The weekly report on the SPI Coalition
by Julie Esris

A Muslim school in the UK has banned students from socializing with “outsiders”. Who┬áhas taken steps and informed the Department for Education (DfE) about this unacceptable situation?┬áSPI Coalition Member┬áNational Secular Society, of course. Learn more about their efforts.

And speaking of schools trying to exercise religious privilege, Trinity Western University in Langley Township, British Columbia, Canada, requires its students to sign covenants that prohibit sex outside of a heterosexual marriage. This, naturally, excludes non-heterosexual students. But this school wants to accredit lawyers! SPI Coalition Member Humanist Association of British Columbia reports on this controversy.

The far right in America will stop at nothing to halt funding to Planned Parenthood. Although it performs abortions (which are not federally funded), it also provides pregnancy tests, birth control, STD testing, and more. Defunding Planned Parenthood will be a major disservice to women, particularly impoverished women. SPI Coalition member The Institute for Science and Human Values stands by Planned Parenthood. Read their important statement on this issue.

And speaking of family planning, American Rachel Miller is expecting her second child in September and wants to stop there. However, her Catholic hospital refuses to perform a tubal litigation! SPI Coalition member TheFreethinker reports on this story and the resulting lawsuit.

Do you live in London, England? Are you looking for an exciting job with one of SPI’s Coalition members? If so, then why not consider applying to work as a Library, Archives and Digitisation Assistant for Conway Hall? But hurry! The job only accepts applications until September 10th!

It is well-known that the Irish education system hasn’t yet learned to keep religion out of state-funded schools and to end religious discrimination in said schools. So which SPI coalition member will pressure the Irish government to change its policies?┬áAtheist Ireland, of course! Atheist Ireland chairperson┬áMichael Nugent has written a letter, published in┬áThe Irish Times, addressing these issues. Note: You must scroll about halfway down the page to see Nugent’s letter.

SPI Coalition Member Humanist Society (Singapore) recently toured Singapore’s Lazarus Island and Saint John’s Island. Check out the beautiful photos from the trip, and even learn why St. John’s Island has been nicknamed Cat Island!

Are you a member of– or a supporter of– SPI Coalition Member┬áOklahoma Atheists? If so, then why not buy┬ásome cool T-shirts, tote bags, key chains, and other Oklahoma Atheists gear from their online store?┬á

There are more sects of Christianity than hairs on your head. But what causes Christianity to split into different sects? In some cases, it has been the issue of same-sex marriage. And these sects will indeed split again, writes Jon Lindgren of SPI Coalition Member Red River Freethinkers. Find out why.

The Weekly SPI Fellows Update
by Julie Esris

Secular Policy Institute is proud to welcome two new fellows:

John Joseph Kisakye is a professor of biology at the College of Natural Sciences at Makerere University in Uganda. He holds multiple degrees, including a PhD in Environmental Science, a Master’s Degree in Zoology (Parasitology), and postgraduate degrees in Biology Education, and Project Planning and Management. An intellectual with so many advanced degrees definitely is someone SPI is proud to have as a Fellow!

John Allen Paulos is a professor of mathematics at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Passionate about mathematical literacy, Paulos’s prime focus is in┬ámathematical logic and probability theory. And what professor of mathematics would be complete without also authoring┬áseveral books, with names┬áthat include┬áInnumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and its Consequences and┬áIrreligion: A Mathematician Explains Why the Arguments for God Just Don’t Add Up?

News from Other Fellows

The infamous hack of extramarital affair dating service Ashley Madison┬áhas revealed names of adulterous celebrities, most infamously Josh Duggar of┬á19 Kids and Counting fame. But what kind of justice– if any– is vigilante justice? And are the consequences even more catastrophic than breaking up marriages? Philosopher and SPI fellow┬áRussell Blackford┬ásays yes. Find out why.

Yet┬áanother death sentence in the Middle East for apostasy and blasphemy, this time of┬áMohamed Cheikh Ould Mkhaitir of┬áMauritania. What “blasphemous” act did he do? He condemned using Islam to justify slavery. Learn more about this ill-fated– and brave– man in this insightful article by writer and SPI Fellow┬áElham Manea.

Over the past several decades, certain words have become more taboo (the “N” word and other racial slurs), and some have become less taboo (“fuck”, “shit”, etc.). But why? Linguist and SPI Fellow┬áJohn McWhorter has a few ideas. In fact, he’s even working on a book that tackles┬áthis subject!

