Tag Archives: Religious freedom

Ep 26: Hindutva with Gita Sahgal



In this episode, Emma Park speaks to Gita Sahgal, a human rights activist and Honorary Associate of the NSS, about secularism in India, and the threats it is facing from the Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) movement endorsed by Modi’s government. Modern India has been a secularist state since its foundation in 1947. But since the first election of Modi’s government in 2014, as Gita explains, Indian supporters of secularism, pluralism, and the rule of law have been targeted, silenced, and in some cases imprisoned or killed; and the coronavirus pandemic has been used as an opportunity to clamp down on them further.

Gita and Emma also consider how the ideology of Hindutva is bringing its version of Hinduism closer to a monotheistic religion, and how this reinforces its intolerant stance towards Indians who are not Hindus, in particular, the large Muslim minority. Finally, Gita discusses her current work with One Law For All, which is campaigning against Sharia law and other religious laws in the UK.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWXaP6g8QgA&feature=youtu.be

Transcripts: https://www.secularism.org.uk/transcripts

Notes

The Constitution of India

https://www.india.gov.in/sites/upload_files/npi/files/coi_part_full.pdf

How Hindu supremacists are tearing India apart – The Guardian, 20 February 2020

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/20/hindu-supremacists-nationalism-tearing-india-apart-modi-bjp-rss-jnu-attacks

Gita Sahgal’s lecture highlights rise of Hindutva in India and Britain

https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2018/09/nss-lecture-highlights-rise-of-hindutva-in-india-and-britain

One Law For All

https://onelawforall.org.uk/

 

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Ep 04: Annie Laurie Gaylor | Exploring religious freedom



Continuing our series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with secularist activist Annie Laurie Gaylor. Annie Laurie is a co-founder of – and, current co-president of – the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

This is part of a series of interviews leading up to our major conference in May, Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom.

www.secularism.org.uk/2019

Watch this episode on YouTube. | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cspncemMA9A&feature=youtu.be

Links from Annie Laurie

Freedom From Religion Foundation | https://ffrf.org/

One Woman’s Fight, by Vashti McCollum | https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Womans-Fight-Vashti-McCollum/dp/1877733083?ie=UTF8&tag=natisecusoci-21

The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American, by Andrew L Seidel | https://www.amazon.co.uk/Founding-Myth-Christian-Nationalism-American-ebook/dp/B07JN4K3PY?ie=UTF8&tag=natisecusoci-21

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Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy. Join the National Secular Society today.| www.secularism.org.uk/join

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Ep 03: Maryam Namazie | Exploring religious freedom



Continuing our series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with secularist activist Maryam Namazie. Maryam is the spokesperson for Iran Solidarity, One Law for All, and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and is a patron of London Black Atheists.

This is part of a series of interviews leading up to our major conference in May, Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom.

https://www.secularism.org.uk/2019

Transcript: https://www.secularism.org.uk/uploads/maryam-namazie—exploring-religious-freedom-episode-03.pdf

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Links from Maryam:

Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain

Islam’s Non-Believers

Why we defended Rushdie and why it is still important today – Event on 14 February at Conway Hall.

Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy. Join the National Secular Society today.

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Ep 02: Rachel Laser | Exploring religious freedom



Continuing our series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with Rachel Laser – head of Americans United for separation of church and state, and the keynote speaker at our upcoming conference Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom.

https://www.secularism.org.uk/2019

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Links to Rachel’s recommended reads:

 God and Government: Twenty-Five Years of Fighting for Equality, Secularism, and Freedom Of Conscience, by Rev. Barry Lynn

 The End of White Christian America, by Robert P Jones

 Seven Types of Atheism, by John Gray

Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy. Join the National Secular Society today.

https://www.secularism.org.uk/join-and-renew.html


Ep 01: Stephen Evans | Exploring religious freedom



In the first of a series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with Stephen Evans – chief executive of the National Secular Society. Stephen argues that religious freedom and secularism that allows people of different religions and beliefs can live together. In the interview Stephen explains the basis of religious freedom in human rights law and its limits.

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Links to the books/films that Stephen mentioned: