Daily media briefing
Stay informed with our daily media briefing newsletter. Every weekday morning we'll bring you the most relevant news and updates related to secularism directly to your inbox.
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Thu, 13 Jun 2024
'Young women are fleeing organised religion. This was predictable.'
"Young women are now disaffiliating from organised religion in greater percentages than young men", writes Jessica Grose.
New York Times*
US: Doctor fined $10,000 for nearly killing infant boy during circumcision
Mistakes during a circumcision that the state says nearly killed an infant boy cost a Margate urologist $16,460 as part of his punishment from Florida's Board of Medicine.
Miami Herald
Wed, 12 Jun 2024
Secularists reject plea for ‘Hinduphobia’ law – NSS quoted
Calls for a change in UK law to create a crime of "Hinduphobia" have been criticised by the National Secular Society as threatening to endanger the work of human rights campaigners.
Religion Media Centre
Wording of proposed assisted dying law on Isle of Man debated
Patients wanting to use a proposed assisted dying law on the Isle of Man would have to take life-ending medications themselves rather than being administered by a doctor, after a vote in the island's parliament.
ITV
Conservatives promise to revive out of school register plan
The party has also pledged to revive the planned registration of children who are taught in out-of-school settings — an idea which has previously proved deeply unpopular with parts of the Charedi community.
The Jewish Chronicle
Stop hosting work socials at pubs to include Muslim staff, law firms told
A report by Rare, a UK graduate recruitment company specialising in diversity, said the legal profession's "big drinking culture" is unfair to those who abstain from alcohol.
The Telegraph*
Australia: Circumcision doctor banned after ‘full amputation’ of boy’s penis
A top circumcision doctor has failed to overturn a ban on him performing operations after one boy needed a life saving blood transfusion.
Herald Sun*
The Pope and Meloni join forces to warn G7 over the risks of AI
The unusual alliance between the Italian prime minister and the Pope has been in the works for months and comes to fruition on Friday when the Pope, by invitation of Meloni, flies to the G7 in southern Italy to tell assembled leaders about the dangers of AI.
The Times*
India’s newly galvanized opposition strikes back with ‘mandate to save democracy’
The loss sent shock waves through a country where a firebrand ideology of Hindu nationalism has – over the last decade of Modi's leadership – been thrust into to the center of daily life.
Yahoo! News
Popular megachurch pastor steps down from leadership 'due to sin'
Dr Evans stated that he did not commit any crimes, but that his actions lacked "righteous judgement".
Premier Christian News
Tue, 11 Jun 2024
Church accused of preaching politics from the pulpit with election briefing – NSS quoted
NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said : "Like any other civil society group, the Church of England is entitled to engage in political discourse, but it should do so from a position of equality rather than privilege by relinquishing its status as the established Church."
The Telegraph*
Books from Bob’s library #2: Thomas Paine’s ‘The Rights of Man’
Paine argues individuals are citizens, not subjects, and citizens exercise rights independently of the supposedly God-given authority of aristocrats and monarchs.
The Freethinker
Scotland: Investigation into ‘bullying’ by female bishop set to cost church £500,000
The Right Rev Anne Dyer is set to face a Scottish Episcopal Church disciplinary tribunal over alleged behaviour that could have brought it 'into disrepute'.
The Times*
Methodist LBGT meetings paused during safeguarding investigation
Some of those whose initial complaints triggered the investigation have said that they were shut out of the church community after criticising the safeguarding process.
Church Times*
Pagan prisoners allowed wands, tarot cards and altars – but not nudity
New guidance given to cope with growing number of pagan inmates, up from 79 at start of millennium to 1,172.
The Telegraph*
More than half Australians oppose allowing schools to sack gay teachers, polling shows
52% are against an exemption in the Sex Discrimination Act – which allows religious schools to discriminate against people on the basis of their sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, marital or relationship status – while 35% support it.