The weekly report on research and demographics of the secular movement
by Julie Esris

Lincoln High School of Tallahassee, Florida made the news this week when Principal Allen Burch cancelled the summer reading assignment, Mark HaddonÔÇÖs 2003 novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. BurchÔÇÖs decision to cancel the assignment was in response to a number of parents raising complaints about the bookÔÇÖs content, which included scenes of characters taking GodÔÇÖs name in vain and as well as expressing atheistic beliefs. Other complaints included the bookÔÇÖs foul language, which included several instances of the ÔÇ£fÔÇØ-word. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime is a critically-acclaimed novel about a fifteen-year-old autistic savant who solves a mystery of the brutal murder of a dog.

Every year, the American Library Association reports book challenges and book bans, some of which, like Curious Incident, are due to readersÔÇÖ religious objections. It is very disheartening to hear the numerous stories of books being challenged and banned in school and public libraries. However, a 2012 Pew study reveals that the percentage of those who favor banning books with ÔÇ£dangerous ideasÔÇØ has dropped. In fact, for the first time ever, a slim majority (55%) of the American population is against the idea of banning books; 40% believe in banning such books. As recently as 2009, the split was more even, with 49% being against book banning and 46% being for it. This decline over the years is consistent along demographic lines. However, a look at these numbers reveals the differences in the attitudes of different groups towards book banning.

Predictably, those who have more conservative political or religious affiliations tend to be more in favor of banning books. 46% of Republicans support banning books with ÔÇ£dangerous ideasÔÇØ, while only 38% of Democrats and 36% of Independents support this practice. Attitudes are also divided along racial lines, with white people the least likely to support book banning (34%), followed by black people (54%) and Hispanic people (61%). Pew studies have consistently shown that Catholics are among those with the most liberal viewpoints out of Christian groups surveyed, and this time is no exception (however, it is important to note that in this particular study the only religious people surveyed were white): Catholics and Mainline Protestants nearly tied with their views on book banning, this time with Mainline Protestants (34%) being slightly more liberal than Catholics (35%). Predictably, the group whose members hold the most conservative viewpoint is Evangelical Protestant (52%). Also predictably, the religiously unaffiliated are less likely (at 16%) than the religious to believe in banning books. Differences are also drawn along generational lines, with the ÔÇ£SilentÔÇØ era the most in favor of book banning (51%), followed by Baby Boomers (41%), Generation X (43%), and Millennials (28%). This is consistent with the pattern of each generation becoming more liberal than its predecessor.┬á

It is very clear from this study that people with more liberal affiliations tend to be the least likely to support banning books for any reasons. The divisions among ethnic groups are also worth considering. Hispanic people (61%) and black people (54%) are the most likely of those surveyed to support banning books. It is possible that their objections stem from the history of racism that they have endured in America. Even today, many books have racial stereotypes that could be offensive to minority groups.

Although this poll has revealed different groupsÔÇÖ reasons for banning books, it does not survey a large enough variety of groups to paint a clearer picture. The Pew Research Center polled Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. However, Independents may comprise people with liberal or conservative persuasions. For example, someone who might be labeled ÔÇ£IndependentÔÇØ could support the Communist Party, or he could support the Libertarian Party. The poll also suffers because the only religious groups it surveyed were Christian groups. It would be interesting to see the percentage of Jews that support book banning. The Jewish culture in particular is noted for its intellectual slant, with almost a quarter of Nobel Prize Winners being Jewish. Additionally, it is strange that the only Christians who were surveyed were white. What about black Christians? Or Asian Christians? Or unaffiliated people who belong to different ethnic groups?

Additionally, the poll does not provide data on reasons for wanting to ban books. It would be helpful to know if the different groups cited different reasons for supporting book bans, specifically which groups support the bans for religious reasons. However, a poll published on Butler UniversityÔÇÖs website reveals that the most common reasons are sexual content and offensive language, with religion trailing far behind (unfortunately, the statistics are not reported in terms of percentages).

The Pew study is a good start in providing insights on reasons for different groups wanting to ban books, but it is not enough. A more comprehensive study would need to be conducted to provide a clearer picture.

The weekly report on US and International policy
by Edwina Rogers

The weekly report on the SPI Coalition
by Julie Esris

Is God dead? Does he even exist? It depends who you ask. Recently, SPI Coalition member┬áOklahoma Atheists hosted a debate over the existence of God, inspired by points made in the film┬áGod’s Not Dead.

And speaking of death, is it moral to extend life at all costs, even by artificial means? If you could live forever, would you want to? These and other important issues are examined by public speaker D.J. Grothe in an event hosted by SPI Coalition Member Institute for Science and Human Values. A video of this event is now available on YouTube.

