NSS launches podcast series exploring religious freedom
Posted: Wed, 2nd Oct 2019
The National Secular Society is releasing a series of podcasts featuring interviews with leading activists and experts on secularism and religious freedom ahead of its Secularism 2019 conference.
Episode 1 featured National Secular Society CEO Stephen Evans and Episode 2 (released today; see below) was an interview with Rachel Laser. Rachel is CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State and will be the keynote speaker at Secularism 2019.
Previewing some of the themes in her conference speech, Rachel spoke about what true religious freedom meant to her, working with diverse allies and the harm of 'religious freedom' being used as a cover for discrimination.
The conference will focus on how to reclaim religious freedom from those who appropriate the term to promote religious privilege.
NSS education and schools officer Alastair Lichten, who hosts the series, said: "Each of my guests will bring their own personal and professional perspectives to this important issue. We all have an interest in ensuring religious freedom is reclaimed from those that want to use it as a tool for discrimination. We need to ensure it is understood as being for everyone and that it is balanced with other rights.
"In an age of so much social media noise and simplistic soundbites, many people are desperate for better conversations. We want to provide a platform for people who are actually working on the front line for true freedom of and from religion. We want to give those voices the space they need to come out, and I hope you'll join us for the conversation."
Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom
This conference will serve to highlight that true "religious freedom" means freedom of belief for people of all religions and none, and will also explore the limits of religious freedom when it impedes on other human rights, including bodily autonomy, equality and freedom of expression.
