Many religious charities do fantastic work.
But many others fail to provide a public benefit and some cause harm.
It's time to end religious privilege in charity law.
Charity work carried out by people of all faiths and none should be recognised and celebrated. Much of the work of religious charities, such as helping the poor, is secular in nature and beneficial to society.
But there are religious organisations which exploit the privileged status of religion in charity law to conduct activities that do not fulfil a genuine public benefit, and only serve to further religious ideology.
In the worst cases, religious charities may harm society and individuals.
Registered charities must serve a purpose recognised as "charitable". Charity laws specify a list of "charitable purposes," one of which is "the advancement of religion".
Charities must also demonstrate that they provide a genuine public benefit. But guidelines are vague on what constitutes a public benefit, particular in relation to religious activities. There is still an assumption in the charity system that religion is inherently beneficial. This view is not supported by evidence and implies those without a religion are somehow less moral or charitable.
The inclusion of the advancement of religion within charitable purposes gives religion a privileged position in the charity sector. It enables religious organisations to acquire all the benefits of charitable status, including tax relief, gift aid and public respectability, simply by "advancing religion".
It also includes religious organisations that cause harm to society. This includes charities which facilitate religious genital cutting, support the non-stun slaughter industry, and promote extremism, hatred and intolerance of other people.
The NSS believes all charities, religious or not, should be held to equally high standards. That's why we campaign for "the advancement of religion" to be removed from the list of charitable purposes, and for religious charities to be held to the same equality laws as all other charities.
Take action!
1. Write to your MP
Tell your MP it's time for "the advancement of religion" to be removed as a charitable purpose. Enter your postcode below to find your MP and send a letter to them.
2. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
3. Join us
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
No inquiry opened into charity promoting Islamist extremism
Posted: Mon, 16 Dec 2019 14:52
A regulator has not opened a statutory inquiry into a charity behind a TV station which has promoted Islamist extremism despite receiving five complaints about it, the National Secular Society can reveal.
The Charity Commission for England and Wales has not opened any statutory inquiries into Islamic Research Foundation International (IRFI), which finances the channel Peace TV, since at least 2010.
Last month Peace TV was taken off air after the broadcasting regulator Ofcom ruled that one of its programmes had incited murder of those who practise "magic".
In response to an NSS freedom of information request, the commission has now said it has received five complaints about IRFI in the last nine years – but has not opened any statutory inquiries into it.
The NSS submitted one of the complaints about IRFI in November 2018. The complaint raised concerns that Peace TV and one of its speakers – Dr Zakir Naik, who was also a trustee of IRFI – had promoted extremist views, including by praising Osama bin Laden.
It asked the commission to review IRFI's charitable status and Naik's eligibility for trustee status.
In a comment to the trade magazine Third Sector in response to the NSS's latest findings, the commission has revealed that it disqualified Naik in April. Naik is appealing against the decision.
Concerns about IRFI and Peace TV
- In its January 2019 annual report IRFI said its "principal activity" was to secure "donations for the continuation of Peace TV".
- Speakers who have broadcast on Peace TV include Bilal Philips, who the US has named as a co-conspirator in the 9/11 attacks.
- Peace TV is banned in India and Bangladesh over concerns that it promotes terrorism.
- Last year Ofcom said it was pursuing six separate investigations into Peace TV over potential breaches of the broadcasting code.
- Ofcom has previously reprimanded Peace TV for breaching standards on two occasions, for promoting the execution of those who leave Islam and anti-semitism.
- Peace TV has also hosted speakers who have encouraged fathers to "push" their daughters into getting married and described gay people as "worse than animals".
- Peace TV has claimed to have 200m viewers around the world. Its English and Urdu channels were available via Sky in the UK.
Concerns about Dr Zakir Naik
- Naik launched IRFI in 2006. He is an IRFI trustee and is listed on Peace TV's website as its leading speaker.
- He was banned from entering Britain in 2010 for behaviour which included praising Osama bin Laden and saying all Muslims "should be terrorists".
- In 2012 he stated on Peace TV that he "tended to agree" that Muslims should be executed if they leave Islam and tried to proselytise a different religion "against Islam".
- He has condoned domestic violence and reportedly expressed agreement with the death penalty for homosexuals.
In response to the latest revelations, NSS spokesperson Megan Manson said:
"It's concerning that the Charity Commission has not opened an inquiry into Islamic Research Foundation International, given its appalling track record. There appears to be a compelling case that IRFI doesn't serve a public benefit and is therefore not deserving of charitable status.
