National Secular Society
@NatSecSoc
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Campaigning for separation of religion and state, challenging religious privilege and promoting equality between all citizens regardless of religion or belief.
UK
Joined March 2009
We campaign for an inclusive, secular society where no religion is unfairly privileged. Join us in our stand for equality, freedom, and fairness. Become a member of the National Secular Society today:
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We've expressed concerns following an MP's call for religious texts and "Abrahamic" prophets to be legally protected from 'desecration'. Deeply alarming. Peaceful coexistence will not be achieved by submitting to blasphemy codes.
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We've reported two mosques to the Charity Commission for "effectively condoning marital rape" 👇.
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Deeply alarming that an MP is calling for the introduction of new blasphemy laws. Concerningly, the Prime Minister offers no defense of free expression. MPs should uphold values which are foundational to our society - not seek to dismantle them.
During PMQs today, I asked the Prime Minister to introduce measures to prohibit desecration of religious texts and targeted vilification of all the prophets of the Abrahamic faiths. As November marks Islamophobia Awareness Month, it is vital the Government takes clear and
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We've reported this charity to the regulator after its imam said women have an "obligation" to make themselves sexually available to their husbands. Charities should not promote ideology which leaves women vulnerable to abusive coercive control.
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This attempt by activists to disrupt the screening of ‘The Kerala Story’ goes beyond the reasonable limits of the right to protest – it represents an effort to suppress freedom of expression on the grounds of ‘offense’ to religious sensibilities.
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WATCH: A preacher at registered charity An-Noor Masjid says a husband is allowed to hit his wife if she refuses to have sex with him. We've reported it to the regulator. Read more:
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NEW: We've reported two Islamic charities to the regulator after they recently hosted sermons which effectively condoned marital rape.
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A victory for common sense. We can reveal that Brian Leach, who was sacked by Asda for sharing a video of Billy Connolly mocking religion on social media, has been reinstated #FreeExpression.
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We welcome @networkrail’s decision to remove Islamic ‘hadith of the day’ from the departure board at King’s Cross. Religious neutrality in public spaces is the best way to respect everyone in society, regardless of religion or belief.
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Success! Lancashire councillors vote to take un-stunned halal meat off school menus.
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An Islamic charity with alleged links to the Iranian regime is reportedly facing an investigation by Scotland Yard and the Charity Commission. Dar Alhekma Trust is registered under the ‘advancement of religion’.
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Secularism "not only separates church from state, and hence freedom from religion, but it also protects the right to worship whatever god you like." Well said @rickygervais. Secularism is the only way to protect genuine religious freedom for everybody.
I hate most of the irrational nonsense spouted by religion & I believe secularism is the way forward. I like it because it not only separates church from state, and hence freedom from religion, but it also protects the right to worship whatever god you like. That’s important too.
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The teacher brutally murdered for doing his job in France yesterday has been named as 47-year-old Samuel Paty.
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Thread: Protesters have gathered outside a school in Yorkshire after a teacher showed a cartoon of Islam’s prophet Muhammad as part of a class. This is an attempt to impose a blasphemy taboo which will restrict the freedom to teach. 1/6.
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What an appalling @BBC headline. Who really did the radicalising here: the novelist who wrote some words, or the ayatollah who demanded his death in response?
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We’re proud to support the Conference on the Religious-Right, Secularism and Civil Rights http://t.co/ndhRdgXs39
http://t.co/drFZ5Rlig5.
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#AssistedDyingBill debate: Justin Welby says the bishops' bench is united in opposition to the Bill. Outrageous that CofE bishops are given such a privileged position in our democracy entirely on the basis that they are CofE bishops. Scrapping the bishops' bench is long overdue.
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New: We’ve referred an Islamic charity involved in an extremism court case to the regulator, after a misogynistic sermon came to light. Charities must not be used as a vehicle for misogyny and extremism.
