Newsline 27 September 2019
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Last week we reported that we'd raised the Vatican's brazen defiance of the secular authorities over child abuse at the UN. This week we've highlighted it
domestically. As the Catholic Church hierarchy continues to shrug off requests for information from a public inquiry, we're urging the Foreign Office to apply
pressure on it to cooperate.
Elsewhere we assess the charitable status behind Samaritan's Purse, the Evangelical organisation which has again launched its Operation Christmas Child scheme in
parts of the UK. And at a local level there's concerning news from Dorset and Greater Manchester, but better news from Somerset.
If you value what we do, please consider supporting it by joining or donating to the NSS. Thank you for your support.
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News & Opinion
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The National Secular Society has urged the government to hold the Vatican accountable over its continued failure to cooperate with a British public
inquiry... Read More »
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Samaritan's Purse is again launching its Christmas shoebox scheme in parts of the UK. The harm done by Operation Christmas Child should prompt a
rethink... Read
More »
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The National Secular Society has questioned why a town council in Dorset is expecting taxpayers to fund repairs of an Anglican church despite the Church...
Read More
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The National Secular Society has welcomed a decision to scrap official prayers at the start of meetings at a council in Somerset.
North Somerset Council... Read More »
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A Muslim girls' school which requires all its pupils to conform to a 'modesty code' and is allowed significant leeway to promote religion is planning to...
Read More »
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Other news: UK
Charedi Jewish activist Shraga Stern, who has played a prominent part in recent campaigns against inclusive education, says he has
received assurances that the Labour party will not abolish faith schools. It is unclear whether his words refer to state or private faith schools.
The number of schools in England flouting RE laws has risen, according to research by the National Association of Teachers of RE. The NSS, which campaigns for an impartial religion and belief curriculum, has said this is further evidence that RE is out of date and in need of a rethink.
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Other news: international
The UN Human Rights Council has been told that the Chinese government is
harvesting and selling organs from persecuted religious and ethnic minorities on an industrial scale.
The NSS has said the rise of America's Christian right threatens women's
rights around the world after the US urged UN member states to join a "growing coalition" of countries rallying against abortion.
A man has been acquitted of blasphemy in Pakistan, after 18 years in prison and a death sentence, on the grounds of lack of proof. The NSS has said this is welcome news, but 'proof' shouldn't be the issue.
Christian and Muslim protesters in Australia have called for a radio presenter to be sacked after he made a joke about the virgin Mary. The NSS has
said offended religious groups mustn't have the power to censor jokes
about their beliefs.
Stay in touch with all the latest news and views on secularism – sign up to receive your daily
media briefing from the NSS.
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Upcoming events
In the coming weeks our staff and board members will take part in events on faith schools, religion and women's rights, religion's role in public life, and more.
Find out more on our events page.
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NSS speaks out
Our spokesperson Chris Sloggett responded to a bishop's claims that debates over religious control over education in Scotland were creating a "hostile
environment" for Catholics in The Times. Chris said his belligerent comments highlighted entrenched religious interests' sense of entitlement.
Our No More Faith Schools campaign coordinator Alastair Lichten criticised plans for a new selective faith school in Peterborough in the Peterborough
Telegraph. Alastair said opening the school would exacerbate social division and undermine pupils' and teachers' freedom of religion and
belief.
Our CEO Stephen Evans questioned the government's backtracking over non-stun meat labelling in Farming UK and
Farmers Guardian.
Chris Sloggett discussed free speech on religion and advertising regulation on several BBC local radio stations. And Stephen Evans discussed a council in Lyme
Regis in Dorset funding church repairs on BBC Radio Solent.
We were also mentioned in publications including Christian Today and the Daily Record.
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Happy birthday, Charles Bradlaugh
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Our founder Charles Bradlaugh was born on 26 September 1833. On the history section of our website you can
read more about his remarkable life, including:
- How Bradlaugh founded the NSS
- The prosecution of Bradlaugh & fellow secularist Annie Besant for publishing information about birth control
- How Bradlaugh was effectively barred from taking his seat in parliament four times amid a row over the religious oath of allegiance.
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Quotes of the week
"I would be treated very differently in about a dozen countries around the world. If somebody like me was to show up… the death penalty would be awaiting me.
It's incredible that this isn't a bigger human rights issue."
Sarah Haider, executive director of Ex-Muslims
of North America, on US chat show Real Time With Bill Maher
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"Religious freedom can't be an excuse to get away with something that would never be tolerated outside of the religious bubble."
Hemant Mehta, writer on The Friendly Atheist blog, on a case of a rabbi giving a child herpes in a circumcision ritual
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"Segregating children is an awful idea, especially at such a young age that they don't know their faith."
Dundee councillor Gregor Murray on the need to educate children together to tackle sectarianism in Scotland
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In your own words: male circumcision
"Removing a part of a human body without consent and with no clear medical reason or benefit is inhumane, uncivilised and against the person's human
rights."
Peter, Jersey
Sign our petition and explain why you think unnecessary infant genital
cutting should end.
Alternatively, sign one of our other petitions to let us know why you support another
secularist cause.
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Read elsewhere
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By Hella Winton, for Vice
One of the most secretive and isolated subcultures in the United States is facing possible exposure, thanks to a new law.
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