NATIONAL SECULAR SOCIETY
NEWSLINE
3 October 2003
www.secularism.org.uk
Quote of the week
"My father, a doctor, was an aggressive atheist who dismissed religion as
***** and was happy to expand on this theme to his many show business
patients. My dad used to do house calls, and he got a call in the middle of
the night from Oral Roberts the famous televangelist, who had haemorrhoids
really severe. My dad said: 'You call me at three in the morning - why don't
you stick your own finger up your ***** and cure yourself?"
(Randy Newman, songwriter, Guardian)
Essays of the week
Indian 'Holy Man' exposed
(Barry Pittard)
http://www.saiguru.net/english/news/030925index.htm
Fast-food Islam: how Wahabbism feeds our intellectual retardation
(Adam Misbah'ul Haqq, Muslim WakeUp!)
http://www.muslimwakeup.com/mainarchive/000192.php
(Muslim WakeUp is a magazine for liberal Muslims and makes a very pleasant
change from the usual rantings of the fundamentalists)
Ten Commandments statue has no place in the public domain
Good rebuke to Christian fundamentalists chipping at church-state separation
(John Bice, The State News)
http://www.statenews.com/op_article.phtml?pk=19421
Bush wrong to wed religion and politics
(Dave Ring, The Daily Bruin)
http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/articles.asp?id=25067
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Don't forget, you can read stories and articles of interest to secularists
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STOP PRESS:
Don't miss Tuesday's Guardian, when the NSS hopes to
participate in a major feature in the Education section
In this week's edition:
Europe Minister tells NSS "We won't support God in EU Constitution"
New report shows Vatican seeking power in Europe
Christians lay claim to Labour Party
Give us marriage say gay humanists
More atheists in Glasgow
Islamic law denies women medical treatment
Women are disposable - plague of "honour killings"
Taliban burned down girls' school
NSS urges BBC to stand up to bullying Catholics
Letters to Newsline
New Stanley Unwin show bound to win comedy award
News Shorts
Mugs; events; For Your Diary
EUROPE MINISTER TELLS NSS "WE WON'T SUPPORT GOD IN EU CONSTITUTION"
As Foreign Ministers from around Europe gather in Rome this weekend to try
to reach a consensus on the EU constitution, the British Government has made
clear that it does not intend to support any attempt to have references to
Christianity inserted into the document.
In a letter to the National Secular Society, European Minister Denis
MacShane said: "A minority of states have expressed a wish for more
religious references in the draft EU Constitutional Treaty. In particular
there have been calls for the Treaty preamble to refer to Europe's Christian
roots. However, the Government considers that it may not be appropriate to
include more detailed provisions dealing with religion in the draft Treaty."
Mr MacShane added that the EU is a: "multi-cultural group of states, with a
large non-Christian population. Britain is itself a multi cultural and
multi-faith society. Any reference in the Constitutional Treaty would need
to reflect this diversity, which is one of the greatest strengths both of
Britain and of the EU."
The Government's stance will infuriate the Vatican, which has been pushing
hard over the past year to have Christianity specifically mentioned in the
preamble to the new constitution. The Vatican's demand has the support of
Poland, Portugal, Spain and Ireland - all countries that have indicated an
intention to raise the question of religion during the summit.
In addition to the existing EU states supporting the exclusion of religious
references, Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey declared last month in Rome:
"If the concept of religion is included in the constitution, it would
contradict those principles and centuries of progress on the continent."
Keith Porteous Wood, Executive Director of the National Secular Society,
said: "We are pleased that the Government has recognised the dangers of
inserting religion in to the constitution's preamble. The Turkish PM is
right to be anxious that the EU should not be a Christian club. Europe
comprises those of all religions and none and favouring any particular
religion will not help us to live together in harmony."
You can hear Terry Sanderson, the Vice President of the NSS, talking on this
topic on the BBC World Service between 1pm and 2pm on Saturday.
NEW REPORT SHOWS HOW VATICAN IS SEEKING POWER IN EUROPE
A report by Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC) reveals the goals and methods
of a well funded and orchestrated campaign by the Vatican and conservative
Catholic allies to undermine the European Union's support of sexual and
reproductive health and rights.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have come out strongly in support
of the report, entitled Preserving Power and Privilege: The Vatican's Agenda
in the European Union. Proinsias De Rossa, MEP for Ireland, said "I would
recommend that all MEPs read this timely report. We do need to know the
provenance of proposals to change our laws and policies as they sometimes
come from a rather narrow interpretation of a particular religious
viewpoint."
