A readers’ poll in the Guardian asks if the initiative was a good idea. At the time of writing 83% think it isn’t – and the first suggestion for an alternative to be sent to schools is Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tales.
What would your choice be?
Following on from LSH’s ‘Question Time’ event last month – where issues around secularism surfaced a number of times – our guest speaker for May is a member of the National Secular Society.
A founder member of Sheffield Humanist Society Dan Bye will talk about the campaigning work of the NSS – no doubt including the recent Bideford Council Prayers case.
Dan was a columnist for ‘New Humanist’ magazine from 1998-2002 and is the longest serving current member of the NSS Council of Management.
He is also chair of the publishing company of ‘The Freethinker’: the world’s oldest surviving atheist magazine.
7.30 [for 8pm start]
Wednesday 16th May
Great Eccleston Village Centre.
Much as I value and admire the fantastic opportunities Scouting offers to young people I wholeheartedly support the NSS criticism of Bear Grylls recent declaration that the Scouts “…allow people of all backgrounds to come together …”: when; in the teeth of all the evidence that most young people today are not religious, the Scouting movement continues to insist they will not be welcomed if they do not agree to include a duty to God in their obligatory ‘Promise’.
Many years ago now; we wrestled with the same issues when our daughter was looking to join the Girl Guides. During the conversations one exasperated leader exclaimed “she only has to say it – she doesn’t have to mean it”.
As the NSS point out in an open letter to Mr Grylls, young people either have to make a hypocritical or dishonest statement or risk being refused full membership of the Scouts. And when it comes to recruiting potential Scout leaders the Scouts compound their prejudices by categorically stating ‘The avowed absence of religious belief is a bar to appointment to a leadership position’ … a dubious distinction we non-religious now share with paedophiles.
Mr Grylls and the Scouting hierarchy are well aware that the Scouts applied for and were granted an exemption from equality legislation precisely to be able to continue this discrimination and accept only members with religious beliefs; or who are [at least] prepared to make a promise to a god – so public declarations of allowing “…people of all backgrounds to come together.” are; to say the least, disingenuous.
The Barmy Cardinal Keith O’Brien’s latest ploy: encouraging Christians to “…wear proudly a symbol of the cross of Christ on their garments each and every day of their lives”; couldn’t possibly be divisive could it?
Countless examples of disruption and dispute could be cited to demonstrate why large employers – such as the civil service – specifically prohibit exhibitions of personal faith in the workplace – Because It’s A No-Brainer!
Perhaps his implorations should be answered reciprocally.
Everybody – not just Christians – should be encouraged to display signs of their personal position on religion ‘each and every day of their lives’ too,
I’ll be wearing my ‘Happy Human’ and atheist ‘A’ badges from now on – and if challenged I’ll refer objectors to The Tartan Cardinal’s Office.
You can get your badges here:
‘Happy Human’ – http://www.humanism.org.uk/shop/apparel
Atheist ‘A’ – http://store.richarddawkins.net/collections/jewelry-1
We live in a sceptical world. Atheism has taken on an evangelistic tone in the UK. Secularists claim to have a monopoly on reason. So how should the Church respond?
Premier Christian Radio presents an apologetics day conference aimed at equipping everyday Christians with reasons for the truth of their faith. The conference will also focus on how to share these truths in a fruitful and engaging way.
This year’s Conference partner is Reasons To Believe – a Christian apologetics teaching and research organisation with the mission to spread the Christian Gospel by demonstrating that sound reason and scientific research consistently uphold, rather than erode, confidence in the truth of the Bible.
SOURCE: http://www.premier.org.uk/.
Or for the alternative view: www.lancshumanism.org.uk
Chris Jenord is the organiser of an event in Somerset called The Ancestor’s Trail where people, especially non-believers, walk a branching network of footpaths representing Darwin’s ‘Tree of life’.
Inspired by Richard Dawkins’ book the Ancestor’s Tale, the event has been described as a ‘secular pilgrimage’ celebrating our shared ancestry with all life and raising money for nature conservation.
