Newsline 5 December 2014

Newsline 5 December 2014

Not a member? The most tangible way of supporting our work is by becoming a member and contributing funds to enable us to campaign effectively; the more we have, the more we can do. If you believe, as we do, that a secular Britain is our best chance to achieve true equality for all citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs, then please join us and become part of what is possibly the most important debate of the 21st century. Together we can create a fairer and more equal society.

News, Blogs & Opinion

New BBC consultation ‘an opportunity to challenge Thought For The Day’

News | Fri, 5th Dec 2014

The BBC has launched a new consultation asking listeners what they like and dislike about its speech radio output. The NSS is calling on its supporters to use the opportunity to again raise the contentious issue of Thought For The Day. The consultation can be completed online here.

Although the BBC is considering editorial standards and impartiality "out of the scope of the review", its Consultation asks listeners for their views on the corporation's "news and current affairs and its documentaries and factual programming".

The National Secular Society is calling on the listening public to use the consultation to challenge the appropriateness of Radio 4's Thought For The Day – a daily slot for religious-only views, broadcast each Monday to Saturday morning during the station's flagship news and current affairs Today programme.

NSS campaigns manager, Stephen Evans, said: "It's important that as many people as possible take this opportunity to tell the BBC that discriminating against the non-religious, and thus giving the impression of promoting religion as the only source of ethics is simply not acceptable in this day in age.

"Offering a privileged platform during its news and current affairs output for religious-only views to be aired without any analysis, criticism or comeback is completely against the founding principles of the BBC. Fairness, balance and impartiality are impossible if only one side of the debate is aired.

"The slot should either be opened up to secular perspectives or scrapped."

The National Secular Society has campaigned against the discriminatory nature of Thought For The Day since the programme started. The Society first lodged a complaint against the programme's predecessor, Lift up your Hearts, in 1962.

In 2009 the BBC Trust rejected a complaint from the National Secular Society, when the society had argued that the programme was "exclusive and discriminatory."

In 2013 the BBC Executive said that "it did not propose to revisit the issue of atheists or humanists" taking part in Thought For The Day, after opting to leave it out of the scope of an "impartiality review of the breadth of opinion".

*Please note that the consultation has now closed.*

DfE issues new guidance for promoting “fundamental British values”

News | Tue, 2nd Dec 2014

The Department for Education (DfE) has published new guidance for schools on the promotion of "fundamental British values".

The non-statutory advice calls on schools to "encourage respect for democracy" in their promotion of students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development (SMSC).

The note stresses that children must be "made aware of the difference between the law of the land and religious law." It added that a school's ethos and teaching "should support the rule of English civil and criminal law and schools should not teach anything that undermines it."

The note restated the Government's policy that "schools should promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs."

The DfE's note says that schools and teachers should encourage respect for the civil and criminal law of England and "enable students to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England."

Additionally, schools are to "further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling students to acquire appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures."

Schools are also to "encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic processes, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England".

The advice stresses that pupils must understand that "the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law" and that other people "having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour."

However, the note also advises that meeting the requirement for "collective worship" is a way of ensuring pupils' SMSC development.

The advice also states that "it is not necessary for schools or individuals to 'promote' teachings, beliefs or opinions that conflict with their own, but nor is it acceptable for schools to promote discrimination against people or groups on the basis of their belief, opinion or background."

Separate advice for independent schools, academies and free schools means there is now a sector wide requirement for schools to promote "fundamental values" actively – a move welcomed by the National Secular Society.

Stephen Evans, NSS campaigns manager, said: "It's essential that all pupils educated in the UK, regardless of the type of school they attend, learn about those values considered key to contributing to mutual understanding and a cohesive society.

"Unfortunately, the advice issued by the DfE appears contradictory. It encourages schools to impose worship on pupils and leaves the problem of some religiously-led schools teaching illiberal views completely unresolved. Such schools are being told that they cannot promote discrimination on the basis of 'belief, opinion or background,' but also that they will not be forced to advocate teachings that conflict with their own beliefs. As has been revealed in recent months, many schools are teaching about religion in a wholly partisan way, and sometimes in a way that promotes ideas that are counter-cohesive and contrary to the values outlined in the standards.

