Category: Living on the Hill

Interview with Bob Churchill – Director of Communications at the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU)

December 11, 2016 | by | 1 Comments
Bob Churchill is the Communications Director for The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), Editor of The Free Thought Report. Bob Churchill is also a trustee of Conway Hall Ethical Society and a trustee of the Karen Woo Foundation. How did you become involved in humanism and IHEU? I have a habit of looking at any situation and saying “Ok, […] Read more

Prophetic Christianity and its ‘Doom-contents’ in Africa

November 27, 2016 | by | 0 Comments
The image of a South African pastor spraying his congregation with a pesticide called Doom during a ‘healing session’ has sparked a wave of outrage and condemnation across the world. This self-proclaimed prophet, Lethebo Rabalago, heads a church called Mount of Zion General Assembly in Limpopo province. A member of his congregation had an eye infection and […] Read more

50 Shades of A-theism: A Compendium of Discrimination Against Atheists

November 8, 2016 | by | 0 Comments
It may seem hyperbolic to describe atheists as an oppressed minority from the standpoint of living in a Western secular liberal democracy. However, from a global perspective, and even in developed countries that purportedly cherish freedom of belief, atheists face endemic and systemic legal and cultural discrimination, even to the point of death based on […] Read more

Interview with Tehmina Kazi

November 6, 2016 | by | 0 Comments
Tehmina Kazi is an activist, writer and author based in Ireland. Tehmina was, until mid 2016, the Director of British Muslims for Secular Democracy (a position she took up in May 2009). British Muslims for Secular Democracy aims to raise awareness within British Muslims and the wider public, of democracy particularly ‘secular democracy’ helping to contribute to […] Read more

Islam: No Justice for Victims of Blasphemy Killings in Nigeria?

November 5, 2016 | by | 0 Comments
A court in Kano state in Northern Nigeria has acquitted five persons who were arrested in connection with the killing of a Christian female trader, Bridget Agbahime, from Southern Nigeria. She was murdered on June 2 at Kofai Wambai market after some exchanges with some Muslims. Her killers attacked her with dangerous weapons and slit […] Read more

Islam – No Mockery Allowed: A New Case

November 4, 2016 | by | 0 Comments
In the UK, a well-known athlete, Louis Smith, has been disciplined and suspended by British Gymnastics – the UK body governing the sport – for having engaged in some private drunken mockery of Islam which he recorded on his phone and which was subsequently leaked to the Press. A British Gymnastics spokesperson commented ‘British Gymnastics […] Read more

Interview with Professor  ​Rebecca Goldstein — Novelist, Philosopher, and Public Intellectual

November 2, 2016 | by | 0 Comments
Professor Rebecca Newberger Goldstein is a novelist, philosopher, public intellectual, and visiting Professor of Philosophy and English at New York University and Visiting Professor of Philosophy at the New College of the Humanities. Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What is your family story? I was brought up in an Orthodox Jewish household. My father was a refugee […] Read more

Exclusive Interview with ​Stephanie Guttormson ​- Operations Director for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science

November 2, 2016 | by | 0 Comments
Stephanie Guttormson is the current Operations Director for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science – a foundation she joined in March of 2013. Stephanie was the leader of an award winning student group at the Metropolitan State University of Denver which impressively brought in notable names such as Michael Shermer and James Randi to speak on campus. Scott […] Read more

Interview with Tara Abhasakun on the Baha’i Faith

October 26, 2016 | by | 0 Comments
Tara Abhasakun is a journalist based in the USA and occasional Blogger.  Tara talks about her community, the Baha’i faith and feminism. Scott Douglas Jacobsen: As noted in correspondence, you are not a Baha’i scholar. You are a recent undergraduate graduate and a woman Baha’i member. What is your background in Baha’i? Both of my parents […] Read more