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
Christian charity backs TV station pushing Covid misinformation
Posted: Thu, 22 Apr 2021 14:10
The National Secular Society has called on a regulator to look into the relationship between a charity and a TV channel which has repeatedly broadcast misleading statements about the Covid pandemic.
The TV channel Loveworld, which is backed by the Evangelical Christian registered charity Christ Embassy, was censured this week after it breached broadcasting rules for a third time during the pandemic.
The NSS has now raised the case with the Charity Commission for England and Wales and asked what action it plans to take in response. The commission has said it plans to contact Christ Embassy's trustees over this issue.
Loveworld content
This week the broadcast regulator Ofcom ruled that Loveworld had broadcast "materially misleading and potentially harmful statements about the coronavirus pandemic and vaccines".
It said these statements "were made without scientific or other credible basis" and "went without sufficient context or challenge".
Presenters' statements included claims that "the vaccine is not working at all" and "the vaccine is not a vaccine, I wish we had another name for it because it's not a vaccine at all".
Ofcom also fined the channel £125,000 last month over "serious, repeated and reckless" breaches of its rules.
These included claims that the virus was linked to the rollout of 5G technology, potential vaccines were part of a plan to introduce a "New World Order" and quarantine facilities were comparable to Nazi concentration camps.
Christ Embassy's role
Christ Embassy's pastor Chris Oyakhilome (pictured speaking on the channel) founded Loveworld. Last month's Ofcom ruling criticised a suggestion he had made, on Loveworld programming, that vaccines contained nanochips to control people.
Christ Embassy's website, which is registered with the Charity Commission, carries several references and links to Loveworld.
The charity's 2018 financial report also makes clear that it has funded Loveworld.
And according to an inquiry report from the Charity Commission in 2019, the charity's headquarters is located at the Loveworld Conference Centre.
In 2019 the commission investigated Christ Embassy over its transactions with "partner organisations", including Loveworld.
The investigation concluded that there had been "serious misconduct and/or mismanagement" at Christ Embassy.
The charity's objects include advancing the Christian faith. The NSS argues that 'the advancement of religion' should be removed from the list of charitable purposes, to make it easier to hold religious charities which cause harm to account.
NSS comment
NSS head of policy and research Megan Manson said: "Funding a TV channel which pushes misleading claims around the pandemic would clearly be incompatible with the requirement for charities to provide a public benefit.
"With this in mind the Charity Commission should look into Christ Embassy's relationship with Loveworld and take action as appropriate.
"This case also highlights the need for reform of charity law. Including 'the advancement of religion' among the list of charitable purposes makes it easier for religious charities promoting harmful teachings to benefit from undue tax breaks and public recognition."
Charity Commission response
A spokesperson for the Charity Commission told the NSS: "We are aware that Ofcom has recently fined LoveWorld Limited and we will be contacting the trustees of the connected charity Christ Embassy for further information on this matter.
"We cannot comment further at this time."
This piece was updated on 23 April, when the NSS received the response from the Charity Commission.
Update 6 October 2021: Ofcom has fined Loveworld £25,000 for breaking its broadcasting rules. It considers the breach "serious".
Regulator decides not to act against ‘conversion therapy’ charity
Posted: Wed, 31 Mar 2021 17:02
Northern Ireland's charity regulator has refused to take action against a Christian organisation which promotes "change orientated therapy" for gay people, after the National Secular Society raised its case.
Last year the NSS wrote to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland to urge it to review Core Issues Trust's status as a registered charity.
Now the commission has said it has closed an enquiry file into the case and it will not be taking the NSS's concern forward "at this time".
Core Issues Trust and "change orientated therapy"
Core Issues Trust advocates what it calls "change orientated therapies" for people "who want to move away from homosexual feelings, behaviours and attractions".
The trust says the therapies it promotes "support client goals to prioritise conservative religious values over their same-sex attractions in identity development".
The trust is registered as a charity in NI. Its official charitable purposes are to advance religion and advance education.
Under its objects of association, it encourages "lifestyle choices consistent with Christian living" and upholds the view that sexual relationships outside heterosexual marriage are "inconsistent with" the Bible.
Charity Commission's rationale
The Charity Commission told the NSS of its decision in a letter in January and has now followed up with a further explanation, after the society queried it.
Its latest letter says it's "not the role of the commission to adopt a position on the charity's conduct in this matter". It notes that the Core Issues Trust presents its therapy as "beneficial" and "contests the view that this practice is inherently harmful".
It adds that the charity's trustees have "demonstrated a regard for" guidance on providing a public benefit.
In the January letter, the commission said charitable purposes must be "beneficial, not harmful". But it added: "We note that the practice of conversion therapy / change orientated therapy is not among the purposes of the charity."
Both letters appeared to suggest it was not the commission's role to take a position on such therapy while it's legal.
The January letter also said the commission's staff had decided to register the trust as a charity in 2016, as its charitable purposes were listed in law and served a public benefit.
But it added that the commission could revisit the trust's charitable status depending on the resolution of an ongoing technical dispute, over who holds decision-making power within the commission.
NSS comment
NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said: "The Charity Commission for NI appears to have concluded that Core Issues Trust should remain a charity on wholly inadequate grounds.
"Bogus therapies which encourage people to change or suppress their sexuality are harmful, unethical and widely discredited.
"It beggars belief that groups that promote them can enjoy the tax breaks and public recognition that charitable status brings.
"The case also shows the need for a rethink of religion's privileged status in charity law, which would make it easier to hold groups like Core Issues Trust to account."
Charities and public benefit
- Organisations which register as charities are required to serve a public benefit. The Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 outlines a series of 'charitable purposes' which charities can register under. One of these purposes is 'the advancement of religion'.
- In a 2019 report the NSS argued that 'the advancement of religion' should be removed as a charitable purpose.
Conversion therapy: the harm caused
- In 2018 the UK government said it would "fully consider all legislative and non-legislative options to prohibit promoting, offering or conducting conversion therapy".
- A 2014 consensus statement from the UK Council for Psychotherapy concluded that 'conversion therapy' was harmful. In 2017 major counselling and psychotherapy bodies from across the UK committed to ending 'conversion therapy'.
- According to the Ozanne Foundation's 2018 National Faith & Sexuality Survey, well over half of respondents who had attempted to change their sexual orientation had suffered from mental health issues as a result. Around 40% of those who had suffered mental health issues had self-harmed.
Support for ending trust's charitable status
- A recent petition against the Core Issues Trust's charitable status, from the advocacy group All Out, secured more than 10,000 signatures.
Image: Syda Productions/Shutterstock.com.
