Quebec is Currently Leading a Secular Revolution in Canada. Here’s How.

David Rand, President of the Atheist Freethinkers of Canada, speaks to Conatus News about secularism and the challenges facing secularists in Quebec. Scott Douglas Jacobsen: David, let us start with definitions, what defines “Quebec secularism?” There was the proposed Bill 60 or, otherwise called, “Charter affirming the values of State secularism and religious neutrality and […] Read more

Pride is a Safe Place for LGBT people of Muslim Heritage – A response to Al-Kadhi In The Guardian

Pride is an important, welcoming place for LGBT people of Muslim heritage, including liberal Muslims and ex-Muslims. Amrou Al-Kadhi’s article in The Guardian paints a bleak picture of London Pride. It contains inaccurate citations of placards and, more menacingly, erases the bastion of hope and progress that the parade symbolises for many LGBT people of Muslim heritage. Life […] Read more

Can Humanism Provide Answers to Global Inequities?

  A Time For Reflection This August, the International Humanist and Ethical Union’s conference in New Zealand presents an opportunity to assess the state of humanism in the world, to take stock of the progress the movement has made towards promoting the humanist outlook globally. This meeting is an occasion for reflection, especially by those […] Read more

Why Jihadists Strike During Ramadan

Violent acts of jihadist terrorism during Ramadan, though newly popularized by IS (ISIS), have deeper and older theological roots  The holy month of Ramadan has for decades in the West been seized upon as an opportunity to reject division and promote interfaith dialogue-a month of peace. Celebratory White House and Downing Street iftars are commonplace […] Read more

Mohamed Hisham, A Public Atheist In Egypt | Troy Garnaut

Mohamed Hisham, an Egyptian atheist incurred the wrath of Egypt’s conservative Muslim population when he spoke publicly about his atheism on live TV. by Troy Garnaut “I am Mohamed Hisham, and I am a public atheist in Egypt.” The weary but determined eyes of a young man look into the camera as the asylum plea […] Read more

France: The Inability of a Secular State to Protect Secularists

Despite living in one of the most secular countries worldwide, ex-Muslim secularists in France still face hate speech, death threats, and an idle government. Waleed Al-Husseini founded the Council of Ex-Muslims of France. He escaped the Palestinian Authority after torture and imprisonment in Palestine, fleeing to Jordan and then France. He is an ex-Muslim and […] Read more

We Must Support Britain’s Secular Muslims

Secular Muslims like Sajid Javid in prominent government posts are victories for the battle of hearts and minds. In tough times for Muslims in public life, a cohort of secular Britons hailing from Muslim communities are challenging assumptions and extremism on all sides. This week, as a result of the Home Office scandal on the treatment […] Read more

The Growing Tide of Violent Rhetoric Against Baha’is in Houthi Yemen

Yemen’s Houthis incite violence against Baha’is on social media.   On March 23, Yemen’s Houthi leader Abdel-Malek Al-Houthi made a speech in which he called the Baha’i faith a “satanic” movement that wished to “wage war” against Islam. On the same day of Al-Houthi’s speech, Houthi activist Ahmed Ayed published a tweet stating “we will […] Read more