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Mon, 17 Dec 2018
Catholic Church under fire for suggesting 'gay conversion' therapy to parents
The Catholic Church in the Scottish diocese of Paisley has come under fire after advising parents of LGBT children to seek help from a controversial American 'gay conversion' group.
The National
‘How RE teachers see religion – and why it can be bad for pupils’
David Smith, Graeme Nixon and Jo Pearce say young people need to be encouraged to develop a mature view which is able to encompass and reflect the best and worst of religious expression – and all the shades in between.
The Conversation
Campaigners offer to fund Lewis swimming pool Sunday openings
Campaigners are to renew an offer to pay the cost of trial Sunday openings of a leisure centre and its swimming pool in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.
BBC
Council meeting in West Yorkshire sees criticism over non-stun halal in schools
Kirklees Council has been accused of being "deficient" in its handling of non-stun halal in schools at a full council meeting.
Examiner Live
Demand for religious Christmas stamps falls
Around six in ten festive stamps bought by members of the public are now secular ones, up from around four in ten five years ago.
The Telegraph
Labour MSP claims ‘rise in anti-Catholic sentiment’
Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, has claimed there is a rise in anti-Catholic sentiment. She cited a tweet criticising religious schools as an example.
Scottish Catholic Observer
Council in north Wales to debate proposed removal of preferential transport arrangements to faith schools this week
Cuts to education in Wrexham are set to be debated this week.
Wrexham.com
An interview with Asia Bibi’s lawyer
Saif ul-Malook talks to Iram Ramzan about fearing for his life and defending Asia Bibi from blasphemy.
The Spectator
Milestone conviction in India’s deadly 1984 anti-Sikh riots
A senior Congress party politician has been jailed for life in what is being seen as the most important conviction so far over India's 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
BBC
‘Is hardline Hindu politics failing India's PM?’
Last week's electoral losses in five states for India's ruling party has led to suggestions that its agenda of promoting hardline Hindu politics has backfired.
BBC
Chinese 're-education camps' for Uighur Muslims run like 'concentration camps', says Amnesty
Mass re-education camps used to hold Uighur and other Muslim minorities in China are being run like "wartime concentration camps", Amnesty has said.
The Independent
‘In Australia’s religious freedom debate, the bullies are playing the victim’
Julei Szego says religious institutions enjoy privileged status in Australia but are claiming victim status amid a debate over discrimination.
Sydney Morning Herald
Fri, 14 Dec 2018
Leading Catholic in England and Wales accused of sexual abuse cover-up
The leader of Roman Catholics in England and Wales was accused of covering up child sex abuse allegations against a priest, an inquiry heard yesterday. Cardinal Vincent Nichols, currently the archbishop of Westminster, denied suppressing a note about child abuse while he was archbishop of Birmingham in the 2000s.
BBC
More than 50 parliamentarians back definition of ‘Islamophobia’
More than 50 cross-party parliamentarians have said the government should adopt a new definition of 'Islamophobia'. The NSS has spoken out against the proposed definition.
The Independent
Secularists criticise faith school provision – NSS mentioned
Between 45,000 and 60,000 families live in areas where the availability of secular schools is "extremely restricted" and their three closest schools are faith schools, an NSS report has revealed. (Scroll down to read).
Church Times
Bermuda appeals to London high court to enforce gay marriage ban
Bermuda's government on Thursday filed an appeal to a high court in London seeking to uphold a law challenged in local courts that would ban gay marriage in the British overseas island.
Euronews
Islamist Christmas bomb suspect ‘woke his neighbours with prayers’
A suspected Islamist believed to have been plotting a Christmas bomb attack was reported to the council after allegedly calling neighbours Satan and waking them up with prayer music.
The Times (£)
Irish abortion bill passes all parliamentary stages
A bill to legalise abortion services in the Republic of Ireland has passed all stages of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament).
BBC
Canada is on the brink of repealing its blasphemy libel law
Canada is just a royal assent away from finally repealing a blasphemy libel law that has been on the books since 1892.
Patheos
Appeals court blocks Trump birth control rules in five US states
A US appeals court on Thursday blocked Trump administration rules that would allow businesses to claim moral and religious exemptions to a mandate to provide contraception coverage.
The Hill
Australian religious freedom review heard evidence of faith-based discrimination against LGBT students
Australia's full review into religious freedoms, conducted by former Attorney-General Philip Ruddock, details hearing from people who had experienced discrimination for being LGBTI at religious schools.
Star Observer
Former judge attacks faith-based discrimination in Australia
A former High Court justice has taken aim at laws allowing faith-based schools to discriminate against gay students.
SBS News (Australia)
Relaxed abortion legislation: proposed German law comes under fire
The German government wants to slightly ease the law concerning doctor-patient communication about abortions. But few people are thrilled by the draft changes. Abortion advocates in particular are up in arms.
DW
Jewish religious cult suspected of kidnapping kids who broke away
Two children who had been rescued from a Jewish religious cult in Guatemala are reported to have disappeared over the weekend, fuelling fears that they were kidnapped.
Jewish News
Thu, 13 Dec 2018
Vatican’s number three George Pell convicted of sexual abuse charges
The Vatican's third most powerful official has been convicted in Australia on all charges he sexually abused two choir boys there in the late '90s, according to sources. A gagging order preventing details of the trial from being revealed remains in place in Australia.
