News from Leicester Secular Society

LSS News January 2010
Secular Hall options launched: 31 Jan: Regeneration issues were presented and discussed at a members meeting, including archtectural options, charitable status options and implications, and an outline business plan. More ...
ten23 Homeopathy Protest - Leicester 2010: 30 Jan: Some members of Leicester Secular Society joined skeptics in the national 10:23 campaign against homeopathy, swallowing whole bottles of homeopathic remedies to show there's nothing in it - but sugar and lactose. More on YouTube ...
Camp Quest 2010 - Book Now!: 29 Jan: Email from Samantha Stein who spoke to us last October: Places are still available for the two camps this coming summer. For more details of these exciting adventure holidays, or to book or offer support, see the Camp Quest website.
A bounty for the arrest of Tony Blair: 26 Jan: George Monbiot launches an appeal to fund a bounty for peaceful citizens arrest of former Prime Minister Tony Blair for the "the supreme international crime" of aggression. Donate at ArrestBlair.org. More from Stop The War.
Another world is possible: 25 Jan: World Social Forum 2010 opens in Porto Alegre, Brazil
Bishops swing Lords vote against human rights: 25 Jan: Peers voted 216 to 178 to exempt religious organisations from equality legislation. See Let's fight the church on equality and Parliament shamed.
New Thought for the Day web page: 20 Jan: Just Launched - our TFTD page, where you can catch up on Eleanor Davidson's BBC Radio Leicester broadcasts - and more.
Haiti: Secular giving, and independent reporting.: 19 Jan: Donate now through Non-Believers Giving Aid. Meanwhile The Real News Network (TRNN) carries independent reporting on the aftermath and international aid, and asks why the Haitians don't have a voice.
Haiti quake and the Loving Almighty: 14 Jan: With sparkling clarity, Archbishop of York John Sentamu helps John Humphrys resolve the apparent paradox on BBC Radio 4's Today programme (starts about 0:45 on the timeline). Giles Fraser of St Pauls Cathedral and others fail to explain on subsequent days, but they all say 'pray anyway'.
Caution over restrictions on Alcohol: 14 Jan: LSS member John Catt joins the Leicester Mercury debate on binge drinking. Read here.
Deaths timely and untimely: 13 Jan: LSS member Peter Thompson is co-signatory to a Leicester Mercury letter about Tsutomu Yamaguchi and David Taylor MP, both of whom died recently.
Influential Muslim group joins Accord Coalition: 11 Jan: British Muslims for Secular Democracy is joining Accord, which campaigns about the way faith schools operate. Dr Shaaz Mahboob, vice-chair of BMSD spoke to us in May 2008. Read his blog
When eccentricity is not so harmless: 11 Jan: The latest in Simon Perry's occasional 'Skeptic' series in the Leicester Mercury. Simon explores attempts to bring astrology and homeopathy into the NHS. Read it here.
Leicester Secularist (January) out now: 10 Jan: INSIDE: Leicester's Atheist Bus Campaign Launch, More on Proof and on Fascism and Free Speech, Science on the radio, Tolerance, Universalism, Relativism, Evangelism and Evolution. PLUS forthcoming events, reviews of recent talks, and more. Download here (pdf 466kb).
2010 must be the year that will herald a new dawn: 8 Jan: With optimism in such short supply as it is now, read Maryam Namazie's hopes for Iran if you want a boost!
LSS Member Presents 'Thought for the Day' on BBC: 6 Jan: BBC Radio Leicester aired its third secular Thought for the Day by Eleanor Davidson about a couple of local heroes. Listen here.
Irish state extends the offence of blasphemy: 4 Jan: Britain abolished it. Ireland strengthened it. More from Philip Hensher.
Open Letter to Tony Blair: 3 Jan: We reproduce an article from Humanism Ireland (pdf) by Kenneth Houston. Mr Houston was responding to comments made at the Common Word conference of Christian and Muslim groups at Georgetown University last October (see report and webcast).
LSS member honoured: 1 Jan: Congratulations to our member Alice Sluckin, who started Leicester's Selective Mutism Information and Research Association charity, and got a New Year OBE for supporting children and families. Alice lectured in the Secular Hall last March: more ...
Focus on Sex: 1 Jan: A recent Leicester Mercury letter proposed saying 'no' as the most effective birth control (Love, sex and self-control). Allan Hayes invites all with a rational interest in the topic to our forthcoming Secular Hall discussion on 21 February.

Earlier LSS News: 2009 ...

updated 8 March 2010