Newsline 26 April 2013 - National Secular Society

Newsline
www.secularism.org.uk
26 April 2013
Quotes of the week
'It is not desirable, either economically or socially, that we continue to perpetuate a kind of benign
apartheid within our education system.
(Peter Robinson, Northern Ireland First Minister, Belfast Telegraph)
“To resort to the tag ‘Islamophobia’ is justified only if you adapt a bizarre definition of the word that
is satisfied merely if the religion is held up to scrutiny, rather than its people being held up to
prejudice.”
(Andrew Zak Williams, New Statesman)
“What we are dealing with feels less like pure fanaticism and more like an incoherent rage against a
life that hasn’t lived up to expectations, with radical Islam providing a convenient hook for many
grievances.”
(Gaby Hinsliff, on the Boston bombers, in The Times)
Essays of the week
Christians in Britain aren’t being persecuted – but Muslims are
(Ian Birrell, Guardian)
Sharia councils in Britain are archaic, incompetent – and increasingly popular
(Irfan Al-Alawi, Lapidomedia)
Victory for campaigners as Government outlaws caste discrimination
The National Secular Society has welcomed news that the Government has climbed down following
its defeat last night in the House of Lords and agreed to make discrimination on grounds of caste
unlawful.
On Monday evening (22 April) peers voted to retain their original amendment making caste a
protected characteristic (as an aspect of race) under equality law via a new clause in the Enterprise
and Regulatory Reform Bill. The vote was won by 181 votes to 168.
The Government has now conceded on the principle and has tabled an amendment which requires
the Secretary of State to bring forward regulations to include caste as an aspect of race (under
Section 9(5) of the Equality Act).
Last week the Commons voted to reject the amendment by 64 votes. Earlier the peers had voted in
favour of the amendment by 103 votes.
Keith Porteous Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society, commented: "We are
delighted that the Government has committed to ensure that discrimination against caste will enjoy
the same statutory protection as other protected characteristics. Too many British citizens have
suffered caste based discrimination. Our equality legislation now sends out a clear signal that it will
no longer be tolerated, and offers hope to the tens of thousands of British Asians whose lives are
blighted by such prejudice.
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"The 'Informal conciliation' solution proposed by the Government, possibly in deference to high
caste (and high influence) Hindus, was woefully inadequate for such deep-seated discrimination
that can ruin people's lives.
"We particularly regret the Government's refusal until today to follow the UN's recommendation (pdf)
to bring in this legislation, especially as to do so was an international obligation.
"This is a victory for the Lords and their emphasis on protecting Human Rights. Special thanks go to
Lord Avebury, Lord Harries of Pentregarth and Baroness Thornton for promoting this cause, which
the National Secular Society has been campaigning on for several years since the first world
Conference on Untouchability (pdf) in London in 2009.
“We are proud that the UK is the first European country to pass this legislation and hope that other
nations where caste discrimination is practised will follow the example of India, and now the UK.”
It is thought the amended law will come into force within one to two years.
For further details on this issue, please see our briefing on caste discrimination (pdf).
Catholic midwives succeed in attempt to extend “conscience” exemption
Two Catholic midwives have won a legal battle for the right to conscientious exemption from all
involvement with abortions.
Mary Doogan and Concepta Wood argued that being required to supervise staff taking part in
abortions violated their human rights.
The ruling, which could yet be appealed by Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board, may have
wide ramifications for the NHS and for other health staff who oppose abortions on religious grounds.
Giving judgment in a judicial review last year, Lady Smith said: "Nothing they have to do as part of
their duties terminates a woman's pregnancy. They are sufficiently removed from direct involvement
as, it seems to me, to afford appropriate respect for and accommodation of their beliefs."
However, in a judgement handed down today by Lady Dorrian, sitting with Lord Mackay of
Drumadoon and Lord McEwan, the Court of Session ruled : "In our view the right of conscientious
objection extends not only to the actual medical or surgical termination but to the whole process of
treatment given for that purpose."
Dr Antony Lempert, chair of the Secular Medical forum, said: "Despite their own conscientious
objections, these midwives chose to apply for this particular role within their profession. The earlier
judgment rightly restrained the limits of conscientious objection to those defined by law and further
clarified by Parliament in 1991 and the House of Lords in January 1988.
