All posts tagged: NSS

NSS refers antisemitic, misogynistic Islamic charity to watchdog

NSS refers antisemitic, misogynistic Islamic charity to watchdog

Published by skeptic

The National Secular Society has referred a newly registered Islamic charity to the regulator for promoting antisemitism and misogyny. Bedford Islaamic [sic] Centre (BIC) registered under the charitable purpose ‘the advancement of religion’ in December. Charities are required by law to operate for the public benefit. “May the curse of Allah be upon the Jews and the Christians” A post on the charity’s Facebook page warns Muslims against “pride and arrogance”, which is the “way of the Jews”. Another post, quoting the Islamic prophet Muhammad, states: “May the curse of Allah be upon the Jews and the Christians”. The same post urges followers: “Don’t stop warning against evil”. In 2023, the NSS referred over 40 Islamic charities to the Charity Commission over statements they had made in the wake of the October 7th Hamas attack, some of which were antisemitic. The Charity Commission recently told another Islamic group, Cricklewood Muslim Youth Trust, to register as a charity despite it describing Jews and Christians as “the enemies of Allaah [sic]”. Another BIC Facebook post, quoting an …

NSS welcomes St Albans council decision to end prayers

NSS welcomes St Albans council decision to end prayers

Published by skeptic

The National Secular Society has expressed its support for a council’s decision to end prayers before meetings. Last week St Albans City and District Council voted 25-20 in favour of a motion to end prayers before full council meetings. The motion, proposed by Liberal Democrat councillor Sinéad Howland (pictured), said the inclusion of prayers before the meetings “may inadvertently exclude or alienate individuals of different faiths or those without religious beliefs”. This contradicts the council’s “commitment to equality and inclusivity” and “disrupts the start of the meeting”, the motion said. The motion noted that despite the intention to hold prayers in a separate session before the meetings, this separation “has not been consistently or effectively achieved”. This had led to councillors of other religions and beliefs feeling “the need to wait outside, disrupting the process of preparing for the meeting”. The motion also noted the Equality Act 2010 includes a Public Sector Equality Duty on public bodies to “eliminate discrimination and foster good relations between people with different characteristics”, including both religious and nonreligious beliefs. …

NSS urges end to faith based admissions in UN committee briefing

NSS urges end to faith based admissions in UN committee briefing

Published by skeptic

The National Secular Society has told the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in an oral briefing that faith based school admissions should be ended. The committee oversees the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, an international treaty ratified by the UK in 1976. Article 13 of the covenant enshrines the right to education, and states education shall “promote understanding, tolerance and friendship” amongst people of different racial and religious backgrounds. It also requires that secondary education be “accessible to all by every appropriate means”. Adding to its earlier written submission, the NSS told the committee in an oral briefing that state funded schools should be “open and welcoming to all”. The NSS welcomed the Government’s recent abandonment of plans to scrap the 50% cap on faith based admissions in new faith based academies. But it also warned the committee of the risk of a new wave of 100% selective faith schools that could arise from the Government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. The NSS recommended exemptions to the Equality …

Promote secularism to improve community cohesion, NSS urges

Promote secularism to improve community cohesion, NSS urges

Published by skeptic

Secular principles should be central to efforts to promote community cohesion, the National Secular Society has told a House of Commons committee. Responding to a consultation from the Women and Equalities Select Committee, the NSS said the changing demographics of the UK means the country needs a a long-term settlement on the relationship between religion and the state. The committee’s inquiry aims to investigate barriers to cohesion, examples of best practice, and how to ensure cohesion for the next generation. Recent censuses revealed Christians to be a minority in England and Wales for the first time, and the majority in Scotland to be nonreligious. Members of minority religions including Islam and Hinduism were found to have steadily increased across the UK. Educating children together “one of the best means available” to promote social cohesion The NSS said “one of the best means available” to promote social cohesion is to end religious segregation in schools, by educating children from different backgrounds together. Around a third of English and Welsh schools are faith schools, with Scottish and …

NSS welcomes government commitment on blasphemy laws

NSS welcomes government commitment on blasphemy laws

Published by skeptic

The National Secular Society has welcomed the Government’s commitment to protect the right to free expression as part of efforts to challenge anti-Muslim bigotry. In a statement, the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) said “any new definition of Islamophobia must be given careful consideration, acknowledging British citizens’ unchanging right to freedom of speech and expression”.  A MHCLG spokesperson also said that “no blasphemy laws will be introduced by this government”. The statement follows reports the Government is planning to create a ‘council on Islamophobia’ which will advise on drawing up an official definition of anti-Muslim discrimination. Concerns that the council would recommend adopting a definition of ‘Islamophobia’ proposed by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims (APPG) were heightened by reports that former Conservative minister Dominic Grieve had been recommended to chair the sixteen person council. Grieve wrote the foreword to the APPG report on the ‘Islamophobia’ definition. Concerns about the implications of the APPG definition for freedom of speech have been consistently raised by campaigners, including the National Secular Society. In …

