tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165769182012-01-22T20:17:37.437ZA news service about the activities of <a href="http://www.leicestersecularsociety.org.uk">Leicester Secular Society</a> and its members, with comments on other events of wider interest to secularists. Views expressed here are those of the authors, and are not necessarily endorsed by the society unless this is expressly stated. We also have a monthly (almost) journal - the <a href="http://www.leicestersecularsociety.org.uk/newsletter/">Leicester Secularist</a>.frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04082561869866373421noreply@blogger.comBlogger1391100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-30711700286229934902011-11-06T13:02:00.004Z2011-11-06T20:37:55.975Z

Having visited the Occupy London protest camp yesterday, I was impressed. The protestors were organised, articulate and had genuine concerns. These are not the pot smoking hippies that some of the media make out. In fact, drugs and alcohol are specifically banned on the camp - no doubt the organisers are keen to cultivate a positive media image. The protestors themselves are a disparate group of

Richnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-54586943996790907732011-10-23T12:13:00.003+01:002011-10-24T18:54:07.829+01:00

From pre-history until today we know all too well that many people have had and will continue to have their lives ended by brutal and inhuman means as the result of wars, torture by oppressive regimes and other forms of violence. Causing the deaths of others is not at all unknown to civilisation and in some societies where such deaths are not infrequent it is commonplace to say that human life

Harrynoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1525480055048805002011-10-08T22:26:00.027+01:002011-10-09T12:37:15.650+01:00

The letter below is my response to the details of the Church of England Inspection report relating to Rawlins Community College in Quorn. If you agree with me that the Church of England should not be allowed to take control of these schools in this way, please bring this to the attention of your MP and Councillors. Whilst academy status may or may not be desirable, the issue I am attempting

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-38147140157147862482011-07-01T12:58:00.007+01:002011-07-01T15:26:12.239+01:00

Shaikh Raed Salah heads the Northern branch of The Islamic Movement in Israel. As a secularist, I am of course concerned about his party’s intended policy to create an Islamic state in the region. However, I am also concerned about the current Israeli Jewish state and its discrimination against Palestinian Arabs. As secularists, we should point out the advantages of supporting a secular state,

Richnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-57518629278558240762011-03-05T20:22:00.004Z2011-03-05T20:50:07.262Z

I posted the following as a comment following a Leicester Mercury article about our Census Campaign and the ads we have placed on 6 Leicester buses. My comment appeared on the Mercury web page briefly but was then removed wiithout explanation.We members of Leicester Secular Society had quite a debate before settling on the 'For God's Sake' wording for our bus ad campaign, and like other

Lss Blog Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15817595505321449791noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-13485134315577512222011-03-03T08:27:00.002Z2011-03-03T08:31:38.159Z

The voice of the young people of Gaza is rarely heard. Their opportunities for interaction with the outside world are few. Their statement below is offered as a token of solidarity against the crushing effects of two diametrically opposed religious manias: Zionism and Islamic fundamentalism."Fuck Israel. Fuck Hamas. Fuck Fatah. Fuck UN. Fuck UNRWA. Fuck USA! We, the youth in Gaza, are so fed up

Harrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-35059375486215441902011-02-06T11:01:00.004Z2011-02-09T12:09:25.604Z

Our President Emma Chung responded to a letter in the Leicester Mercury fromDr Clive Marsh, Director of Learning and Teaching at the Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Leicester (www2.le.ac.uk/departments/lifelong-learning) who stated: Behind the headlines created by Baroness Warsi's talk at the University of Leicester recently was a basic concern which many, religious or not, might

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-35275721700739750722011-02-06T10:06:00.001Z2011-02-06T10:09:49.484Z

The Society with the support of Skeptics in the pub recently announced the launch of this campaign and achieved good coverage in the Leicester Mercury. The article began: People who claim to be Christian when they do not practise the religion are creating a "misleading" picture of Britain, it has been claimed. Leicester Secular Society is calling for non-believers to tick the 'no religion' box

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-41833903986252258442011-02-05T19:01:00.091Z2011-02-06T11:07:21.632Z

The speech by Baroness Warsi at Leicester University provoked several letters from members of the Society and comments in the Letters area of the Mercury. The first comment published was from Harry Perry "Some Muslims are extremists" on 26 January. His main point was made at the beginning of the letter: You report (Mercury, January 21) Baroness Warsi saying that making a distinction between "

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-45379582312719179692010-10-02T18:59:00.001+01:002010-10-02T19:02:10.825+01:00

This item is by Wilf Gaunt. In Lone Frank's book 'Mindfield,' she describes how, in conversation with the (superstar) neuroeconomists Colin Camerer and George Loewenstein, they reformulated Plato's old metaphore: comparing the human mind to a chariot drawn by two horses, one representing reason, the other emotion. This is true enough they said, with the important difference that reason should be

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-79489577823791861972010-08-31T19:07:00.013+01:002010-08-31T19:50:14.023+01:00

My letter to the Leicester Mercury (published 30/8/10) was edited so I thought I would publish the full text here: ***********Dear Sir, Michael Myers (Mailbox, August 19) disputes my assertion that “Hitler came to power helped by a deal with the Vatican” and puts the blame on other parties. While I agree he is quite correct in pointing out that others were involved, I still believe it

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-3821100090949612592010-08-24T19:30:00.002+01:002010-08-24T19:37:10.357+01:00

