The weekly report on the SPI Coalition
by Julie Esris
Last week, Las Vegas became the center of the secular movement as 7 national secular groups gathered to protest discrimination against atheists! Last year Wells Fargo Bank refused services to John Whiteside, leader of coalition member The United Church of Bacon, a real legal church with a funny name that was founded to highlight how religions get special privileges under the law and should not. The Secular Policy Institute took a lead role in running the protest with John, creating the website, writing press releases, meeting politicians, and co-organizing. See the video and read all the newspaper reports about the protest’s impact!
SPI Coalition member Atheist Ireland submitted a document to the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights in order to challenge Ireland on its shortcomings in the realm of human rights. What does Atheist Ireland have to say about how Irish law affects human rights? Quite a bit, actually!
SPI Coalition member┬áThe Rationalist Society of Australia, Australia’s oldest freethought organization, was founded in 1906. For the past century, the RSA has promoted reason and evidence-based public policy. Their latest mission is to encourage the Victorian government to change a very important law. If this law is changed, Victoria will surely be on the right side of history.
Richy Thompson, campaigns manager┬áof SPI Coalition member┬áThe British Humanist Association┬áis campaigning against┬ástate-funding of Britain’s faith schools. Find out how you can help!
SPI Coalition member┬áCenter for Inquiry┬árecently recorded a new and exciting Point of Inquiry podcast. Host Josh Zepps interviewed┬áMiddle Eastern comedians┬áBassem Youssef and Ahmed Ahmed about their craft. Satire is┬áfunny, but what else is it good┬áfor? And what are the risks? Both funny men weigh in, while discussing– and laughing about– religion and politics.
Brian Whiteside, Director of SPI Coalition member Humanist Association of Ireland interviews Nichola Murphy, a non-religious mother. All she wants is to send her child to school. But what is standing in her way?
SPI Coalition member┬áThe Good Atheist Podcast┬áproduces shows that are both educational and entertaining.┬áThe most recent episode┬áfeatures an interview with God… and neuroscientist Matt Facciani! The former is fall-out-of-your chair funny, and the latter is interesting. Facciani offers thought-provoking┬áperspectives on evolutionary psychology, in-group/out-group mentality, and more.┬á
Canada’s Supreme Court may have ruled against prayer at city council meetings, but that didn’t stop Mayor Crombie at a recent meeting in the city of Mississauga, Ontario. SPI Coalition member, The┬áHalton Peel Humanist Society┬áwon’t be stopped, either.
You’ve heard the Biblical Ten Commandments hundreds of times, but do you know the Ten Commandments for Humanists, Freethinkers, and All Secularists? Canadian SPI Coalition member, The Humanist Association of London and Area offers some words of wisdom.┬á