Did you know that SPI Coalition member Atheist Foundation of Australia has a podcast? In the most recent episode of AtheistAus, we hear from Melbourne singer-songwriter Shelly Segal about her new album, Strange Feeling. Her previous releases also have cool names, such as Little March and even An Atheist Album!

Ireland continually faces a problem of discrimination against atheists in state-funded schools. But who is to blame? SPI Coalition member Atheist Ireland recently has realized that the Department of Education and the Department of Justice are blaming each other for this problem! Why? What can be done about this he-said-she-said mentality?

Sometimes religious organizations manage to sneak their way into American public schools, or sometimes American public schools promote school prayer. Where are the organizations┬áto give parents and children a secular option? That’s what SPI Coalition member┬áParent Teacher Community Action Network is for. Find a chapter near you or learn how to start your own.┬á

SPI Coalition Member The Pink Triangle Trust is an organization that strives to promote humanism and, of course, LGBTQ rights. But like all non-profit organizations, Pink Triangle Trust needs your help. Please consider donating to help their important cause.

And while you’re helping support The Pink Triangle Trust, why not also help support SPI Coalition Member┬áHumanist Association of Ireland? Remember, every donation┬ácounts!

SPI Coalition Member Humanist Association of British Columbia maintains an original blog. In their most recent post, they examined the low HPV vaccination rate in Catholic schools. This is just one of the many scientific and humanist issues that they tackle.

Multiculturalism is usually regarded as a progressive idea in liberal circles. Any dissemination is often deemed racist. Where does multiculturalism end and “tolerance for intolerance” begin? Swedish academic┬áG├Âran Adamson attempts to answer these questions in his new book,┬áThe Trojan horse : a leftist critique of multiculturalism in the West. SPI Coalition member┬áConway Hall┬ágives a great overview of this book in case you’re considering reading it.

Why is drug addiction treated differently than food addiction? asks Jon Lindgren of SPI Coalition Member Red River Freethinkers. Read his compelling argument for the legalization of drugs, and why this would ultimately better society.

The Weekly SPI Fellows Update
by Julie Esris

Who knew that a solid understanding of evolution could help us become more moral┬áhuman beings? That’s what evolutionary biologist and SPI Fellow┬áDavid Sloan Wilson says, in this fascinating article!

What can be done about ISIS? Is attempting to destroy it effective? What about containing it? Middle East expert and SPI Fellow Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi offers valuable insight.

Should prostitution be decriminalized? If so, in what way? Should society adopt the model used in the Nordic countries, in which it’s legal to sell– but not buy– sex? Or should the entire sex trade be legal and regulated? Are there any other viable options? Philosopher and SPI Fellow┬áRussell Blackford weighs in on this issue.

Are you looking for an interesting late summer read? Why not check out Matthew Battles’s┬áPalimpsest: A History of the Written Word? It looks pretty interesting, and linguist and SPI Fellow┬áJohn McWhorter even recommends┬áit in his┬áreview!

And for our Swedish friends, university professor and SPI Fellow┬áPatrik Lindenfors┬áhas his own blog– in Swedish. His latest post is about why the Church should be open to all religions. That should be an interesting read.┬áGo check it out!

In a 1958 poll of Americans, only 18 percent of respondents said they would vote for a generally well-qualified presidential candidate nominated by their political party if that person happened to be an atheist. In 2015, that number has jumped to 58 percent.

Yet, even today, 40 percent of respondents say they would not vote for an atheist.

As I wrote in a 2012 post, this seems to boil down to distrust. And that distrust stems from an assumption about the relationship between morality and religious belief. If immoral behavior is only averted by religious belief ÔÇö the thought goes ÔÇö then for atheists, anything is permitted.

Read more at NPR.org

The weekly report on US and International policy
by Edwina Rogers

This week we have two public letters that your secular group can sign its name to! Help us protect secular education in Guatemala and Argentina.

<h2>Guatemala</h2>

Dear SPI Coalition Members:

Please join the SPI and other coalition members on a letter to the President of Guatemala and the Ambassador of Guatemala opposing a proposed bill that would allow the Guatemalan government to choose and mandate a religious education in public schools.

The Guatemalan Humanist Association (AGHS) is mounting a defense and needs our help; they have started a crowd-source funding campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-us-keep-education-secular-in-guatemala#/story

This letter will be open until Friday, August 21, if your organization wishes to be listed. We do not need the name of an individual but just the group’s name. Just send us your organization’s name to┬áedwina@secularpolicyinstitute.net

We will send a reminder in one week. You may find the letter here.

