Grayling: The state must be neutral
Tuesday, 19, Feb 2008 11:22
A C Grayling, philosopher, comments on the establishment of the National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies (AHS):
"As well as making the case for reason and science, it is great to know that the AHS will be standing up against religious privilege and discrimination. All people are entitled to their beliefs but we secularists, whether religious or humanist, are right in arguing that the state must be entirely neutral in these matters.
"A situation where the religious beliefs of a few may dictate the personal choices of everyone - in abortion, for example, or assisted suicide - is quite wrong. Yet some religious groups defend and even aim to expand their considerable privileges - public money for their 'faith-based' schools, seats in the House of Lords, exemption from laws inconvenient to their prejudices. The AHS shows that increasing numbers of young people are unwilling to put up with it."