"The government should also review charity law to consider religion's place within it. Ending the idea that 'the advancement of religion' is inherently beneficial would make it harder for harmful religious charities to register and easier for the Charity Commission to uphold standards consistently."
Ms Manson added that the NSS welcomed the Charity Commission's attempt to disqualify Zakir Naik from trusteeship, but still questioned why there had been no statutory inquiry into IRFI itself.
A Charity Commission spokeswoman told Third Sector: "While it is correct that the commission has not opened a statutory inquiry, as confirmed in our FOI response, we have looked into complaints that have been raised with us.
"As this is ongoing, we will not comment further on this at this time."
Charity law and relevant guidelines for charities
- Organisations are obliged to serve a public benefit to qualify for charitable status. Charity trustees are required to pass a "fit and proper person" test.
- Charity Commission guidance says "a charity's name, premises or money must not be used to promote extremist or other activities that are inappropriate under charity law, for example because they are in breach of equalities legislation".
- Earlier this year the NSS called for the removal of 'the advancement of religion' as a charitable purpose in a major report.
- According to its most recent annual report, IRFI's "main objective" is "to raise funds for the proper presentation, understanding and appreciation of Islam, as well as removing misconception about Islam".
Further note
- The NSS's freedom of information request asked how many times the commission had received complaints about IRFI and investigated it since 2010. Charity Commission records at the National Archives, dating back to 2005, make no mention of any investigations into IRFI. IRFI was registered as a charity in 2007.
Update, 15 May 2020: The Charity Commission has today announced that it has opened a statutory inquiry into Islamic Research Foundation International.
Image: Charity Commission logo, via Twitter.
NSS criticises BBC video promoting Operation Christmas Child
Posted: Thu, 12 Dec 2019 13:04
The National Secular Society has said the BBC "allowed itself to be used" to promote "propaganda for fundamentalist Christianity" in producing a video on the Operation Christmas Child shoebox scheme.
The NSS has written to the corporation's complaints department about a video entitled Christmas boxes sent to children 'who have never had presents', released on Thursday on the BBC website.
The video shows footage from an Operation Christmas Child base in the West Midlands and children receiving shoeboxes. It also features a voiceover from a representative of Operation Christmas Child, who is the only person who speaks in the video.
The video features no critical analysis of the motives behind the scheme or its impact.
Criticisms of Operation Christmas Child
Operation Christmas Child sees donors fill shoeboxes with toys, which are then sent to children in developing countries at Christmas.
It has been criticised for pressurising children and families in relatively poor countries, often with large Muslim populations, to convert to fundamentalist Christianity.
Operation Christmas Child's website, which talks of inviting children "into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ", makes clear that it aims to convert children.
The scheme has also been criticised for causing unnecessary environmental damage, being ineffective and harming local economies.
It is run by the evangelical Christian charity Samaritan's Purse, whose president has praised Vladimir Putin's anti-gay laws, said Muslims "should be barred from immigrating to America", and called on Christians to convert Muslims.
Aid agencies including Oxfam and Save the Children have distanced themselves from Operation Christmas Child in recent years.
NSS writes to the BBC
The NSS's letter to the BBC said the video had breached at least 11 clauses on impartiality under section 4 of the corporation's editorial guidelines.
The NSS wrote: "It is deeply disappointing that the BBC has allowed itself to be used as propaganda for fundamentalist Christianity by effectively running an advert for Operation Christmas Child on its website."
The society said in future the BBC should not "allow itself to contribute to exploitative and unethical charity schemes". It added that the BBC should conduct "thorough research" and "ensure controversies are objectively and critically examined rather than ignored".
Explaining the letter, NSS spokesperson Megan Manson said: "The BBC should have been aware of reasonable and widely-shared concerns about Operation Christmas Child – in particular that it acts as a vehicle for pushing fundamentalist religion on children.
"Criticisms of Operation Christmas Child are easy to find and the BBC should have spotted them and engaged with them before producing this bit of propaganda.
"As the national broadcaster the BBC has a duty of impartiality and should report on religious organisations in a balanced and objective manner. We hope it will reflect on the inappropriateness of this video to ensure this doesn't happen again."
BBC updates video description after NSS criticism
The BBC updated the text description which accompanied the video on Thursday, adding the line: "Some, including humanist organisations, have criticised the aid group for distributing evangelical messages."
The update came shortly after the NSS criticised the video as "effectively an advert for Operation Christmas Child" on Twitter.
Before the update, the accompanying text contained no suggestion that the scheme was controversial.