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), charged to determine whether drugs are good value for money for the NHS, has decided that the anti-bowel cancer drug avastin, also known as bevacizumab, is not worth the average cost of £21,000 per patient for an average extension of life expectancy of only six weeks. It is used only in advanced cases. The campaign group Bowel

Harrynoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-456715365086326192010-08-06T20:25:00.002+01:002010-08-06T20:27:25.345+01:00

The National Secular Society weekly Newsline has asked subscribers for opinions on banning the burka. This was my response:The Burka Wearing the veil is regrettable. It cuts the wearer off from normal human interactions through which communication, understanding and friendship can grow. But our commitment to the freedom of the individual to do as they wish, as long as it harms nobody else,

Harrynoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-67124999961301037372010-06-24T14:01:00.000+01:002010-06-24T14:01:42.359+01:00

The decision of Leicester's Lord Mayor, Councillor Colin Hall, to dispense with prayers at the start of council meetings is eminently sensible. Bearing in mind the vast range of religions to be found in Leicester, any prayers said will be irrelevant to the majority of councillors and in any case should not form part of the meeting of what must be a secular body. For more on story click here.

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-27413629192991704682010-05-26T08:21:00.011+01:002010-05-26T16:12:57.256+01:00

It is entirely at the discretion of Local Education Authorities whether they pay for ‘home to faith school transport’ by providing a special subsidy to help children with parents of certain religions get to a school that inculcates their religion rather than attend their local school. Currently, 40% of all English Local Education Authorities (including Leicestershire) pay for such transport

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-32745687335029834422010-05-25T23:57:00.016+01:002011-02-05T19:01:46.800Z

It is entirely at the discretion of Local Education Authorities whether they pay for ‘home to faith school transport’. That is provide a special subsidy to help children with parents of certain religions get to a school that inculcates their religion rather than attend their local school. Currently, 40% of all English Local Education Authorities (including Leicestershire) pay for such transport.

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-73016563042752894782010-05-21T12:44:00.001+01:002010-05-21T12:45:52.908+01:00

Last night’s lecture at Secular Hall was given by Prof. Andrew Tobin of Leicester University. He’s a practising micro-biologist and also a believer in Christianity. It seems an earlier talk had prompted him to want to explain how being a scientist and being a Christian believer were entirely compatible. As far as I’m concerned he failed in his mission – and what is more it seems he only

Harrynoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-54654919311736697352010-05-04T09:38:00.003+01:002010-05-04T09:42:15.815+01:00

A great deal is now being said about tactical voting in Thursday’s general election. Labour ministers have dropped several hints and even made overt calls on Labour supporters to vote tactically for the Lib-Dem candidate (in Tory/Lib-Dem marginals) in order to prevent Tory gains. So far nobody on the Lib-Dem side has reciprocated. This is a result of their determination to appear confident

Harrynoreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-20162347523681370672010-04-27T20:45:00.002+01:002010-04-27T20:48:38.654+01:00

Sunday night’s debate at Secular Hall was highly entertaining if a little narrow in its range. About 25 people attended. Ross Longhurst proposed the motion “This House Believes We Should Not Vote” and Richard Johnson opposed. Ross took the unreconstructed Marxist-Leninist view of the socio-economic system in which we live – it is capitalism with a ruling class that calls the tune whichever

Harrynoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-27847114702047767512010-04-20T17:01:00.001+01:002010-04-20T17:03:24.627+01:00

This follows from the end-point of the thread on the ‘morality of war’, picking up on Sam Harris’s views about ‘morality’ having a scientifically factual grounding in ‘the maximization of human flourishing’. A few paraphrased quotes from Harris: “That science can’t tell us about human values is an illusion. Values are a certain type of fact. Separation between science and human values is a

Harrynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-17842759927857121952010-03-25T19:29:00.003Z2010-03-25T20:04:12.915Z

Last week the Leicester Mercury carried a letter from a parent about the difficulty of getting a Hindu child into a Roman Catholic state school. See Faith-school failings .Today the Mercury publishes an edited version of my response. I don't of course dispute the editorial prerogative, and the gist is little changed, but the mood is somewhat emasculated. Here's what I sent in under the titleGood

Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15561041426996754922noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-68054421319848168422010-03-08T09:08:00.001Z2010-03-08T09:11:10.633Z

Yes, well, you may or may not know already that I don’t have much time for the word ‘morality’ on account of it being an all-things-to-all-men (and women) concept that is just wheeled out in an attempt to reinforce an argument that lacks any other grounds of persuasion. I’ve even done it myself at times - under pressure! But because of its ubiquity it has become fairly meaningless. There isn’t

Harrynoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-66752475363276495392010-03-02T09:27:00.004Z2010-03-02T11:00:31.965Z

While not being a pacifist I generally support anti-war movements and scrutinise very carefully any plans emerging from our government to go to war over this or that issue. I was on the million plus march against the invasion of Iraq - and I think we made our point over the Taliban's accommodation of Al Quaida in Afghanistan some years ago. It's time to withdraw. While dragging Afghan society

Harrynoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-14693138094770380882010-02-26T13:42:00.000Z2010-02-26T13:43:45.582Z

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Keir Starmer, has done what he was instructed to do by the House of Lords – he has issued guidance to clarify the circumstances under which the DPP will seek to prosecute anyone who chooses to assist in the suicide of another.While both sides in the debate have criticised the statement it is, in my view, a big step forward toward a law that will legalise

Harrynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-344259303500380602010-02-24T09:11:00.003Z2010-02-24T09:16:07.428Z

