NSS Opinion
Why the Ashers Bakery 'gay cake' ruling was reasonable
Posted: Tue, 01 Nov 2016 by Stephen Evans
Despite the hyperbole, the decision in the Ashers Baker case is both reasonable and straightforward, opening the door neither to a denigration of religious freedom or equality laws. Had the case gone the other way it would have undermined both.
Had the Ashers ‘gay cake’ ruling gone the other way it would have seriously undermined equality law
Posted: Fri, 28 Oct 2016 by National Secular Society
Despite the outcry following this week's Ashers 'gay cake' ruling, Northern Ireland's Court of Appeal delivered a clear and logical judgment.
There was an outcry this week when the Christian bakers found to have discriminated against a gay man by refusing... Read More »
Review: The Battle for British Islam, by Sara Khan with Tony McMahon
Posted: Thu, 27 Oct 2016 by Benjamin Jones
There are three million Muslims in the UK. The evidence shows they are becoming more religiously conservative, thousands are thought to have joined Islamic State; vast majorities would criminalise blasphemy and homosexuality. What hope is there?
'The Battle... Read More »
Forced cutting of young boys’ genitals violates the most fundamental medical ethics
Posted: Mon, 24 Oct 2016 by Dr Antony Lempert
Too often those who carry out forced cutting of young boys' genitals escape with gentle admonishment, rather than punishment commensurate with the severity of their actions, writes Dr Antony Lempert of the Secular Medical Forum.
In 2013, Dr Hassan Abdulla,... Read More »
The new UN Secretary General must not allow religion to override human rights
Posted: Fri, 21 Oct 2016 by Keith Porteous Wood
UN Secretary General designate needs to ignore Catholic pressure to row back on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights and Gay Rights, writes Keith Porteous Wood.
The former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres has been officially appointed as the next... Read More »
Advice for parents wanting to give the evangelical Operation Christmas Child shoebox scheme a wide berth
Posted: Wed, 12 Oct 2016 by Alastair Lichten
Alastair Lichten looks at the ethical, educational and efficiency case against the Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child shoebox scheme.
It gets earlier every year. Despite the unseasonable sunshine this September we've already started to receive the... Read More »
The demonisation of Louis Smith: This is how a de facto blasphemy law works
Posted: Tue, 11 Oct 2016 by Stephen Evans
The castigation of a British gymnast for 'mocking Islam' is illustrative of a troubling return of blasphemy, argues Stephen Evans.
If you've been following the hounding of British Olympic gymnast Louis Smith this week, you'd be forgiven for forgetting that... Read More »
Channel 4’s Dispatches reveals intimidating tactics of US-inspired anti-abortion campaigners
Posted: Thu, 06 Oct 2016 by Dr Antony Lempert
Dr Antony Lempert of the Secular Medical Forum reacts to Channel 4 Dispatches' programme that showed the shock tactics UK anti-abortion campaigners are importing from America.
This week's Channel 4's Dispatches, presented by Cathy Newman, went undercover among... Read More »
The biter bit: Church of England suffers from Chancel Repair Liability
Posted: Wed, 05 Oct 2016 by Ed Moore
The legal requirement to repair church chancels has surprisingly started to impact the Church Commissioners. Here's what they did about it.
The National Secular Society has long campaigned to remove Chancel Repair Liability (CRL), which dates back to the time... Read More »
Inclusive education: divisive faith schools are the elephant in the room
Posted: Fri, 30 Sep 2016 by Stephen Evans
NSS campaigns director on why progressives of all political and religious stripes should unite in opposing Theresa May's plan to open a new wave of divisive 'faith schools'
As an advocate for secular education, my hopes were raised momentarily this week when... Read More »
Church of England or Chancellor of the Exchequer: who’s setting the agenda?
Posted: Mon, 19 Sep 2016 by Ed Moore
NSS treasurer Ed Moore writes on the blurred lines between church and state when it comes to taxpayer funding for church repairs, and the vast sums of money being sent from the Treasury to the Church of England.
It can be hard, viewed from afar, to try and... Read More »
Facilitating more religious segregation in faith schools can only harm social cohesion
Posted: Mon, 12 Sep 2016 by Stephen Evans
In a move devoid of any common sense, Theresa May's government looks set to capitulate to the demands of religious groups by relaxing admissions rules for faith-based academies, allowing them to select all pupils along religious lines.