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College of Policing guidance states that “non-crime hate incidents should not be recorded where they are trivial, irrational, or if there is no basis to conclude that an incident was motivated by hostility.”. We’ve asked @SuellaBraverman to investigate.
Here are the Chief Inspector's remarks. They are atrocious. Nothing on the death threats. Scolding for the boys. Lots of praise for the mosque and the imam and their "tolerance". What a miserable failure. The government should step in here. 5/5
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🔵More than 50,000 sign petition to reinstate teacher suspended for showing pupils Prophet Muhammad cartoon. 🔵Charity regulator looking into the charity that named the teacher. 🔵School’s governors to meet shortly. This is our letter to them.
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Alarming to hear of a child receiving death threats after fundamentalists and 'community leaders' overreacted to what should be an internal school disciplinary issue. Blasphemy codes only apply to those who voluntarily submit themselves to them.
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We’re quoted in Sunday @Telegraph on two Islamic charities which hosted misogynistic messages. It’s outrageous that a charity has promoted the idea that it’s ok to hit a woman who refuses sex. @DominicPenna
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Suella Braverman: “We do not have blasphemy laws in Great Britain, and must not be complicit in the attempts to impose them on this country. There is no right not to be offended. There is no legal obligation to be reverent towards any religion.”.
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The @saatchi_gallery covers up paintings in response to complaints from Muslim visitors. An utterly unreasonable imposition on free expression. Normalising #blasphemy codes simply empowers the most reactionary religious voices to demand more censorship
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Leading the disruption was Shakeel Afsar, who previously led a successful campaign to pull The Lady of Heaven film from cinemas. As we warned at the time, acquiescing to those demands has emboldened extremists to make further attempts at intimidation.
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We've described an MP's call for religious texts to be legally protected from 'desecration' as "deeply alarming". Calls for the legal protection of religious texts and figures are a demand for the reintroduction of blasphemy laws.
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Keir Starmer says Labour would be “even more supportive of faith schools” than the current government. This is the wrong approach. Divisive and in conflict with human rights, we should move away from faith schools towards a fully secular education system.
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A campaigner is calling on schools in Lincs to encourage girls to wear hijabs for a day. Schools should seek to combat discrimination in all its forms. They shouldn't encourage girls to observe religious modesty codes or promote a sanitised view of them
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Cadbury doesn’t persecute Christians. Saudi Arabia does. The PM, in Saudi Arabia, has been more outspoken in criticising Cadbury.
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Watch: Charity's imam says women have an "obligation" to make themselves available to their husbands for sex. We've alerted the charity regulator. Read more:
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This headline needs attention, @EveningStandard. 9 year olds 'allowed' to marry? That implies 9 year old girls are willingly consenting to marriage. They are children, and this is abuse.
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Catholic Chancery Office tells parents wishing to debaptise child to "wait until she is older and can make the decision herself"
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In its manifesto, Labour called the continued presence of hereditary peers “indefensible”. Why then is it taking no action to remove the automatic right of 26 Church of England bishops to sit and vote in the House of Lords, which is equally indefensible?
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The Archbishop of Canterbury has resigned. Its now time for the state to resign from the dysfunctional, outdated, and undemocratic relationship intertwining it with the Church of England. The Church should be disestablished as a matter of urgency.
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For anyone who doubts the importance of keeping religion and state separate. Secularism underpins and safeguards freedom, tolerance, and fairness.
VIDEO: Thousands of supporters of Islamist parties take to the streets of Karachi to protest Asia Bibi's acquittal and call for her beheading. Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman who spent eight years on death row for blasphemy was freed from jail
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👏 @GavinWilliamson has said he’ll seek to amend the hereditary peers bill to remove the “unfairness” and “injustice” that is the bishops’ bench in HoL. He’s right - there’s no justification for automatic seats for clerics in our legislature!
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The Government has announced a flawed definition of Islamophobia is “not in line” with the Equality Act. This is welcome news. Anti-Muslim bigotry must be combatted, but not at the expense of free speech.