The current vogue for apologies for historic ‘wrongs’ is carried another step forward today with the Prime Minister’s apology for the policy of former governments and local authorities, right up to the 1960s, to ship certain babies and children off to Australia. Hitherto I had believed they had committed some sin like allowing themselves to be born out of wedlock or being so careless as to be

Harrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-13596337845607118912010-02-24T09:05:00.003Z2010-02-24T09:37:38.028Z

Taking part in the 10:23 "Homeopathy: There's nothing in it" campaign on 30th January was an interesting experience. The publicity stunt certainly generated debate and several people I've talked to since had no idea that homeopathy was not a herbal remedy. If the event did nothing more than inform people of that, then it was useful - and I am sure many homeopaths would applaud the spreading of

PennieBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11856081972030076064noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-67007408174756011432010-02-23T08:10:00.007Z2010-02-23T08:54:40.516Z

Today's headlines focus on the matter noted in yesterday's post - that the government has watered down its own bill on future personal sex and relationship education by caving in to pressure from the religious schools lobby. The bill does advance the cause of good sex and relationship education by establishing for the first time certain requirements on all state schools to address issues of sex

Harrynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-47815359327663845152010-02-22T10:38:00.003Z2010-02-22T16:22:25.759Z

Last night’s talk at Secular Hall was an unusual one – all about sexual pleasure. Well, not exactly, but about how one city’s health authority, Sheffield’s, pioneered work on promoting health education about the benefits of sexual pleasure for young people, amongst all the other dire warnings about the dangers of sex.Steve Slack talked about the pamphlet that led to a furore last summer (I must

Harrynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-52996010910076328412010-02-21T09:22:00.007Z2010-02-21T09:55:45.555Z

Last night's final episode in the History of Christianity series on BBC2 was entitled 'God in the Dock' and focussed on scepticism - i.e. doubts about God and the Bible as a historical document. Unfortunately, however, Diarmaid MacCulloch, the narrator, looked no further back in time than Baruch de Spinoza, the notionally Jewish philosopher who wrote in 17th century Amsterdam. Spinoza's

Harrynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-56409643839170965632010-02-17T17:43:00.002Z2010-02-17T17:51:37.857Z

Frederick J Gould was Secretary and Organiser at Leicester Secular Hall from 1899 until 1908. He was a prolific writer of books, newspaper, magazine and journal articles for children and adults. The following snippet is from his Stepping-Stones to Agnosticism (no date):We do not wantonly doubt. We make no boast of the failure of our vision to penetrate the secrets of infinity. Forced by the

Eleanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00811002723470791818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-75422404794223037822010-02-16T13:34:00.002Z2010-02-16T13:49:14.250Z

I just happened to catch that part of the programme last night where Ray Gosling confesses that he suffocated his lover in his hospital bed many years ago because they had an understanding on this matter and the chap was in pain and suffering from terminal AIDS. The doctor either didn't suspect anything or turned a blind eye out of a similar kind of compassion. I was in a similar situation some

Harrynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-23441583796422196072010-02-15T13:34:00.004Z2010-02-15T14:02:11.622Z

Wasn't it good to see everyone getting active on Valentines this year? I've not known so much fuss made of it before. Radio Leicester and East Mids BBC TV had features and Leicester Secular Society had a love poetry evening hosted by the 'Book Doctor', Alison Dunne, and member Bobba Cass. St Catherine's Church in Burbage had thirty couples renewing their vows 'with the help of God'. Atheists

Harrynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-77360886477628984852009-12-20T13:47:00.009Z2009-12-20T14:30:55.104Z

Bishop of Leicester Tim Stephens recently had a First Person article in the Leicester Mercury, Tinsel is no substitute for Gospel truth, gloating over a claimed increase in sales of religious themed Christmas cards. He complains about 'creeping secularism' in general, and Ariane Sherine's 'Atheist's Guide To Christmas' in particular.His article seemed so out of spirit with the recent Interfaith

Lss Blog Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15817595505321449791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-52032797591567801432009-12-17T08:18:00.003Z2009-12-17T08:43:56.164Z

BBC Newsnight ran a feature on alleged dumping of toxic waste in Cote d’Ivoire – now Trafigura and their lawyers Carter Ruck are pursuing a libel case against the BBC over the news story aired in May 2009 using our arcane libel laws that restrict our freedom of speech.You can see it here:-and read more here

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-75042643124180619852009-11-21T13:41:00.017Z2009-11-21T16:40:45.325Z

This Bishop of Leicester has been sniping at secularists in a letter in the Leicester Mercury (19/11/09 "Faith and the Planet") .I have sent in a response that appears below.Dear Sir,In a letter in the Leicester Mercury (19/11/09 "Faith and the Planet") the Bishop of Leicester was critical of Roger Helmer's somewhat eccentric views on climate change. However he also took the opportunity to

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-6127345700232673782009-08-18T12:36:00.014+01:002009-08-25T21:05:44.640+01:00

One of the biggest problems facing the world is posed by religions whose followers believe that they have the one and only "answer" and that all others are condemned to hell.Such a belief, though not in its most extreme form, is set out by Michael Brucciani in his letter to the Leicester Mercury shown below.Constantine and the ChurchSaturday, August 15, 2009, 09:30I fear that Patrick Trigg's

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-24836234834379462542009-07-30T18:34:00.016+01:002009-12-13T17:03:02.794Z

Leicester Secular Society joins dozens of other organisations in re-publishing portions of an article by Simon Singh on the scientific status of chiropractic therapy, for which he is being sued by the British Chiropractic Association. The article, originally published in April 2008 by The Guardian newspaper, offered criticisms against claims made by, among others, the British Chiropractic

