NSS Opinion
Cameron's courting of Christianity: divisive, inappropriate, cynical and shallow
Posted: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 by Elizabeth O'Casey
Following David Cameron's call in recent statements for British Christians to be more evangelical, Elizabeth O'Casey questions the appropriateness of his comments and reiterates the need for a secular state.
Hearing David Cameron's recent collection of 'Easter... Read More »
'Trojan horses' in Birmingham schools should come as no surprise
Posted: Wed, 16 Apr 2014 by Rumy Hasan
With powerful religious agendas which reach far beyond faith schools and insufficient protections for community schools, Rumy Hasan argues, the so called 'Operation Trojan Horse' should come as no surprise.
The 'Trojan Horse' plot in Birmingham - where some... Read More »
Religion as a human rights liability
Posted: Wed, 16 Apr 2014 by Nida Kirmani
While human rights movements must engage people of all religions and none, Nida Kirmani argues that explicitly linking religion to human rights can lead to the exclusion and persecution of minority groups and undermine human rights' claims to universality.... Read More »
Religious schools are the problem, not the answer
Posted: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 by Terry Sanderson
One could almost be tempted to say "Hallelujah" to the news that Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, has at last recognised that there is a problem with dangerous religious proselytising in schools – particularly, but certainly not only, in Muslim-dominated... Read More »
Government funding to creationist nurseries has to stop
Posted: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 by Jonny Scaramanga
The Government may prohibit schools from teaching creationism as scientific theory, but as Jonny Scaramanga argues, public funds are still being used to introduce pre-school children to religious pseudoscience.
The Government has a clear policy on teaching... Read More »
The Big Society – to be run by churches - is Mr Cameron’s pipe dream
Posted: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 by Terry Sanderson
First the Communities Minister and now the Prime Minister have declared Britain to be a "Christian nation".
In a speech to "faith leaders" gathered at Downing Street Mr Cameron said that his Government intended to see that religious groups play a much bigger... Read More »
Eric Pickles’ dictatorial disregard for the law is dangerous in a democracy
Posted: Mon, 07 Apr 2014 by Terry Sanderson
Eric Pickles, the Dickensian-style Communities Minister, has announced that Britain is a "Christian nation" and anyone who disagrees needs to "get over it".
He has the usual easy pop at "militant atheists" and dismisses anyone who opposes what he does as "politically... Read More »
Being called a ‘fundamentalist secularist’ is an insult I would welcome
Posted: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 by George Gillett
George Gillett defends the fundamentals of secularism against the persistent attempts by some politicians and media commentators to misrepresent the term. The debate on how to create a society that protects and is fair to people of all faiths and none can... Read More »
Secular values, not religion, make us a tolerant society
Posted: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 by Oliver Kamm
When trying to reach reasoned and compassionate judgments, religion is frequently a source of confusion rather than light, argues Oliver Kamm.
The secular mind is better equipped than religion to reach reasoned and compassionate judgments. That was the argument... Read More »
Diversity? No, the Law Society’s Sharia guidance has created division
Posted: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 by Charlie Klendjian
Charlie Klendjian, secretary of the Lawyers Secular Society, argues that the Law Society, a secular organisation representing solicitors in a secular legal system, has gone beyond its remit and created division with its Practice Note on sharia wills.
A couple... Read More »
Why it would have been invidious to put the Mormon Church on trial
Posted: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 by Terry Sanderson
Terry Sanderson clarifies the threat to freedom of religion and belief when secular courts rule on theological matters.
Last week we reported a decision by a judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court not to hear a case of alleged fraud against the Mormon Church... Read More »
Gender segregation: Universities and Student Representatives continue to fail their students miserably
Posted: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 by Chris Moos
In reflection of the anniversary of the first publicised case of forced gender segregation at a British university, Chris Moos gives an update on the present situation within British universities.
This March 10th marked the anniversary of the first publicised... Read More »
Sharia law is well and truly operating in the UK – thanks to the Law Society
Posted: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 by Sadikur Rahman
Sadikur Rahman, of the Lawyers Secular Society, fears a practice note issued by the Law Society could compromise the Code of Conduct for solicitors and increase the application of Sharia law in the UK.
