Both the National Secular Society and the British Humanist Association do weekly e-newsletters.

The following is from the latest National Secular Society’s e-newsletter, Newsline. If you’re not already a subscriber and would like Newsline to drop into your inbox every Friday, send a blank email with “Subscribe to Newsline” on the subject line to enquiries@secularism.org.uk.

Quotes of the Week

If all the achievements of scientists were wiped out tomorrow, there would be no doctors but witch doctors, no transport faster than horses, no computers, no printed books, no agriculture beyond subsistence peasant farming. If all the achievements of theologians were wiped out tomorrow, would anyone notice the smallest difference?

Richard Dawkins, quoted in The Guardian

If Europe is no longer big enough for Ayaan Hirsi Ali, we are all in trouble. It is sad that the home of the Enlightenment can no longer cope with her right to free speech.

Jasper Gerard, Sunday Times

I believe that the idea of God has been a disaster for humanity, and any person who bases their morality on the writings of hallucinating pre-modern nomads is going to have pretty warped values.

Johann Hari, Attitude

There is no process to decide who British Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims are represented by. The ordinary man or woman does not have a vote to decide who runs the Muslim Council, Sikh Federation or Hindu Forum. So what gives them the mandate to speak on our behalf?

Sunny Hundal, Asians in Media

Essays of the Week

The Caged Virgin: preface to Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s new book.

Islamic banking will only work if it applies worldwide, which is the plan – Dr. Aqdas Ali Kazmi, News on Sunday.

CofE must be disestablished – Theo Hobson, Guardian.

Keep the fascist cult of Islamic supremacy out of our mosques – Tarak Fateh, Toronto Star.

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For the weekly BHA e-bulletin, email member@humanism.org.uk, with ‘Subscribe to ebulletin’ in the subject line. For this week’s copy, get in touch and we’ll forward it.

Among other things, they announce:

GALHA and the BHA have taken a stall at this year’s Europride in Trafalgar Square (Saturday, July 1st) and we are looking for Lesbian, Gay, Bi or Transgender Humanists to take turns on the stand.  This co-operative venture marks a welcome return to Pride for humanism after a number of years, congratulations to everyone who has made this possible.