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-72335203703576319052009-07-19T10:40:00.022+01:002009-12-05T00:45:48.488Z

I listened to the Sunday Programme on Radio 4 today (I think I must be a repressed masochist) and was annoyed by a wimpish interview with the Bishop of Exeter who spouted a lot of nonsense that went unchallenged.Would John Humphries let a politician off the hook with no questioning of illogical claims?He had been invited on as he was one of the principal opponents, in the Lords debate, to Lord

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-91215232565333814612009-07-12T10:19:00.021+01:002009-07-12T12:55:34.267+01:00

Bishop Tim (Leicester Mercury -First Person 11 July 2009) used his column to traduce Camp Quest, Richard Dawkins, A.C. Grayling and all the "God Free" under this headline:Anti-religious campaign close to intoleranceThe Bishop of Leicester notes the latest idea in Richard Dawkins' drive against God - an Atheist Summer Camp The full article can be read here.The Bishop misrepresents almost everyone

John Catthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15017808267020022354noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-60176002565708829292009-04-06T10:19:00.004+01:002009-05-11T11:50:10.735+01:00

Are we fighting to keep alive something that is already in its death throes when we stand up for free speech?It seems that voicing any criticism of values or beliefs, rather than being seen as an opportunity to engage in discussion, education and even social progression, is seen as oppression, intolerance and “disrespect” of the person expressing their opinions. Nowhere do we see this more than

PennieBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11856081972030076064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-17440847149495080092009-03-21T10:08:00.002Z2009-03-21T10:12:25.560Z

I wondered about the wisdom of posting two articles linked to creationism in a very short time, but decided to go ahead because it is somewhat relevant to a recent talk at the Secular Hall. Following the visit made by Professor Michael Reiss, a conversation sparked by that event and a debate about religion (but not creationism) between Dinesh D’Souza and Christopher Hitchens on YouTube, a

PennieBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11856081972030076064noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-83290143221023033262009-03-17T09:58:00.003Z2009-03-17T12:54:10.648Z

Creationism: Is it ignorance or dishonesty?Preachers who seek to teach Creationism as science are mistaken, or worse.There was a time when everyone believed Earth was flat. Philosophers and mathematicians found this belief to be flawed. Initially, they were ridiculed or feared. Then, a few took notice, now everyone finds the evidence that the earth is spherical to be overwhelming. It took

PennieBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11856081972030076064noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-66571345318908775522008-11-29T23:49:00.002Z2008-11-29T23:57:30.397Z

The success of the “Atheist Bus” Campaign prompted the Bishop of Leicester to ask in his column in the Leicester Mercury “do we really want to live in a world that is Godless?” (presumably his particular C. of E. brand of god) and “leave society at the mercy of human values and decisions”.This provided an opportunity for LSS members and others to suggest that “God's law” isn't quite as

Lss Blog Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15817595505321449791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-64328956565507549622008-10-11T14:12:00.008+01:002008-10-11T14:34:22.464+01:00

The Society for some years has had a blog on the internet.George Jelliss retired from running it some time ago and since then it has sunk into disuse. Nonetheless secularism remains a live issue, and secular points of view on many issues don't reach the media enough.If you are sufficiently opinionated to write regular provocative pieces for it, please get in touch via blog @ 

Lss Blog Administratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15817595505321449791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-59982948035181083822008-04-04T22:05:00.007+01:002008-04-23T22:22:37.678+01:00

A group of members of the Society turned out to leaflet Ken Ham's creationist lecture at Parklands, Oadby. Here is Pennie's report:Well folks, Ken Ham has been to Leicester and is now on his way to pollute the minds of the faithful in London.When we first arrived at the Parklands Leisure Centre, we went to check out the room to find it was set up for about five hundred people (I would say about

Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15561041426996754922noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-41067312950645321352008-02-13T19:40:00.004Z2008-02-13T19:50:18.666Z

The following is the text of an email I sent to The World at One following the broadcast of their interview with the Archbishop of Canterbury:===We have struggled for centuries to achieve the freedoms we have in this country, and internationally. Any recognition of Sharia law, even in a small way, would be a retrograde step, based as it is on unreformed mediaevalism. On PM [or on their website]

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-7120100545235676722008-01-03T17:38:00.000Z2008-01-03T17:44:08.890Z

Having just signed out, I am now signing in again, since I have found I have something to say in response to this article by Sam Harris: Mother Nature is not our FriendI posted this as a response on the Richard Dawkins . net site, but think it bears repetition here:There are so many points in this article where I find myself disagreeing with Sam Harris.His first and prime error of logic is that

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-79987903666056897602007-12-31T22:36:00.000Z2007-12-31T22:44:20.298Z

Since I have retired as web-editor for Leicester Secular Society I am also handing the admin duties on this blog to my successor Frank Friedmann. This is just a token entry for December 2007. I may open a blog of my own devoted to my wider interests. It's been a worthwhile exercise, though I would have preferred to get much more response from readers. I wish Leicester Secularist and the Society

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-10972509813020940882007-11-19T00:03:00.001Z2007-11-19T01:37:57.284Z

The leading article in the Nov/Dec issue of New Humanist, illustrated with a Rowson cartoon, which also features on the cover, is an attack on fellow humanist Richard Dawkins (a "distinguished supporter" of BHA) and fellow "new atheist" Christopher Hitchens , by another humanist, Richard Norman, who is a former Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Kent, and is a member of the

