NSS Opinion
Countering the threat to religious freedom and of religious extremism
Posted: Wed, 12 Jun 2019 by Sara Khan
Countering extremism requires a whole-society response to uphold and promote democratic norms and principles and encourage debate and dialogue, says the lead commissioner for countering extremism Sara Khan. Read More »
Protecting children means challenging religious privilege
Posted: Fri, 07 Jun 2019 by Chris Sloggett
A report on child abuse in religious settings should prompt us to reconsider our relationship with religious institutions and their constitutional privileges and our wider attitude towards religion, says Chris Sloggett. Read More »
Sexual freedom and secularism have always gone hand in hand
Posted: Fri, 07 Jun 2019 by Stephen Evans
Stephen Evans says religious concerns weren't a good reason to restrict understanding of birth control in Victorian England and they aren't a good reason to undermine relationships and sex education today. Read More »
A message to anti-LGBT campaigners: There is no hierarchy of equality
Posted: Thu, 06 Jun 2019 by Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett
In modern Britain equality is protected and one person's protected characteristics can't be used to subjugate another. The sooner people from all faiths and none realise this the better, argues Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett. Read More »
Praying on the vulnerable
Posted: Fri, 24 May 2019 by Stephen Evans
A ruling that a nurse was not wrongly dismissed for repeatedly evangelising was unsurprising, says Stephen Evans. Healthcare professionals must be prepared to set aside their personal beliefs at work to protect patients. Read More »
The anti-RSE campaign has echoes of the Rushdie affair
Posted: Thu, 23 May 2019 by Yasmin Rehman
As the campaign against relationships and sex education spreads and grows increasingly aggressive, Yasmin Rehman says politicians' pandering to intolerance will be a disaster for LGBT people, Muslims and wider society. Read More »
Pope’s latest PR offering on clerical abuse should fool no one
Posted: Fri, 10 May 2019 by Keith Porteous Wood
By only obligating officials in the Roman Catholic Church to report cases of clerical abuse internally, the pope's latest decree on child abuse falls a long way short of what is necessary, argues Keith Porteous Wood. Read More »
The C of E can’t be allowed to keep shielding abusers from accountability
Posted: Thu, 09 May 2019 by Richard Scorer
A damning report from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has highlighted the need for independent oversight of the Church of England's safeguarding procedures and a mandatory reporting law, says Richard Scorer. Read More »
New guidance on independent schools: analysis of hard-line opposition and DfE concessions
Posted: Fri, 03 May 2019 by Alastair Lichten
The government has published new guidance on independent schools, amid systemic failings by independent faith schools. Alastair Lichten looks at what's changed and how the DfE has handled religious groups' demands. Read More »
Britain needs to stand up for everyone’s religious freedom
Posted: Tue, 23 Apr 2019 by Stephen Evans
The appalling attacks in Sri Lanka again highlight the growing global persecution of Christians. But there should be no hierarchy of importance when it comes to protecting people from persecution, argues Stephen Evans. Read More »
The advertising regulator is pandering to religious offence-taking
Posted: Thu, 04 Apr 2019 by Chris Sloggett
As a regulator issues patronising advice to advertisers in the run-up to Easter, Chris Sloggett takes a look at its guidance on religious offence – and finds a deep and damaging aversion to freedom of expression. Read More »
The harm caused by Jehovah’s Witnesses shows charity law reform is urgently needed
Posted: Tue, 26 Mar 2019 by Lloyd Evans
The Jehovah's Witnesses organisation causes serious abuse and harm, says Lloyd Evans. Its charitable status should be revoked – and society should stop assuming religious organisations only have good intentions. Read More »
Religion and public benefit – why it’s time to rethink charity law
Posted: Fri, 22 Mar 2019 by Stephen Evans
An NSS report says 'the advancement of religion' should be removed as a charitable purpose. Stephen Evans says the law should align with public opinion and only support charities that deliver a genuine public benefit. Read More »
Let’s face facts: FGM has something to do with religion
Posted: Thu, 14 Mar 2019 by Megan Manson
Politicians who insist female genital cutting has nothing to do with religion set a dangerous precedent that undermines campaigns to combat it and other religious harms, says Megan Manson. Read More »
Sudan deserves a secular democracy
Posted: Wed, 06 Mar 2019 by Nahla Mahmoud
As protesters demand the end of Sudan's Islamist regime, Nahla Mahmoud says a secular democracy is the only way to protect the rights of the Sudanese people. Read More »
The government should stand up to parents who want religious opt-outs
Posted: Wed, 27 Feb 2019 by Chris Sloggett
Giving ground to religious groups' individualistic demands for opt-outs from relationships & sex education undermines children's rights and teachers' ability to do their job, says Chris Sloggett. Read More »
The BMA’s genital cutting guidance is a disturbing departure from evidence-based, patient-centred policy making
Posted: Wed, 27 Feb 2019 by Dr Antony Lempert
The body which represents doctors has missed the opportunity to take a stand against medically unnecessary child circumcision in its new guidance on the subject, says Dr Antony Lempert. Read More »
IICSA's Ealing hearings showed the Catholic Church can't be trusted to police itself
Posted: Mon, 25 Feb 2019 by Keith Porteous Wood
An inquiry has highlighted the Catholic Church's lamentable failings over child abuse at an abbey and school in west London. Keith Porteous Wood says the episode has shown the need for mandatory reporting of abuse. Read More »
21 steps the pope would take if he was committed to tackling child abuse
Posted: Fri, 22 Feb 2019 by Keith Porteous Wood
As the Catholic Church unveils another inadequate plan to tackle child abuse, this open letter from Keith Porteous Wood highlights some steps the pope could take if he was committed to taking effective action. Read More »
Northern Ireland: where Protestants and Catholics don’t need to be Protestants or Catholics
Posted: Tue, 19 Feb 2019 by Roy Fisher
Northern Ireland's equalities practices are furthering the harmful narrative that the country is made up of two communities and restricting citizens' ability to decide their own religious identities, says Roy Fisher. Read More »
Integrated communities require inclusive, secular schools
Posted: Tue, 12 Feb 2019 by Alastair Lichten
A government plan on integration sets out a positive vision on education - but faith schools remain the elephant in the room. Alastair Lichten asks if ministers' actions will match their rhetoric. Read More »
Religious dogma still clouds assisted dying debate
Posted: Thu, 07 Feb 2019 by Stephen Evans
As the Royal College of Physicians consults its members over assisted dying, Stephen Evans says we should be aware of often well-disguised theological objections to reform. Read More »
Catholic abuse scandals: why self policing always fails
Posted: Mon, 04 Feb 2019 by Richard Scorer
The IICSA inquiry has turned its attention to child abuse at two Catholic schools. Abuse lawyer and NSS vice president Richard Scorer delivered the following opening statement on behalf of several victims. Read More »
Barbara Smoker’s remarkable life should inspire us all
Posted: Thu, 17 Jan 2019 by Helen Nicholls
Former NSS president Barbara Smoker's book My Godforsaken Life: Memoir of a Maverick reminds us of the value of ordinary people's principled activism and provides a link to secularists of the past, says Helen Nicholls. Read More »
Institutionalised prayer doesn't belong in parliament
Posted: Wed, 16 Jan 2019 by Stephen Evans
As MPs launch a motion against parliamentary prayers, NSS CEO Stephen Evans says ending the anachronistic custom would strike a blow for modernity, equality and freedom of conscience. Read More »