At the Intergovernmental Conference being launched in Rome on October 4,
many issues in the EU Constitutional Treaty will be debated, including
reference to the Christian roots of Europe. The Vatican will be a key
player, advancing its long-term strategy that is laid out in the CFFC
report.
"The information contained in this report is critical to an understanding of
the profound differences in worldview and values that divide most of Europe
from conservative Roman Catholic thought," states Frances Kissling,
president of CFFC. "If the Vatican succeeds in its goal to gain special
status within the EU to affect its policies and funding, millions of people
could face discrimination and be denied their human rights. What is at stake
is no less than the lives and well-being of the world's women-which for the
present are very much in the hands of the European people."
MEPs supporting the CFFC report include: Joaquim Antonio Miranda da Silva,
MEP for Portugal and Chair of the Development Committee of the Parliament,
who stated, "I share the concerns expressed in this courageous report which
speaks about issues at the core of the current debate [on the Constitution],
in particular the relationship between the EU and the Vatican."
Written for European policy makers and for all citizens concerned about
human rights, Preserving Power and Privilege provides facts and analysis of
the Catholic Church's efforts, past and present, to influence public policy
and secure and extend its power at the EU. The report details exactly what
the Vatican wants included in the Constitutional Treaty, including:
· An exemption to discriminate on the grounds of religion or sexual
orientation. This would grant a church the right to organize and administer
its charities and workplace for hundreds of thousands of European citizens
according to its own rules. The Vatican got its desired language on this
right annexed to the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam-the first mention of the
Church in a European legislative document-to allow all churches to be
exempted from the treaty's prohibition of discrimination on the grounds of
religion or sexual orientation.
· A special consultative status not held by any other nongovernmental
entity. This would provide for the Catholic Church to be consulted in the
pre-drafting stage of legislation on a wide range of matters where the
Church feels it has expertise and for regular consultations at the highest
level of the various EU institutions-a constitutionally granted voice in
state affairs.
· The mention of God and of Europe's Christian roots in the Constitution. A
doctrinal note to Catholic policy makers released in January 2003 by
Cardinal Ratzinger, the pope's guardian of the orthodoxy of Catholic faith,
declared that the separation of religion and politics did not mean a
separation of morals and politics. It asserted that the Catholic church has
the divine, ultimate and legitimate authority to define the truth on
morality and what is right in politics and exhorted Catholics to defend the
Church's positions without compromise, in particular on issues related to
the family and to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
As the report makes clear, the Vatican is adamantly opposed to the EU's
efforts to recognize the right to plan family size, choose homosexual or
other non-married partnerships, seek abortion, or form non-traditional
families. The pope seeks to restore outdated policies that limit access to
abortion and family planning and discourage and discriminate against
non-traditional unions and families. Preserving Power and Privilege explains
how the stakes at the EU include both official policy and budget
allocations.
Funding:
§ In 2002, the European Parliament was reauthorizing "aid for policies and
actions on sexual and reproductive health and rights in developing
countries." The proposed amount of ?20 million for 2003-2006 was slashed to
?6 million when 160 Members of the European Parliament voted against the
measure, signalling that the European Parliament's consensus on sexual and
reproductive rights might be over and that the Vatican's lobbying was having
an impact.
§ While the Vatican rejects EU policy, Catholic charities receive a
substantial amount of EU money. Between 1997 and 2002, Catholic charities
received nearly ?99 million of EU funding under the budget line that goes to
fund NGO development projects-close to 10% of the total ?1 billion the EU
spent on such projects.
Abortion:
§ To discredit a report by Belgian MEP Anne Van Lancker that addressed
family planning, contraception, education, abortion, and pregnancy, the
Vatican and its allies tried to block it through procedural methods, then
mounted a disinformation campaign, falsely accusing Van Lancker's report of
promoting abortion, and engaged other MEPs to attack it. The report was
adopted in 2002 by a vote of 280-240 with 28 abstentions, but the
controversy created illustrates typical opposition tactics employed by the
Vatican in reproductive rights debates in the EU.
Van Lancker welcomed the publication of Preserving Power and Privilege.
"Europe has always been a firm defender of sexual and reproductive health
and rights. With the adoption of my report.the EP reaffirmed the
International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) consensus that
women should be able to choose whether they want children, when they want
them, and how many they want and to experience their sexuality in a healthy
way," she said. "But recently, Europe's progressive consensus has come
increasingly under attack by Vatican lobbying. In the light of the 10 year
review of ICPD," Van Lancker stressed, "Europe should join forces to ensure
women's sexual and reproductive rights. This report will help us to
undertake action, as it brings the Vatican's activities in this matter to
full light. And action is now needed more than ever to safeguard the
European consensus in a Union of 25 and more Member States."
