NSS Opinion
Sectarianism in modern Britain
Posted: Wed, 09 Sep 2015 by Iram Ramzan
From Iranian dissidents fearing deportation after seeking asylum from theocracy, to ex-Muslims driven from their homes in Bradford, Iram Ramzan looks at some worrying examples of sectarianism threatening Britain's reputation for tolerance.
Peyman (not his real... Read More »
Let Ofsted inspect religious education in faith schools
Posted: Wed, 09 Sep 2015 by Stephen Evans
Religious education should receive the same scrutiny as any other area of the curriculum – and be inspected by Ofsted, argues Stephen Evans.
I recently came across a local newspaper headline about a school being praised for its religious education. As... Read More »
The encroachment of reactionary Islamism in academic life
Posted: Tue, 08 Sep 2015 by Stefano Bonino
Universities and academics seeking to challenge anti-Muslim prejudice should promote genuine Muslim human rights groups rather than unrepresentative Islamists seeking to advance their own reactionary agenda, argues Dr Stefano Bonino.
Professor Max Farrar, a... Read More »
Students forced to lead prayers and made to attend Mass – the reality of faith schools for non-religious pupils
Posted: Thu, 03 Sep 2015 by A Pupil
A Sixth Former gives a student's account of what it's like to attend a faith school if you aren't religious, and shows the reality of some faith schools for pupils who don't share the school's enthusiasm for religion.
One might be forgiven for thinking that... Read More »
The BBC is failing to respond to fair criticism of its religious output
Posted: Tue, 11 Aug 2015 by Keith Porteous Wood
The NSS has objected numerous times over the past half century to the exclusion of non-believers from BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day but it now seems as though the BBC will not even consider objections to the programme, raising questions about how the Corporation... Read More »
We need a Robert Conquest figure to demolish the pro-Islamist left
Posted: Thu, 06 Aug 2015 by Benjamin Jones
The late historian Robert Conquest exposed the true horror of Stalinism; and the 21st century badly needs a similar expose to break the pro-Islamist left away from their cruel sympathy with another totalitarian system, argues Benjamin Jones.
Robert Conquest,... Read More »
Christians shouldn’t put self-interest above Britain’s need to better integrate
Posted: Fri, 31 Jul 2015 by Stephen Evans
The long history of Christian involvement in state education shouldn't stand in the way of a more integrated education system, argues Stephen Evans.
No sooner had David Cameron finished delivering his landmark speech on extremism which stressed the need for... Read More »
NHS pastoral care should be a non-discriminatory service for all
Posted: Thu, 16 Jul 2015 by Stephen Evans
If NHS Trusts want to provide pastoral care for all, then there is no rationale for restricting the role of chaplain to those of faith, argues Stephen Evans.
God forbid – but if you or any your family end up in hospital, and feel the need for some emotional... Read More »
Quilliam is coming to Exeter- and here’s why
Posted: Thu, 16 Jul 2015 by Charlie Evans
The Quilliam Foundation promote a citizenship and human rights approach to tackling extremism. Charlie Evans is setting up the first Quilliam student group at Exeter University and hopes anyone who shares secular and liberal values will join this new student... Read More »
Why have I never taught a Jewish child?
Posted: Tue, 14 Jul 2015 by Dennis O’Sullivan
Is this the way to unite society – with faith schools teaching the supremacy of their ideology and how wrong the rest of us are, asks Dennis O'Sullivan, a headteacher with thirty-five years of experience in education.
Teaching British Values is now compulsory... Read More »
Misrepresenting concerns about Islam won’t make society more cohesive
Posted: Wed, 08 Jul 2015 by Benjamin Jones
Recent polling found that 56% of Britons think Islam poses a threat to democracy. However this finding has been misrepresented to suggest that British people think Muslims themselves are a "threat".
When asked, "does Islam (not fundamentalist groups) pose... Read More »
When is a faith school not a faith school?
Posted: Wed, 08 Jul 2015 by Alastair Lichten
Academisation and the 'grey area' between faith and non-religious schools may allow even more schools to assume a religious character by stealth. To avoid this, we need a much clearer definition of 'faith school', argues Alastair Lichten.
The 1944 Education... Read More »
Catholic hierarchy stand by while nuns’ orders seek to obstruct justice for their abuse victims
Posted: Mon, 06 Jul 2015 by Keith Porteous Wood
Following the failed attempt to obstruct the historic child abuse inquiry in Scotland, Keith Porteous Wood exposes the continuing reluctance of the Catholic Church to face up to and pay for its crimes.
