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Such fun recording a special Q&A episode of the National Secular Society Podcast (coming soon). This will be a member only exclusive, but there's been hours of great content since the podcast launched.
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast
The first 9 episodes were part of a series exploring religious freedom from a secularist perspective, with a range of activists and experts. All episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher etc. as well as YouTube and there are transcripts for accessibility.
Episode #1 kicked off with @Stephenmevans1
Stephen argued that it is religious freedom and secularism that allows people of different religions and beliefs to live together, and explains the basis and limits of religious freedom in human rights law. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/01/stephen-evans-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-01
Stephen argued that it is religious freedom and secularism that allows people of different religions and beliefs to live together, and explains the basis and limits of religious freedom in human rights law. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/01/stephen-evans-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-01
Episode #2 with @rachelklaser gave a preview of her keynote speech at our 2019 conference. We discussed the American tradition of constitutional secularism and its challenges today. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/01/rachel-laser-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-02
In episode #3 @MaryamNamazie gave us an activist's experience and we reflected on the struggle against fundamentalism 30 years on from the fatwa against Salman Rushdie. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/02/maryam-namazie-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-03
In episode #4 I met with @algaylor , a co-founder and, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. We returned to the theme of constitutional secularism and the threat from the religious right. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/02/annie-laurie-gaylor-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-04
In episode #5 I spoke with @Seculant, chair of the Secular Medical Forum, about the importance of secularism in maintaining patients' rights and autonomy in healthcare.
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/03/dr-antony-lempert-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-05
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/03/dr-antony-lempert-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-05
In episode #6 @ThisisRudi, then CEO of the Religious Education Council talked about how good RE can help improve understanding of genuine religious freedom.
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/03/rudolf-eliott-lockhart-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-06
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/03/rudolf-eliott-lockhart-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-06
In episode #7 @RobertsonQC shared his experiences as an internationally renowned human rights barrister, academic, author and broadcaster and founder of Doughty Street Chambers.
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/04/geoffrey-robertson-qc-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-07
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/04/geoffrey-robertson-qc-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-07
In episode #8 @PosenIzzy gave a preview of his talk at #Secularism2019. We discussed free speech and free inquiry and his experiences growing up in the Chasidic community and attending an illegal, unregistered school.
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/04/izzy-posen-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-08
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/04/izzy-posen-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-08
Episode #9 featured @simonbarrow, director of Ekklesia - a Christian think tank focusing on politics, social justice and belief.
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/05/simon-barrow-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-09
This rounded out our first series and the run up to #Secularism2019
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/05/simon-barrow-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-09
This rounded out our first series and the run up to #Secularism2019
Episode #10 was a post-conference review. The team discussed some of the speakers, key takeaways and how these will continue to influence our work going forward.
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/06/episode-10-secularism-2019-conference-review
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/06/episode-10-secularism-2019-conference-review
Our first bonus episode had some behind the scenes content from the conference recorded by @DrEmmaPark https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/07/episode-10a-bonus-content-behind-the-scenes-at-secularism-2019
In episode #11 Chris Sloggett spoke to Megan Manson about charities which exist only to promote religion and others which do harm. We also discussed protests by religious reactionaries against LGBT inclusive education and what the NSS is doing. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/07/episode-11-religious-charities-inclusive-relationship-and-sex-education
In episode #12 Chris Sloggett spoke to NSS chief executive Stephen Evans and campaigns officer Megan Manson about the ethics of ritual infant male circumcision. I also spoke with Andrew Moffat, creator of the inclusive education resource 'No Outsiders'. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/08/ep-12-circumcision-no-outsiders
In episode #13 I spoke with Chris about our report calling for an end to religious appointees on Scottish education committees. Megan also joined to discuss work the NSS has been doing on vaccinations, blasphemy laws and other areas. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/09/ep-13-religious-appointees-news-round-up
In episode #14 @DrEmmaPark joined as a regular host. We discussed our campaign to end compulsory worship in schools and other education priorities. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/09/ep-14-end-compulsory-worship-education-update
In episode #15 Stephen and Chris discussed problems with a proposed definition of Islamophobia, while Megan joined to discuss two recent rows relating to infant circumcision. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/09/ep-15-anti-muslim-bigotry-criticising-religious-practices
In episode #16, Megan spoke to Emma about the evangelical charity behind the problematic Operation Christmas Child, and I shared our latest research on pupils sent to faith schools against their parents' preferences. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/10/ep-16-operation-christmas-child-faith-schools
Epiosde #17 questioned whether BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day should still be exclusively for "speakers from the world's major faiths". Stephen and I also joined for an update on RE reform in Wales. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/10/ep-17-thought-for-the-day-re-in-wales
