Archive for 'Secularism'
Hereditary Monarchy – a Royal (Busted) Flush
This is a cross-post by Sci-Lo Green
Do you know how government in the UK is constituted and where it gets its powers from? If you don’t and you are not one of the estimated 20% of Anglicans (2009 British Social Attitudes study) in the UK, you may want to prepare yourself for a shock…..
We live [...]
Posted: March 18th, 2015 under Secularism.
The nature of religious privilege
This is a cross-post from Futile Democracy
On BBC local radio here in the UK after the Sydney cafe siege, the presenter had a conversation with a local Imam on the subject of religious extremism. The Imam reiterated that the attacker was a lone nut, who didn’t represent Muslims. The conversation was one of damage limitation [...]
Posted: December 30th, 2014 under Secularism.
David Goodhart on ‘Conservative Muslims, Liberal Britain’
Last night’s Analysis (BBC Radio 4) explored the tensions between more conservative sections of the Muslim community and ‘liberal Britain’. Demos’s David Goodhart approached the topic robustly – listen, for example, to where he expresses scepticism about the claim that finding out more about Islam is going to make people feel more positively about it [...]
Posted: November 17th, 2014 under Islam, Secularism.
Andrew Brown: Hating Islam Means Hating Muslims
This is a cross-post by John Sargeant at homo economicus
To hate a religion according to Andrew Brown is to hate religious believers. To the point you want to make them victims. My hatred of religion for endorsing slavery makes me apparently hate modern religious believers, which is equivalent to rascism.
It is a trope among people [...]
Posted: November 6th, 2014 under Secularism.
Dr Ali Selim – Voice of Irish Muslims?
This is a cross-post from Geoff’s Shorts
“If Allah had willed, He could have made all of you humans a single people. But, He decided to let you choose your own path after showing you the Truth, and thus test yourselves. Outdo one another in actions that serve humanity and thus grow your “Self”. To Allah [...]
Posted: September 9th, 2014 under Ireland, Secularism.
Prepare to be annoyed: Cristina Odone on religion
Here are just a few of the more obvious problems with Cristina Odone’s latest article ‘We have the anti-Semites we deserve’.
In the opening paragraph she presents the whole Trojan Horse issue as a demonization of Islam. There were some anti-Muslim elements in the coverage, but this was a serious problem, and viewed that way by [...]
Posted: August 21st, 2014 under Secularism.
No Such Thing As A Faith Child
This is a cross-post by John Sargeant at homo economicus
Adults are extolled in the Christian tradition to be childlike in their acceptance of the faith. Jesus says: “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” In the first letter of Peter “Like newborn [...]
Posted: August 17th, 2014 under Secularism.
The latest on Birmingham schools
Two separate enquiries into the ‘Trojan Horse’ allegations have started reporting their findings.
Children were taught that all Christians are liars and attempts were made to introduce Sharia law in classrooms as part of an alleged ‘Trojan Horse’ takeover plot of Birmingham schools, an inquiry has found.
The inquiry commissioned by Birmingham City Council found evidence of [...]
Posted: July 19th, 2014 under Secularism.
Secularism in education: Birmingham and Stamford Hill
It was often noted, with regard to the schools under scrutiny in Birmingham, that they were not faith schools, and thus had a duty to provide a secular education. But this distinction between secular and faith schools can be challenged. Should our state schools be required to provide an act of religious (usually Christian) worship? [...]
Posted: July 14th, 2014 under Secularism.
Keep ‘Accelerated Christian Education’ out of schools.
This is a cross-post from Futile Democracy
I pledge allegiance to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, Lord and Saviour, crucified, risen, and coming again as king with life and liberty for all who believe.
I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God’s Holy Word. I will make it a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my [...]
Posted: June 21st, 2014 under Secularism.