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Similar efforts to impose censorship in the past have been backed up by the prospect of violence, and until UK authorities demonstrate they are willing to protect the right to freedom of speech, incidents of this kind will continue.
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The imam at a charity which provides “domestic abuse support” has said women have an “obligation” to have sex with their husbands. This ideology puts women in danger. We're quoted in The Telegraph. @JanetEastham.
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EasyJet pays compensation to a woman who was asked to move seats to accommodate the wishes of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, and says incidents affecting her were contrary to its policy. A welcome outcome. This shouldn’t happen again.
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It is deeply alarming that a registered charity, which says it offers ‘domestic abuse support’, is promoting the idea that a woman must be subordinate to her husband and must make herself available for sex. Charity law requires urgent reform. @MailOnline
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Parents' rights are qualified and schools can't be expected to pander to their every whim, no matter how unreasonable. Should parents have the "final say" over what children learn in Maths, English or History? Or do we only have to make these accommodations for religious bigots?.
"Parents know best for their children.". When asked about protests over LGBT classes, Tory leadership candidate Esther McVey told #Sunrise parents should have "final say on what they want their children to know". Teachers are in tears as the row worsens:
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What makes us a tolerant society? Religion often a source of confusion rather than light, argues @OliverKamm
http://t.co/zTBSNdGERG.
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We’ve urged the Government to protect freedom of speech by rejecting calls to reintroduce blasphemy laws, after an MP called for the “desecration of all religious texts and the prophets of the Abrahamic religions” to be prohibited. #blasphemy
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Appalling abuse of religious privilege from @JustinWelby today. Initiated a debate in the House of Lords to promote his own church schools and attack secular education. Bishops simply shouldn't have automatic rights to seats in our legislature.
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62% of Brits would support a law prohibiting the #circumcision of children for non-medical reasons. Are you one of the 62%? Join our campaign 👇
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Supposed concerns about The Kerala Story’s ‘divisiveness’ should be treated with skepticism. Afsar has promoted division in the past - in 2019 he was banned from protesting outside a school following demonstrations against the teaching of LGBT equality.
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Teachers must have a reasonable degree of freedom to explore sensitive subjects & enable students to think critically. The school’s weak response will fuel a climate of censorship - which is brought on by demands to accommodate unreasonable, reactionary religious views. 5/6.
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Very good news: Asia Bibi, who spent years on death row on a blasphemy charge and has been hunted by violent mobs for months since her acquittal, has left Pakistan. Her case should be a reminder of the importance of resisting religious fundamentalism
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As a statue celebrating the 'strength of the hijab' is erected in England, Iran plans 10-year prison sentences for women who choose not to wear it. It's the women fighting religious tyranny who should be celebrated, not patriarchal dress codes. #Hijab .
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We've called on the UK to follow Iceland's lead - and end the cutting of boys' genitals for non-medical reasons #forcedgenitalcutting #circumcision.
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We’ve raised concerns with the BBC after they introduced an extremist imam as “highly respected” without acknowledging his ‘supremacist, misogynistic, racist and homophobic’ views.
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Good news: Stephen Fry blasphemy probe dropped after gardaí fail to find 'substantial number of outraged people'.
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“Blasphemy laws will not protect Muslims from racism or religious hatred. They don’t protect the vulnerable; instead they are weaponised by wannabe 'community spokesmen' to stigmatise and silence dissenters.” Excellent summary by @buffsoldier_96 - .
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We’ve written to the government urging them to do more to support schools which face “intimidation and pressure” from religious fundamentalists, following recent events in Wakefield.
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Cineworld has cancelled all screenings of a film about Islam for security reasons following religious protests. This will embolden extremists to continue intimidating businesses. Cinemas must be assured their right to show films will be protected.
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Islamist pressure group MEND has also reportedly advocated for the film’s cancellation. MEND’s previous activism has gained significant traction with UK politicians – highly concerning given it’s disregard for freedom of speech.