"Today's judgment could open the door to all manner of objections by professional staff who might
now feel empowered to refuse to participate in a wide variety of tasks far removed from the
treatment of a patient. It should be the responsibility of the healthcare professional to apply only for
roles which are not in direct conflict with their personal beliefs. Where the two do come into conflict,
service provision should never be constrained by the personal views of professionals.
"By so broadly extending the practical limits of conscientious objection, the practical effect is likely
to be service disruption and compromised patient care. It may become increasingly difficult for NHS
provider organisations to ensure that service provision can be maintained. Patients, who do not
have the luxury of choosing when they might need to seek medical help, may be disadvantaged."
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In a statement, the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board said: "We note the outcome of
the appeal and will be considering our options with our legal advisers over the next few days."
Why are children being forced into 'faith' schools?
By Stephen Evans
When primary school places were allocated in England last week, around sixty thousand families
missed out on their first choice of school. For some parents, this meant their children being placed
in a 'faith' school – often against their wishes.
In one of the more farcical cases, non-religious parents were unsuccessful at securing a place in
any of the five community schools they listed as preferences – and have instead been allocated a
place for their son at an Orthodox Jewish School that aims to 'promote religious beliefs and
practices fostering a pride in their Jewish identity'.
Naturally, this isn't the kind of education they had in mind for their son.
Then consider that the local authority also allocated a child from a Muslim family at this same
Jewish school (again against the family's wishes) and you have the makings of a sitcom. But for the
parents involved, it really isn't that funny.
The Government argue that the existence of 'faith' schools creates a diversity of provision that offers
greater opportunity for parental choice. But for the non-religious, and those not of the dominant
Christian faith, the exact opposite is often true.
In many areas, particularly rural locations, schooling with a 'religious' ethos is the only game in
town, and parents are left with little choice but to hand their children over to the Church to be
educated.
How on earth did we get into the position where a state education system in one of the most
secularised nations in the world isn't able to provide parents with a secular education for their
children?
Of course, one reason is that in terms of a national system of education, the Church got there first.
Its dominance in our schools is a product of historical circumstances – but circumstances have
changed radically in the past 50 years. The Church's past role no longer justifies its enormous
influence over our education system today.
Around a third of our state funded schools now have a religious ethos – the vast majority Christian.
This is juxtaposed against a background of rapidly diminishing religious belief in the UK, which
highlights not only how unsustainable and inefficient this is, but importantly, just how inappropriate it
all is.
Religiosity in the UK is not only in decline, it is also becoming increasingly diverse. Northern Ireland
is a living example of why the least appropriate response to this situation is to create a state
education system where religious groups are encouraged and funded to open schools for parents
that wish to segregate their children by their religious beliefs. But this is precisely the road
successive Governments have gone down.
Conscious of the inherent unfairness of the dominance of Christian church schools within our school
system (but unwilling to challenge it), part of the appeal to the Government of the free schools
initiative is that it enables religious minorities to open schools that cater specifically to their religious
and cultural beliefs.
Minority faith groups are now starting to see the appeal. We've recently seen a flurry of new free
schools with a Sikh ethos being proposed. This is unfortunate, because in many ways, Sikhs have
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een the most successful at fully integrating themselves into British society. The fear is that with a
proliferation of single faith schools, this could now be put at risk.
However 'inclusive' these schools claim to be, you can't escape the fact that the intention is to
segregate children into religious groups and inculcate them. Even when minority-faith free schools
only select 50% of their pupils on faith grounds, the majority of the remaining places are filled with
children from that same faith background because only families from that particular faith background
find them appealing.
That leaves a mono-religious, and often mono-ethnic school environment that denies children the
opportunity to meet and make friends with a mix of people in a secular setting – which is, I would
argue, the best preparation for life in modern Britain.
But as Professor Ted Cantle, Chair of the Interculturalism Community Cohesion (iCoCo)
Foundation, has pointed out (pdf), this is an issue nobody seems willing to tackle. Partly because
it's in the 'too difficult' box, but mostly because of a lack of will and imagination of political leaders to
work towards a shared society.
It's already unacceptable that young people's rights are being violated by the law requiring a daily
act of (broadly Christian) worship in all state schools. But it is intolerable that as the shortage of
primary school places becomes more acute, an increasing number of families are finding the only
state education available to them comes with a 'religious ethos' attached.