"The Catholic hierarchy is seeking to expand and consolidate how it exerts
direct influence on EU policy making on sexual and reproductive health and
rights to bring it in line with the positions of the church," stated
Elfriede Harth, European representative for CFFC, who contributed to the
report. "While the Vatican certainly has a role to play on the
international stage, and Catholic charities do much good work, the Catholic
church is working to impose its view onto the developing legal system of the
European Union, and, as a result, onto the lives of all European citizens,
regardless of their faith."
For more information, please visit www.catholicsforchoice.org
CHRISTIANS LAY CLAIM TO LABOUR PARTY
CARE, the politically ambitious Christian group, held a joint fringe meeting
with the Christian Socialist Movement at the Labour Party Conference this
week. Fiona Mactaggart, government minister with responsibility for faith
liaison, and Ann Holt, formerly of CARE for Education, addressed the
meeting, entitled 'The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Teacher'.
The talk claimed that Christian Education could fuel regeneration in
deprived communities. The audience also heard from members of the local
community delivering services to the disadvantaged near Bournemouth.
Speakers identified 'fatherlessness' as one of the main causes of
anti-social behaviour.
Another joint fringe meeting between the Christian Socialist Movement and
Sunday Telegraph attracted both a sizeable audience and significant
speakers. On the topic "We don't do God", Alastair Campbell's famous quote,
all speakers agreed that hidden faith or religion does not serve the public
or political interest. In a discussion designed to explore the thorny
question of personal faith in public life Matthew D'Ancona of the Sunday
Telegraph argued that Tony Blair's inability to discuss his faith had led
some to conclude that it is "mystical and unhealthy". Yasmin Alibhai-Brown,
columnist for The Independent, spoke about the "need for faith in people's
lives" and mysteriously made the point that we "miss out when we try and
relegate it to the private sphere". Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for
Culture, Media and Sport, reflected on her own faith and suggested that
there was no single moral authority to which politicians should lay claim.
Graham Dale, the director of the Christian Socialist Movement, said that
Alastair Campbell's departure would be good news if it meant the party could
"do God more." Mr Dale said that the high profile given to the meeting at
the Conference was "another blow to the secular materialism that exists
within the Labour Party" and he urged the Government to be more "pro-active
in engaging with faith communities."
The Prime Minister, Jack Straw and Tessa Jowell are all CSM members, and the
organisation claims its influence is growing rapidly at grass roots level.
CARE called on all Christians to join a political party in order to
influence policy.
GIVE US MARRIAGE, SAY GAY HUMANISTS
Gay humanists are calling on the Government to extend full civil marriage
rights to homosexual couples instead of "fobbing them off" with an inferior
"partnership registration" scheme.
In a response to the Government's consultation on partnership registration,
the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) says: "We believe that the
principle of equality is best served by opening up marriage, with all its
rights and responsibilities, to same-sex partners. The current proposals,
welcome as they are in relieving some of the most obvious injustices, are
only a step in that direction."
The group points out that: "The Netherlands opened marriage to same-sex
partners with effect from 1 April 2001. Belgium opened marriage to same-sex
partners with effect from 1 June 2003. The Canadian province of Ontario
opened marriage to same-sex partners on 10 June 2003. The Canadian province
of British Columbia opened marriage to same-sex partners on 8 July 2003.
Canada as a whole is expected to follow suit in the near future. The
European Parliament, in adopting the 'Report on the situation as regards
fundamental rights in the European Union (2002)' on 4 September 2003, has
called on member states to "abolish all forms of discrimination - whether
legislative or de facto - which are still suffered by homosexuals, in
particular as regards the right to marry and adopt children".
A spokesperson for GALHA, George Broadhead, said: "We fear that the
Government are running scared of reactions from religious groups if they
were to use the word 'marriage' in this context. But 'gay marriage' is
already what the public perceives to be on offer, and there has been no
widespread reaction to that. We are calling on the Government to have the
courage to offer equality to gay people in this area, and open up civil
marriage to gay people instead of creating some makeshift registration
scheme that instantly creates a difference."
GALHA's associated charity, The Pink Triangle Trust, has been offering
non-religious 'commitment' ceremonies to gay couples for many years,
although these have no legal status. "We are anxious that gay couples who
want to formalise their relationship are not fobbed off with second best,
but are given exactly the same rights and responsibilities that straight
couples have when they sign the marriage register," commented George
Broadhead .
