The growing religious influence on public life

Dylan Evans writing in The Guardian, on Monday 2 May 2005, suggested that "Not believing in God is no excuse for being virulently anti-religious or naively pro-science." But Joan Smith (Independent on Sunday, 8 May) disagrees: "Religions control behaviour catastrophically for women, homosexuals, rival faiths and non-believers. … I can't think of a worse time for atheists to pipe down, as the mismatch between secular modern values and politicised forms of religion (promulgated by the new pope, among others) shapes up to become the leading conflict of the 21st century."

Patrick Hussey in the Independent on Sunday on 24 April 2005 (reproduced on the BHA web site) complains that "Faith groups are increasingly demanding their voices be heard in public life. They want to influence our theatre, politics and schools. … It's time for committed atheists to fight back." He asks "So who speaks for the non-religious majority of Britain? We regularly hear the bark of religious advocates, but who or what is out there for the concerned doubter? The short answer is, not much. However, perhaps this is as it should be. The core principles of atheism mean that it does not require an organised movement."

Hussey goes on to outline the roles of the The National Secular Society and the British Humanist Association.

But with the rise of religion there is a growing reaction, and this is chiefly represented by two organisations, The National Secular Society and the British Humanist Society [sic].

The NSS is, I suppose, atheism's bulldog. It is a media-savvy group that functions as the protesting voice for the anti-theist lobby. It's a movement that's growing all the time according to Terry Sanderson, vice-president of the NSS. Recent events, notably the attempts to ban Jerry Springer: The Opera from broadcast, have seen membership of the NSS soar. "Secularists are beginning to realise they must organise," says Sanderson. "People are angry. The more they see religion interfering, the more they turn to us. So many people say, 'I didn't know you existed.' But they are finding us. When I started [at the NSS] five years ago, we had 500 members. Now it is more like 6,000."

The British Humanist Association takes a radically different approach: softer and more behind the scenes, it is the good cop to the NSS's bad. For those less interested in political snarling, the BHA offers an alternative to religion. I went to see Hanne Stinson, executive director of the BHA, at her London office. She is a quiet but direct woman, with a dash of steel in her eyes, and our long chat takes in the dizzying range of topics that concern the BHA.

It is immensely active behind blurred New Labour lines. Alarmingly to some, the Government consults on virtually every policy with religious leaders who, Hanne points out, are always men and necessarily prejudiced by doctrine. The BHA fought for a faithless view-point to be present and is now the lone secular champion at the closed-door seminars. Hanne sums up the secular Zeitgeist: "This government is obsessed by religion. It frightens me."

Articles noted by Margaret Siddal.