Thank you,
Edwina Rogers

<h2>Argentina</h2>

Dear SPI Coalition Members:

The National Congress of Argentina just struck a blow to Secular Education in South America by passing a law that eliminates Education Law 1420, that created secular education. Please join the SPI and other coalition members on a letter urging President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to veto this act and serve as a steward to protect secular education.

This letter will be open until Friday, August 21, if your organization wishes to be listed. We do not need the name of an individual but just the group’s name. Just send us your organization’s name to edwina@secularpolicyinstitute.net.

We will send a reminder in one week. You may find the letter here.

Thank you,
Edwina Rogers

The weekly report on research and demographics of the secular movement
by Julie Esris

Do you need to believe in God to be Jewish? Not at all, says Benjy Cannon, who penned an article describing his journey from modern Orthodoxy to atheism, all while retaining his Jewish identity. The article, which appeared in Haaretz last week, is the latest in a series of stories about once-religious people renouncing their faith. However, it is CannonÔÇÖs retaining ofÔÇöand treasuringÔÇöhis cultural roots that sets his story apart from others. More specifically, the story is set apart from those about ex-Muslims, ex-Christians, and others who have left a variety of religions.

It is indeed very common for atheists brought up Jewish to identify as Jewish; they value the cultural traditions divorced from the religious aspect. In fact, a 2013 Pew study confirms this: 22% of American Jews also describe themselves as atheists. The percentage of American adults who call themselves Jewish is just under 2%, a significant decline since the 1950s. However, the percentage of those who describe themselves as culturallyÔÇöbut not religiouslyÔÇöJewish is on the rise, and makes up about 0.5% of the American adult population. Analysis by generation also confirms a decline of religiosity in self-identified Jews. 93% of American Jews born in the early twentieth century identify as religiously Jewish, versus 7% who identify as Jewish without the religious aspect. This stands in stark contrast to the Millennial (youngest adults) generation of Jews, 68% of which identify as religiously Jewish, versus 32% who identify as Jewish without the religious aspect.

The decline in Jewish religiosity in America reflects a decline in religiosity as a whole. However, as Benjy Cannon illustrates, there seems to be something unique to Judaism in which cultural identity is not necessarily dependent on religious belief. It is also worth noting that Secular Policy InstituteÔÇÖs Secular Resource Guide lists ÔÇ£secular JewsÔÇØ as a group of people who are part of the religious decline in America. In this report, however, there are no groups of people identified as ÔÇ£secular ChristiansÔÇØ or ÔÇ£secular MuslimsÔÇØ. It seems to be significantly more common to hear terms like ÔÇ£atheist JewÔÇØ or ÔÇ£Jewish atheistÔÇØ than ÔÇ£atheist ChristianÔÇØ (or Muslim, or any other religious label). The question is why.

Benjy Cannon notes in his article that despite having been raised in modern Orthodox culture, his religious schoolteachers encouraged questioning. One teacher even said that evidence strongly indicates that multiple authors wrote the Torah over the course of hundreds of years. With the exception of Ultra-Orthodox sects, Judaism has a widespread reputation of being part of an intellectual, educated culture. Perhaps the Jewish cultureÔÇÖs strong emphasis on education originated as a coping mechanism in the face of centuries of oppression and persecution that Jews have endured (Armenians, another historically persecuted culture, have a similar reputation of highly valuing education). With education comes questioning, which in turn makes it easier to lose oneÔÇÖs religious beliefs. But if education is an important part of the Jewish culture, why would a religious Jew-turned-atheist turn his back on the culture that, perhaps, indirectly led him to atheism?

Today Benjy Cannon and other Jewish atheists continue to gather with one another for Jewish holidays and other culturally Jewish activities. It gives Cannon and others like him a sense of community with rich tradition without invoking the supernatural. As Cannon put it, he practices his form of Judaism for his community, not for God.

Thousands of Malians have reportedly been trooping to see this ÔÇÿwhite image on the outside wall of a toilet ÔÇô yes, a toilet of all places ÔÇô said to be a religious sign. It shows ÔÇÿa man prayingÔÇÖ and indeed Malians believe the sign is a message from God, the Islamic God.

Mail is predominantly a muslim country and most muslims in Southern Mali belong to the moderate Sufi Tijani sect that ÔÇÿrespects miracle signsÔÇÖ. The sign has been generating many claims and ideas among Malians. A Malian calls it a ÔÇÿvisionÔÇÖ from prophet Muhammad but he did not indicate how he knew it was a sign from prophet Muhammad and not any other prophet or person living or dead. He claims that the religious sign has been changing shape without detailing the shapes it took. He maintains that the sign leaves the wall, moves around the compound and then goes back to itsoriginal place, in obvious defiance of the laws of gravity.

Read more at africanspotlight.com