Also submitting a response to the consultation were the Catholic Bishops,
who dutifully carried out the Vatican's order to insult and belittle gay
people at every opportunity. They said: "By publicly elevating same-sex
relationships to a legal status virtually equivalent to marriage, the signal
given to society would be that these two states of life are equally
deserving of public protection and respect, when in fact they are not".
Read GALHA's submission here: http://www.galha.org/submission/2003_09.html
Read the Catholic Bishops' submission here:
http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk/frameset.htm
MORE ATHEISTS IN GLASGOW
Glaswegians are abandoning religion as they get older, according to the
findings of the latest city census.
The 2001 results revealed a "large difference" between what adults said was
their birth religion and what their present faith was, in what was the first
formal assessment of religious belief. Only 13.5% of people said they had no
religion of upbringing, but 22.7% said they had no current religion now,
suggesting a significant growth in atheism.
George Black, chief executive of Glasgow City Council, said: "The most
striking feature is the large difference, over 9%, between those who profess
no religion of upbringing and those who profess no current religion. Taken
together with the decrease in the number of people who profess their current
as opposed to their religion of upbringing to be Roman Catholic or Church of
Scotland, it is evidence that fewer people maintain their belief in God as
they grow older."
Although Christianity remains the most common religion, the census found
that Islam is, at 3%, the largest non-Christian faith in Glasgow.
ISLAMIC LAWS DENY WOMEN MEDICAL TREATMENT
In the latest manifestation of the Talibanisation of Pakistan, male doctors
and technicians have been banned from carrying out ultrasound examinations
and using electrocardiographs (ECG) on female patients by the Islamist
government of the country's North West Frontier province. This is the latest
step towards implementation of Sharia law.
The ban effectively excludes all women from undergoing such crucial medical
examinations as the province has only one female ECG technician and none
trained in ultrasound.
"We think that men could derive sexual pleasure from women's bodies while
conducting ECG or ultrasound," explained Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan, the
provincial general secretary of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), the
six-party religious alliance which now governs the North West Frontier.
"Similarly, some women could lure men under the pretext of ECG or
ultrasound. Therefore to uphold the supreme values of Islam, the MMA has
decided to impose the ban in line with the May 8 resolution of the province'
s assembly that nothing repugnant to Islam will be allowed."
The ban is the latest in a series of Taleban-style measures imposed by the
MMA since its surprising victory last October after General Pervez
Musharraf, Pakistan's president, came under western pressure to allow
elections. The clerics have already banned public dancing and music, kite
flying and satellite television. They have closed cinemas, photographic
shops and beauty parlours, and have torn down billboards displaying female
images.
Several MMA leaders were strong backers of the Taleban, running madrassas
that provided fighters to help Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taleban leader. The
ban on men carrying out ultrasound and ECGs means that women are now forced
to travel outside the province to Rawalpindi, a long and costly journey,
requiring their husbands to miss a day off work to accompany them. "The
so-called apostles of Islam are unaware of the facts and figures related to
the dismal state of health in our country," complained a surgeon.
WOMEN ARE DISPOSABLE - A PLAGUE OF GROTESQUE "HONOUR KILLINGS"
The murder in London of Heshu Yones, which shocked the country this week, is
being treated by the Metropolitan Police as an "honour killing" because she
was perceived to have brought shame on her family. Her father as jailed for
life for slitting his daughter's throat becausehe could not tolerate her
"westernised" lifestyle.
Members of Kurdish women's rights groups were threatened outside the Old
Bailey as they tried to hand out leaflets campaigning against honour
killings - which are common in Kurdistan.
Det Insp Brent Hyatt, who led the murder inquiry, has been authorised to
pursue further inquiries in the case. "Other family members are subject to
further investigation," he confirmed. "We will also look at other members of
the community who didn't come forward and didn't give us correct
information."
This case brings the total of women killed in this country by relatives
supposedly to "spare the family's honour" to 20. Recent cases have
shockingly revealed the extent of the abuse of women in minority
communities.
· In 1998, Rukhsana Naz, aged 19 was held down by her mother as her brother
strangled her for "committing adultery". In Manchester in 2001, Shaida
Mohammed 24 was stabbed to death by her father, who said it was his right to
kill her as he suspected she was having sex outside of marriage.
· In Bradford in 1995 Tasleem Begum aged 20 was mown down and crushed by a
car driven by her brother-in-law. He repeatedly drove the car over her until
she was dead.
· In 200l, Shadia Perveen from Manchester was murdered by her father after
he found her in her bedroom with her boyfriend.