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BREAKING: Lancashire council votes to prohibit unstunned meat from school meals. We're quoted.
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The revealing of Smethwick's new statue this week is a slap in the face of every woman who rejects hijab codes.
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Fatwas issued by Islamic councils must not hold any authority in English courts. Secular law and liberal values musn't be compromised. We're quoted in The Times.
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An Islamic organisation which carries deeply homophobic & misogynistic lectures on its website was recently able to register as a charity. We’ve asked the Charity Commission to review this. And it should prompt questions over charity law
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Today @GavinWilliamson said he'll seek to table an amendment to the Government's hereditary peers bill which would abolish the bishops' bench. We're working with Williamson to garner support for the amendment among MPs.
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16-year-old girl in France gets rape and death threats which force her into hiding after saying the Koran was "full of hate" & Islam was "shit". Extra-judicial attempts to enforce #blasphemy taboos like this must be resisted
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Bishops in the House of Lords are "as much as an anomaly as hereditary peers" and should "join them at the exit", says Lord Warner. Quite right. No religion or its leaders should have a privileged role in the legislature.
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Four Islamic charities are promoting material with deeply intolerant messages, including: 'apostates' should be killed; women should be subordinate to men and accept marital rape; & homosexuality is not innate. We've reported the charities to the regulator
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MPs have rejected an effort to remove Church of England bishops from the House of Lords. A missed opportunity to end one of this country’s most egregious examples of religious privilege. #ChurchOfEngland #BishopsBench .
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An ex-doctor who performed ritual circumcisions has pled guilty to ABH. He "meted out painful cruelty to children leaving them with emotional and physical scars.". Justice demands boys be protected from religious genital cutting.
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Alarming: @gmpolice is investigating a man who filmed himself mocking Islam in a hospital prayer room for an alleged hate crime. A chilling decision which wastes police resources. It should go without saying that this is not a criminal matter
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We have reported Utrujj Foundation to the Charity Commission after finding an article on its website that says that a man "has the permission to 'strike'" his wife as part of "a process to salvage a marriage".
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Very concerning to see religious authority set up as a parallel legal system. By nature, religious ‘courts’ are concerned with ideology ahead of justice. Disputes should be resolved via secular process, where our shared system of law is applied equally.
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Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who's praised Osama bin Laden & said all Muslims "should be terrorists", charged with money laundering. He’s a trustee of a UK charity despite being banned from entering the UK. Will @ChtyCommission now disqualify him?
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Doctor suspended for a month after circumcising a baby boy without his mother's consent. A horrible case. And parental consent shouldn't be a good enough reason to cut a healthy child's genitals anyway
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A new poll has found that a majority of people want religion kept out of politics and bishops to lose their automatic seats as of right in the House of Lords. We're working to make this happen.
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Just 12% of Britons are now affiliated to the Church of England - and that figure is little more than half what it was a decade ago. The C of E's constitutional privileges have always been unjustifiable, and they're also looking increasingly unsustainable
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“What worries me is that fellow liberals are conceding too much. They're conceding that giving offence to a person of faith is wrong. Do not go down this road.” V good from Matthew Parris on the risks of giving ground to offence-taking religious bullies:
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Welcome news: when asked to completely rule out introducing blasphemy laws, a government minister has simply replied “Yes”. An unequivocal rejection – we urge the government to ensure it includes ‘back door’ blasphemy laws.
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#Dispatches right now on C4 is exposing the pernicious influence of the so called Muslim advocacy group #MEND. Police forces, naive politicians and local councils need to seriously rethink their associations with them.
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Worth highlighting again that the provisions on 'stirring up hatred' in Scotland's hate crime bill compare unfavourably with equivalent legislation in England & Wales:
Press release 📄. Government media statements on Hate Crime Bill ’inaccurate’. Read all about it👇🏻
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Deeply saddened to hear of the death of our honorary associate Jonathan Miller. He was a great supporter of the secularist cause. And his brilliant, groundbreaking 2004 series A Rough History of Disbelief broke the hegemony of religion on the BBC.
