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As the IICSA inquiry wraps up three weeks of devastating evidence into the Church of England's handling of child sexual abuse in Chichester, we're reminded of the
urgency of the case for secularism. During the hearings it's repeatedly been clear how deference to religion helped to allow entitled clergy to cover up grotesque
crimes.
Separating religion from public life is the only way to safeguard the rights of everyone, no matter what their religious background or personal beliefs. But the
finding this week that almost three-quarters of young people in the UK say they have no religion is still a striking reminder that the treatment of religion in
public life is incongruous with the views of the country's people. We'll be encouraging politicians to reflect on both the need and appetite for change.
This week we've been busily preparing for our annual Secularist of the Year awards, and we look forward to seeing those of you attending tomorrow.
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News & Opinion
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Abridged version of the winding-up speech by lawyer Richard Scorer of Slater and Gordon, also an NSS vice president, at the IICSA inquiry's hearings
into... Read More
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The National Secular Society has called for "a rethink of religion's public role" after a report found that almost three-quarters of young people in the...
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The National Secular Society has called on the Scottish government to repeal its blasphemy laws after it emerged that the Scottish National Party's
governing... Read
More »
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The National Secular Society has called for the end of religious influence in NHS appointments after a court ruled that a bishop had the right to block...
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The National Secular Society has welcomed the repeal of a Scottish law which restricted football fans' freedom of expression on religion in an attempt... Read More »
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The National Secular Society has urged City of Edinburgh Council to ensure secular cremation arrangements are provided as standard after it emerged that...
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Quotes of the week
"A terrible week with evidence of religious exceptionalism, stupidity, incompetence, lying, dumping responsibility at every level including the highest, and
folie de grandeur. Bishops must be accountable. This means not just to themselves."
Alan Wilson, the bishop of Buckingham, on the
revelations from the IICSA inquiry
"From the start of his career to his dying breath, he was cocooned, chastised and cared for by the institution in which he had flourished. Ultimately he was
shamed, but he was not cast out."
Rosemary Goring reflects on the death of Keith O'Brien, the Catholic cardinal who faced a string of allegations of sexual abuse
"A man has been convicted in a UK court of making a joke that was deemed 'grossly offensive'. If you don't believe in a person's right to say things that you
might find 'grossly offensive', then you don't believe in freedom of speech."
Ricky Gervais responds to the conviction of a man who filmed a pet dog giving
Nazi salutes
See our quotes of the week archive...
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Read elsewhere
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By Sara Khan, for The Sun
We need a powerful response so extremists do not divide our country.
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By Ella Hill, for The Independent
Grooming gangs are not like paedophile rings; instead, they operate almost exactly like terrorist networks, with all the same strategies.
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NSS speaks out
Our president Keith Porteous Wood, our vice-president Terry Sanderson and our communications officer Chris Sloggett went on local BBC radio stations to discuss
the decline of religion among the young. Keith went on Radio Wales (he's
introduced 10 minutes in to the show); Terry appeared on Three Counties Radio
(from 1:12:43); Chris was on BBC Radio Stoke (from 22:06).
The chair of our Secular Medical Forum, Dr Antony Lempert, was one of the two guests on the first-ever head-to-head version of the Godless Spellchecker podcast. He debated forced genital
cutting.
Our chief executive Stephen Evans was quoted in Pink News on the gay man who was barred from an NHS role as a chaplain because of a bishop's veto.
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Conference on 21st Century RE for All
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There are just three weeks to go until our 21st Century RE for All conference.
Thirty years after the introduction of a national curricular entitlement for all pupils, the religious education syllabus is still decided locally by committees of
faith representatives, or worse, by religious bodies responsible for running faith schools.
This one day event will explore the future of religion and belief education in schools, and how we can create a truly balanced and non-partisan approach.
Saturday 14 April, Conway Hall, Central London.
Find out more...
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Other events
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Date: Tuesday 27th March 2018, 19:30 prompt start
Location: the Canal House, 48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham
Tickets: £2 on the door
Details: Tim Bell is a retired local man, whose working career... Read More »
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Date: Thursday 3 May 2018
Time: 19:30–22:00
Venue: 17 Queens Crescent, St Georges Cross, G4 9BL Glasgow, United Kingdom
Dr Ian Good and Dr Ealasaid Munro present some of the key findings of their AHRC... Read More »
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Date: Sunday 25 November 2018, 09:30 – 20:30
Location: Central London
Tickets: From £65.27
Details: Join notable secularists and veteran women's rights campaigners for a conference on Sharia,... Read More
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