A report from the National Audit Office last month said an estimated 250,000 new places (mainly
primary) will be needed by autumn 2014 to meet rising demand caused by the rising birth rate.
Meanwhile, the body that represents London's 33 local authorities says at least 118,000 more statefunded
school places will be needed in London alone within the next three years.
These places need to be created in non-selective and inclusive community schools that provide
education without feeling the need to push religion on pupils at every possible opportunity –
because the fact that we're forcing children into 'faith' schools against the wishes of their parents is
nothing short of a national disgrace.
See also: Shared schools report is an opportunity lost
Report recommends directing homeless to church
A new report, funded by a number of religious groups and researched and published by Lemos &
Crane, recommends that agencies working with homeless people should encourage their clients to
go to church and to talk about “faith.”
The report, Lost and Found: faith and spirituality in the lives of homeless people is written by
Carwyn Gravell and says that homeless people, whether they are being helped by secular or
religious organisations, should be told that “religious belief and spiritual practice can help them
come to terms with a past characterised by profound loss, enhance the present where time can
hang heavy, and create a meaningful future built on hope, fellowship and purpose.”
The publisher of the report says: “Britain is commonly described as a secular society. Open
expression of faith in public and professional life is largely frowned upon. Yet religion continues to
give many people in their private lives significant psychological, social and emotional benefits.”
They say that agencies for the homeless hardly ever raise the topic of religion with their clients let
alone encourage them to attend a place of worship. “Why this silence on such a powerful source of
personal strength and support?” they ask.
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The Lemos & Crane website says: “Lost and Found describes the ideological dominance of secular
orthodoxy and scientific materialism in mainstream service provision for homeless people and how
religion is regarded by many in the sector, including senior commissioners, with atheist views as a
subject to be avoided – too personal and intrusive for the client, too time-consuming and difficult to
handle for the support worker, and coming with the risk of being misunderstood as an attempt to
proselytise.”
The publisher, which received funding from the Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster among other
religious bodies says the report will be read by hundreds of providers and commissioners on how
faith and spirituality should be integrated into the care offered to the homeless. They recommend:
Life interviews with clients where faith and spirituality is discussed in the context of reflections
on the past, activities and interests in the present, and hopes for the future
Establishing closer links with local faith groups and places of worship so that service users
who have an active interest in faith can be matched up easily and proactively
Setting up spirituality discussion groups for people ‘of all faiths and no faith’ to present a wide
range of religious beliefs and practices to satisfy homeless people’s incipient demand for
fruitful discussion about purpose and meaning in life.
Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said: “This reads very much like
another justification for ‘faith-based welfare’. It all sounds very benign at first sight, but once religionbased
care becomes established it rapidly turns from being neutral into being a platform for
evangelising. This report tries to convince us that it is not in the business of encouraging
proselytising among the homeless and vulnerable, but you don’t have to read too far between the
lines to see that is exactly what it is about.”
Mr Sanderson said that if people have spiritual and religious needs, there are tens of thousands of
churches that they can go to of their own free will – they don’t have to be directed into them by
people they are depending on for welfare services. “When people are dependent on an organisation
for a roof over their head, invitation can quickly begin to feel like coercion.”
The report is available for free but requires registration
Please don’t let your membership lapse – we need your support more than ever
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will lapse. If you haven’t renewed for this year, we hope you will do so now. You can do it quickly,
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London WC1R 4RL.
Your NSS is really making an impact — having recently won parliamentary victories on free speech
and on caste discrimination — both of them achieved against the odds and with resistance from the
Government. We will continue to seek ways to chip away at religious privilege and to create a
society that is fairer to all and where no-one receives advantage or disadvantage on the grounds of
their beliefs or lack of them.
But we can only do this with your help. The NSS depends entirely on the support of its members
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So, please – don’t drift away. Put your principles into action. We need you and value your
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Christian activists just won’t let it go
By Terry Sanderson
You've got to give them full marks for sheer bloody-mindedness.
