Secularism

15 April 2020

FF and FG’s new social contract must be based on equal freedom of religion and belief

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael’s proposed framework for government aims to create new, credible, quality-of-life measures of individual and societal wellbeing and progress. They are correct to focus on economic recovery, healthcare, housing, education, climate action, young people, and global citizenship. They are also correct...

14 April 2020

Support today’s livestream for jailed Iranian blogger Soheil Arabi

Some of us have our freedoms temporarily constrained in order to protect people from the Covid pandemic. We should consider ourselves lucky compared to Soheil Arabi. Soheil is a 34-year-old Iranian blogger with a young daughter. He has been jailed and tortured since his arrest...

9 April 2020

Irish law on solemnising marriages still discriminates against atheists

A recent article by Hemant Mehta tells us that atheists can now solemnise marriages in Michigan after the State dropped its opposition. Up to now Michigan only permitted religious solemnisers and denied the authority to solemnise marriages to atheists. Meanwhile, the Irish law on solemnising...

8 March 2020

Atheist Ireland submission to Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality

Atheist Ireland has made the following submission to the Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality. We have focused on three issues that have a secular relevance, rather than replicating issues that are already on the agenda of the Assembly. Introduction Atheist Ireland is an advocacy group....

16 February 2020

Protecting the Positive Right to Nonreligious Philosophical Beliefs

The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, which is protected under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, also protects atheists and nonreligious philosophical convictions such as secularism. The test of whether a personal or collective conviction is to benefit from...

29 January 2020

People Before Profit responses to General Election questions from Atheist Ireland

Atheist Ireland has asked political parties and candidates running in the General Election on 8th February to answer ten questions regarding secular issues. Here are the responses from People Before Profit. 1. One Oath For All Will you support amending the Constitution to enable the...

16 January 2020

Ten Questions for Election Candidates

Atheist Ireland is asking the political parties and candidates, who are contesting the General Election on 8th February, to answer these ten questions about secular policies. We will publish the responses to assist you in deciding who to vote for. Please ask your own local...

1 January 2020

The European Convention on Human Rights protects nonreligious beliefs

The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, which is protected under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, also protects atheists and nonreligious philosophical convictions such as secularism. The Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg in France, oversees the European Convention,...

29 December 2019

Celebrating Nic Johnson

Our good friend Nic Johnson is nearing the end of his exceptional 85 years of life. He has spent most of those years promoting atheism, humanism, and secularism with passion and integrity. Before he moved to Ireland, he campaigned for abortion rights in America, during...

5 November 2019

Government blocking Objective Sex Education Bill and 50 others

The Government is using a procedure called a Money Message to block over 50 Bills that have been passed in the Dail by opposition parties, including Solidarity’s Bill to provide Objective Sex Education without interference by a school’s religious ethos. Solidarity and People Before Profit...