This will be the third ‘Trail’ event and is scheduled for the 25th-26th August.
As part of this event Chris has to organise speakers to discuss evolutionary biology and biodiversity in a local venue.
The whole event is financed through an online crowd-sourcing website called Crowdfunder.
The ‘pitch’ is now live and already counting down.
Essentially, the ‘pitch total’ needs to be reached by the expiry date for the event to happen.
If not, everyone who has invested gets their money back.
The pitch offers various all-inclusive accommodation packages especially designed for folks coming from further afield.
It’s a long way from Lancaster I know, but last year people were welcomed from Devon, Dorset, London, Norfolk, Yorkshire and even the USA and so the organisers thought such longer distance travellers may prefer to know about their accommodation well in advance.
A second pitch will open in early June, primarily to allow local people to book the two evening events.
You’ll find all the information you need on the Crowdfunder pitch: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/investment/ancestor-s-trail-2012-358or The Ancestors Trail website: http://ancestorstrail.net/
The crowd-sourcing approach relies on folks spreading the word so, if you know anyone who you consider may be even remotely interested, PLEASE FORWARD THESE DETAILS.
To hear more about our project follow this link to our special Ancestor’s Trail episode on Clare Balding’s BBC R4 Ramblings show: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011tsdb. Alternatively, this is the 2011 event video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqnx3f_uHHc
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BUY TICKETS FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW
Direct from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011.
Following on from his sellout national tour of ‘Uncaged Monkeys’, with Professor Brian Cox, and as co-presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Sony Gold Award winning series ‘The Infinite Monkey Cage’, Robin continues his comic exploration of the human condition in his new autumn show.
Robin asks can you be happy and rational at the same time. Join him in a world of Schrodinger cats, multiverses and evolutionary conundrums. Spend an entertaining evening in Robin’s company as he orienteers through the craggy landscape of evolution whilst plumbing the depths of his own murky consciousness, all without the aid of a safety net.
TICKETS £12/£10
Also available from Malcolm’s Musicland, Chorley 01257 264362
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
This promises to be a really interesting evening. It’s planned as a “Question Time” session with panellists representing religious, political, educational and philosophical points of view. As in the Dimbleby version you are invited to send your questions in advance although the panel will have no notice of the question beforehand Click HERE to send us your questions. Just scroll down to the bottom of that page to the message form and write your question in there or if you prefer email it to the Chairman, Ian Abbott – ian@lancshumanism.org.uk
Full details are now accessible via the home page of our website www.lancshumanism.org.uk
Copied from this month’s newsletter from the NSS:
“The National Secular Society is concerned that religious organisations are exempt from some equality laws and can discriminate in who they employ or promote. Dr Johnsen’s own research (pdf) has found that there is a glass ceiling for staff without faith in some faith-based organisations even though those staff are just as committed and motivated as staff with faith.
“There is a simple answer that will allay suspicions and remove many objections – and that is to bring in a simple piece of legislation. It should make public funding of services provided to the public by religious groups contingent on:
No proselytising as part of this work and no religious demands being made at the point of service.
No discrimination over service users – i.e. be available to everyone.
No discrimination in employment (including on grounds of religion or belief, something neither Labour nor Conservative governments have been prepared to require, despite these jobs while in the public sector being with equal opportunities employers)
“If such a law were put in place it would remove many of the barriers that at present stand in the way of religious groups being involved in service provision. It would also protect vulnerable service users from exploitation by those who won’t be able to resist the opportunity to foist religion on to them,” said Terry Sanderson.He continued: “Although these organisations are supposed to improve social cohesion, the current Government has selected the Church of England as its favoured partner to lead the faith-based welfare contribution through the Near Neighbours programme. This aims to ‘help people from different faiths get to know and understand each other better and to encourage people of different faiths, or no faith, to come together for initiatives that improve their local neighbourhood’. Favouring the Church of England does not send out a message that all faith groups and people of no faith are equal, as Johnsen herself admits when she calls the decision ‘anachronistic’.”