I'm talking about the paranoid Christian activists obsessed with the idea that they are being
persecuted in the workplace. They have brought numerous cases to British courts to try to prove
this, and all of them have failed. They have been to tribunals, Crown Courts, High Courts, Appeal
Courts, the Supreme Court and then the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). They failed to
convince any of them that there was any of the discrimination they claimed.
Instead of just accepting that they were wrong, they are now making a final attempt by applying for
a hearing at the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights – which has the power to
overturn ECtHR judgments. But the Grand Chamber hears only very few cases, so the odds are
stacked against them getting a hearing.
The papers they have submitted to the court concern the cases of Shirley Chaplin, the nurse who
was made to remove a dangling necklace (that happened to have a cross on it) because of health
and safety concerns; Gary McFarlane, the Relate counsellor who refused to treat gay couples
equally; and Lillian Ladele, the Islington registrar who refused to provide civil partnerships for samesex
couples.
All these cases were rejected by the ECtHR in Strasbourg earlier this year, although in the case of
Lillian Ladele, two judges issued a dissenting judgment claiming that "conscience is being sacrificed
on the altar of obsessive political correctness".
This time Ms Ladele's lawyers will argue that her case could have "huge implications" regarding
whether other workers, such as teachers or social workers, will be forced to "promote" gay marriage
after it becomes law.
According to newspaper reports, the trio's representatives will up the already inflated rhetoric,
arguing that "British courts are applying double standards towards Christians for 'political' reasons,"
and that human rights laws have been used to "effectively outlaw beliefs which have been held for
millennia while affording special recognition to minority opinions on anything from fox hunting to
climate change."
The Daily Telegraph, which has seen the papers that have been submitted, reports that they claim:
"Self-evidently absurd" health and safety rules are being used as a "ruse" to prevent Christians
wearing crosses while outward expressions of other faiths are welcomed, they say. An overzealous
and one-sided interpretation of rules has brought human rights law itself into disrepute and exposed
the British judiciary itself to "ridicule".
In January, the lower chamber of the Strasbourg court ruled in favour of Nadia Eweida, a BA checkin
clerk who was told the cross she wore contravened the airline's uniform policy – which has since
been changed.
Ms Eweida, and her supporters at the Christian Legal Centre, have since trumpeted this as a "major
victory" – but, in fact, nothing has changed. The court ruled in her favour because, in the light of
much adverse publicity, BA rapidly changed its policy to accommodate her. The court reasoned that
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if the airline could change its policy so quickly and easily, it could not have been essential in the first
place.
However, crosses can still be banned in the workplace if there is a good reason to do it, one that
could be justified in court. That is what happened in the case of Shirley Chaplin. The hospital she
worked for ruled that her jewellery posed a health and safety risk, and the court accepted that it was
a reasonable justification for asking her to remove it.
In the case of Gary McFarlane, barrister (and master of hyperbole) Paul Diamond argues: "He was
dismissed for his 'thoughts' and 'religious beliefs' on a wholly theoretical basis. The case directly
raises the question of conscience and 'thought crime'."
The lawyers say in their papers:
"The United Kingdom has an overall good record on human rights; in recent years this has come
into sharp contrast due a number of decisions made against Christians.
"Christian views on the upbringing of children by two parents have not been recognised as a
religious view at all; whilst views on global warming, fox hunting, and even the BBC as a public
broadcaster have been recognised."
Andrea Minichiello Williams, director of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Mr
McFarlane and Mrs Chaplin, also increased the volume by saying:
"We are throwing down the gauntlet to David Cameron to decide once and for all whether he is in
favour of religious freedom or not. These are cases where the only victims were the Christians
trying to live out their faith in the workplace but who were driven out for doing so. As the pleadings
in Gary McFarlane's case make clear, Christians are now being punished for 'thought crimes'."
Although it's unlikely that these cases will get a further hearing, we can't be complacent. We have
only to look at what happened in the Lautsi case to see that when religion gets into gear it can throw
justice off course. But the Lautsi decision was reversed mainly because the Vatican wanted it
reversed. I don't think Andrea Minichiello Williams or Paul Diamond have quite the same clout.
Fitnah! Movement for women’s liberation founded
A new women’s liberation group called Fitnah! has been created as “a protest movement
demanding freedom, equality, and secularism and calling for an end to misogynist cultural, religious
and moral laws and customs, compulsory veiling, sex apartheid, sex trafficking, and violence
against women.”
