NSS Opinion
Do we need ‘religious approaches’ to Human Rights?
Posted: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 by Keith Porteous Wood
Keith Porteous Wood offers a critical review of a new book that claims Human Rights owe their existence to religion – when the greatest modern threat to Human Rights comes from organised religion.
A book on 'Religious approaches to Human Rights' has just... Read More »
The surprising origin of Collective Worship in schools
Posted: Thu, 10 Mar 2016 by Ed Moore
Collective worship has its history in a murky compromise between politicians and the church dating back to the Second World War – and it is long since time the arcane requirement was removed, writes Ed Moore.
There is a growing consensus among educators,... Read More »
Britain’s first women’s mosque: rise of girl power or a Muslim women’s ghetto?
Posted: Tue, 08 Mar 2016 by Aisha Nabi
Muslim women are no different to their Western sisters who fought their battle for equality decades ago, writes Aisha Nabi. Muslim women are fighting the same evil as Western sisters are today – sexism, but what is the best way of achieving gender equality?... Read More »
For richer or poorer – where is the Church of England?
Posted: Tue, 23 Feb 2016 by Ed Moore
Is the Church really as poor as it claims? Ed Moore, treasurer of the National Secular Society, considers the extent of the Church of England's considerable wealth.
A recent news item on the BBC web site entitled 'Cash concerns for England's Anglican cathedrals'... Read More »
Classrooms should be free from an overbearing religious ethos
Posted: Mon, 15 Feb 2016 by Stephen Evans
With the Church seeking to extend its influence over the management of schools, Stephen Evans argues that religious groups' demands shouldn't outweigh parental rights and children's independent interests.
In 2013 the former chair of the Church of England's... Read More »
Dan Walker’s creationism may be an affront to science – but he’s entitled to his beliefs
Posted: Thu, 11 Feb 2016 by Benjamin Jones
The appointment of "young Earth" creationist Dan Walker to front BBC Breakfast has caused a considerable backlash, but unless and until his views interfere with his ability to present the news in a balanced and neutral way, he's entitled to his beliefs, argues... Read More »
The niqab in schools: An argument for prohibition
Posted: Thu, 04 Feb 2016 by Sadikur Rahman
Sadikur Rahman argues that the case for banning full face veils in schools extends far beyond whether or not they present a barrier to learning.
The niqab, or full-face veil, is once again in the news after the chief inspector of schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw,... Read More »
Spotlight: This hard-hitting film salutes the journalists who exposed the power of a deeply corrupt institution
Posted: Thu, 28 Jan 2016 by Keith Porteous Wood
Keith Porteous Wood previews Spotlight, the hard-hitting film which depicts the Boston Globe's investigation into the cover-up of child sex abuse by the Catholic Church.
Spotlight, a film released this Friday (29 January), follows the Boston Globe's dogged... Read More »
Secularism protects us all. Let's embrace it.
Posted: Wed, 27 Jan 2016 by Stephen Evans
Britain today is one of the most religiously diverse countries in the world, with more non-believers than ever before. With society at risk of fragmenting along religious lines, secularism could be our salvation, argues Stephen Evans.
More than two thirds of... Read More »
Welby praises “most orthodox” bishops since WW2 as UK gives up on the church
Posted: Thu, 21 Jan 2016 by National Secular Society
As the UK undergoes a "revolutionary generational change" away from religion the Archbishop of Canterbury has boasted that the Church's Bishops in the House of Lords are the "most orthodox since WW2".
Speaking during the fractious meeting of the Anglican Communion,... Read More »
David Cameron is right to raise the integration of Muslim women
Posted: Mon, 18 Jan 2016 by National Secular Society
The hysterical response to David Cameron's proposals to help the most disadvantaged Muslim women learn English and improve their lot in life will do far more to alienate British Muslims than anything he has actually said.
According to Government figures 22%... Read More »
Bishop Ball case: Questions for Lord Carey
Posted: Mon, 11 Jan 2016 by Richard Scorer
With the release of some of the letters written in support of Bishop Ball during the 1992-1993 police investigation, particularly those written by prominent people, we're starting to see more clearly how Ball was protected, writes legal specialist on child... Read More »
2015: A year of terror for Bangladesh’s secularist writers
Posted: Tue, 05 Jan 2016 by Arif Rahman
Arif Rahman, a Bangladeshi blogger, reflects on the targeted attacks on secularist bloggers that took place in Bangladesh throughout 2015, claiming many lives, and considers the road ahead for secularism in the face of terror and state-sanctioned persecution.... Read More »
Damning details emerge about establishment cover-up of Anglican sex abuse
Posted: Mon, 04 Jan 2016 by Keith Porteous Wood
New revelations about the extent of the letter-writing campaign to help disgraced bishop Peter Ball escape charges raise urgent questions about the extent of the establishment cover-up, writes Keith Porteous Wood.