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-84191552086249726832007-11-07T20:21:00.000Z2007-11-07T21:28:48.803Z

I've just come back from a lecture given by the Bishop of London at Leicester University on the subject of "Climate Change and the God Delusion", so thought I'd write up my impressions while still clear in my mind. The lecture was due to start at 5:30 but the Bishop didn't arrive until about an hour later (meanwhile I took a little walk to get some fresh air). The delay was due to his

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-50995261092044902702007-08-29T20:03:00.000+01:002007-08-29T20:49:31.369+01:00

This companion and contrast to my last piece has been prompted by the decision of the editor (or it maybe the deputy editor playing the fool while the chief is away since this is the silly season) of Leicester Mercury to offer a weekly column to the local Bishop to regale us with his views on anything he chooses. Is this what passes for professional journalism these days? In days past journalists

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-8461736419472504792007-08-19T22:01:00.000+01:002007-08-19T22:36:36.049+01:00

Is it paranoid of me to think that this is the greatest threat to the world and to continuation of the scientific enlightenment into the next millennium? Last Sunday there was a massive demonstration/rally in Indonesia calling for a Grand Caliphate of all Muslim countries based on Islamic law.This project is openly proclaimed by Hizb-ut-Tahrir in Britain.Equally on the American side there are the

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-79580520369785344392007-07-28T15:14:00.000+01:002007-08-01T11:22:41.324+01:00

Don Cupitt came to Secular Hall on Thursday (26th July) to speak on "The Meaning of the West: Secular versus Religious Interpretations". He maintains that "'Western Culture' is ... the most powerful and dynamic cultural tradition that has yet appeared among human beings". He is right to put 'Western Culture' in inverted commas here, because there is no such thing. The term 'Western Culture' is a

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-62814170244437156212007-07-10T18:47:00.001+01:002007-07-10T18:59:01.015+01:00

The following is a message I sent to Leicester Mercury on 28 June, using their website form. Since I got a blank screen for reply I sent it again by email on the 30th June. It has not been published. Dear Editor, In view of the large Muslim population in Leicester, I'm surprised that you do not seem to have given any coverage to the setting up of the "Council of ex-Muslims of Britain". [This was

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-37330737111267631602007-06-23T00:05:00.000+01:002007-06-23T00:37:00.857+01:00

There was a petition on the No.10 website that asked:"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to ban within government-funded schools the promotion or practice of any particular faith or religion."The Government has sent this response to all people who signed the petition:http://www.number-10.gov.uk:80/output/Page12064.aspThere doesn't seem to be any allowance for people to reply to the

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-23642308456444563702007-05-19T12:44:00.000+01:002007-05-19T12:53:08.237+01:00

Since we at Leicester Secular Society, according to our badge, promote Freethought Secularism I thought we ought to post a response to this attack: freethinking ruins all things. Although it is from an obviously hostile website, devoted to defending 'Christendom' against 'Jihad and Liberalism', it was recently featured on the Richard Dawkins site, because of its attack on the book God is Not

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-62235798026958640352007-04-23T18:31:00.000+01:002007-04-23T18:43:52.240+01:00

Dear Archbishop,I would like to take up two points from your recent speech in the House of Lords. (1)I find the conclusion you draw from your story about "the four atheist inmates" quite absurd. You say: "... all the inmates were offered the chance to go to worship. The four young men with no religion declined the offer, ... The prison officer, not wanting the four men to remain locked up in

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-47966714631744513522007-04-05T21:15:00.000+01:002007-04-05T21:34:05.538+01:00

I've recently sent two letters to the Leicester Mercury that were not published. The advantage of having a blog is that I can publish them here. 26 MarchDear Editor, Surely it shows a serious lack of judgment to devote a large part of your "World View" page of international news to the goings on in Coronation Street? You do realise, I hope, that this is Fiction? You give more space to it than the

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-60622353586285368012007-03-17T20:35:00.000Z2007-03-17T20:47:59.708Z

Several years ago when I wrote in the Leicester Mercury concerning the wearing of the burqa, there was quite a lot of reaction, including letters from Muslim women. My most recent letter, (24 January) quoting the views of Taslima Nasrin on the need for women to cast off purdah, found no response at all. This lack of participation by the local Muslim community is very worrying for our democracy.

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-85122004750347060802007-02-20T21:03:00.000Z2007-02-20T22:15:37.490Z

I've just put a page about Richard Carlile among the short biographies on our website. His name has come to mind since he was one of the many victims of the so-called "Society for the Suppression of Vice" founded by the sainted William Wilberforce, whose involvement in the abolition of the slave trade, 200 years ago, is widely celebrated (e.g. 'In Our Time' on BBC Radio 4 on Thursday 22nd),

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-11536690579121488812007-02-08T07:50:00.000Z2007-02-09T20:49:22.486Z

560 million and 50 year Birthday for Leicester's oldest celebrityDr Mark A. Purnell of the Department of Geology at the University of Leicester has kindly invited us to the Annual Saturday Seminar to be held at the University on 10 March.LEICESTER'S FOSSIL CELEBRITY: CHARNIA AND THE EVOLUTION OF EARLY LIFETickets for the seminar and reception are £20.00 with a buffet lunch or £15.00 without -

Frank Friedmannnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-2989890892480704432007-01-27T16:06:00.000Z2007-01-28T16:33:31.845Z

This is the first of a series of occasional postings aimed at helping secularists and humanists to counter misrepresentations and misperceptions and build the political, social and moral case for secularism and humanism.We are winning the argument but we still need to convert this into political pressure and action.In Leicester we prevented a second Church of England academy.But in addition to

