Democracy cannot exist without the right to free speech.
Free speech should be robustly defended as a fundamental freedom.
The National Secular Society has defended free speech from religious threats since our founding. We played an instrumental role in abolishing "blasphemy" laws in Britain, but serious concerns remain. Blasphemy laws still exist in Northern Ireland. And throughout the UK, religious fundamentalists seek to impose their blasphemy taboos on others through violence and intimidation.
There are also increasing attempts to categorise offending religious sensibilities as 'hate speech', making criticism, mockery or perceived 'insult' of religion a criminal act akin to racial hatred or inciting violence – in other words, a 'blasphemy law by the back door'.
Without free speech no search for truth is possible; without free speech no discovery of truth is useful; without free speech progress is checked… Better a thousand fold abuse of free speech than denial of free speech.
We are further concerned by a developing 'culture of offence' in which any speech or action deemed likely to offend religious sensibilities is considered taboo. Enforced by a toxic mix of terrorism and religious deference, this is chilling free speech through self-censorship.
We also campaign against blasphemy laws around the world, where they continue to be used to target religious and political minorities. These are sometimes described by UK politicians as 'misuse' of blasphemy laws, but we contend there are never any legitimate uses for blasphemy laws.
Being offended from time to time is the price we all pay for living in a free society. Rather than trying to silence those we disagree with, we believe the answer to speech we don't like is more speech – better speech.
We therefore campaign to protect and preserve freedom of expression, including offensive, critical and shocking speech.
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Latest updates
Ireland to vote on liberalising abortion and blasphemy laws
Posted: Thu, 28 Sep 2017 13:22
Ireland is to hold referenda on changing its laws on abortion and blasphemy next year.
Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister (pictured), has confirmed that a ballot on abortion will be held in May or June 2018, and another on blasphemy in October 2018. They are part of a wave of seven referenda which will take place in the next two years.
One vote will propose repealing the country's near-total ban on abortion. Currently the eighth amendment to the Irish constitution gives 'equal right' to the life of a mother and an unborn child. A woman convicted of having an illegal termination can face up to 14 years in prison.
Thousands of Irish women travel abroad, mostly to England, for terminations each year, and many more cannot afford to do so. Health authorities also say increasing numbers of Irish women are buying illegal abortion pills online. Such alternatives are potentially very dangerous.
Some women have died after being refused abortions in Ireland. In one high-profile case in 2012 31-year-old Savita Halappanavar died after being denied a termination at Galway University Hospital because a foetal heartbeat was still present, despite the fact she was miscarrying at the time.
In recent years opinion polls have consistently indicated strong support for reform. In 2013 public pressure helped to relax restrictions for women who are suicidal or whose lives are at risk.
Mr Varadkar has criticised the eighth amendment as "too restrictive" and said that it has a "chilling effect" on doctors.
The terms of the vote on blasphemy have not yet been finalised. Currently Article 40.6.1 of Ireland's constitution says the state guarantees citizens' right 'to express freely their convictions and opinions'. But it also specifies: 'the publication or utterance of blasphemous, seditious, or indecent matter is an offence which shall be punishable in accordance with law'.
This gained public attention earlier this year when Stephen Fry was investigated for blasphemy. In an interview in 2015 Fry had asked: "Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid god who creates a world which is so full of injustice and pain?"
Atheist Ireland, a group which lobbies for change to the law, said it had "discussed several possible approaches" to reform with Department of Justice officials in 2015.
The National Secular Society played an active role in the abolition of the UK's blasphemy law, which happened in 2008. But the global trend is regressive: last week Indonesia's government rejected suggestions by UN member states that it should "introduce legislation to repeal the blasphemy law".
Ireland's decision is the latest sign of secularisation in the country. A minister recently said there would be "no religious involvement" in a new children's hospital in Dublin.
NSS executive director Keith Porteous Wood welcomed the latest news from Ireland.
"Five years ago these votes would have been unthinkable," he said. "There could be no more reliable indicator of the declining power of the Catholic Church in Ireland, particularly in urban areas. This has largely been the result of disgust at the scale of child abuse and the failure to tackle it.
"More now realise that the Church has no legitimate right to tell people what to do with their bodies or restrict what they can say. Let us hope the final outcomes of the referenda reflect this."
The NSS campaigns for an end to blasphemy laws and against religious restrictions on women's reproductive rights.
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NSS welcomes Conway Hall launch of 'Victorian Blogging' project
Posted: Wed, 6 Sep 2017 15:04
The National Secular Society has welcomed a new project from Conway Hall which will highlight the work of Victorian radicals on major issues of the 19th century, including secularism.
Conway Hall has received £88,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund for Victorian Blogging – The Pamphleteers Who Dared to Dream of a Better World. This will digitise and open online access to over 1,300 19th century pamphlets, many extremely rare. Victorian radicals used this cheap and rapidly disseminated medium to express their ideas on contemporary issues such as freethought, secularism, gender and political suffrage and what we now know as humanism.
The NSS played a crucial role in advancing these causes during the 19th century, often in the face of vicious opposition. NSS founder Charles Bradlaugh and Annie Besant started their own Freethought Publishing Company in 1877 and published the pamphlet The Fruits of Philosophy by Charles Knowlton which explained birth control – resulting in their prosecution.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the NSS made repeated attempts to abolish blasphemy laws and legalise bequests to secular organisations. Both of these goals were finally achieved, although blasphemy laws were still in effect in Britain until as late as 2008.
The Victorian Blogging project will explore parallels between 19th century pamphleteering and 21st century blogging. It will encourage people to re-engage with the issues it raises, many of which the NSS continues to champion.
The timing of the project is significant. In 2018 there will be important anniversaries of key milestones in the extension of the franchise, human rights and freedom of thought: the Representation of the People Act 1918, which opened voting in national elections to all men and some women; the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, urging respect for human, civil, economic and social rights, including freedom of expression and belief; and the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, which finally saw success for the campaign to de-criminalise blasphemy in the UK.
Bob Forder, NSS historian, has welcomed the news and said, "I hope this project will allow the central role of the National Secular Society in promoting and campaigning for progressive causes during the last quarter of the nineteenth century to be better and more widely understood.
"Leaders like Charles Bradlaugh, Annie Besant and G.W. Foote campaigned and pamphleted on issues such as political and parliamentary reform, birth control, republicanism and on behalf of the poor, as well as opposing religious privilege. These heroes and heroines must not be forgotten, nor should the centuries old tradition of radical freethinking dissent which they embodied during their era."
Stephen Evans, NSS Campaigns Director, said: "The NSS is currently celebrating its sesquicentennial. In marking our 150 anniversary it has become clear to us that the history of the Society, and the freethought/secularist movement in general, is poorly understood. Important events and personalities are being forgotten.
"At the same time, we have discovered a genuine interest amongst our members and wider society in this important part of our history. This can be demonstrated by the Parliamentary Art Committee's recent decision to install a portrait bust of our founder – the radical pamphleteer turned Member of Parliament Charles Bradlaugh, in the Palace of Westminster.
"We owe it to those who came before us to celebrate their achievements and preserve their memory. It is for this reason we are particularly enthused by Conway Hall's innovative project."
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