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No child should be compelled to worship in school.
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Absolutely appalling: The @BBC are asking "what is the right punishment for blasphemy?"
What is the right punishment for blasphemy?. Tweet @ShaziaAwan with what you think using the hashtag #AsianNetwork
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A year ago today Samuel Paty was murdered after using Charlie Hebdo Muhammad cartoons in a class about free speech. He died because he promoted critical enquiry. Those who wish to silence it can't be allowed to win. #SamuelPaty #JeSuisSamuel.
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Twenty-six Anglican bishops are given seats as of right in the House of Lords. The UK is the only western democracy which reserves seats for clerics in its legislature. This is unfair, undemocratic and undesirable. It's time to abolish the bishops' bench.
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Suffragettes would “turn in their graves” at the suffering of women under sharia, says peer
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As he took up his seat in #Parliament yesterday, the Prime Minister chose to make a secular affirmation, rather than swear a religious oath. His right to do so was established through the struggle of our founder, Charles Bradlaugh, in his battle to enter the House of Commons.
🚨 NEW: Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner are sworn in as MPs
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We're pleased to learn that Brian Leach, who was sacked by Asda for sharing a clip of the comedian Billy Connolly mocking religion on social media, has been reinstated. A victory for common sense #FreedomofExpression.
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We've reported 4 charities that just hosted a preacher who says:.▪️ Those who leave Islam should be killed.▪️ "Of course" sexual slavery is permitted in Islam.▪️ Jews & Christians ‘cannot be our friends’.Charities are meant to benefit the public. More 👇.
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Billy Graham called homosexuality “detestable”. He said AIDS was a judgement from God. The association in his name advocates 'gay cure therapy'. The leader of our established Church calls him "an exemplar to generation upon generation of modern Christians"
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Religious freedom is a qualified right. It shouldn't include the right to remove functioning body parts from healthy baby boys. Icelandic lawmakers are right - policy on #MGM should be made based on medical evidence, not religious groups' 'outrage'
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On #InternationalBlasphemyRightsDay here's a reminder that dozens of countries have legal limits on free expression on religion. Religious ideas should be as open to challenge, insult or ridicule as any other
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We've urged UK universities to strip the Sultan of #Brunei of honorary degrees following Brunei's introduction of sharia law inc. death penalty for gay sex. It would send out the message that our unis do not wish to be associated with this barbarism.
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Good news: parents who challenged compulsory worship at their children's school have won the right to a secular alternative. Schools shouldn't push religion on children.
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It's been over a month since we revealed that young girls are being forced to wear hijabs in English schools. No response from the government yet.
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Imran Khan has called on "Muslim countries" to raise a coordinated objection to cartoons of the Islamic prophet Muhammad at the UN. His appeal to hurt feelings is the classic tactic of the bully playing the victim #FreeSpeech #BlasphemyIsNotACrime.
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We've asked the BBC to uphold the principle of women and girls' autonomy after it used an image of a "very young" girl wearing a hijab on its Bitesize platform.
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We're committed to ending all forms of forced non-therapeutic genital cutting. This includes FGM and ritual circumcision of boys. A child's right to bodily autonomy must not be overridden by other people's religious or cultural beliefs.
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We’ve referred 40+ religious charities to the Charity Commission over antisemitism and extremism they’ve promoted in the wake of the Oct 7 Hamas attack. Read more 👇
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A teacher has been suspended after using a cartoon of Muhammad in an RS lesson about blasphemy. Meanwhile protesters gathered outside the school today demanding the teacher’s dismissal. Our response:
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With Iceland considering making it illegal to circumcise boys for non-medical reasons, 62% of Brits would support introducing such a law in the UK - only 13% would oppose.
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Justin Welby has resigned as archbishop of Canterbury after a review revealed he failed to act on reports of abuse. Welby said his resignation is in the best interests of the Church. Disestablishment would be in the best interests of both Church & state.
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