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Fri, 13 Dec 2019
Atheist reaches settlement over religious objection to mandatory Alcoholics Anonymous
A Canadian atheist has won a legal battle over mandatory attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous.
BBC
‘“God has a new Africa”: undercover in a US-led anti-LGBT “hate movement”’
Rita Nketiah reflects on an undercover trip to a summit organised by the World Congress of Families, an international network led by US and Russian ultra-conservatives which has strong religious links.
openDemocracy
More than 1m Brazilian Christians want ‘gay Jesus’ Christmas special removed from Netflix
A Netflix Christmas comedy special portraying Jesus as gay has outraged more than a million conservative Christians in Brazil who want it removed.
QN
Christian group calls for repeal of Pakistan’s blasphemy law
The charity Release International, which supports persecuted Christians, has called for the repeal of Pakistan's blasphemy law.
Church Times
Thu, 12 Dec 2019
Paedophile vicar is jailed for 20 months for downloading child abuse images
A paedophile vicar who downloaded thousands of sick child abuse images which showed babies being raped has been jailed for 20 months.
Mail Online
Figures from across political divide oppose abortion changes in Northern Ireland
A group made up of figures from across the political spectrum has accused Westminster politicians of treating Northern Ireland with "contempt" over abortion reform.
Belfast Telegraph
Stella Creasy calls Christian group’s abortion leaflets ‘disgusting’
An MP has labelled an opposing party 'hate mongers' after leaflets targeting her over abortion were posted around her constituency.
East London & West Essex Guardian
Pastors accused of pressuring youth to donate blood to boost church funds
A church praised by politicians for its work to tackle knife crime has been accused of "sickening" allegations that some of its pastors pressured young people from the congregation to sell their own blood for money to donate to the church.
HuffPost
Charedi Jews protest school inspection accusing Ofsted of ‘an inquisition’
Orthodox Jews in north London protested against a school inspection this week, arguing that the national inspectorate was conducting "an inquisition".
Jewish News
First men go on trial under Nigeria's anti-homosexuality laws
Forty-seven men went on trial in Nigeria on Wednesday for public displays of affection with members of the same sex, an offence that carries a 10-year jail term in the country.
The Guardian
Pakistan scholar's blasphemy trial enters final stages
A Pakistani court will hear final arguments on Thursday in the blasphemy trial of a liberal scholar and former university lecturer a week after a US religious freedom commission placed his name on its list of global victims, his lawyer said.
Reuters
Indian citizenship law discriminatory to Muslims passed
Indian lawmakers have approved legislation granting citizenship to migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan – but not if they are Muslim.
The Guardian
‘The chilling stories from inside China’s Muslim internment camps’
Harald Maass says the crackdown on a religious minority is unparalleled even in the history of communist China, and it's happening in plain sight.
The Spectator USA
Calls to ban film about female surfer in Bangladesh to protect religious sentiment
A film based on the life of Bangladesh's first popular female surfer is facing calls to be banned, accused of "hurting" religious sentiments in the conservative Muslim nation.
Reuters
LGBT+ relationships should be on sex education curriculum in Ireland, review says
A review of Ireland's sex education programme has said that teaching about LGBTQ+ relationships and consent should be included in any new curriculum.
Belfast Telegraph
Wed, 11 Dec 2019
‘The campaigns trying to turn British Indians against each other’
Sunny Hundal says this election is turning Britain's minority religious communities against each other – and the tensions could reverberate for years.
openDemocracy
No action taken against Kent GP who introduces his faith during appointments – NSS quoted
Action will not be taken against a GP who was investigated over his use of prayer with patients.
Kent Online
Over half of young people don't get proper sex education at home or in school
A new study by the Sex Education Forum has revealed that many 16 to 17 year olds do not get a proper sex education from their parents or at school.
OK!
Boris Johnson says he’s ‘inspired’ by work of Hindu ‘community’ during visit to temple
The prime minister visited a Hindu temple in Hertfordshire on Sunday.
Borehamwood & Elstree Times
Protests grow as Indian parliament debates exclusionary citizenship bill
India's upper house of parliament is debating a controversial citizenship bill that offers amnesty to non-Muslim illegal immigrants from three neighbouring countries.
BBC
US state can continue to force abortion patients to listen to foetal heartbeat and look at ultrasound scan
US Supreme Court justices say the state of Kentucky can continue to force abortion patients to listen to the foetal heartbeat and look at ultrasound scans.
Metro
Prominent US anti-abortion chief warned of Muslims 'replacing' Christian Europeans
The chief executive of an anti-choice and anti-contraception organisation that has been awarded millions of dollars in grants by the Trump administration once said Christianity was dying out thanks to contraception and abortion, leading Europeans to be "replaced" by immigrant Muslims.
The Guardian
Tue, 10 Dec 2019
Jews who consent to organ donation may have views overridden by religious relatives
It has emerged that friends and relatives will be able to override presumed or express consent of Jews who opted in to organ donation after a new law takes effect in the spring.
Jewish News
'Why some people are being put off food banks’
Maddy Power and Katie Pybus say a failure to discuss the religious identity of Trussell Trust food banks and the religious affiliation of clients disregards a key element of food banking in the UK.
