NSS Opinion
There is no widespread discrimination against Christians in the workplace
Posted: Fri, 13 Mar 2015 by Terry Sanderson
NSS president Terry Sanderson challenges the notion that Christians are widely discriminated against in the workplace, and calls for fairness, justice and common sense.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published the results of its research... Read More »
Eric Pickles' 'evangelical charter' on its way to becoming law
Posted: Thu, 12 Mar 2015 by Stephen Evans
A small group of Christians in parliament are changing the law to give local authorities the power to summon councillors to prayers. Stephen Evans argues that the right to freedom of religion should always be balanced by the right to be free from religion.... Read More »
The Church, gratitude and the erosion of innocence
Posted: Wed, 11 Mar 2015 by Conor
A parent writes about the problem of innocuous children's activities run with a hidden religious agenda, and defends his right to raise his children how he wishes, without organisations using playgroups as a cover for proselytising to children.
There are probably... Read More »
The Christian Legal Centre makes another attempt to gain privileges for Christians in the workplace
Posted: Mon, 02 Mar 2015 by Terry Sanderson
The Christian Legal Centre's latest 'discrimination' claim follows a familiar pattern – but its use of dissembling tactics shouldn't be permitted to manipulate a change in equality laws, argues Terry Sanderson.
So, here we go again. Another evangelical... Read More »
Charlie Hebdo: a perspective one month on
Posted: Wed, 18 Feb 2015 by Sadikur Rahman
25 years after the Rushdie Affair, one month after the atrocities in Paris and days after the attack on a free speech seminar in Copenhagen, Sadikur Rahman looks at what lessons free expression activists and opponents have taken.
Another European city, this... Read More »
Is the Christian immune from plane crashes?
Posted: Tue, 17 Feb 2015 by Alistair McBay
Alistair McBay reports on Scottish Calvinism's attack on secularism, and offers his reaction to the rhetoric and tactics of the Free Church of Scotland.
The airline industry has had more than its fair share of tragedy recently, with the loss of many lives... Read More »
A duty to mock
Posted: Mon, 16 Feb 2015 by Manfredi La Manna
Manfredi La Manna argues that the response to the Charlie Hebdo murders has exposed unpalatable truths in both the conservative and progressive camps.
The latest cack-handed intervention by the Pope, exempting religions from the list of acceptable targets for... Read More »
Sharia law, apostasy and secularism
Posted: Thu, 12 Feb 2015 by Gita Sahgal
Gita Sahgal argues that opposing religious fundamentalism is not a distraction from 'real' politics - the demands of social justice and civil liberties - but a pre-condition for achieving them.
The conference on Sharia Law, Apostasy and Secularism on February... Read More »
The dishonesty of religious lobbying shines like a beacon
Posted: Tue, 03 Feb 2015 by Terry Sanderson
NSS President Terry Sanderson argues that the churches have changed their lobbying tactics, and are trying to impose their doctrines through misdirection and 'slippery slope' arguments.
The reaction of the Church of England and the Catholic Church to the debate... Read More »
The dishonesty of religious lobbying shines like a beacon
Posted: Tue, 03 Feb 2015 by Terry Sanderson
NSS President Terry Sanderson argues that the churches have changed their lobbying tactics, and are trying to impose their doctrines through misdirection and 'slippery slope' arguments.
The reaction of the Church of England and the Catholic Church to the debate... Read More »
BBC Panorama, “the battle for British Islam” and the nonsense of “peaceful” or “violent” Muslims
Posted: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 by Benjamin Jones
NSS communications officer Benjamin Jones argues that the problem of Islamism is obscured by politicians and others simplistically categorising Muslims as either 'peaceful' or 'violent'.
On 12 January, BBC Panorama featured British Muslims campaigning for a... Read More »
Rendering unto Caesar
Posted: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 by Alistair McBay
The established Church throws stones from inside its Government-subsidised glass cathedral, argues Alistair McBay.
The Church of England was in the news again last week as it tried to prove its relevance to 21st century Britain.
