1. Bertrand Russell’s lofty pacifism – by Jonathan Rée He spent a lifetime opposing war – but how well does the legacy of our most famous peace activist stand up to scrutiny? 2. Deadly reason – by Jonathan Rée Did too much rational thinking lead to the Holocaust? The German philosopher Theodor Adorno argued it […]
An atheist’s guide to Christmas music
I like to think that I go through my daily life wielding an analytical sword, sharp with logic and scepticism, cleaving nonsense from sense, magic from science and imaginary from demonstrable. But then Christmas happens. Every year. And faced with the intellectual equivalent of the jumble of fairy lights, tangled tinsel and interknotted decorations I […]
The New Humanist’s top Christmas reads
Are you struggling to survive the religiosity of the Christmas period, or do you enjoy the festivities regardless? Either way, here is a selection of our best reads on secularism and Christmas. 1. Christmas: an atheist survival guide Myra Zepf shares her hints for a happy humanist holiday. 2. In defence of the War on […]
Robin Ince: “Don’t be scared of ideas!”
Over the last decade, the comedian, actor, and writer Robin Ince has put on a series of secular Christmas shows. This year, it is Christmas Science Ghosts at the Bloomsbury Theatre, starting today (15th December), featuring comedy, music, and short lectures. He has also worked with his Radio 4 co-presenter, the physicist Brian Cox, to […]
Legal recognition of humanist weddings blocked
Ever since the campaign to legalise gay marriage gained force in 2013, the subject of marriage and the laws around it have been a political hot topic. It has been argued that heterosexual couples should be allowed to have civil partnerships, and that other legislation surrounding the institution should be relaxed or altered. One area […]
The right to non-belief is under threat
The Freedom of Thought Report is published by the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) every year on International Human Rights Day, 10 December. The report looks at the situation for non-religious people in every country around the world. Global polling over the last two years suggests that 13 per cent of the world’s population […]
Mapping extremism
The latest edition of the New Humanist includes a piece by Rahila Gupta, looking at the history of the campaigning organisation Women Against Fundamentalism. One of the points she makes is that fundamentalism is not restricted to any one religion, and that all forms of bigotry need to be fought. Accompanying the article, we included […]
Colombia’s displaced communities, industrial action heroes, and the dark side of Buddhism
1. “This mine is terrorism against our people” Over the last 20 years, 17 Colombian communities have “disappeared” as a result of the expansion of the Cerrejon mine. Ewa Jasiewicz reports in this online exclusive. 2. Industrial action heroes Huw Lemmy reviews the film Pride in our Winter issue (out now). He argues that the […]
Is atheism a “British value”? The Department for Education doesn’t think so
What are British values? This has been a controversial question ever since allegations of extremism in schools earlier this year. In the aftermath of the Trojan Horse scandal, the Department for Education updated schools guidance to put “British values” at the centre, and assessed the way that Religious Education is taught in schools. But according […]
What does it mean to be an Arab atheist?
In Arab countries, openly declaring a disbelief in God is a shocking and sometimes dangerous thing to do. In his new book, “Arabs Without God”, journalist Brian Whitaker looks at the factors that lead people in this part of the world to abandon religion, and how societies dominated by faith deal with them. The book […]