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Welcome to this week's Newsline.
The case for separation of church and state has never been stronger.
This week the 2021 Census figures for England and Wales revealed that, for the first time, most people are not Christians.
What's more, the percentage of nonreligious people has seen a dramatic increase. Other religions have also seen rising numbers.
In this truly irreligious and multireligious country, the presence of an established church is unfair, undemocratic, and absurd.
We need a secular state and we need it urgently. But those who want to maintain the status quo are powerful, well-funded, and strongly motivated to keep a tight
grip on Christian privileges. We cannot challenge them without your help.
There's never been a better time to join the NSS and add your voice to the thousands calling for a separate church and state. Please become a member today if you haven't already. Thank you.
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News & opinion from the NSS
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The National Secular Society has called for separation of Church and state after census data revealed that less than half the population are Christian...
Read More
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The Census 2021 results reveal that for the first time, most people in England and Wales aren't Christian. Megan Manson says the case for a secular
state... Read More »
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Quote of the week
"...the case for dismantling the Church of England's relationship with the state is now overwhelming. The church cannot retain the monarch as its governor
'by the grace of God'. It should retire from its prominence in state and civic ceremonies, remembrance days, judicial oaths, the BBC and the daily service. The
church cannot justify its privileged access to state schools and its reserved seats in parliament, the latter perk shared only with Tory party donors."
Simon Jenkins
says there is no place for an established church in a country of many faiths.
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In your own words
"Fully support your campaign to disestablish the CofE. In this day and age the Church's and the House of Lords' involvement in our politics is an anachronism
and incongruous in our present day lives."
Italo from Buckinghamshire explains why he supports our disestablishment campaign.
You can show your support for one of our campaigns on our website. We aim to feature the best messages of support in
Newsline.
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Town council takes prayers off the agenda
In 2020 councillor Ian Pickvance contacted us asking for assistance in dealing with the Anglican prayers which open meetings at Ashburton Town Council in Devon.
Cllr Pickvance, who is a member of the NSS, raised the issue with the council and highlighted how the prayers alienate members of other religions and those of no
religion.
Since then, the council has switched to holding prayers before the official start of the meeting, rather than at the start. Those who do not wish to join in are
free to do so.
Cllr Pickvance urges all NSS supporters to contact the clerk of their town or parish council to find out their policy on prayers in meetings and question how this
is compatible with inclusion and representation.
Unfortunately, many local authorities and councils still open their meetings with prayers. We campaign to end this
antiquated imposition on what should be meetings about local issues. Please let us know if you would like any assistance in
challenging prayers at your local authority.
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Assisted dying: MP hints at inquiry
The chair of the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee has suggested an inquiry into assisted dying will be launched next year.
Conservative MP for Winchester Steve Brine told his constituents
last week to "look out for what will be a high profile piece of work on assisted dying" in 2023.
We think reforms to our laws regarding assisted dying are badly needed, and that decisions over assisted dying should be based on autonomy and medical ethics, not
religious dogma. Find out more.
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Religious charities: Exposé on major evangelical church
The Guardian has published an exposé on allegations against the
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) - a large evangelical church and a registered charity.
Former UCKG members have said they were pressured to donate large amounts of money to the church, and to cut ties with friends and family. Some said they were told
demon possession was the cause of mental health issues or their sexuality. Some said they were shown images of dead bodies as a warning against leaving.
Between 2020 and 2021, eight complaints were raised about UCKG with the Charity Commission. Three of those focused on "serious harm to beneficiaries and, in
particular, vulnerable beneficiaries". The commission said the complaints had not prompted any statutory inquiries.
We've highlighted some of the unethical practices of UCKG previously, including
how their marketing appears designed to deceive vulnerable people.
We think the privileging of religion in charity law is part of the problem, as it too often enables charities to promote harmful practices and ideas with impunity.
Find out more.
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Keep on top of secularist issues with our daily collection of news and commentary from across the media. Subscribe to our daily media briefing.
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Please support our work so we can make the case for a fairer secular democracy for all.
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