· Last January, Sahda Bibi, 21, was murdered an hour before her wedding
because her family did not approve of her choice of bridegroom.
· Mother-of-two Surjit Kaur Athwal, 26, from Middlesex, has been missing,
presumed murdered, since 1998 when she disappeared during a family wedding
in India. She had started divorce proceedings against her husband.
· In Jordan, three brothers hacked to death with axes their two sisters,
aged 20 and 27, according to a report in the Jordan Times newspaper.
Officials told the paper the three brothers - who are in detention -
admitted that they carried out the killing for reasons of "family honour".
· A report in the Pakistan Tribune reveals that a young girl and her alleged
lover were killed by her brother when he found them in a compromising
position in his house in Abdul Hakeem town. The reports said that Mazhar
slaughtered his sister Rukhsana and his cousin Lal Mohammad with help of a
sharp weapon in Moza Akba.
At least 631 women and six girls died in "honour killings" perpetrated by
their own relatives in Pakistan in the first eight months of this year,
researchers for an independent human rights organisation say.
The Madadgar group said that about half of the deaths were reported in
southern Sindh province, and that many more cases were believed to have been
unreported in the conservative communities of Baluchistan and North West
Frontier Province, both bordering Afghanistan. "The actual number of women
who fell victim to gruesome honour killings is definitely much higher than
the reported cases but it is hard to record each case, especially when you
don't have enough resources," Zia Awan, of the Lawyers for Human Rights and
Legal Aid group said.
Madadgar is jointly run by the lawyers' group and the UN Children's Fund. It
found that husbands carried out 247 of the killings, brothers 112, fathers
54, sons 25 and uncles two. In the other cases, there was no mention of who
carried out the killing.
Meanwhile, the Jordanian parliament overwhelmingly rejected a proposed law
imposing harsher punishments for men who kill female relatives in "honour
killings".
The Muslim commentator Yasmin Alibhai Brown, commenting on these events,
said: "I can hardly express my feelings of horror and shame and fury. and
the tragedy is that we hear only of a tiny minority of the most extreme
cases. Hospital casualty wards hide many more unseen victims of this
disgraceful cultural practice".
Ms Alibhai Brown called for the establishment of a new contract with people
of all cultures - everyone in this country must buy into basic principles
and try to live by them. "It is time this burden of 'respect' that we owe
another culture is questioned," she said. "All cultures have aspects that
must be allowed to flourish; all cultures also have practices that must be
openly condemned. I understand the panic parents from some ethnic
communities feel in the West's over-sexualised society, but killing your
child is a barbaric response. It is horrific to think that in some Asian and
Arabic communities the murder of Heshu Yones will be applauded; girls will
be terrorised into believing they, too, could meet such a fate."
See also: To stone or not to stone (Front Page magazine)
http://frontpagemag.com/articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=10016
Don't blame Islam for the lowly status of women (Amir Taheri, Times)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,172-837008,00.html
Honour killings rise
http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/south/12/11/pakistan.women/index.html
Veil drawn over brutal crimes
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1054858,00.html
TALIBAN BURN DOWN GIRLS' SCHOOL
Suspected Islamic insurgents burned down a school for girls in eastern
Afghanistan because they oppose education for women, a government official
said this week. "The attackers tied up the school's guard and set the
building on fire before fleeing, an official said. "This is the work of the
Taliban. Nobody else burns schools."
Taliban fighters loyal to renegade warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and al-Qaida
have allegedly been distributing pamphlets in Jalalabad demanding that girls
be stopped from going to school, a harsh interpretation of Islamic laws by
the militia.
Earlier this month, suspected Taliban fighters burned down an elementary
school for boys and girls in Mughal Khil, south of the Afghan capital,
Kabul.
STAND UP TO CATHOLIC BULLIES, NSS URGES BBC
The National Secular Society is calling on the BBC to resist an attack by
the Roman Catholic archbishop of Birmingham and to press ahead with three
planned programmes that are critical of the Church.
In an effort to bully the Corporation into abandoning its programmes, the
archbishop, Vincent Nichols, said parts of the news and current affairs
department of the corporation appeared to view the Catholic Church with
"hostility". In a statement made in London on Monday he said one programme
in particular was "offensive to every Catholic in this country".
The three programmes due to be broadcast are Kenyon Confronts, which
investigates allegations of child abuse in the church, a Panorama
documentary programme called Sex and the Holy City and a BBC Three animated
series Popetown, in which the Pope is caricatured.