The Conversation
‘Britain’s blasphemy problem’
Charlotte Littlewood says Britain needs to confront the question of blasphemy, and fast.
The Article
Protestants in demand at Northern Ireland’s civil service
Protestants and men are being encouraged to apply for 300 Civil Service jobs in Northern Ireland.
Belfast Telegraph
India's new 'anti-Muslim' law on immigration causes uproar
India's lower house of parliament has passed a bill which offers amnesty to non-Muslim illegal immigrants from three neighbouring countries.
BBC
‘Is it fair to deny an atheist church charitable tax status?’
Canada's Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed the case of an atheist organisation seeking the same status (and tax breaks) churches receive as charitable organizations.
The Friendly Atheist (Patheos)
Trump criticised for using anti-semitic tropes in speech to US Jews
US president Donald Trump said there are some Jewish people in America who don't love Israel enough during a speech on Saturday.
Haaretz
Doctors in Israel accused of giving drugs to yeshiva students to curb their sexual desires
Israel's health ministry will reportedly investigate four psychiatrists after a television report said they had prescribed drugs to ultra-Orthodox students, including minors, to inhibit their sexual desires.
The Times of Israel
Blasphemy laws continuing cause for concern for Christians and freethinkers in Pakistan
Six months since Christian Asia Bibi fled Pakistan, after being imprisoned for 10 years on blasphemy charges, reports highlight the plight of others accused of blasphemy in the country.
Premier Christian Radio
Saudi Arabia ends gender segregation in restaurants
Saudi Arabia will no longer require restaurants to have separate entrances segregated by sex, the government says.
BBC
Mon, 09 Dec 2019
Parent protests outside mosque after former trustee convicted of assaulting child
Protests have been staged outside a Birmingham mosque after a former trustee who still volunteers there was convicted of physically assaulting an eight-year-old child.
Birmingham Live
Dozens of FGM victims seen by NHS in Bradford
Dozens of new victims of female genital mutilation have been seen by NHS services in Bradford so far this year.
Telegraph & Argus
Victims of FGM seen by NHS in Lancashire
At least three new victims of female genital mutilation have been seen by NHS services in Lancashire so far this year.
Lancashire Post
At least one new FGM victim seen by NHS in Buckinghamshire this year
At least one new victim of female genital mutilation has been seen by NHS services in Buckinghamshire so far this year.
Bucks Free Press
Thousands rally against antisemitism in Parliament Square
More than 3,000 people gathered in Parliament Square on Sunday to stand against antisemitism.
The JC
Tory chairman 'sorry' for ‘Islamophobia’ in party
Conservative chairman James Cleverly has apologised over instances when Tory members and candidates "do or say things that are wrong".
BBC
‘British Hindus voting for Labour are not “traitors” to India’
Shami Chakrabarti says there's no room in UK politics for the hatred being promoted by a group tied to the BJP, India's ruling party.
The Guardian
Christians call for ‘offensive’ Christmas cards to be banned
Some Christians on social media have branded a new range of "humorous" Christmas cards featuring Mary, Joseph and Jesus "deeply offensive".
Leeds Live
Western Australia assisted dying laws pass through upper house
The Western Australian government is set to end the year with legislative victory after its euthanasia laws passed the upper house.
WA Today
Anti-headscarf law activist sues Iran in US over harassment
An Iranian-American activist famous for her campaign against the Islamic Republic's mandatory headscarf for women has sued Iran in US federal court, alleging a government-led harassment campaign targets her and her family.
AP
American Airlines forces woman to change ‘Hail Satan’ T-shirt
A woman on an American Airlines flight has been told she had to either change her shirt or get kicked off the plane — all because the one she was wearing said "Hail Satan".
BuzzFeed News
Fri, 06 Dec 2019
'Sectarian hate attacks' on North Belfast homes investigated
Three Catholic families have been prevented from moving into properties in north Belfast because of sectarian attacks.
BBC News
'Shared society still seems a pipe dream'
Editorial highlights the ongoing sectarian divisions in Northern Ireland.
Belfast Telegraph (£)
Islamist extremists begin to remobilise as they finish prison sentences
An extremist network once led by the hate preacher Anjem Choudary has begun to remobilise as waves of former members leave prison or are released from monitoring measures.
The Times (£)
'We cannot afford to be timid about calling out the threat of radical Islam'
Only by challenging Islamism with a rigorous and proactive approach to safeguarding, and a renewed focus on real integration, can we guarantee a safer future for all of us, says Alan Mendoza.
City AM
Jewish school network criticises Lib Dem pledge for gender-neutral uniforms
The Jewish Leadership Council's schools network says Lib Dem plans would affect uniform policies requiring girls to wear long skirts and boys to wear kippah.
The JC
Student jailed for Facebook post saying Muslims should be ‘wiped off the earth’
Louis Duxbury, 22, went on a 17-minute 'call to arms' in which he said that members of the faith 'should be wiped off the face of the earth'.
Metro
Man accused of plotting to attack Scottish Islamic centre to face trial
A man accused of preparing to commit acts of terrorism and suggesting online that he planned to attack the Fife Islamic Centre will stand trial next year.
The Scotsman
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