Allan Hayesnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-28601102902475865472007-01-19T18:22:00.000Z2007-01-19T18:43:06.181Z

Taslima Nasrin, the Bangladeshi writer, who currently lives in exile in Calcutta, India, calls for Muslim women to Burn the Burqa, and to do away with all other forms of purdah. Perhaps the Muslim women of Leicester could take a lead in bringing about this modernising and liberating reform.The article was published in Outlook India on 22 January. Taslima writes (page 2 of article):Irrespective of

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-9788267592325734892006-12-30T18:22:00.000Z2006-12-30T18:55:50.494Z

In chapter 7 of The God Delusion Richard Dawkins considers "the changing moral Zeitgeist". He maintains: "...there is a consensus about what we do as a matter of fact consider right and wrong: a consensus that prevails surprisingly widely. ... With notable exceptions ... most people pay lip service to the same broad liberal consensus of ethical principles." He calls this "somewhat mysterious

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1165927558855172642006-12-12T12:23:00.000Z2006-12-12T12:46:04.353Z

The following is an account of a Christmas Address at the Gilroes Memorial Service given by our member Eleanor Davidson who is a Humanist Celebrant.The Memorial Service happens each year, in memory of those who have died. It's in the form of a carol concert with addresses and bible readings by clergy. This year there were five Christian clergy taking part plus Eleanor as Humanist Celebrant.

Secular Hallnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1165276600002172822006-12-04T22:59:00.000Z2006-12-04T23:56:40.083Z

It seems that the Darwinian language of the theory of evolution is beginning to percolate into the thinking of religious leaders. The Archbishop of Canterbury (21 November) gave a speech about 'Benedict [the original Saint, not the present Pope] and the Future of Europe' in which he said: "... there is undoubtedly a spectrum of understanding from the ideologically secular liberal through to the

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1164792370789957832006-11-29T08:45:00.000Z2006-11-29T09:26:12.593Z

Our member Frank Friedmann was impressed by the Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4 for 1st November, given by John Bell of the Iona Community. The 'Thought' was about the inequity of green taxes, though it did not spell out how 'rationing' or 'limits' on consumption of petrol and alcohol might be implemented in practice.This led Frank to write to the Iona Community, which is an ecumenical group,

Secular Hallnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1164103655204727342006-11-21T09:52:00.000Z2006-11-21T10:07:35.216Z

No, I'm not writing to God, just to those who consider themselves his representatives on Earth, namely the organisers of the new "think-tank" Theos. According to their FAQs they represent both protestants and catholics, both evangelicals and liberals, which seems to me to be an impossible task. Their formation has apparently been stimulated in response to the recent upsurge of anti-theist books,

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1163791893274826692006-11-17T19:19:00.000Z2006-11-17T19:31:33.290Z

Some of our members have been arguing about the political implications of Secularism. Specifically, whether it leans more towards socialist ideals than capitalist free competition. There's a highly optimistic piece in the latest New Scientist (18 November issue) which may help to resolve the argument.The article, by Geoffrey Miller, is one of a number of short articles by scientists who have been

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1163375315826382252006-11-12T23:24:00.000Z2006-11-12T23:48:36.313Z

I've been thinking, along with the daylight atheist what would replace religion if atheists ever manage to get rid of it? These thoughts came to me after watching (on television) the remembrance day ceremonies at the cenotaph this morning and in the Albert Hall yesterday evening. It occurred to me that these ceremonies are essentially secular. It is only when the bishops come out to say their

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1162334465612236682006-10-31T22:24:00.000Z2006-10-31T22:41:06.066Z

This post was stimulated by an email from Ollie Killngback:I'm away on holiday in Texas at the moment ... From my privileged position on the buckle of the Bible Belt (Irving Texas, where I am in order to watch a crucial game for the Cowboys on Monday night) I found the following item in the Dallas Morning News which I thought might be of interest to students of Christian ethics ...It's from the

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1161771015819470252006-10-25T10:50:00.000+01:002006-10-25T11:10:23.680+01:00

There is a rule on internet discussion boards, sometimes called Godwin's Law, that the argument has irretrievably broken down once an analogy with the second world war is brought in, as signalled usually by the name of Hitler. This has now happened in the arguments against creationism and religion.The philosopher Michael Ruse seems to have been the one to first bring in the analogy, but it has

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1161285240101454342006-10-19T20:09:00.000+01:002006-10-19T20:14:00.116+01:00

Our member Ollie Killngback sends the following great contribution:This link is to a photograph taken recently by the Cassini spacecraft currently orbiting Saturn. It's amazingly lit, as the Sun is hidden by the giant planet but it's rings catch the light.Just above the main rings to the left there is a single light dot, just a pixel or two on your screen. Everything that has ever happened to

Secular Hallnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1160090484698172122006-10-06T00:10:00.000+01:002006-10-06T00:21:24.713+01:00

Two recent news items have triggered off some slight thoughts on psychology. First there was Dr Bruce Hood, of the University of Bristol, speaking at the British Association festival in Norwich, who challenged the assumption that belief in the supernatural was spread by religions in gullible minds. "Rather, religions may simply capitalise on a natural bias to assume the existence of supernatural

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1159046669008026352006-09-23T22:09:00.000+01:002006-09-23T22:24:29.020+01:00