It's hard to think of... Read More »
Living better together: French secularism risks being destroyed by political ambition
Posted: Thu, 25 Aug 2016 by Terry Sanderson
Despite occasional conflicts, France's tradition of secularism has served both social cohesion and religious freedom well. Terry Sanderson argues that misusing secularism for political aims risks undermining both.
The French ban on so-called burkinis –... Read More »
Religious privilege undermines abuse victims’ access to justice
Posted: Mon, 22 Aug 2016 by Richard Scorer
Richard Scorer, a specialist child abuse lawyer at Slater & Gordon draws attention to organisations seeking more lenient treatment over child abuse-connected matters because they are religious and makes the case for no concessions being given.
Which is... Read More »
Conflating abuse with criticism of Islam risks a return to a UK blasphemy law
Posted: Thu, 18 Aug 2016 by Benjamin Jones
The BBC and Demos have published an accidental case-study in why we should all stop using the meaningless and sinister word 'Islamophobia'.
The BBC has made much of a report from Demos warning that thousands of 'Islamophobic' tweets are sent in English every... Read More »
Governor’s perspective: beware an increasingly assertive religious ethos in ‘Church schools’
Posted: Tue, 16 Aug 2016 by A Governor
The NSS is regularly contacted by governors and staff at Church of England schools who are pressured by their diocese to promote a more rigorous 'Christian ethos' - whether or not it's suitable for their school community. Here's one governor's account of increasing... Read More »
The House of Lords and religion
Posted: Fri, 12 Aug 2016 by Keith Porteous Wood
The Parliamentary recess provides welcome respite from the frenetic activity of the political battles being fought out in the chamber and corridors, allowing us to stand back and have a wry look at the institution itself, writes Keith Porteous Wood.
With the... Read More »
Sharia, security and the church: dangers of the British Home Office inquiry
Posted: Tue, 09 Aug 2016 by Gita Sahgal
Feminist campaigners from minority women's organisations in Britain, backed by prominent women human rights advocates from all over the world, wrote an Open Letter to Theresa May, then Home Secretary, criticising the way she was intending to carry out a long-awaited... Read More »
Living better together: What role do Muslims have in building a secular UK?
Posted: Tue, 09 Aug 2016 by Tehmina Kazi
When people learn I run a secularist charity, many are confused about what secularism means and its consequences for non-Christians in the UK, writes Tehmina Kazi of British Muslims for Secular Democracy.
For the last seven years, I have been the director of... Read More »
What do pupils need to know about religion?
Posted: Tue, 02 Aug 2016 by Stephen Evans
In recent years faith communities have amplified their demands for a better understanding of religion in the private and public sector. But what do pupils need to know about religion by the time they leave school?
In recent years faith communities have amplified... Read More »
Living better together: secularism and cohesion
Posted: Fri, 29 Jul 2016 by Stephen Evans
Later this year the NSS will mark its 150th anniversary with a special conference around the theme of 'living better together'. Campaigns director Stephen Evans explains why the time has come for people of all faiths to stand together in supporting secularist... Read More »
Living better together: Muslims and active integration
Posted: Mon, 25 Jul 2016 by Maajid Nawaz
On the theme of living better together, Maajid Nawaz argues that identity policing has further marginalised Muslims and that Britain was wrong to not expect minorities to embrace liberal values.
For years in Britain there has been a pernicious trend to shy... Read More »
Press regulator rules ‘honour’ killings are not Islamic
Posted: Thu, 21 Jul 2016 by Benjamin Jones
The press regulator has issued a troubling ruling that the Mail Online must state that Islam "does not support" 'honour killings'. Why is IPSO giving religious rulings to protect the reputation of Islam?
What business is it of the press regulator what interpretation... Read More »
Book review: 'Christian Nation' by Frederic C. Rich
Posted: Thu, 21 Jul 2016 by Alastair Lichten
Alastair Lichten explores the themes of identity, resilience and redemption in Frederic C. Rich's counterfactual dystopian novel and its defence of secular democracy.
Rich's debut novel depicts America's evolution into a theocratic state following the political... Read More »
Church documents expose an even bigger cover-up than suspected in the Peter Ball case
Posted: Tue, 19 Jul 2016 by Richard Scorer
The recent release of more internal Church of England documents relating to the Peter Ball case exposes an even bigger cover-up than previously suspected, writes specialist abuse lawyer Richard Scorer.
To recap: Peter Ball was a prominent Church of England... Read More »