The archbishop was particularly scornful of Kenyon Confronts for particular
criticism and in his statement said the programme was focusing on "old"
claims of abuse which had been properly investigated. He also claimed
researchers for the programme had approached priests in the Archdiocese in
Birmingham in an aggressive manner, including an alleged call to one in the
early hours of the morning.
"The BBC is a very big corporation and my objections are not widespread
across the BBC or to do with the BBC as an institution," the clergyman said
magnanimously. "But there are clearly elements or individuals, mainly - as
far as I can tell - within news and current affairs, who seem to approach
the Catholic Church with great hostility. Certainly the Catholic community
is fed up seeing a public service broadcaster using the licence fee to pay
unscrupulous reporters trying to re-circulate old news and to broadcast
programmes that are so biased and hostile. Enough is enough."
A BBC statement said Kenyon Confronts was examining how the Catholic Church
treated victims of past child abuse. The statement said: "It gives voice to
those who feel their cases should be heard. We recognise the archbishop has
concerns about the programme. We believe it is an issue of serious public
interest which will be fairly examined and reported."
Terry Sanderson, vice president of the National Secular Society, said: "This
is blatant attempt to blackmail critics into silence - a technique very
familiar to the Catholic Church. The BBC must resist it at all costs. If it
gives into this kind of pressure would be a serious blow to the BBC's
journalistic integrity and impartiality. The programmes must go ahead and be
judged on their merits. The idea that the BBC is anti-Catholic is just plain
ludicrous. It has already announced that it intends to spend huge amounts of
money on pro-Catholic propaganda, 'celebrating' the pope's Silver Jubilee
and the 'beatification' of Mother Teresa. The Catholic Church, like any
other institution, must not be immune to critical examination."
The BBC has agreed to meet Archbishop Nichols "as part of an ongoing and
open dialogue with audiences about all areas of our journalism."
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LETTERS TO NEWSLINE
Anything you'd like to communicate to your Newsline compatriots? Send it to
From Bob Stuckey:
In response to Christ Brooks, who asked how we should respond when people
say "Bless You" after you sneeze (Newsline 26 September). Few people are
100% atheist but have vestiges of supernatural modes of thought. "Bless you"
is a prayer, a request for supernatural intervention, as is "Heaven forbid"
and euphemisms such as "Oh dear" and "Crikey". "Bless you" expresses concern
for our well-being which deserves a simple "Thank you".
From Jennifer Hynes:
With reference to the upcoming season of Barbie and Ninja Turtles (back by
popular demand it seems), might I also suggest some rather splendid cards at
Evolve Fish http://www.evolvefish.com/fish/cards.html, and the American
Atheist's excellent resource at
http://www.atheists.org/cgi-bin/WebShop?config=/home/atheists/shopconfig/config.txt&uid=UbL6TAAA1064580956&command=link
.. ("Get primal this Solstice"...
Love it!)
And in reply to Chris Brooks, I find that "Wow, that was a quick one!"
usually raises a few laughs). But as for a response to "Bless you," you
might try "Don't you dare!"
BTW, for 26th September... I trust everyone enjoyed "Charles Bradlaugh Day".
From Muriel Fraser:
There's a new book called "Leaving Islam" that might suggest an interesting
project for NSS members. It's a collection of first-person accounts that
were originally posted on a website for ex-Muslims [here]
http://www.secularislam.org/testimonies/index.htm
Many of the authors come from lands where apostasy is taken seriously and
they must, for their own safety, remain anonymous. The editor himself has
been the target of several fatwas.
However, religion is religion, and though the social settings may differ,
the psychological experiences of being constricted by a dogma and then of
breaking free are probably quite similar.
Dawkins has written repeatedly of his own experience: "Of all the classical
arguments for the existence of God, only the argument from design seemed to
me to carry any weight, and I finally toppled that in my mind when I learned
about evolution."
Might other NSS members be interested in writing (anonymously, if preferred)
about their own religious journeys? If enough good accounts came in, perhaps
they could be collected in a corner of the NSS website - and after that, who
knows?
Editor writes: If this suggestion interests you, send your own account to
and we'll collect them as an encouragement to others
(and maybe a bit of therapy for ourselves!)
From Charles Coventry:
Although there may be a decline in church attendance in the industrial west
of Scotland, most people there still insist on sectarian labels, anyone with
an Irish surname is automatically labelled "Catholic", and with a non Irish
one "Protestant".
Having worked in the west after living in the east, it was a major problem
getting clear of this labeling. A teacher in an Edinburgh school, originally
from the Glasgow area confirmed that it was easier to move from west to east
than from east to west.