A common theme can be detected in a number of recent headline stories. The willingness of people to lie to protect or promote the causes with which they are identified, disregarding the over-riding categorical imperative of the objective truth. There is also a welcome trend, exemplified by the Office of National Statistics, the Royal Society, and Richard Dawkins, for the guardians of truth to

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1158329697816589192006-09-15T15:05:00.000+01:002006-09-15T15:14:57.836+01:00

The day after our Open Day, 11th September, was of course the fifth anniversary of the hijacking of the planes that were flown into the World Trade Center 'twin towers'. This anniversary was marked in Leicester, rather oddly, by a cricket match played between the local Clergy and Imams. As reported in the Leicester Mercury, the Imams won. The Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Rev Tim Stevens, who was

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1157572572825245432006-09-06T20:52:00.000+01:002006-09-06T20:56:12.863+01:00

Allan Hayes has had the following article about Secular Hall published in the Leicester Mercury on 5th September.This year is the 155th anniversary of a Leicester organisation that has done perhaps more than any other in the city to create a society in which all can live together as full members without discrimination by race, belief or social status. Without its work and that of similar groups

Secular Hallnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1156626072904030262006-08-26T21:13:00.000+01:002006-08-26T22:01:12.970+01:00

Ken Ham of "Answers in Genesis" is in Leicester again on 1st September, at the Students Union building on Leicester University campus. While the creationists should be allowed free speech, they could easily hire a church hall or leisure centre (as they did last year). By allowing such an anti-science event on the University site it seems to me the LUSU is undermining the University's educational

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1156000559100131052006-08-19T15:38:00.000+01:002006-08-19T16:38:11.616+01:00

The absence of activity on this blog is partly due to the traditional inactivity at this time of the year, but mainly because I've been busy with redesigning the Leicester Secular Society website. This was partly prompted by a half-day course I was persuaded to attend about accessibility of websites to disabled users, run by something called the ICT Hub. This led me to think about using "

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1154214433246587642006-07-29T23:41:00.000+01:002006-07-31T22:27:33.926+01:00

On Thursday 20th we had a Vicar come to Secular Hall to speak on Faith, Fear and Fundamentalism. Tony Windross, Vicar of St Peter's Sheringham and author of The Thoughtful Guide to Faith. The following is a summary of some responses by people present at the meeting.George Jelliss (editor of this blog) tried to make a few notes, but found it increasingly frustrating to understand anything the

Secular Hallnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1153303948129848792006-07-19T11:05:00.000+01:002006-07-19T11:12:28.140+01:00

While the sun beams down benevolently on my very small, rather neglected and overgrown, garden I've been spending an idyllic time watching the Bees and the Butterflies on the Buddleia. So far I've observed five different varieties of butterfly: small white, small tortoiseshell, red admiral, peacock and comma. I don't think I'd seen a comma before, though apparently they are common in the midlands

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1152732265605557282006-07-12T19:56:00.000+01:002006-07-12T20:24:25.696+01:00

More pointless bombings killing ordinary people going about their everyday business. This time in Mumbai. How do the people who do this think their actions are going to promote their cause, whatever it is? Can it just be mindless nihilism? Certainly there can be no justification of such acts in moral terms. Nor in any sensible religious terms. Nor even in purely pragmatic terms.A report in

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1151650050183502122006-06-30T07:20:00.000+01:002006-06-30T08:09:22.633+01:00

Three stories in the Leicester Mercury over the last two days highlight the rise of rickets among people of South Asian origin. Dr Peter Swift, consultant paediatrician at Leicester Royal Infirmary said they are seeing one or two cases a month of children with severe bone deformities, and that "substantial numbers" of children have infantile and adolescent rickets. "I think there's still

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1151404634440880792006-06-27T11:13:00.000+01:002006-06-27T11:37:14.456+01:00

The Times Higher Education Supplement reports that it is becoming necessary for Universities to teach counter-creationism in their biology courses.http://tinyurl.com/ewznqCreationism - the belief that the biblical story of creation is scientific fact - is beginning to make inroads into the science curricula of UK universities, The Times Higher can reveal.Leeds University plans to incorporate one

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1149896833208359622006-06-10T00:16:00.000+01:002006-06-10T00:47:13.220+01:00

In this lovely summer weather it's nice to take a break to get away from serious matters and enjoy the weather, but meanwhile the world carries on its chaotic way. This week I have a miscellany of loosely connected topics.======On Sunday 11th I will be holding a discussion at Secular Hall on Countering Creationism. This wil take the form of a display of creationist literature (often very well

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1148420854472989492006-05-23T22:15:00.000+01:002006-05-23T22:47:34.766+01:00

The bookshop that occupies part of the frontage of Secular Hall, now trading as Frontline Books, is one of fifteen Independent bookshops featured in The Guardian (G2 section) on Monday this week (22nd May). The online text is here. There has been a bookshop associated with Secular Hall since it was opened in 1881, and even before that the bookseller who operated it at that time, William Henry

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1147542599739566492006-05-13T18:44:00.000+01:002006-05-13T18:49:59.756+01:00

Yet another prominent religionist has decided that his god wants to dictate our rights and freedoms. The Bishop of Leicester's letter to the Mercury is available here . This is my response:Due to his misguided beliefs the Bishop of Leicester has come out against a Bill that would finally grant people the right to die with dignity at a time and in a manner of their choosing. In doing so he has

Keithnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1147468391709841292006-05-12T22:00:00.000+01:002006-05-12T22:24:23.863+01:00