After the embarrassing PR fiasco... Read More »
Charlie Hebdo Editorial: Je Suis Charlie Means Je Suis Secularism
Posted: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 by Admin
This is a translation of the editorial from the first Charlie Hebdo published since the Paris attacks. It is reproduced here in solidarity with Charlie Hebdo.
For a week now, Charlie, an atheist magazine, has accomplished more miracles than all the saints and... Read More »
MPs want God at centre of local democracy
Posted: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 by Imran Khan
When Conservative councillor Imran Khan opted out of Christian prayers at council meetings he was subject to ostracization, abuse and deselection. He's urging MPs to keep sectarianism out of local politics by voting against the Local Government (Religious... Read More »
British media fails the free speech test
Posted: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 by Sadikur Rahman
The British print and media press's response to the Charlie Hebdo attack has involved victim blaming, obfuscation and self-censorship, argues Sadikur Rahman.
If there was ever a time when the British print and media press should have shown courage and strength... Read More »
GP Taylor: Why faith has no place in our schools
Posted: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 by GP Taylor
Many principled people of faith oppose religious privilege in state schools. Former Anglican priest GP Taylor makes an impassioned case for secularism as a basis for equally inclusive education.
As a priest, I was always suspicious of the new parent lurking... Read More »
NSS statement following Charlie Hebdo attack
Posted: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 by Terry Sanderson
Restrictions on criticising or satirising religion, especially Islam, have hugely increased since Salman Rushdie was burned in effigy and driven into hiding over The Satanic Verses in 1988. That he was reviled and those attempting his murder not even charged... Read More »
Churches, charity and the conferring of privilege
Posted: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 by Alistair McBay
There are many ways to do good, including campaigning for human rights and equality over discrimination and prejudice, but charitable work is not a bargaining chip for special privileges, argues Alistair McBay.
Recently some Christian leaders in Scotland angered... Read More »
If we exempt ritual slaughter from animal welfare laws we open the door to far worse crimes
Posted: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 by Matthew Syed
Jewish and Muslim sensibilities about ritual slaughter are given protected status, despite these practices being inhumane. Matthew Syed argues that religious exemptions in this area are a slippery slope into far worse crimes.
I'll be honest: I love meat. I... Read More »
Law Society, religion and the law: reasons to be cheerful
Posted: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 by Sadikur Rahman
The last year has seen a number of successful campaigns against attempts to impose religion in our secular legal system. Council member Sadikur Rahman looks at hopes for optimism in 2015.
When in March this year I wrote a humble blog piece criticising the Law... Read More »
Government’s GCSE subject content review is another missed opportunity
Posted: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 by Stephen Evans
The Government's proposal to reform the religious studies GCSE subject content falls far short of what's really needed, argues Stephen Evans.
The Department for Education is currently consulting on its proposed subject content for religious studies GCSE and... Read More »
A strange case of blasphemy
Posted: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 by Benjamin Jones
The Sony crisis is almost identical to the Satanic Verses controversy, or the Mohammed cartoon riots. Benjamin Jones argues that Sony's capitulation to North Korea has all the hallmarks of religious blasphemy cases, and that the state religion of North Korea... Read More »
Britain First – foot soldiers of a ‘Christian Nation’?
Posted: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 by Alastair Lichten
When mainstream politicians endorse the 'Christian Nation' narrative they feed both Muslim and Christian persecution complexes and pander to the far-right, argues Alastair Lichten.
Elements in the current government like to promote the dog whistle message that... Read More »
The Christmas nativity: Let it go! Let it go!
Posted: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 by Stephen Evans
After it this week emerged that some school nativity plays are losing their religion, Stephen Evans argues that schools should be free to innovate and have a bit of fun with their festive plays without po-faced nativity police telling them they can't.
Predictable... Read More »
Tower Hamlets and the Dangers of Communal Politics
Posted: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 by Rumy Hasan
Last week, the accountancy firm PwC, in its audit of Tower Hamlets Council and its Mayor, Lutfur Rahman, catalogued very serious failings. The case sheds light on a troubling phenomenon: communal politics. We are well aware of the divisive, sectarian politics... Read More »
