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Religion & Law

National Secular Society News

News related to freedoms of the non-religious.
By National Secular Society

Post Frequency: 1.1/day

Last Entry: March 24, 2011 at 21:00:00

Funding for police religious groups ends

Posted on March 24, 2011
The Home Office has announced that, as from 1 April, it will no longer fund minority police groups such as those established by Muslims, Christians and gays.

Secularism in Europe takes a blow as Vatican flexes its political muscle

Posted on March 24, 2011
The ruling from the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights that the display of crucifixes in state school classrooms does not violate a student's freedom of conscience is a severe blow to the concept of secularism in Europe.

Secularist of the Year won by Dutch MEP

Posted on March 24, 2011
The 2011 Irwin Prize for Secularist of the Year was won by Sophie in 't Veld, a Dutch MEP who chairs the European Parliament Platform for Secularism in Politics.

More evidence that religion on the way out

Posted on March 24, 2011
A study using census data from nine countries shows that religion in all of them is likely to dwindle to next to nothing.

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Judge says it?s OK for churches to abuse gays in advertising

Posted on March 24, 2011
A judge has overturned an Advertising Standards Authority ban on a church advert which railed against gay sex.

Theocrats agitating hard for influence in Egypt, but the banning of religious parties may thwart their ambitions

Posted on March 24, 2011
The hopes of the young protestors in Egypt that the country would embrace secular democracy after the fall of the dictator Hosni Mubarak seemed to have suffered a setback as the country went to the polls last week to vote on constitutional changes.

Secularists demand separation of religion from politics in Beirut

Posted on March 24, 2011
A massive third demonstration has taken place in the Lebanese capital of Beirut demanding the separation of religion from the state.

Academics given money to research ways of using the ?Big Society? to advance Catholic teaching

Posted on March 24, 2011
A Catholic grant making body is handing out tens of thousands of pounds for research into how the Catholic Church can exploit the ‘Big Society' idea in order to further the influence of Catholic doctrine in society.

Crucifix case overturned by Human Rights Court

Posted on March 18, 2011
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has overturned a previous judgment that Italy had violated the rights of non-believing parents by displaying crucifixes in school classrooms.

Dutch MEP wins Secularist of the Year

Posted on March 18, 2011
The National Secular Society has awarded the 2011 Irwin Prize for Secularist of the Year to Dutch MEP Sophie in 't Veld. Ms in 't Veld, an ardent advocate of the separation of religion from politics, won the prize for her work as chair of the European Parliamentary Platform for Secularism in Politics.

NSS Director slams Vatican failures over child abuse at UN Human Rights Council

Posted on March 17, 2011
The NSS's Executive Director Keith Porteous Wood make a forthright attack on the Catholic Church's deplorable record on child abuse at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva earlier this week.

Pope?s visit debt: now overdue

Posted on March 17, 2011
According to a Government response to a parliamentary question from NSS honorary associate Baroness Turner of Camden, the Catholic Church has not yet paid the ?6.3 million it owes the British taxpayer for debts incurred during the visit of the pope last September.

Lib Dems and ?unjustified? discrimination

Posted on March 17, 2011
At its spring conference in Sheffield, the Lib Dems passed a policy statement on Community Futures which promised that if religious organisations were handed public services to run, they would not be permitted to discriminate in employment or service provision.

Christian insistence on church service wrecks Welsh Assembly opening plans

Posted on March 17, 2011
Plans for a multi-cultural celebration to mark the Queen's opening of the new Welsh Assembly term in June have fallen into disarray because of a religious row.

Catholic adoption service still trying to gain exemption from discrimination law

Posted on March 17, 2011
The Charity Commission has defended its decision not to allow the charity Catholic Care to prevent gay people from using its adoption service, at a charity tribunal hearing.

Muslim Council of Britain out of favour again ? but taxpayers? money keeps flowing to promote religion

Posted on March 17, 2011
Andrew Griffiths, Conservative MP for Burton and Uttoxeter asked in parliament last week what individual payments the Department for Communities and Local Government had made to (a) the Muslim Council of Britain and (b) its associated bodies in each of the last three years; and for what purpose in each case.

The Cardinal risks making the situation worse for Christians in Pakistan

Posted on March 17, 2011
Cardinal Keith O'Brien — the UK's most senior Catholic — said this week that foreign aid should be contingent on respect for religious freedom. Well, he would say that, wouldn't he?

Barrister claims Christians are victims of ?thought crimes? as he advises foster carers not to appeal

Posted on March 17, 2011
After being on the losing end of several court cases claiming that British Christians are being discriminated against because of their religion, barrister Paul Diamond now says the law is 'prejudiced, irrational and partial'.

Lautsi verdict due as secularist judge is sacked

Posted on March 17, 2011
The judgment in the Lautsi case will be given this afternoon by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Grand Chamber. The case revolves around the presence, by law, of crucifixes in every classroom in Italy.

Crucifix case overturned by Human Rights Court

Posted on March 17, 2011
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has overturned a previous judgment that Italy had violated the rights of non-believing parents by displaying crucifixes in school classrooms.

Vatican accused of flouting UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Posted on March 14, 2011
At the plenary session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday 15 March 2011, Keith Porteous Wood of the National Secular Society accused the Holy See of contravening its duties under the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child in relation to child abuse.

NSS call on Government to stand firm on RE omission from EBac

Posted on March 10, 2011
The National Secular Society has called on the Government to stand firm in the face of a vocal campaign from vested interests insisting that Religious Education should be included in the English Baccalaureate (EBac).

Scotland: Anti-sectarian measures ?a mere band-aid?, says NSS

Posted on March 10, 2011
Anti-sectarian measures announced at the summit meeting of Glasgow Rangers and Celtic football clubs and the Scottish Government on Tuesday are temporary band-aids that do not deal with the fundamental causes of sectarian animosities, according to the NSS.

Big majority of Britons think religion should stay out of politics

Posted on March 10, 2011
As the census form landed onto the doormats of most households this week, a major new piece of research has shown that only 54% of people in this country define themselves as Christian. More importantly, over two-thirds of respondents said they did not approve of religion and politics being mixed, or religion dictating policy-making.

Lautsi judgment imminent

Posted on March 10, 2011
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights will rule on 18 March on the so-called Lautsi case.

End prayers in parliament, says LibDem MP

Posted on March 10, 2011
A Lib Dem MP has joined the chorus calling for an end to prayers before each sitting of the House of Commons.

Is there really one law for all? We?re about to find out.

Posted on March 10, 2011
Muslim extremist and provocateur Emdadur Choudhury was fined ?50 this week for burning poppies during the Armistice Day commemoration ceremony.

After environmentalism, animal rights is defined as a belief system equivalent to religion

Posted on March 10, 2011
Animal rights advocate 42 year old Joe Hashman was told by a judge this week that his belief in the rights of animals to live free from cruelty were equivalent to a religion when it came to the application of discrimination law.

Teacher Discrimination: NSS reports Government to European Commission

Posted on March 03, 2011
The National Secular Society has formally complained to the European Commission accusing the British Government of eroding legislative protection from religious discrimination for teachers.

Are British Evangelicals retrenching over claims of victimisation?

Posted on March 03, 2011
It seems there is at last a realisation among at least some of Britain's evangelical groups that the repeated failure of court cases claiming that Christians are being persecuted and discriminated against in Britain is proving counterproductive.

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