The Guardian
European Parliament debuts: Grzegorz Braun
Grzegorz Braun of the Polish far-right Confederation party caused international outrage in December when he took a fire extinguisher from a wall in the lobby of the parliament to put out candles lit as part of Hannukah celebrations.
Reuters
US: In secret recordings, Alito endorses nation of ‘Godliness’
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. told a woman posing as a Catholic conservative last week that compromise in America between the left and right might be impossible and then agreed with the view that the nation should return to a place of godliness.
New York Times*
Widow of IS leader reveals details of their life together
A UN investigative team reported that it had found evidence that IS committed genocide against Iraq's Yazidi minority and that the group had carried out crimes against humanity including murder, torture, kidnapping, and enslavement.
BBC
Mon, 10 Jun 2024
Bishop criticised over Pride advice to schools
A charity has criticised the Catholic church in Nottingham after the Diocese told schools not to celebrate Pride month.
BBC
‘Your sermons on integrity are a bit rich, archbishop, given your faith in Paula Vennells’
Justin Welby has urged politicians to behave nicely. Shame he didn't say as much to the former Post Office boss.
The Guardian
Alba party accuses Scottish Greens of 'stirring up hatred' against Hindu election candidate
Alex Salmond's Alba Party has reported the Scottish Greens for an alleged hate crime and accused the party of stirring up religious hatred against an election candidate.
Scottish Daily Express
Methodist Church apologises for 'all forms of homophobia'
The Methodist Church in Ireland has apologised "unreservedly for failures in pastoral support and care" to the LGBT community and their families.
BBC
Horrifying abuse of Native American children exposed as survivors share accounts of Catholic boarding schools
For over 100 years, Native American children were subjected to ruthless sexual abuse at the hands of priests and teachers after being forced to live in culture-destroying boarding schools, an investigation has revealed.
Daily Mail
Christian woman with mental health issues arrested on blasphemy charges in Lahore
A Christian woman has been arrested on blasphemy charges in Lahore.
Premier Christian News
Man detained in mental hospital after trying to set up Pakistan’s first gay club
A Pakistani man who tried to set up the country's first gay club has been detained in a mental hospital by local authorities.
The Telegraph*
Fri, 7 Jun 2024
Iran dissidents say Met failed them after ‘state-linked thuggery’
A group of Iranian dissidents who were brutally attacked in what they suspect was state-linked thuggery have claimed that police are failing to properly investigate.
The Times*
Paedophile ex-vicar sentenced for further attacks
A paedophile former vicar who was jailed for sexually abusing children for four decades has been sentenced to a further four years after another victim came forward.
BBC
‘To Jay or not to Jay, that is the question for Church of England safeguarding’
"The provision of safeguarding services to all, providing love and healing to all who have been wronged or harmed by the institution is perhaps an achievable task. It will however not be achieved in any system where reputation and a illusion of goodness are upheld to the exclusion of honesty and integrity. "
Surviving Church
Nurses vote to back ‘principles’ of assisted dying in UK
Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have shown support for the "principles" of assisted dying and aired a strong desire for nurses to be a part of any future policies and rules around the topic
Nursing Times
Bishop says Catholics must use vote to stop assisted dying
Catholics should use their votes at the forthcoming General Election to stop assisted dying, the Bishop of Shrewsbury has said.
Catholic Herald
Green Party candidates ‘shared antisemitic slurs and conspiracy theories’
Green Party general election candidates have shared "antisemitic" slurs and conspiracy theories, backed pro-Palestinian protests at Auschwitz and justified the October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel.
The Times*
US: Southern Baptists are poised to ban churches with women pastors. Some are urging them to reconsider
At the SBC's annual meeting June 11-12 in Indianapolis, representatives will vote on whether to amend the denomination's constitution to essentially ban churches with any women pastors — and not just in the top job. That measure received overwhelming approval in a preliminary vote last year.