From Paul Edmonson:
A friend told me that he was crossing the road with his daughter who is aged
about 4 or 5 I think. He told her she had to be very careful when crossing
the road because if she was hit by a car she would be killed. His daughter
replied to the effect that it would not matter as Jesus would bring her back
to life. As the little girls parents are both non-religious, she has
obviously got this notion from school, which is, as far as I know, a
'non-religious' state school.
I told this horrific story to a christian (pentecostal?) colleague who said
the little girl was actually correct. To be specific, you would be brought
back to life physically, simply by having a christian praying over your
corpse.
From Ranjith Ganipola:
I am a liberal and consider myself a secular humanist. Some of the issues
raised in the secular press such as head scarves worn by women in French and
German public institutions makes me wonder whether it is possible to be a
liberal and a secularist at the same time.
As a liberal I believe that society should allow individuals maximum liberty
so long as they do not impinge on the liberties of other individuals. That
includes the liberty to have religious beliefs and practice those beliefs. I
do not believe the state has a right to stop them. Further prohibition tends
to raise the status of such irrational practices and give them unwarranted
amount of attention.
There is also the question of how to define a headscarf that is religious
from one that is worn as protective garment, or just as a statement of
fashion. Does a cross or a crescent worn around the neck qualify as an item
of jewellery or a religious symbol? I would be very cautious not to hop in
bed with rightwing xenophobics in the name of secularism.
What do you think of this issue? Is the headscarf being used as a challenge
to secularism, the first foot in the door of further demands for religious
privileges? Or is it just a matter of personal taste and individual freedom?
Write to
See also: Muslim minister in France wants headscarf banned
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Rest+of+the+World&month=October2003&file=World_News2003100265340.xml
German states mull headscarf ban in schools
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/today/international.shtml#5
NEW STANLEY UNWIN SHOW BOUND TO WIN COMEDY AWARDS
A marvellously comic new TV series starring the late Stanley Unwin has
started on Channel Four on Friday nights at 7.30pm. Mysteriously entitled
Conversations with Rowan Williams, the show features Stanley - who died two
years ago - playing the Archbishop of Canterbury. In this guise, with its
improbable beard and side-splitting sibilance, Stanley talks endlessly in
his characteristic gibberish about 'isssyoos' of great ethical moment.
Last Friday he pretended that he was talking about genetic manipulation.
Well, it gave him the opportunity to sale away into the stratosphere of
gobbledegook as only he can. Everyone on our sofa was laughing fit to bust
as the interviewer, Ian Hargreaves - a marvellous straight man - struggled
to drag any discernible sense from our Stanley, but eventually gave up and
concentrated on the other guests who - just to point up Stanley's hilarious
incompetence - were lucid and focused. It's a great show, miles better than
The Kumar's at No 42.
If this series doesn't win the award for best comedy, then there's no
justice.
NEWS SHORTS
Publisher faces three years in prison for 'insulting the pope'. The owner of
a Polish satirical weekly faces trial charged with insulting the pope,
according to the public prosecutor's office. Jerzy Urban, who came to
prominence in the 1980s as a spokesman for the communist regime, faces up to
three years in prison. In August 2002, after the pope last visited his
native Poland, Mr Urban published an article in Nie headlined "Walking
Sado-Masochism" and referring to the Pope as an "impotent old man". The
prosecutor said that it was intended to libel the pope. Mr Urban denies the
charge, saying that his article constituted legitimate criticism of a public
event.
I will only fight non-Muslim enemies, says RAF man. A Muslim RAF reservist,
who was disciplined for refusing a call-up order before the Iraq war, has
lost his appeal. Leading aircraftsman Mohisin Khan told a military court
last month that he feared he would "got to hell" if he fought in the
conflict. But Judge advocate Jack Bayliss, sitting at the summary appeal
hearing at RAF Uxbridge, west London, dismissed the appeal and upheld the
original sentence of seven days' loss of privileges. Khan, 24, from
Woodbridge, Suffolk, was also sentenced to nine days' loss of pay for going
AWOL in February and March. The judge advocate said he would review that
part of the sentence. Khan told the military court that his faith made him
view the war as "unjustified". As a Muslim he was not allowed to fight
anyone unless it was self-defence. Read more here:
http://www.eadt.co.uk/content/News/NewsStory.asp?Brand=EADONLINE&Category=NEWS&ItemId=IPED01+Oct+2003+21%3A05%3A22%3A580
Unions launch court challenge. Seven trades unions have banded together to
challenge the religious exemptions from the employment regulations that were
originally aimed at outlawing discrimination on the grounds of religion or
belief and sexual orientation. They have lodged papers seeking a Judicial
Review in the High Court, asking for it to be heard "as soon as possible".