It was with incredulity that I saw this practice note ... Read More »
The English Catholic Church and the Sex Abuse Crisis
Posted: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 by Richard Scorer
In England, Catholic leaders have fostered the impression that the English church has been relatively scandal-free, and that such problems as did exist were eliminated by the Nolan reforms. A new book by Richard Scorer, head of the abuse unit at Slater &... Read More »
We must give up our faith in religious schools
Posted: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 by Philip Collins
If social integration is the aspiration, we should start in schools and remove faith schools' right to religious selection, argues Philip Collins.
The task of living together well is the dilemma of the diverse modern city. I saw this at its most acute in the... Read More »
Pope's first year of papacy has been a failure on child abuse
Posted: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 by Keith Porteous Wood
This week marks the first anniversary of the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as Pope Francis. But as far as far as child abuse is concerned, it's just business as usual at the Vatican – but with better PR, argues Keith Porteous... Read More »
No, Mr Clegg, there is no "liberal dilemma" when animal rights and religious beliefs conflict
Posted: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 by John Stephenson
Nick Clegg's reasoning behind his opposition to a ban on Kosher and Halal slaughter is inherently contradictory when set aside his views on LGBT rights, argues John Stephenson, who says when animal rights and religious beliefs conflict, it is religion that... Read More »
The bishop’s fantasy secularism
Posted: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 by Terry Sanderson
The Catholic Bishop of Portsmouth, Philip Egan, has given a lecture at King's College in London in which he launched a full frontal attack on secularism. But the secularism the Bishop denounces, argues Terry Sanderson, is simply a figment of his imagination.... Read More »
Faith schools: whose education is it anyway?
Posted: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 by Stephen Evans
Education policy and practice should focus more on children's independent interests and building a shared society rather than pandering to religious groups motivated by self-preservation, argues NSS campaigns manager, Stephen Evans.
According to a comprehensive... Read More »
Is the Religious Right responsible for America’s fading allegiance to religion?
Posted: Wed, 26 Feb 2014 by Terry Sanderson
Terry Sanderson on the Religious Right's baneful attempts to desecularize the United States with a raft of "religious freedom" bills.
There seems to be something of a disconnect in America between the rising number of people who profess to have no religion... Read More »
Fundamentalist Christians seek to use Council of Europe to entrench religious privilege
Posted: Tue, 25 Feb 2014 by European Humanist Federation
A new report from the Council of Europe which uses anti-discrimination rhetoric to justify discrimination and obscurantism, poses a potential threat to democracy and secularism in Europe, argues the European Humanist Federation.
In January, Mr Valeriu Ghiletchi... Read More »
Australia shows the way in removing evangelists from schools
Posted: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 by Terry Sanderson
With widespread apathy about what passes for religious education in schools, our classrooms are increasingly being used by religious groups to carry out their missionary work. Terry Sanderson explains how Australian parents have led the way in removing evangelists... Read More »
Secular or bust
Posted: Tue, 18 Feb 2014 by Kunwar Khuldune Shahid
Reflecting on the extremist wings of Pakistani politics and ideology, Kunwar Khuldune Shahid describes the dire need for Pakistan to place the secular narrative at the centre of its political agenda and mainstream media.
Before Pierre Gassendi gave Epicureanism... Read More »
Church of England is kept alive only by its presence in our schools
Posted: Thu, 13 Feb 2014 by Terry Sanderson
With the Church of England is on its last legs, it's about time its continued involvement in state education was called into question, argues Terry Sanderson.
The Church Times has been carrying a series of supplements over the last few weeks taking a "heath... Read More »
Publish and be damned
Posted: Sat, 08 Feb 2014 by Abhishek Phandis
The media's refusal to show the Jesus & Mo cartoon emboldens professional offense takers at the expense of inoffensive satirists –and seriously undermines the principle of free expression, argues Abhishek Phadnis.
The Danish scholar Jytte Klausen's... Read More »