The Daily Beast
Welsh schoolgirls stoke debate about axing religious assemblies – NSS quoted
A petition by two Welsh schoolgirls to detach religion from education is calling for schools across the country to ditch their mandatory daily prayers.
La Croix International
Organ donors to be asked if they are religious
People who join the NHS's UK organ donation register are to be asked if they want their religious beliefs to be considered in the donation process.
BBC
Scottish shopping centre caves in to pressure to display nativity scene
A shopping centre in Stirling in central Scotland has decided to stage a nativity scene as part of its Christmas display after complaints that it was not doing so.
The Scotsman
Isis-inspired terror plot 'foiled' by armed police raid in Newcastle
A suspected Isis-inspired terror plot has been foiled following an armed police raid in Newcastle.
The Independent
Muslim group visits KFC slaughterhouse in Lancashire to check food is halal
A Muslim group has visited a slaughterhouse used by Kentucky Fried Chicken in Lancashire to check the food served in local KFC restaurants is halal.
Lancashire Telegraph
Essex County Council pauses plans to close C of E school
A council's plans to close a rural primary school near Chelmsford in Essex have been put on ice.
Essex Live
Australian government to unveil new religious freedom bill but stalls on LGBT students
Australia's government has promised to prohibit discrimination against religious people but has delayed a decision on discrimination against LGBT students and school staff.
The Guardian
Australian newspaper complains of censorship over Pell gag order
An Australian newspaper on Thursday published a front page that drew attention to a gag order in the country that prevents it from publishing details on the trial of a former Vatican official accused of sexual abuse.
The Hill
US Democrats want abortion to be recognised as a human right
The Democrats have introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives demanding that abortion be recognised as a human right.
Christian Today
Jewish lesbian comic claims rabbis forced restaurants in New York to cancel her shows
A Jewish lesbian comic has claimed kosher-certification rabbis bullied Brooklyn restaurants into canceling her comedy shows due to her sexuality.
Gay Star News
Wed, 12 Dec 2018
Strasbourg terrorist kills three at Christmas market
A suspected terrorist is on the run after killing at least three people and injuring 11 more in the eastern French city of Strasbourg near its Christmas market. French authorities are treating the shooting as a terrorist act and some politicians have asked how France plans to "eradicate Islamic fundamentalism".
The Telegraph
Manchester mosque's 'arson attack' treated as 'hate crime'
A suspected arson attack at a mosque is being treated as a "hate crime", Greater Manchester Police has said.
BBC
Catholic school's chair of governors to stand down against academisation
The chairman of governors at a Catholic primary school in east London is standing down in protest against its "forced" academisation.
East London & West Essex Guardian
Scots shy away from sex education, poll says
UK-wide research has suggested that Scots have relatively conservative attitudes to sex education in school.
The Times (£)
Job centre worker unfairly dismissed over tweets criticising anti-Muslim figures, tribunal rules
A job centre worker has received compensation after he was sacked for sharing tweets that criticised anti-Muslim public figures such as Donald Trump and Tommy Robinson.
Metro
Catholics need not obey laws contrary to faith, archbishop of Dublin says
Catholics cannot be forced to obey laws which go against the basic principles of their faith, the archbishop of Dublin has said.
The Irish Times
US condemns 10 countries for severe religious freedom violations
Secretary of state Mike Pompeo has announced that the US has deemed 10 countries guilty of severe religious freedom violations.
CNN
‘Trump’s nominee for US attorney general rejects separation of church and state’
Michael Stone says William Barr, the nominee for US attorney general, is a Catholic conservative who rejects the separation of church and state, calls secularists "fanatics," and blames secularism for "moral decline."
Patheos
Modi's BJP suffers heavy election defeats in Hindi heartland
The Hindu nationalist party of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has suffered heavy election defeats in two states, with another on a knife edge.
The Guardian
Jewish teacher who complained about anti-Semitism sues US Catholic school after sacking
A Jewish teacher has filed a federal lawsuit against a Catholic school in the US state of New Jersey, claiming he was fired after complaining about rampant anti-Semitism among students.
The Hill
Two nuns in US admit embezzling school funds for Las Vegas gambling trips
Two nuns who worked for decades at a Catholic school in California embezzled a "substantial" amount of money from tuition and other funds and used it to pay for gambling trips to Las Vegas, church officials have said.
The Guardian
Tue, 11 Dec 2018
Faith schools restrict rather than expand parent choice – by NSS CEO
Stephen Evans says no child should be discriminated against by a faith school – or forced into one through lack of choice.
HuffPost UK
Access to secular schools restricted, NSS report reveals
Almost a third of families in England live in areas where most or all of the local primary schools are faith-based, NSS research has revealed.
LocalGov
Jewish group unhappy over faith school guidelines which require degree of integration
A Jewish education group has questioned new government guidelines which will require faith schools to show how they would address the needs of pupils "from all faiths and none".
The JC
‘Extremists are undermining our human rights and we must challenge them’
The lead commissioner for countering extremism Sara Khan calls on the civil society sector to help the fight against extremism.
Civil Society
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