"The latest measures also do nothing to address the separatism fostered by the very presence of faith based schools. Without reform in the very structures of the schools system, such as in terms of faith ethos and admissions, these new standards are unlikely to deliver any meaningful change."

Plans for new eruv cause division and objections from residents in Manchester

News | Tue, 2nd Dec 2014

Plans to erect an eruv in Hale have caused complaints and objections from local residents, whilst planners deny it will negatively affect the local area.

To circumvent the restriction placed by some interpretations of Jewish law on carrying certain objects in public on the Sabbath, "the entire area within an eruv is considered to be a single property." Some Jews believe this allows them to carry objects on the Sabbath, but requires a perimeter to enclose the eruv.

The planned boundary would include over 100 poles and half a mile of fencing being put up, but would largely make use of some existing features of the local area including "walls, building[s], fences and other boundaries", according to the planners, who claim that the proposed Hale Eruv would, "like almost every other eruv in the UK", consist of "over 90%" of pre-existing features.

However, many residents have reacted angrily to the proposal, with one writing that the proposal amounts to a "Jewish enclave in the area" in place of an integrated, multicultural society. Others have raised concerns about the 100 posts needed being an eye-sore.

Councillor Patrick Myers told the Manchester Evening News that the eruv would "damage local relations." However, Abraham Wahnon, the eruv programme manager, said that he does not "believe the community will change" because of the proposal.

Another resident said: "given that Hale is generally secular, I don't see why dispensation should be given to this project."

Many of the objections centre around the posts and wires needed to complete the eruv. Although most of the barrier will be formed from pre-existing features of the Hale area, one resident described the proposal as a "religious wall."

In response, Mr Wahnon said that the poles and wires needed "are of a height to allow all traffic through without hindrance" and that the eruv boundary was not a wall. Wahnon added that the perimeter had been "designed to allow all traffic through without issue and still provide a valid and kosher eruv."

When one resident suggested that "people of all religions are allowed to walk anywhere on any day carrying anything they want within Britain as it exists today without the need for a wire fence connected by poles", Mr Wahnon countered that "the rules of eruv are complex and require that a physical construct be available to make the eruv valid."

Though this "physical construct" is not a wall, and in part will be made up of wires hanging overhead, over 170 comments have now been posted on the Hale Eruv website, many of them with complaints and protests from local people.

One supporter of the eruv wrote that "not a penny of public money is being expended on the project" and that those who feared the eruv constituted a "barrier" had totally misunderstood the concept.

A public meeting held over the weekend left it unclear as to whether the planning proposal had been submitted yet or not, and one attendee reported an extremely "ill-tempered" meeting.

EU parliament calls on Pakistan to abolish the death penalty for blasphemy

News | Mon, 1st Dec 2014

The European parliament has voted for a resolution condemning Pakistan's blasphemy laws, saying that they were increasingly being used to "target vulnerable minority groups."

The resolution, which is non-binding, calls for a "thorough review of the blasphemy laws and their current application" and urged the Pakistani government to repeal the laws and abolish the death penalty. Although Pakistan does currently have prisoners on 'death row' for blasphemy convictions, there has been a virtual moratorium on executions since 2008. Nonetheless, even the allegation of blasphemy can have fatal consequences.

The resolution noted the case of Christian couple Shama Bibi and Shahbaz Masih, who were recently beaten by a mob and burnt to death, after accusations that the couple had damaged pages from a Koran.

The parliament also drew attention to the case of Asia Bibi, who was sentenced to death for blasphemy by a Pakistani court back in 2010. Bibi filed an appeal against the sentence last week, however this process "may take years," according to the resolution. The European parliament called on the President of Pakistan to issue a presidential pardon for Asia Bibi, and also urged the Pakistani Supreme Court to "start its proceedings on the case swiftly and without delay and to uphold the rule of law and full respect for human rights."