NSS president Keith Porteous Wood joined episode #18 for an update on institutional clerical child abuse. We also discussed the state church's privileged role in Remembrance Sunday. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/11/ep-18-remembrance-day-clerical-abuse
Episode #19 was a General election special #GE2019 During the campaign the NSS was calling on parties to adopt 11 secularist pledges on subjects such as education and free speech. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/11/ep-19-general-election-special
In episode #20 Emma spoke with Lee and Lizanne Harris. The Harrises had initiated a judicial review challenging their community ethos academy providing no alternative to a proselytising Christian assembly. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/12/ep-20-lee-and-lizanne-harris-compulsory-worship
In Episode #21 Maddy Bridgman and Sam Fitzsimmons discussed the @IEFNI campaign to support an integrated school system, and outline some of the difficulties the IEF has faced, both political, administrative and structural. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/01/ep-21-integrated-education-in-northern-ireland-interview
In episode #22 @DickTaverne discussed his private members' bill to remove Church of England bishops' automatic right to sit in the House of Lords and why constitutional reforms can take such a long time. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/01/ep-22-bishops-in-the-lords-dick-taverne-interview
In episode #23 Josephine Macintosh, a solicitor and our vice president, discussed why it's vital for the NSS to be represented at the international level. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/04/ep-23-the-nss-at-the-un-interview-with-josephine-macintosh
Episode #24 looked at the NSS's history. Ahead of his new series on the subject, Bob Forder argued, secularism has always been a socially progressive if not radical movement that has challenged the established hierarchy. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/04/ep-24-the-history-of-the-nss-interview-with-bob-forder
In episode #25 @AndrewLSeidel and I discussed American religious exceptionalism, its impact on Covid-19 and what British secularists can learn from organisations like @FFRF. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/05/ep-25-american-religious-exceptionalism-and-covid-19
In May we released an emergency bonus episode with @LeoIgwe on the plight of Mubarak Bala, president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria (HAN). Bala was arrested for blasphemy in northern Nigeria on 28 April. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/05/bonus-ep-2-leo-igwe-freemubarakbala
In episode #26 Emma spoke to @GitaSahgal about secularism in India, and the threats it is facing from the Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) movement endorsed by Narendra Modi's government. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/05/ep-26-hindutva-with-gita-sahgal
In episode #27 Emma discussed Unregistered (illegal) faith schools with @EveSacks and I discussed our work in this area. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/06/ep-27-unregistered-illegal-schools
All National Secular society podcasts are available on their website: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/national-secular-society-podcast/id1452493582?mt=2
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/national-secular-society-podcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YUdgznRhQwCtJRRLwbeXU
YouTube:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/national-secular-society-podcast/id1452493582?mt=2
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/national-secular-society-podcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YUdgznRhQwCtJRRLwbeXU
YouTube:
Updating this thread for #InternationalPodcastDay.
In episode 28, I joined in to discuss religious education in Wales, the chance for fundamental change and reactionary opposition. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/06/ep-28-re-in-wales-update-fundamental-change
In episode 28, I joined in to discuss religious education in Wales, the chance for fundamental change and reactionary opposition. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/06/ep-28-re-in-wales-update-fundamental-change
Episode 29 was on another very current campaign: The risk of a new blasphemy law in Scotland.
Where do you draw the line between safeguarding people's protected characteristics and guarding their right to freedom of speech? https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/07/ep-29-scotlands-new-blasphemy-law
Where do you draw the line between safeguarding people's protected characteristics and guarding their right to freedom of speech? https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/07/ep-29-scotlands-new-blasphemy-law
I felt that episode 30 was very important. We discussed 'religious freedom' in China and the threat to minority rights, particuarly the persecution of the Uighurs. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/07/ep-30-religious-freedom-in-china
@SophieHRW
@SophieHRW
Episode 31: @GrahamSmith_ (not that type of republican)
If you're a secularist, should you also be a republican? How have the two movements been historically intertwined – and how close are the ties between the monarchy and the Church of England today? https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/07/ep-31-graham-smith-not-that-type-of-republican
If you're a secularist, should you also be a republican? How have the two movements been historically intertwined – and how close are the ties between the monarchy and the Church of England today? https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/07/ep-31-graham-smith-not-that-type-of-republican
I was very proud of episode 32 on anti LGBT 'conversion therapy'. A cruel religious pseudoscience that threatens the safety of LGBT people. The NSS has been one of the few to point out how this is promoted by religious charities.
@NickMDuffy https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/08/ep-32-nick-duff-on-conversion-therapy
@NickMDuffy https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/08/ep-32-nick-duff-on-conversion-therapy
In episode 33 Emma spoke to Kaja Bryx, president of the Polish Rationalist Association, about the influence of the Catholic Church and the religious right in Poland.
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/09/ep-33-kaja-bryx-catholic-nationalism-in-poland
@Kaja_Bryx
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/09/ep-33-kaja-bryx-catholic-nationalism-in-poland
@Kaja_Bryx
In episode 34 Emma spoke to Stephen Evans and Megan Manson from the NSS team about marriage law reform in England and Wales. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/09/ep34
In our latest bonus episode, Stephen Evans asks "Why make a spectacle out of religion in the courtroom?" as he makes the case for replacing religious oaths and affirmations with a universal secular declaration of the solemn duty to tell the truth. https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/09/bonus-ep4
So celebrate #InternationalPodcastDay by subscribing the the @NatSecSoc Podcast. Next episode coming at you tomorrow.
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast.html
https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast.html
