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Religion & Law

National Secular Society News

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

Post Frequency: 39.3/day

Last Entry: May 22, 2013 at 08:59:16

Vermont approves doctor-assisted suicide

Posted on May 22, 2013
The Governor of Vermont this week signed into law a new bill legalising doctor-assisted suicide. This makes it the third US state to approve such legislation.

Flintshire Council's 'discriminatory' transport policy condemned by secularists

Posted on May 22, 2013
The National Secular Society has criticised a decision by Flintshire Council to discriminate against people without religious faith in its school transport arrangements.

Economic crisis forcing Poland to reconsider its ban on ritual slaughter

Posted on May 21, 2013
The Polish parliament, which banned ritual slaughter of animals for the halal and kosher markets in January, is now considering revoking the law because of economic pressures.

Attempts to protect women?s rights in Afghanistan have been blocked by clerics in the parliament

Posted on May 21, 2013
Khalil Ahmad Shaheedzada, a conservative lawmaker for the Herat province, said parliament withdrew the legislation because of opposition from religious parties that considered the law un-Islamic.

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Statistics show massive loss of interest in Catholicism in England and Wales

Posted on May 20, 2013
Following the bad news for Christian leaders generally from the census figures, new research by the Latin Mass Society illustrates a catastrophic decline in Catholicism in Britain.

Council prayers challenged in the United States

Posted on May 20, 2013
The US Supreme Court is to consider whether prayers can be offered as part of government meetings.

Census analysis shows Christianity in dramatic decline, and a youthful Muslim population on the rise

Posted on May 17, 2013
According to census data analysis published yesterday, the number of British-born Christians is falling significantly, whilst the number of young Muslims is on the rise.

As the country struggles with its finances, new tax perks for churches are brought in

Posted on May 16, 2013
Catholic parish churches will be able to claim from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) an extra 20% for each donation of up to £20 without requiring the giver to complete a form.

Plans to open Sikh faith school in Buckinghamshire village derailed

Posted on May 15, 2013
Controversial plans to open a Sikh free school in the Buckinghamshire village of Stoke Poges have been recommended for refusal by South Bucks District Council planning officers.

Gove under pressure to give CofE more power over schools

Posted on May 14, 2013
The Education Secretary, Michael Gove, is to meet bishops from every Church of England diocese to discuss the "special relationship" the Government has with the Church over its participation in education.

Abortion reforms in Spain: government accused of return to Franco era

Posted on May 10, 2013
The Spanish Government is preparing a reform to the country's abortion law that, some have argued, will return Spain to a situation similar to the one that existed under General Franco's dictatorship.

Human Rights First report says blasphemy law threatens Tunisia?s fledgling democracy

Posted on May 09, 2013
The American organisation Human Rights First has issued a new report that details steps the United States and Tunisian governments should take to protect freedom of expression to support Tunisia's peaceful transition to democracy.

BBC stands by Panorama expos� of Sharia Councils

Posted on May 08, 2013
The BBC has rejected a complaint from the Islamic Sharia Council in Leyton East London after it was featured in the Panorama programme about the treatment of women in sharia arbitration bodies.

Icelandic humanist group first to get legal recognition as a ?secular life stance organisation?

Posted on May 08, 2013
In a progressive move, the Icelandic government has just officially registered the Ethical and Humanist Association, Sidmennt, as the first "secular life stance organization" in Iceland.

Impartiality of Scottish judiciary undermined by religious ceremonies, say NSS

Posted on May 03, 2013
The National Secular Society has written to Kenny MacAskill MSP, the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Justice to draw his attention to a possible undermining of the impartiality, integrity and independence of the Scottish judiciary.

Majority of Europeans favour separation of church and state, but Islam has an uphill battle for acceptance in Germany

Posted on May 02, 2013
A major new study of attitudes towards religion around the world has been conducted by the Bertelsmann Foundation – and finds that the majority of people in all the 13 nations surveyed favour a clear separation between religion and the state.

American Government-sponsored religious freedom report says ?very aggressive secularism? is rife in Western Europe

Posted on May 01, 2013
The US-Government sponsored Commission on International Religious Freedom has issued its latest report this week and has come to the conclusion that "aggressive secularism" is rife in Western Europe.

Launch of student essay competition! Sharia: what?s going on?

Posted on April 30, 2013
One Law for All and the Lawyers' Secular Society (LSS) have announced a student research competition on the subject of sharia law, sponsored by the National Secular Society.

Muslim free school plan put on hold over extremism fears

Posted on April 30, 2013
The Northern Lights Free School is being investigated by the Department for Education's Diligence and Counter Extremism Division, whose remit is to protect children and young people from exposure to extremist views in schools.

Protests as Luton council cuts free transport to religious schools

Posted on April 30, 2013
Councillors walked out of a meeting at Luton Town Hall this week when observers in the public gallery began shouting and waving placards in protest at the Councils plans to end free transport for pupils attending religious schools.

Huge support in France for teaching of ?secular morals? in state schools

Posted on April 26, 2013
Ninety-one per cent of people in France support the French Government's plans to introduce a weekly class in "secular morals" into state schools, according to a recent poll.

Secularist attempt to strip Austrian churches of financial privileges fails

Posted on April 26, 2013
The Catholic Church in Austria has reacted "with satisfaction" at the failure of a referendum that sought to strip churches of their many privileges.

Fitnah! Movement for women?s liberation founded

Posted on April 25, 2013
A new women's liberation group called Fitnah! has been created as a protest movement demanding freedom, equality, and secularism.

Catholic midwives succeed in attempt to extend ?conscience? exemption

Posted on April 24, 2013
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.

Victory for campaigners as Government outlaws caste discrimination

Posted on April 23, 2013
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.

House of Lords renews support for legislation to outlaw caste discrimination

Posted on April 23, 2013
The National Secular Society has praised the House of Lords for its renewed support of victims of caste discrimination in the UK after peers voted to retain their original amendment making caste a protected characteristic (as an aspect of race) under equality law.

Despite secular constitution, Fiji government won?t rule out prayer at official functions

Posted on April 23, 2013
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.

Ninety-nine people convicted of blasphemy in Malta last year

Posted on April 23, 2013
99 individuals were convicted in Malta last year for "public blasphemy". This was down from 119 the year before. It is a criminal offense to utter publicly any obscene or indecent words, make obscene acts or gestures or in any other way offend public morality, propriety or decency.

Report recommends directing homeless to church

Posted on April 22, 2013
A new report, funded by a number of religious groups and researched and published by Lemos and Crane, recommends that agencies working with homeless people should encourage their clients to go to church and to talk about "faith."

Poll shows we?d ask ?deceased loved ones? for advice before we?d ask a clergyperson

Posted on April 18, 2013
A Yougov poll commissioned for this week's Westminster Faith Debate has revealed the lack of extent to which people turn to religious leaders for "moral guidance".

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