From Humanist Philosopher Julian Baggini’s Herald column; he doesn’t seem overly impressed by the increase in Humanist weddings in Scotland. Humanist weddings, and other ceremonies, are unusual in that they provide a like-for-like replacement for what religions offer. Since people will always want to mark significant events in life in a shared, public way, once humanist weddings were made legal in Scotland it was inevitable that those who held broadly humanist views would take them up.

Responding to the Ministry of Justice White Paper, the British Humanist Association (BHA) has urged the Government to ensure that there will be no reserved places for Bishops in a reformed House of Lords. Andrew Copson, BHA Director of Education and Public Affairs, commented, ‘The UK is the only Western democracy to give religious representatives the automatic right to sit in the legislature. Modern Britain is a society with a great diversity of religious and non-religious beliefs and it is outrageous that both Labour and Conservatives are proposing that this anachronistic policy should continue.

It looked increasingly unlikely yesterday that cinema audiences will get to see the planned film sequels in Philip Pullman’s children’s fantasy trilogy, His Dark Materials. Sources in the film industry said that plans for a sequel to The Golden Compass appeared to have been put on ice following the fervent Christian protests surrounding the first film, which led to boycotts and box office disappointment in the United States. Christian protests may leave Philip Pullman’s trilogy as one of a kind – News, Film & TV – The Independent.

A typical assumption the religious make is that the absence of God deprives life of essence and meaning – that the cold eye of reason is arrogant and robs life of its soul and mystique. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor has colourfully described this as “spiritual homelessness”. He opined that: “Many people have a sense of being in a sort of exile from faith-guided experience.” This sense of alienation cuts across theological lines.

From P Z Myers’ blog: There are days when it is agony to read the news, because people are so goddamned stupid. Petty and stupid. Hateful and stupid. Just plain stupid. And nothing makes them stupider than religion. Here’s a story that will destroy your hopes for a reasonable humanity. “Webster Cook says he smuggled a Eucharist, a small bread wafer that to Catholics symbolic of the Body of Christ after a priest blesses it, out of mass, didn’t eat it as he was supposed to do, but instead walked with it.

In a decision with potentially disastrous implications for the government’s equality agenda (not to mention the idea of a secular society), an employment tribunal has upheld a claim from a Christian registrar that she suffered direct discrimination after she was “bullied” and “harassed” for refusing to conduct civil partnerships for gay couples. The ruling appears to place the religious “conscience” of registrars above their legal duty to carry out parliament’s legislation.

The July edition of New Humanist magazine is on sale, containing articles on the following: Torch bearers – Politics, religion and money may be wrestling to control the Olympics. But, argues Paul Sims, they’ll never be a match for the sheer drama. Gender traitors – From 19th century anti-suffragists to today’s anti-feminists, Sally Feldman finds a common link between women who turn against themselves. The genius myth – Lisa Jardine tells Laurie Taylor why she believes in doubt, precision and uncertainty.

Further to our earlier report on Babergh District Council’s position on council prayers, Devon Humanists have issued the following press release: Campaign to end the discriminatory practice of having prayers at Council meetings Do you know that your local Council starts its meetings with prayers? If you say that to most people nowadays they think that you are joking. Devon Humanists today announce the launch of a campaign to end the discriminatory practice of having prayers at Council meetings.

It’s usually a waste of time responding to Creationist nonsense privately, as nothing penetrates their stubborness, but is worth doing so in public, if it makes people think. Accordingly, here is an exchange of correspondence between me and Mr George Gardner, who wrote to the local Evening Star about a feature article (see attachment) on Humanism with the usual anti-atheist, pro-Creationist drivel. The Star published my letter in response to his:

No love lost between Yasmin and Cristina. I know whose side I’m on. I cannot stand Cristina Odone, and the feeling is mutual. We haven’t spoken for years, since the week when, as deputy editor of the New Statesman, she commissioned a hatchet profile on me by a female journalist (of course), who had met me once on a radio show. Even I, well used to abrasive attacks, was knocked back by the virulence in a left-wing magazine I had previously worked for.