News | Fri, 22nd Feb 2013

Turkey recently launched a campaign to retrieve Turkish children in European countries who have been taken from their parents and given to Christian couples, starting the process by taking back children from gay and lesbian couples.

One of the main cases included in the campaign revolves around 9-year-old Yunus, who was taken from his parents at the age of six months after his parents allegedly dropped him on the ground. The child was then placed under the care of a lesbian couple in the Netherlands.

Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ instructed Turkish representatives in foreign countries to jumpstart the process to take Yunus back from the family, including making official contacts with the Dutch government.

Turkish Parliament's Human Rights Commission was also instructed to conduct searches in other countries and prepare a report on the matter.

Commission head Ayhan Sefer Üstün said custody of the child was "a sacred right" that should not be decided through administrative services.

"It requires for a judicial process," Üstün said. "We don't condemn that culture, but the child has been given to a foreign culture, to a lesbian family. Even if a child is taken from the family for the right reasons, he or she should be placed with a family closer to his or her culture."

The Azeroğlu family that Yunus was taken from had applied to courts previously for his return, but the courts rejected the application, allegedly because the mother didn't speak any Dutch.

Turkish authorities will also be applying to courts citing a violation of human rights and psychological damage done to the child. Bozdağ also said they would start official procedures on the governmental level with the Dutch state.

Source: Human Rights Without Frontiers International

Trial of Bradlaugh and Besant to be examined in new play

News | Fri, 22nd Feb 2013

PLEASE NOTE: THIS PLAY IS NOW FULLY BOOKED.

A new play by Derek Lennard, The Fruits of Philosophy (Such a scandal!) which examines secularism and free thought in Victorian Britain will be presented at Conway Hall on Friday 15 March at 7.30pm.

It is based on the true story of the trial of Annie Besant and Charles Bradlaugh (founder of the National Secular Society) who were accused in 1877 of publishing "Obscene Libel" – a sixpenny pamphlet advocating family planning and describing contraception.

The play will give a dramatised account of the trial, the scandal that surrounded it, the way it affected the lives and careers of the accused, and the impact on wider society.

The present president of the National Secular Society, Terry Sanderson, will be making a cameo appearance as the Solicitor General Hardinge Stanley Giffard.

Have you got your ticket for Secularist of the Year? Book now and avoid disappointment

News | Fri, 1st Feb 2013

This year's Secularist of the Year lunch is approaching (Saturday 23 March) and it promises to be a very special occasion. We hope that you'll join us for the NSS's premier social event that is always congenial and friendly – and held in a top-notch West End venue.

The event includes a welcome cocktail, and a three course meal with tea or coffee to follow.

This is your opportunity to meet secularists from around the country and mingle with some of our distinguished honorary associates.

All this for £45 – it's a steal. Get your ticket now online or send a cheque made out to "NSS" to National Secular Society,25 Red Lion Square,London WC1R 4RL.

NSS Speaks Out

The NSS caused a stir when it drew attention to the UN report that criticised the USAfor its lax approach to clerical child abuse. When the story was picked up by Reuters it made it into the Chicago Tribune, Yahoo News, Global Post, Straits Times, South Africa Independent, Bangor Daily News, The Malaysia Star, SA Times, Digital Journal, Columbus Dispatch, Pakistan Daily Times, WorldWide Religious News and the Hartford Courant.

Have your say!

Please send your letters (max 250 words please!) for publication to admin@secularism.org.uk. Please note that due to a problematic upgrade by our email provider some letters have not been getting through on our previously published email address. Apologies if your letter failed to arrive.