Below is an email our member Frank Friedmann sent to the BBC, concerning Ann Atkins' latest "Thought for the Day", and their response.======-- To BBC --Dear Sir,Ann Atkins used the programme on 9 May 2006 today to launch an attack on Rationalists.That she can do so shows up the lack of natural justice in the policy of denying atheists access to the programme - they can be collectively slandered

Secular Hallnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1147215008702631652006-05-09T23:37:00.000+01:002006-05-09T23:50:08.720+01:00

A few months ago we published a welcome to the new Derby Secular Society. Mike Lake's latest initiative is to try to get local schools to adopt his wording of a statement for their parents' prospectus as here:http://www.secularderby.org/local.htmHe writes that he wants it to look as reasonable and unobjectionable as possible to any thinking person. "However, it is obvious that it is a major

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1146177395258084282006-04-27T23:29:00.000+01:002006-04-28T20:37:32.766+01:00

Secularists and Atheists are often accused of being 'merely' negative, as if the reduction of church power, or the removal of religious superstition would not in themselves be positive advances. Secularism is about the negation of negatives. Secularism is about the sweeping away of the cobwebs of medieval mysticism to allow the light of reason to glow with its full radiance of enlightenment.A

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1145391947208444262006-04-18T20:37:00.000+01:002006-04-28T20:39:33.036+01:00

Since Easter messages have been put out from the Vatican and from Lambeth Palace it occurred to me that we also ought to put forward a message from Secular Hall appropriate for this time of year, the Spring Equinox. It seems the common element in the messages has been the relationship between science and religion.In the Pope's message he invokes science to understand the 'resurrection':"If we may

Secular Hallnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1144630111514859902006-04-10T01:13:00.000+01:002006-04-28T20:40:47.620+01:00

I've been collecting news stories over the past week or two all relating to the sort of behaviour encouraged, and indeed laid down as law, by various forms of religious belief. (Thanks to secular newsline, the Brights, and other sources.)First there was the appearance of Dr Wafa Sultan in webcasts on Memri TV:http://tinyurl.com/ze772Times on line reported more about this under the heading 'Women

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1144018219157039232006-04-02T23:31:00.000+01:002006-04-28T20:41:53.363+01:00

Eleanor Davidson, a member of Leicester Secular Society, believes she is the country's first humanist to become a recognised member of a hospital chaplaincy team---she certainly is a first for Leicestershire. On the LSS website Eleanor, an accredited humanist celebrant, explains the need for such a service, how she came to be appointed, how she views the role, and what still remains to be done:

Secular Hallnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1143141897296610832006-03-23T18:55:00.000Z2006-04-28T20:42:49.590+01:00

Further to my post on 14 February about 'Darwin and the Bishops' I'm glad to say that the Archbishop of Canterbury has now entered the fray by making a pronouncement against teaching creationism in schools: It was reported inthe guardianHe says: "I think creationism is ... a kind of category mistake, as if the Bible were a theory like other theories ... if creationism is presented as a stark

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1142376247339550352006-03-14T22:24:00.000Z2006-03-14T22:44:07.353Z

Creationism in the Curriculum?Jacqui Smith, schools minister, indicated last week that pupils should be allowed to consider creationism and intelligent design in science lessons. Now the Times Educational Supplement reports that creationism is to be included in the GCSE Biology module:http://www.tes.co.uk/search/story/?story_id=2202842See also the debate in their 'staffroom'.It was even mentioned

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1142021503009382182006-03-10T19:43:00.000Z2006-03-10T20:11:43.080Z

Why's life hell at Guantanamo?Brief background to this. I operate on a different sleep cycle than most people. 3am - 11am suits me fine. I also write for a US-based publication (nothing to do with secularism) so as part of everday departmental banter I made a joke that actually my late arrival and late departures fit better with the really interesting stuff I do (i.e. not my PhD). The response

Keithnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1141909465241563712006-03-09T12:54:00.000Z2006-03-10T09:56:52.173Z

Was the BNP behind the Jerry Springer Protests?Correspondents on the NSS Yahoo Group 'secular newsline' have spotted that the placards displayed by the main group of demonstrators on the first night in Leicester were the same as those used by a new group calling themselves the 'Christian Council of Britain'. The following links seem to establish that this group is an offshoot of the British

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1140993366231461122006-02-26T21:42:00.000Z2006-03-01T22:09:20.443Z

Free Speech & Jerry Springer The OperaThe show Jerry Springer: The Opera starts at De Montfort Hall 27 February until 4 March. Members of Leicester Secular Society will be displaying a banner outside the gates of Victoria Park in support of the producers of the show who have been under attack from extreme christian sects who regard it as blasphemous or insulting rather than satirical.This is just

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1139930115951293192006-02-14T15:04:00.000Z2006-02-16T18:31:16.146Z

Darwin and the BishopsThe following is the text of the 'First Person' column I wrote for the Leicester Mercury last Saturday, the response by the Bishop of Leicester on Tuesday, and the response by Ibrahim Mogra on Thursday. Apparently there is more to follow this weekend. The texts have been copied from the Leicester Mercury site:http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.ukSee under News/First Person.

George Jellissnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16576918.post-1139606990501010542006-02-10T21:24:00.000Z2006-02-10T23:11:07.763Z

Maybe I was wrongThere's a corner shop two doors away from where I live. It's run by a couple who I would count as friends. I have defended them against racist comments made in the shop when I was present. I see them as English as they aren't immigrants (and being Welsh I count myself as an immigrant). They sell alcohol, and newspapers that carry the sort of images of women that most Muslims

Keithnoreply@blogger.com6