There's been a fair bit of debate recently about the best ways to combat extremism. David Cameron and his Tory friends seem to think the answer lies in introducing a new bill that limits the employment options of convicted extremists, gags certain individuals, and shuts down venues used to "promote hatred." Others have criticized this proposal, pointing out that the term "extremism" is notoriously hard to define, and expressing concerns that it might drive radical Islamists further underground.
In the News
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June 3rd, 2016
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June 2nd, 2016
In these times of flux and challenge, when Britain’s post-imperial place in a globalized world has rarely been so minutely scrutinized and the nation’s very identity can appear to be little more than a work in progress, pity the poor parish priest.
Ever since Henry VIII broke with papal authority in the 16th century, the Anglican Church has stood at the nation’s core. In towns and villages across the land, churches offered formal services and a deeper succor for those seeking life’s meaning or, perhaps, just companionship among the like-minded.
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June 2nd, 2016
In Poland, the church and state are moving steadily closer together. The conservative government benefits from the Catholic Church’s popularity, while the church wants more influence in matters of state. Few in the church are critical of the trend.
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May 31st, 2016
Denmark will declassify “being transgender” as a mental disorder by next year, lawmakers on the country’s parliamentary health committee decided Tuesday.
The change to the official classification will take effect on Jan. 1, 2017, Agence France-Presse reports. Danish parliamentarians also say the move is meant to put pressure on the World Health Organization (WHO), which is yet to officially remove transsexualism from its list of mental and behavioral disorders.
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May 31st, 2016
Just imagine that you are a parent and one of your daughters cuts the hair off the Barbie dolls belonging to her younger sister. Cue screaming, shouting and tears before bedtime. But it’s the kind of thing that happens in families, isn’t it?
In later years the crew-cut Barbies will be chuckled about over Sunday lunch. ‘Do you remember when . . .’
But now imagine someone else learns about the Barbie incident — during a seemingly casual conversation with that hurt younger sister, say.
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May 31st, 2016
Employers can ban workers from wearing headscarves, crucifixes and other religious clothing, the European Union’s top legal adviser said yesterday.
G4S, the security firm, did not breach EU anti-discrimination laws when it fired a Belgian Muslim receptionist who wanted to cover her head, it was argued.
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May 31st, 2016
The shocking and prolonged bestial treatment of two year old Liam Fee, leading to his death, leaves serious questions that must be asked and answered at the highest level in the land.
The baby’s mother and her partner, Rachel and Nyomi Fee, have today been found guilty of the murder of the Liam and of all associated charges laid against them – some relating to their sadistic torture of two other boys who appear to have been, in some unknown way and for some unknown reason, in their ‘care’.
Fife Council was one of the early implementers of the highly controversial Named Person form of state guardianship for all children living in Scotland from birth to legal maturity.
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May 31st, 2016
Islam is the state religion of Saudi Arabia, where the legal system is based on Sharia law. Courts regularly impose severe physical punishments, including the death penalty, for apostasy, and non-Muslim places of worship are prohibited.
According to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Saudi Arabia "remains uniquely repressive in the extent to which it restricts the public expression of any religion other than Islam".
The government prosecutes, imprisons and flogs individuals for dissent, apostasy, blasphemy and sorcery, and imposes "systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom".
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May 31st, 2016
According to Britain’s Royal College of Midwives, which is meant to represent all midwives, the role and duty of midwives must now also include assisting in ending the lives of unborn babies. And, the college makes clear in a new statement, if you refuse you have limited right of appeal.
It has recently come to light that for many years the midwives’ college has been inextricably linked with the leading provider of abortions in the UK, the British Pregnancy Advisory Service . So much so that Cathy Warwick, the midwifery body’s CEO , is also the chair of BPAS. If that is not “being in bed together” I’m not sure what is.
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May 31st, 2016
Last week, Israel’s Christian schools warned that they were in "immediate danger of collapsing financially."
The reason: the delayed release of $13 million promised to the struggling schools by the Israeli government.
Now the government has said it will soon distribute the money, fulfilling a deal made back in September 2015 that ended a 27-day strike. But Christian educators believe the struggle for equal treatment for their “unofficial but recognized” schools is far from over.