Two orders of nuns have sought and failed to frustrate... Read More »
Tim Montgomerie need not worry, secularism and tolerance go hand in hand
Posted: Thu, 02 Jul 2015 by Stephen Evans
There's nothing "anti-Christian" about a society that sets about dismantling historic religious privilege, argues Stephen Evans.
In a Times opinion piece about the power of forgiveness – so poignantly expressed in Amazing Grace, the former slave trader... Read More »
Academics call for greater sensitivity about religion in universities, but students suggest it’s not an issue
Posted: Fri, 19 Jun 2015 by National Secular Society
Some academics are giving undue prominence to religion and religious students- when the evidence shows they are exaggerating the scale of the 'problem' they describe.
Tariq Modood, professor of sociology at the University of Bristol, and Professor Craig Calhoun,... Read More »
Faith schools: education’s sacred cow
Posted: Fri, 19 Jun 2015 by Stephen Evans
Faith-based schools have been part of Britain's educational landscape for a long time. But as Britain's religious outlook changes, the time has come for some people to come to terms with their fear or unwillingness to question them, argues Stephen Evans.
Britain's... Read More »
Preacher James McConnell faces prosecution for calling Islam “Satanic"- the state again tramples over free expression
Posted: Thu, 18 Jun 2015 by Benjamin Jones
Free speech for all is threatened once more by the senseless prosecution of another Christian preacher. His religious freedom is the same liberty that defends secularists, atheists, people of all religions and none.
"Islam is heathen, Islam is satanic, Islam... Read More »
Academic claims university atheists are “militant”
Posted: Thu, 18 Jun 2015 by Benjamin Jones
A paper published by the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education has claimed that atheists can be "militant" on university campuses, while describing religion as a "public good" and the exclusion of religion from the public sphere as "repressive."
Professor... Read More »
Anti-Muslim bigotry and the problem, with ‘Islamophobia’
Posted: Thu, 11 Jun 2015 by Benjamin Jones
Islamists are again using the victims of anti-Muslim bigotry to advance their agenda. Once again, a British university has aided this project in a conference on 'Islamophobia' which undermined and demonised ex-Muslims as "McCarthyites".
Many, many Muslims are... Read More »
Don’t ban women drivers – ban faith schools
Posted: Sat, 30 May 2015 by Oliver Kamm
In a pluralist and diverse society, it's an invitation to ignorance for children to be segregated by their parent's religious affiliation – so why, asks Oliver Kamm, is the state entrusting the education of huge numbers of children to religious bodies?... Read More »
Christian leaders need to prioritise their targets
Posted: Thu, 28 May 2015 by Benjamin Jones
It is tiresomely common to have some Christian leaders describing secularism as intolerant, bigoted, militant or aggressive. At a time when Christians are being met with genuine persecution around the world, Benjamin Jones argues that Christian leaders should... Read More »
The Catholic Church is now paying the price for its past in Ireland
Posted: Tue, 26 May 2015 by Keith Porteous Wood
NSS executive director Keith Porteous Wood welcomes the Irish referendum result on marriage equality and argues that the Catholic Church's appalling recent history in Ireland shows it deserves to be discredited- as it now has been, by the overwhelming referendum... Read More »
Time for Christians of goodwill to say “Not In My Name”
Posted: Tue, 26 May 2015 by Terry Sanderson
Most Christians don't feel the need to be exempt from equality legislation in order to live their lives in accordance with their religious beliefs. Terry Sanderson says it's time they spoke out against those that do.
The efforts by some evangelical groups to... Read More »
A very confused and immoderate Moderator
Posted: Wed, 20 May 2015 by Alistair McBay
Alistair McBay examines the confused and immoderate arguments of the new Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland.
The Reverend David Robertson of the Free Church of Scotland has now taken up the mantle of the church's Moderator.
First of all, it would be churlish... Read More »
‘Spiritual influence’, democracy and free expression
Posted: Tue, 19 May 2015 by Alastair Lichten
Religious voting blocs and sectarian and divisive politics harm society and can undermine democracy. But are laws that potentially restrict free expression the answer? Alastair Lichten considers the charge of 'undue spiritual influence'.
Many student unions... Read More »