NSS refers misogynistic Islamic psychotherapy charity to regulator

NSS refers misogynistic Islamic psychotherapy charity to regulator

Published by skeptic

The National Secular Society has referred a new ‘Islamic psychotherapy’ charity to the Charity Commission for promoting misogyny and the subordination of women. In one video, co-founder of the Muslim Family Foundation (MFF) Shaykh Muaaz Vahora claims “a woman must serve her husband by cooking and cleaning”. MFF, based in Newham, east London, registered under the charitable purpose ‘the advancement of religion’ in November last year. Charities are required by law to operate for the public benefit. MFF offers “Islamic Counselling, Psychotherapy and Coaching” with a “Muslim Therapist”. Psychotherapy is unregulated in the UK, meaning “anyone can call themselves a psychotherapist”. Issues the charity claims to help with include “women’s issues”, “marriage”, “family issues” and “identity issues”. In August, the Government announced plans to treat misogyny as a form of extremism.‘Always ask for his permission when you want to go out’ In a video titled ‘A Woman Must Look After Her House’, Vahora says “unfortunately” there are many videos on social media claiming that wives “do not have to serve their husbands”. “The reality”, he …

Faith-based school admissions should be ended, NSS tells UN

Faith-based school admissions should be ended, NSS tells UN

Published by skeptic

The NSS has told the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights that faith-based school admissions should be ended. The Committee oversees the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, an international treaty ratified by the UK in 1976. Article 13 of the Covenant enshrines the right to education, and states education shall “promote understanding, tolerance and friendship” amongst people of different racial and religious backgrounds. It also requires that secondary education be “accessible to all by every appropriate means”. In 2016, the Committee recommended the UK government reduce “de facto discrimination and segregation of students based on their religion”. The NSS submitted evidence directly to the Committee and via a joint submission with JustFair, a UK human rights group that focusses on the Covenant. A Government delegation will face questioning from the Committee on the UK’s compliance with the Covenant next month in Geneva. Admissions should not disadvantage those with ‘wrong’ religion or belief In its submission, the NSS said families should not be disadvantaged when applying to state-funded schools because they …

NSS: Scotland should repeal religious observance laws

NSS: Scotland should repeal religious observance laws

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The Scottish Government should repeal laws mandating collective worship in schools, the National Secular Society has said. Responding to a Scottish Government consultation, the NSS said laws mandating collective worship – known in Scotland as religious observance (RO) – are incompatible with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The law in Scotland requires state funded schools to hold “community acts” which promote “the spiritual development of all members of the school’s community”. Non-denominational schools are “encouraged to draw upon” Christian traditions in RO. While the law allows parents to withdraw their children from RO, there is no independent right to withdrawal for children, even when they are over 16. In its response, the NSS noted the Committee overseeing the convention has repeatedly recommended laws mandating RO be repealed, most recently in 2023. Last summer, the Scottish Government incorporated the CRC into Scots Law, creating a legal duty for public bodies to act in compliance with the convention. The NSS said the Scottish Government’s proposed legislative changes, which would only require parents …

NSS urges Parliament to prevent increase in selective faith schools

NSS urges Parliament to prevent increase in selective faith schools

Published by skeptic

The National Secular Society has urged a parliamentary committee to ensure a new bill will not lead to a new wave of highly selective faith schools in England. Responding to a call for evidence by the committee for the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the NSS said proposed changes to how new schools are opened must safeguard against the proliferation of faith schools which can select all pupils based on religion. The new bill will end the presumption that new schools should be ‘free school’ academies. Free schools with a religious character can select up to 50% of pupils based on religion if they are oversubscribed. But no longer requiring new schools to be free schools would make it easier for voluntary aided (VA) faith schools to open. Unlike free schools, VA schools can select 100% of pupils based on religion when oversubscribed. Recent research has revealed that as well as fostering religious and ethnic segregation, faith schools are more socially selective, create barriers for looked-after and previously looked-after children, and admit fewer pupils with …

NSS urges investigation of C of E evangelism at nonreligious school

NSS urges investigation of C of E evangelism at nonreligious school

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The National Secular Society has called for an investigation into a Church of England evangelism initiative which aims to recruit children at a nonreligious school. The NSS has written to Hampshire County Council raising concerns about an effort by the Anglican Diocese of Portsmouth to install a ‘Pioneer Youth Worker’ at Park Community School, in Havant. The role’s purpose is to enable “growth in disciples of Christ by number and depth” by “growing a new worshipping community” at the school. The successful applicant will also deliver “worship activity” within the school day, and “provide links” between the school and the church congregation. Objectives of the position include converting 60 pupils into worshippers, increasing Sunday attendance at the local St. Francis church by 50, and holding baptisms and confirmation classes for children. In a letter to the council, the NSS said it was “entirely inappropriate” for the Church of England to use a nonreligious school for evangelism. The NSS said attempting to convert children at school is incompatible with equality and the human rights of children …