Former Bishop of Gloucester Peter Ball was... Read More »
Secularism is on the front line
Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2015 by Terry Sanderson
Terry Sanderson, the recently re-elected president of the National Secular Society, reflects on the challenges of the past year and invites our members and supporters to take an active role supporting our campaign work in 2016.
We've heard very little this... Read More »
Minister’s claim that secularism pushes Muslims towards ISIS is a shameless attempt to advance Christian privilege
Posted: Wed, 09 Dec 2015 by Benjamin Jones
Stephen Crabb MP, the Secretary of State for Wales, has said that secularism and "creeping intolerance" of religion "risks pushing more young Muslims into the arms of Isil". Benjamin Jones responds, debunking his nonsensical claims.
In the latest misleading... Read More »
Religious education reform: mistakes of the past must be avoided
Posted: Fri, 04 Dec 2015 by Alastair Lichten
Despite many RE teachers doing their best under difficult circumstances, a growing consensus now recognises that religious education in schools needs a rethink. Alastair Lichten looks at the latest report calling for reform.
This week saw the launch of REforReal... Read More »
National occasions need not be dominated by religion – as France’s commemoration ceremony so poignantly demonstrated
Posted: Tue, 01 Dec 2015 by Keith Porteous Wood
France's recent ceremony for those killed in the Paris attacks was a moving demonstration that religiously neutral ceremonies are a powerful way to unite people regardless of faith or politics; it is something the UK could emulate for our own public ceremonies,... Read More »
Time for the Church to come clean on the ‘Just Pray’ controversy
Posted: Tue, 01 Dec 2015 by National Secular Society
With a considerable media firestorm the Church launched a crafty piece of marketing for their 'Just Pray' campaign – centred on the accusation that their Lord's Prayer advert had been "banned" because it was "offensive". One week on, new facts raise... Read More »
So called Lord’s Prayer ‘Ban’: It’s Winterval all over again
Posted: Mon, 23 Nov 2015 by Stephen Evans
The controversy over cinemas rejecting religious advertising appears to be another attempt to reignite the Christian victimisation narrative, argues Stephen Evans
Praising the Church of England isn't something I often find myself doing, but you've got to take... Read More »
A timid defence of free speech is no match for Islamism. We must do better.
Posted: Wed, 18 Nov 2015 by Benjamin Jones
Society needs a much more vigorous defence of free speech than the one we are getting, with the 'elite' of society in academia, religion and politics offering a feeble and timorous defence, writes Benjamin Jones.
Speaking at a debate on "freedom of speech... Read More »
Scottish evangelists identify Paganism as one of the “biggest threats to Western civilisation”
Posted: Mon, 16 Nov 2015 by Alistair McBay
After the world suffered another grim reminder of the merciless Islamist ideology, the Solas Centre for Public Christianity warned instead that the re-emergence of Paganism in Scotland was one of the biggest threats to civilization.
On Sunday 15 November 2015... Read More »
Operation Christmas Child: Christian fundamentalism, gift-wrapped
Posted: Thu, 12 Nov 2015 by Stephen Evans
The Operation Christmas Child 'shoebox' appeal is a front for a project to convert children in predominantly Muslim countries to literalist Christianity. Parents should give it a wide berth, argues Stephen Evans.
My heart sank this week when picking my daughter... Read More »
Mammon, not God, should reign on Sundays
Posted: Thu, 12 Nov 2015 by Oliver Kamm
Sunday trading laws frustrate free enterprise and fail to boost religion. It's time to scrap these petty, scolding restrictions, argues Oliver Kamm
Every Sunday evening from October to April I turn up to the Conway Hall in central London, hand over a tenner... Read More »
Ted Cruz says the President of the United States should be “on his knees” before God “every day”
Posted: Mon, 09 Nov 2015 by Benjamin Jones
Young Americans might be turning away from Christianity, but the American religious right is more audacious than ever – and their rhetoric about 'religious freedom' barely conceals their theocratic aspirations, writes Benjamin Jones.
Ted Cruz, advocate... Read More »
