Tags: Christmas
All I want for Christmas is freedom of and from religion
Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2020 by Stephen Evans
Opponents often erect a straw man of secularism to justify demands for religious privilege. But freedom of religion must come with freedom from religion, says Stephen Evans.
There was little sign of Christmas spirit in my inbox the other day when a Christian... Read More »
Secularism is a challenge to religion’s political power and privilege, not people of faith
Posted: Fri, 22 Dec 2017 by Stephen Evans
Some Christians use the Christmas period to attack secularism for its challenge to their sense of entitlement. But Stephen Evans says the faithful have far more to fear from religious fanatics than secularists.
Buying a copy of the Christmas edition of the... Read More »
The 'war on Christmas' is coming
Posted: Fri, 10 Nov 2017 by Alastair Lichten
The myth of a culture war on Christmas may be comical and its claims endlessly debunked, but its promotion is part of a campaign for Christian supremacy, argues Alastair Lichten.
It's coming… the 'WAR ON CHRISTMAS!!!' You've been warned: the seasonal... 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 »
Secularism is on the front line
Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2015 by Terry Sanderson
Terry Sanderson, the recently re-elected president of the National Secular Society, reflects on the challenges of the past year and invites our members and supporters to take an active role supporting our campaign work in 2016.
We've heard very little this... Read More »
Operation Christmas Child: Christian fundamentalism, gift-wrapped
Posted: Thu, 12 Nov 2015 by Stephen Evans
The Operation Christmas Child 'shoebox' appeal is a front for a project to convert children in predominantly Muslim countries to literalist Christianity. Parents should give it a wide berth, argues Stephen Evans.
My heart sank this week when picking my daughter... 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 »
Operation Christmas Child
Posted: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 by Alastair Lichten
Every year the National Secular Society is contacted by parents upset to discover that a festive charitable project in their children's school is unwittingly making them tools for evangelisation. Alastair Lichten looks at some of their concerns.
It seems to... Read More »
Enticing children to evangelism with toys: Samaritan’s Purse shoebox scheme.
Posted: Thu, 18 Oct 2012 by Rebecca Sharkey
Every year, in the run-up to Christmas, The National Secular Society receives numerous calls from concerned parents about Operation Christmas Child, run by the evangelical Samaritan's Purse organisation. Thousands of churches, schools and businesses across... Read More »
We wish you a merry – and free – Christmas
Posted: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 by Nigel Sewell
A seasonal message from Bristol Secular Society
This time of year has many names: Winter Solstice, Christmas, Yule, Hanukkah, Saturnalia, etc. Some of these are ancient, others more recent. In particular many belief systems have a special event or holiday centered... Read More »