The regulations are due to come into effect in December.
Pope has only weeks to live say attendants. A leading European cardinal says
the pope is nearing "the last days and months of his life," the latest
prelate to express alarm over the 83-year-old "pontiff's" health. The
remarks by Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, who is considered a
possible candidate for the papacy, came as the pope's closest aide sought to
minimise concern over the pope's health. The Vatican refused to comment on
rumours that the pope has cancer.
EVERYBODY LIKES PREZZIES, BUT THESE ARE SPECIAL
Have you taken a look at our new merchandise yet? We have a range of gifts
that any intelligent person would love to receive. You can see them at
www.secularism.org.uk/merchant.htm
We hope that you'll agree that our high quality merchandise is perfect for
those hard-to-please friends and relatives who expect something unique and
imaginative as their seasonal gift. Well, our merchandise would definitely
make a welcome change from bath-time requisites, socks and book tokens.
So, hurry. Stock up for the gift-giving season straight away. Fiona awaits
your order, which she will dispatch with all speed upon receipt. You can
order securely on-line using your credit card, or send a cheque or postal
order to NSS Merchandise, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL.
Mugs are £5.99 each (including postage) or £29. 95 for all six (saving £5.
99) - there are six to choose from: Charles Darwin, Richard Dawkins,
Bertrand Russell, Carl Sagan, David Hume and Charles Bradlaugh. The
teatowels are £4. 99 including postage, and the notelets are £4. 99 for a
pack of ten with envelopes.
EVENTS
SOS (Secular Organizations for Sobriety) International
SOS provides a rational approach to recovery from addiction, in complete
contrast to the Anonymous groups that depend on religion.
The International Conference of SOS will be held 10-12 October 2003 in
Conway Hall London. SOS members, organisers and friends from Europe and the
USA (including James Christopher the Founder of SOS) will welcome visitors
to the meeting. Readers of Newsline may wish to participate in some part or
all of the conference and further details are available from
malcolmrees@london.com.
Two particularly interesting sessions (co-hosted with the Ethical Society
SPES) will be: Saturday evening: 'Addiction in the movies' (Talk and
Hollywood movie). Sun morning lecture: 'The efficacy of secular versus
religious recovery' - Dr Randolph Atkins (USA)
Sheffield Humanists 10th Anniversary Day-Conference, Saturday 18th October
2003
The Fundamentalist Threat to the World: Religious Extremism in the 21st
Century
Venue: The Winding Wheel, Holywell St., Chesterfield 10:00am to 4:30pm
Booking fee: £5.00
We are pleased to celebrate ten years of active secular humanism by the
Sheffield Humanist Society. In our discussions of the possible subjects for
our conference, one issue stood out at the most pressing. Religious
fundamentalists of all kinds pose a real threat in every part of the world.
They present obstacles to peace. They are a threat to our personal safety.
This conference aims to raise awareness of the nature of these threats and
their historical and political origins. We may also discover what we can do
about them.
Keynote speakers, plus workshops. To register, contact Mike Granville: 0114
230 9754 email:
Barry Johnson: 01246 270 628 conference@sheffieldhumanists.org.uk; See our
website for more details: www.sheffieldhumanists.org.uk
FOR YOUR DIARY
The Humanist Philosophers' Group discusses "Truth, Spin and Decision Making"
at a one-day conference on Sunday 30 November, 10am - 4pm at the Literary
and Philosophical Society, 23 Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne. The
conference fee is £10 including tea and coffee. More information from: John
Hodge 0191 281 2808.
Philip Pullman dramatisation. His Dark Material, an epic and ambitious
production of NSS honorary associate Philip Pullman's three cult novels (The
Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) comes to the National
Theatre this winter. The fantastical books - condemned as being worthy of
the flames by the Catholic Church - have been adapted into two three-hour
long plays with a cast of more than 30 and directed by Nicholas Hytner.
Starts on 4th December at the National Theatre, SE1 and booking is now open
(Box Office 020 7452 3400)
Add your voice to that of others who are alarmed at the resurgence of
religion in public life.
Join on-line at http://www.secularism.org.uk/join.htm - where you can also
get a postal application.
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To comment, contribute or contact the editor
To join the National Secular Society go to www.secularism.org.uk/join.htm
---------
Archdeacom Levy Oates
On behalf of the Prophet Eric Peabody (pbuh)
Basingstoke, England
http://www.angelfire.com/alt/bumblism/
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