Associated Press
Thu, 6 Jun 2024
Bishops tell Sunak and Starmer 'taxes are a blessing'
Over 20 prominent Christian leaders have signed an open letter to the leaders of the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour parties urging them to 'seek the welfare of the nation' through fairer taxation.
Premier Christian News
Glasgow man who assaulted wife slammed over 'Asian culture' defence
A would-be private hire driver who assaulted his wife and young daughters has been slammed by councillors after claims his behaviour is "normal in Asian culture".
Glasgow Live
Iranian dissident partly paralysed after being beaten by regime thugs in London
An Iranian dissident granted asylum in Britain was attacked in London by pro-regime thugs so savagely that he may never walk again.
The Jewish Chronicle
Number of students flagged for extremist views rises by half
The number of university students flagged under the government's Prevent counter-extremism programme has gone up by 50% in two years, with "mixed, unclear or unstable" (MUU) ideologies showing the biggest increase, according to new figures.
The Guardian
German far-right politician stabbed days after policeman killed at anti-Islam rally
A far-right politician was stabbed in a German city on Tuesday night just days after a police officer was killed in the same place.
Independent*
Jerusalem Day marchers chant ‘death to Arabs’
Hundreds of young Israelis poured into the Muslim quarter of the Old City in an annual event viewed as a provocation by Palestinians.
The Times*
New law could force Chinese priests to share secrets of the confession
A new law could make Catholic priests in Hong Kong reveal what is said in the confessional, exposing thousands to trumped up charges of treason.
Premier Christian News
Wed, 5 Jun 2024
UK bank Standard Chartered accused of helping to fund Iran and terrorists
Whistleblowers have claimed Standard Chartered allegedly carried out billions of dollars of previously undetected transactions for Iran-linked entities and terrorist organisations, according to a New York court filing.
The Guardian
Call to deselect Welsh Tory candidate over links to homophobic pastors
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens has called on the Conservative Party to deselect its Clwyd North general election candidate because of his links to a homophobic and Islamophobic "hate preacher".
Nation Cymru
Priest issues plea after he was offered 'pill' to 'cure' sexuality
A priest has issued a plea to the next government after he was offered a "pill" to cure his sexuality.
Liverpool Echo
German authorities see Islamic extremist motive in Mannheim knife attack
German authorities say they have uncovered evidence of an Islamic extremist motive in last week's knife attack in the southwestern city of Mannheim in which a police officer was fatally injured.
Independent*
Modi in coalition talks after losing majority
The country's poorest voters stopped the prime minister's Bharatiya Janata Party from winning outright, forcing him to rely on support from the National Democratic Alliance
The Times*
Jerusalem braces for Israeli nationalist flag march through Muslim areas
Residents of Jerusalem are bracing for a rightwing flag march through Muslim areas of the Old City, an annual event often accompanied by violence.
The Guardian
Tue, 4 Jun 2024
NI judge rules five year old child to attend church with foster parents, against wishes of natural mother
A senior Northern Ireland judge has ruled that a five-year-old child can be taken to regular church services and church-based activities by his Christian foster parents against the wishes of her natural mother, who is an agnostic.
Belfast Telegraph
Secular schools must allow children to pray, says children’s commissioner
Secular schools should be as concerned with the pastoral needs of children as faith schools — including providing them with spaces for prayer, says the children's commissioner.
Religion Media Centre
‘In peril: religious authorities are closing in on minority women’s rights’
"As women of diverse minority backgrounds – having made great strides in challenging all forms of violence against women in the struggle for our self-determination – we are alarmed by the unchecked growth of such parallel legal systems in the UK."
Feminist Dissent
'Islamism is a murderous ideology that has nothing in common with our democracy' German minister declares
Islamism 'is a murderous ideology that has nothing in common with our democracy,' Germany's vice-chancellor has declared following the death of a police officer two days after he was stabbed in a frenzied attack at an anti-Islam rally.
Daily Mail
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