Ticknall Life, Derbyshire

Secularism is the structure that would permit all of us, from whatever creed or none, to have the same rights in the society we must share. In a truly democratic, secular society, religion has its place – not in parliament – or the corridors of political power but in places of worship and in the homes of the faithful.

Secularism is widely supported by believers (of many different faiths) and non-believers alike, so Secularism can hardly be described as a 'Faith'- still less a religion. The 'belief' of Secularists is that whilst religious groups (or any other groups with deeply held irrational beliefs) should be free to engage in their religious practices, they should be separate from the State, so that they should not have disproportionate influence in Government, the Justice System, Education or public life.

Their principle is that the lives of other believers and non-believers alike should not have to be ruled by the beliefs of any one particular religious group and no one religious grouping should benefit from legislation or public funding over other groups or the population as a whole.

So for instance, if you are unhappy about tax-payers' (your) money supporting so-called 'faith schools' wholly controlled by a religious group at public expense, you are probably a secularist - at least with a small 's'. The National Secular Society wants a completely secular education system that will put an end to the dangerous divisions and separations between communities that "faith schools" represent.

The Society’s Council has adopted this secular charter:

THE CREATION OF A JUST AND EQUITABLE SECULAR SOCIETY IN BRITAIN

The National Secular Society seeks a society in which religion and the State are distinctly separated, and where
Human Rights always take precedence over religious demands. They would like to see the following ten objectives incorporated into a written, secular constitution:

1. There should be no established state religion.
2. The state should not fund religious activities.
3. The state should not fund religious proselytising in any form and the provision of all services using public money should be religiously neutral.
4. The state should not prescribe, proscribe, or amend religious doctrine.
5. The state should not interfere in religious hierarchies, nor interfere in issues strictly related to membership.
6. No action by the state should have the primary effect of engaging in religious practice.
7. No state action should have the primary effect of restricting religious practice.
8. The state should not express any religious beliefs in any publication, speech or implement of state power such as currency, sworn testimony, oath of fealty to the state, or endorsements of national pride. The state should not imply any derivation of authority from any religious authority, nor should it express temporal supremacy in relation to religious belief or practice.
9. Political leaders should not express religious preferences in the course of their duties.
10. No religion or denomination should have the power to prescribe, proscribe, or amend civil or common law.

For a fuller understanding of Secularism, you may wish to visit the web site of the The Secular Society.

If you just think that faith is a bit of a joke you can indulge in a wry smile with comedian Pat Condell.

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