In its founding statement it says: “We remind the Islamic regime of Iran and Islamists everywhere
that the women’s liberation movement is a source of fitnah for their rule alone. We are Islamism’s
worst fitnah!”
Please feel free to publicise and also urge others to join us by signing this petition.
Ninety-nine people convicted of blasphemy in Malta last year
A report on human rights around the world from the US Department of State showed that 99
individuals were convicted in Malta last year for "public blasphemy". This was down from 119 the
year before.
Maltese law prohibits vilification of or giving offence to the Roman Catholic Church, which is also
Malta's official religion. In Malta, it is a criminal offence to utter publicly any obscene or indecent
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words, make obscene acts or gestures or in any other way offend public morality, propriety or
decency.
However, the report was generally positive about the freedom of the press in Malta, saying that the
media can express a wide variety of views without restriction.
"The constitution and law provide for freedom of speech and of the press, and the government
generally respected these rights. An independent press and a functioning democratic political
system combined to ensure freedom of speech and of the press," the report said.
It also pointed out that international media could operate freely and there was no indication of
reprisals against individuals for either public or private criticism of the government.
However, the existence of a blasphemy law that is so heavily enforced tells a different story about
the rights of individuals to say what is on their mind – particularly if it is about the Catholic Church.
See also: A review of Malta's concordat with the Church is urgent, says MP.
Despite secular constitution, Fiji government won’t rule out prayer at official
functions
With Fiji set to become a secular state when the new constitution comes into effect, it has been
confirmed that “general prayers acceptable to all” will be said in government organised functions.
In the draft constitution, it is clearly stated that religious belief is personal. It said that the State and
all persons holding a public office must treat all religions equally and they must not dictate any
religious belief.
The draft further said that the State and all persons holding a public office must not prefer or
advance, by any means, any particular religion, religious denomination, religious belief or religious
practice over another, or over any non-religious belief.
When asked on how the government departments will handle prayers at functions when the
constitution is adopted, Acting Prime Minister and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said a
prayer can be said that is acceptable to all.
From the web
As the Scouts consider their policy on permitting atheists to become full members, how do you think
they’d fare in this troop?
NSS speaks out
Keith Porteous Wood had this blog on the Politics.co.uk website ahead of the vote on caste
discrimination in parliament on Monday. After the Government backed down he was quoted by the
BBC, in the Independent, MSN India, Solicitors Journal and Economic Times (India).
Letters to Newsline
Please send your letters for publication to letters@secularism.org.uk. We want to publish as many letters as possible, so
please keep them brief – no more than 250 words. We reserve the right to edit. Opinions expressed in letters are not
necessarily those of the NSS. You can also join in live debates on our Facebook page.
GOD DID IT
I am part of a fledgling Skeptics group in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. We've barely got into the
rhythm of meeting regularly yet, so felt I should contact you regarding an issue relating to our local
schools.
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One of our members has a partner teaching at a primary school, and this morning informed us that
"a group from a Methodist Church are going round, and believe it or not, teaching 'The Big Bang' in
assembly."
So far, so eyebrow-raising.
After telling the whole school how long humans took to develop a plane but God gave a fly wings at
the click of a finger they continued with....
"Now, we believe the big bang happened but, God made it happen because, if I dropped my phone
it would smash in to hundreds of pieces. I would have to fix it. So you see, God made the big bang
happen so he could re-build Earth how he wanted it to be."
Is this allowed? The teacher in question says they visit monthly but usually stick to story-telling. If
they are using that as a cover to get around any rules/law against espousing the above, I think it
stinks.
We don't know what we should, or even could, do. The teacher in question is reluctant to bring it up
with her colleagues as she's relatively new to the job.
Any advice would be most appreciated.
Chris Scarfe
RELIGIOSITY EXAGGERATED
In an article quoted in last week’s Newsline, Terry Sanderson said he “continues to be puzzled by
the way (Scottish) people still often felt the need to exaggerate their religious adherence when
questioned by pollsters."
As someone brought up in the Church of Scotland, I think this may be because of the tradition of the
"Protestant v Catholic divide" which used to be very strong in Scotland, particularly the West Central
area, and still lingers on in tribal rivalry between the supporters of Celtic & Rangers football clubs.
