Newsline 7 July 2017

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The latest British Social Attitudes survey again highlights Britain's rapidly changing religious landscape. Despite a long-term decline in religiosity, and the waning influence of religious ideas on British people's views, religion's public role remains undiminished. In our schools it's growing.

Some regard Britain's Christian traditions and practices as a defence against radical Islam. But insincere lip service to Christianity will never defend us against the malign forces of theocracy and extremism.

If we are going to successfully uphold our common values, we need to express them in a language we all understand. Sincere believers and non-believers alike must stand in solidarity to defend hard-won rights and freedoms. Free speech; equality; freedom of and from religion; the liberal idea of separation between state and religion.

The National Secular Society will always stand up for and promote these principles – which are universal and shared, not religion-specific. This week London hosts its Pride parade, and as we look back on Pride Month we are reminded of the harm which religious fundamentalism can do, as LGBT people face discrimination from fanatics around the world.

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	Women’s groups back appeal on gender segregation in schools News \| Fri, 07 Jul 2017 The schools inspectorate Ofsted is to appeal against a ruling on gender segregation in a landmark case at the Court of Appeal next week.
	Ofsted boss commits to tackling illegal schools News \| Mon, 03 Jul 2017 The National Secular Society has welcomed a commitment by OFSTED's chief inspector to protect children in unregistered faith schools.
	NSS joins calls for inquiry into funding of Islamist extremism News \| Thu, 06 Jul 2017 The National Secular Society has joined calls for a public inquiry into the funding of Islamist extremism in Britain after a damning investigation by a prominent think tank.
	Carey junior’s special pleading “an insult to victims”, says NSS News \| Tue, 04 Jul 2017 The son of the former Archbishop of Canterbury has said "changing attitudes" are behind criticism of his father's handling of a sexual abuse scandal.
	More Brits than ever are non-religious, NSS analysis suggests News \| Thu, 06 Jul 2017 More British people are becoming non-religious, according to the National Secular Society's initial analysis of the latest British Social Attitudes survey.
	NSS calls for consistent action on religious persecution News \| Wed, 05 Jul 2017 The National Secular Society has reiterated the need to defend all victims of religious persecution after a government minister said the UK would focus "in particular" on Christian communities under threat.
	Single-religion schools and compulsory worship banned, South African court rules News \| Tue, 04 Jul 2017 Schools may not teach one religion at the expense of others or hold compulsory religious observances, a court in South Africa has ruled.

Essays of the Week

Breaking the silence in the world capital of female genital mutilation
Hawa Aden Mohamed, executive director of the Galkayo Education Centre for Peace and Development, CNN

Pakistan's jirgas: buying peace at the expense of women's rights?
Ayesha Khan, researcher on gender and development issues, Open Democracy

NSS Speaks Out

This week we voiced our support for ending the requirement on schools to hold collective worship. Keith Porteous Wood, our executive director, appeared on BBC Radio Wales; our campaigns director Stephen Evans was on BBC Radio Leeds. Keith appeared on various local radio stations to express support for new guidelines which require pharmacists to put patient care ahead of their religious beliefs. He also criticised the Vatican response to child abuse on Turkish television station TRT World.

Quotes of the Week

'The Christian nation concept doesn't celebrate the remarkable achievement of this nation – a story of religious freedom resting on a secular state that does not presume to meddle in private matters of theology. Instead, it buries that success story under a pile of far-right politics wedded to often dangerous forms of religious extremism and nationalism."
Rob Boston, in a blog to mark Independence Day in the United States

"A lot of people have private views deriving from their religion, but they have to put these to one side when they're enacting public policy."
Sir Vince Cable, commenting on former Lib-Dem leader Tim Farron and the LGBT equality

"Secularism is a priceless objective to strive for and defend given the grim challenges it faces from non-state actors, often with the connivance of the state."
Editorial, India's Frontline magazine

How secular is Britain? NSS talk at North East Humanists

Thu, 20 Jul 2017

International Conference on Freedom of Conscience and Expression in the 21st Century

Sat, 22 Jul 2017

The inaugural Bradlaugh Lecture: Dare To Stand Alone, the Story of Charles Bradlaugh

Sat, 09 Sep 2017

7th International Congress of Freethought

Thu, 21 Sep 2017

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