The EU parliament cited further cases of Pakistani blasphemy convictions in its resolution, including Sawan Masih, Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar who have all been sentenced to death.

The European Parliament's resolution urged the government to "increase efforts towards better inter-religious understanding, to actively address religious hostility by societal actors and combat religious intolerance… and acts of violence."

The resolution strongly condemned "acts of violence against religious communities, as well as all kinds of discrimination and intolerance on the grounds of religion and belief" and urged the European Commission to "use any tools at their disposal… for the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief, to aid religious communities and to pressurise the Pakistani Government to do more for the protection of religions minorities."

A Pakistani "anti-terrorism" court recently sentenced Veena Malik, Asad Bashir Khan and Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman to 26 years each in prison for blasphemy, after a "blasphemous" wedding scene, starring Veena Malik, aired on Pakistani TV.

The Christmas nativity: Let it go! Let it go!

Opinion | Tue, 2nd Dec 2014

After it this week emerged that some school nativity plays are losing their religion, Stephen Evans argues that schools should be free to innovate and have a bit of fun with their festive plays without po-faced nativity police telling them they can't.

Predictable grievances were aired this week when a Netmums poll revealed that a small of number schools have opted to replace the traditional nativity with Christmas plays that make little or no reference to Jesus. The online survey found that other schools are sticking with the nativity, but with a twist, starring modern characters and featuring less traditional songs, such as 'Let it go' from the insanely popular Disney film, Frozen.

According to Netmums co-founder, Siobhan Freegard, parents are concerned Christmas traditions are being "pushed aside" and claim schools are "under pressure to modernise the story and remove religious figures". Where that pressure is being applied from wasn't articulated.

However, it didn't take long for one caller to a local BBC radio station to blame "political correctness" and "Muslims" for the decline of the nativity – others will no doubt blame the fabled "militant secularists".

But in reality, there is no pressure on schools to abandon the nativity. Some are simply deciding for themselves to do something else to celebrate the midwinter festivities.

Pagan winter solstice celebrations of the longer days to come long predate its adoption by Christians. It was the Romans who first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week long period of merriment celebrated from the 17 December. To this day many Christmas traditions revolve around its pagan origins. It took Christian leaders four centuries to decide December 25 might be a good time to mark Jesus' birthday – so let's not have any more talk about Christmas being hijacked.

But the Christmas nativity, complete with shepherds with tea towels on heads (and hopefully a 'You've been Framed' moment or two) is very much part of our cultural heritage, and if schools want to do a nativity then that should be fine. But pantomime is also an ancient British tradition, so if schools want to do something less religion-focussed, then that should be fine too.

Part of the curriculum is already set aside for religious education. The story of Jesus and his birth is the foundation stone for learning about Christian beliefs, and you're unlikely to find a school that doesn't teach that. So if schools want to use their Christmas plays to do something a little different – a little more inclusive, relevant and even fun (it is Christmas after all) – then they should be free to so without being guilt tripped by those who think Christianity should be pushed in schools at every possible opportunity.

The narratives may evolve, but stories, legends, and myths will endure as an important and valuable way of transmitting values from one generation to the next – and the vast majority of schools will no doubt use their secularised Christmas plays to promote their pupil's spiritual, moral, social, cultural development – but the religious element should always be optional.

Christmas means different things to different people, and if schools want to innovate and have a bit of fun with their festive plays they should be free to do so without the po-faced nativity police telling them otherwise.

NSS Speaks Out

Executive Director Keith Porteous Wood and Campaigns Manager Stephen Evans spoke on BBC local radio up and down the country about this week's news reports on religious nativity plays falling out of favour in schools. Keith also spoke about this on LBC.

Keith discussed the Law Society's withdrawal of its sharia wills guidance on Radio WM, and was quoted in Parliament Magazine about the Pope's recent address to the European Parliament, telling the Magazine that "it's inappropriate for any unelected religious leader to be invited into a democratically elected parliament to lecture parliamentarians on policy."

Additionally, Stephen spoke to BBC Leeds about the need to reform religious education in schools.