When Scots "exaggerate their religious adherence", it may just be their way of saying "I'm not one
of that other lot"!
Terry Sanderson writes: George, you have a good point about Scotland, but my comment was a
more general one. It isn’t only the Scottish pollsters who find their adherence to religion
exaggerated by respondents – all polls that cover religious matters find the same phenomenon –
even in the USA.
George Rodger
I think the three gentlemen from Abu Dhabi thrown out of a festival (and Saudi Arabia) for being too
handsome now have a potential public career in modelling, the pop world or TV. Bring them over
here so we can see whether women throw themselves at their feet.
Guy Otten
LINGUISTIC CHATTERING
The pdf version of last week's Newsline contains a truly marvellous howler. Patricia Tricker is
described as, 'member of the Chattered Institute of Linguists.' I guess linguists spend a good deal of
their time chattering! Brilliant!
David Amies
Re letters in Have your Say of 19 April, I hope readers had a good laugh at my being a Member of
the Chattered Institute of Linguists and perhaps there should be such an institute but I have to
disappoint them by pointing out that I am a Member of the ChaRtered Institute of Linguists.
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Ed writes: Sorry, Patricia – those spell-checkers are more trouble than they’re worth, sometimes!
But I don’t think we can beat this one from a local church bulletin: “The Associate Minister unveiled
the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.” No doubt we’ll
keep on trying.
Patricia Tricker
HOW TO USE A VILLAGE CHURCH
Daniel Scharf (Newsline, 19 April) asks for suggestions of uses for village churches. A suitably
meditative use could be as a library. Or, in view of the no doubt ample seating, a reading room.
Brian Jordan
ETYMLOGY OF CHURCH
I don't quite agree with Patricia Tricker's hunt for the etymology of the word church, though in most
respects yes.
Kirios (or kyrios, if preferred) is someone of high authority, clunkily translated into 'Lord', found in the
earliest Greek literature, Homer. It's more like 'boss' or 'sir' in Modern Greek. Kiriakos/-i-on is the
adjective, so kiriakon doma is 'the lord's house'.
Modern Greek refers to Sunday as Kiriaki (Lord's day). Earlier Greek used the words naos or hieron
(both, 'temple') for religious buildings. Ecclesia long predates Christianity: it's 'public assembly',
usually for political gatherings. The real mystery is why the eastern word, church (showing the
Germanic sound shifting, Kiriak - K(h)irak(h), Kirche in Modern German), was adopted into almost
all Northern European Germanic languages, rather than some form of ecclesia (a word adopted, as
in Spanish, into the Western or Roman/Catholic church).
Yet the Celtic languages do use a form of this. Welsh refers to a church as eglwys. On the
English/Scottish border we have Ecclefechan (='little church'). So why does most of the West use
the Eastern, or Orthodox, term, giving us 'Church', 'Kirche' etc? No-one can explain this, unless it's
a hangover from Mithras' day. (As is rather a lot, to be honest, of the older-fashioned religious belief
of the present time).
Michael Igoe
CASTE DISCRIMINATION
I understand that the National Secular Society has criticised the Government's "callous" disregard
for victims of caste discrimination in the UK after MPs rejected a Lords amendment to make
discrimination on grounds of caste unlawful. The plea is that this is an issue that is contained in the
Hindu and Sikh communities. (The Hindu and Sikh communities in the UK can not claim any
immunity from the law of the land.)That's why they are working with those communities to address
these problems.
Meena Varma of the Dalit Solidarity Network is very disappointed. Her struggle to press for proper
legislation should be encouraged. Hearty congratulations to Keith Porteous Wood, executive
director of the National Secular Society, which has campaigned for several years for caste
discrimination to be made unlawful. The perpetrators of caste discrimination in India and abroad are
so powerful that they can influence anybody and any nation. That is very much unbecoming of 21st
century and its modern secular values. The UK being the leader nation of science, technology and
modern values should see that international Human Rights obligations are met properly under its
jurisdiction. The harmless “conciliation” is shameless surrender to the powerful.
Dr P.K. Sukumaran
SECULARISATION
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Scotland, once one of the more pious parts of the British Isles, is rapidly becoming secularised
according to a poll (pdf) commissioned for the Sunday Times and Real Radio Scotland.
Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said: "These figures indicate a growing
national trend towards secularisation. And even then the results of the Scottish poll are likely to be
underestimates of the extent of it. When the Scottish census figures are released later this year, we
expect to see similar levels of decline in religious identity.
You seem to have slipped into the error of those outside secularism of using the word as a
shorthand for atheism. Unless there is a word "atheisied" it may be less elegant language to replace
"becoming secularised" with "losing its religious faith", but that is what I think you meant.
Terry Sanderson replies: Richard – secularism and secularisation mean different things and neither
of them necessarily mean atheism. Secularisation is a process of loss of adherence to organised
religious structures, although not necessarily and abandonment of belief or faith – which is what is
indubitably happening in Scotland as elsewhere in Europe. Secularism is a political structure that
keeps church and state separate. Atheism is neither of these, although atheists can be part of
either.
Richard Sage
Many correspondents to Newsline have argued for stronger secular representation in parliament to
better reflect the increasing numbers of nonbelievers in the UK. Such lobbying might help counter
the dominance of religious influence, but for all the popular enthusiasm I don’t think fundamental
change is going to happen any time soon. Even listening to humanist and atheist reasoning, let
alone considering its democratic petitions, would require a seismic shift in the attitude of the
unelected establishment which, with the exception of a few brave dissenters, seems to comprise
arch traditionalists defensive of the status quo.
What a difference to freethinking republican Fiji, as told in the wonderful letter from Sue Cauty
(Newsline, 28 March). Apparently as nimble in politics as at sevens rugby, Fiji’s new draft
constitution proposes to kick religion not just into touch but boot it out of the park altogether.
Tremendous news. My understanding would be that the competitive interplay between the
indigenous Fijian and descendent Indian factions begat the mature intelligence and courage, not to
fudge a multi-faith compromise, but to eliminate religion entirely from state politics.
One can only hope that the UK’s constitution, with its Christian inclusive-of-all-faiths hegemony, will
one day express similar wisdom.
Graham Newberry
DISCRIMINATORY SUBSIDISED TRANSPORT
While generally enjoying the NSS Newsline, and appreciating the hard work the NSS does on
important matters, one issue that had literal interest to me was subsidised transport to faith schools.
I am not a parent and unable to work through mental health problems and I do not pay council tax
either. I have been however a recipient of the low rate of mobility disability allowance and a
discretionary London Freedom Pass, paid for by Merton Council – with the cuts I am shortly to lose
both, plus, no doubt, even more.
Merton Council has decided to abolish Discretionary Freedom Passes on mental health grounds
from May 1st, as have other councils. I am appealing the loss of mine, but I am realistic about the
chances of it succeeding. I understand that with the reforms I may be required in the future to pay
council tax. From Merton's website:
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'We can only issue a travel card for use by pupils aged 11 to 16 who have to travel more than three miles to school.
There has to be no appropriate place available at a nearer community school or church school of your child's
denominational faith.'
i.e. subsidies are being withdrawn for some people with disabilities but still provided for travel to
faith schools.
Peter Watts
HUMANISM ON THE RADIO
Bedfordshire Humanists (who are affiliated with the NSS) have been co-operating with BBC Three
Counties Radio to put on a two hour special feature on humanism which will to go out on Sunday
28th April, from 7 am to 9 am. If you live in Beds, Herts or Bucks then you can listen live on FM or
DAB, and you can listen nationally via the BBC iPlayer. If you're not awake at that time, then the
show will be available on the BBC iPlayer for 7 days afterwards.
Helen Legh, who presents Sunday Breakfast — a programme focussing on religious affairs —
recently came to a Bedfordshire Humanists meeting where she recorded interviews with a guest
speaker (talking about abortion rights) and has recorded several interviews with members. Also
included with be a Three Counties Thought for the Day written and presented by BH member David
Brittain (who will also be interviewed on his work as a humanist celebrant) – this is important
because the BBC don't allow non-believers to contribute to Radio 4's TfTD slot.
The final hour will feature a studio debate challenging our humanist position, hopefully with an
opportunity to phone in – so, if you live in the area, please do listen to the live show and phone in to
give your support to fellow secularists!
Ian Smith
SECTION 28 MARK II?
Not so long ago, posters proclaiming an ‘ex-gay’ message were banned from display on public
transport. These were the work of the Core Issues Trust, an evangelical group, whose website still
demonstrates the posters and much else in that line.
No, the ban wasn’t an attack on freedom of speech, as some claimed, but it could be interpreted as
promoting (that Clause 28 word again!) resorting to long-discredited therapy. It could certainly
provoke homophobic discrimination, even violence. All you need for that is a suggestion that there’s
a choice in the matter of sexuality, so that those whose claimed ‘choice’ is somehow wrong are
some sort of inferiors or ‘sinners’. On the group’s website is an illustration of a conservative Polish
magazine, whose main message is that homosexuality is not inborn or genetic, but a choice.
Poland, we know, is a country still very much under the thumb of Holy Mother Church (RC), and that
mother isn’t the most understanding of parents.
Catholicism, as many know to their pain, is possibly the most intrusive and restrictive form of
Christianity where personal life and intimacy are concerned. It’s prepared, however, to overlook just
too often the misdeeds of too many of its clerics, with either sex or both, or perhaps have some
high-ranking primate just ‘disappear’ on some such ground. It’s prepared to see life threatened and
lost through its doctrinaire ban on contraception – for the sake of life, it’s claimed. Does it make any
more sense to say that someone, perhaps from early puberty, deliberately chooses to belong to a
loathed and despised minority, whose very name is still unfamiliar? To insist that any such person, if
he/she only made the effort, could be attracted to the opposite sex? To pretend to him/herself that a
particular orientation isn’t present, that it’s just wilful imagination, probably satanic? Willingly
chooses to invite discrimination in work, or even violence, or worse?
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Under the government of the late Kaczynski twins, there was a threat that were a teacher so much
as use to the word ‘homosexual’ in class – including, presumably, in sex lessons – it would invite
dismissal. We’re left to wonder how many more young people are driven to self-harm, even suicide,
as a result of this sort of thinking. They’re just freaks, they suppose, so why go on? The rate of
juvenile suicides associated with awareness of alternative (or ‘sinful’) sexuality is already alarming,
around 30%. That comes from a Catholic source, Fr Maurice Shinnick.
But that’s Poland, we congratulate ourselves; it’s different here. Such conversion ‘therapy’ may be
frowned on, but it continues. Not just the journalist Patrick Strudwick brought this to light in a recent
case. That intended poster is quite enough to prove the point made. In a recent article, the MP Chris
Bryant referred to the government which passed the openly homophobic Section 28 into law as that
which made him ‘hate himself’. And how many others likewise – on the ground of nothing but
prejudice?
It’s worth remembering the life and times, and the effects, of the discredited and now repealed
Section 28. Our present regime is recognisably following in the footsteps of the late Mrs Thatcher,
and is proud to do so. Both the Human Rights Act and the European Court of Human Rights have
been condemned, the former in particular. It isn’t too fanciful to imagine that some sort of Section
28, Mark 2, could be just over the horizon. It’s happened before, hasn’t it?
Michael Igoe
MILITANCY
I’m reading references to “militant secularism” now with alarming frequency. Mostly in response to
secularists’ courageous fight to defend our democracy in the face of a creeping theocracy. Allow me
to explain what militancy actually is: It is a church like the Kirk that splits in the face of expressions
of common humanity and its extension of equality. (And a church that splits once will most likely
split again when its adherents find it is still insufficiently strident). Militants are those who send death
threats to politicians carrying out the will of its people as we have witnessed in France during the
debate on equal marriage. Or media commentators who warn of ‘an international conspiracy’ of
homosexuals as one did during the repeal of Section 28 in Scotland. They are the hundreds that
march behind right-wing politicians in Paris to protest against same-sex marriage, including an MP
for the far-right Front National. Militants are the skinheads who attacked a gay bar in Lille; the
masked armed men who attacked another bar in Bordeaux and the Muslims who kicked and
punched members of Femem, a group of peaceful, radical female activists. Militants were those
who carried out beatings of gay men during the repeal of Section 28 and many more in France, like
that of librarian Wilfred de Bruijn who was guilty of nothing more than walking hand and hand with
his boyfriend before his injuries went viral across the Internet.
Garry Otton
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