International Humanist Group Issues Report on Anti-Atheist Discrimination Around the World

[mr blur]

(via Friendly Atheist)

The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) has just released a 540-page report on the rights of non-religious people around the world. And the outlook is as depressing as you might suspect. Just look at all the countries guilty of “Severe” or “Grave” violations of freedom of thought (in red and black, respectively):



IHEU President Andrew Copson writes in the introduction:

In the past twelve months, the world has witnessed numerous horrific attacks and legal penalties specifically aimed at people accused of “insulting religion”. From Charlie Hebdo in Paris and the shooting at a free speech seminar in Copenhagen that followed, to the humanist bloggers murdered in Bangladesh; from alleged “blasphemers” crucified under ISIS or jailed by sovereign states, to alleged “apostates” sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia and Mauritania.

…

Despite the overall trend toward more severe violence and legal penalties, we do record a few improvements this year. In May and July 2015 respectively, Norway and Iceland abolished their extant “blasphemy” laws (although in Norway there are fresh concerns about regressive education reforms, a reminder that countries can make progress in some areas while slipping in others).

So there’s some room for optimism, though not much.

The extensive report is grouped by country for anyone who’s up for some very upsetting reading.

“True religious freedom is the freedom to believe and not believe,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. “The sobering findings of this report should move our elected leaders to stand up for religious freedom in the U.S. and around the world.”

D/L a PDF of the report from here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/70x41xfvr8ofi5q/FOT15-FULL-v0_2.pdf?dl=0

[Warren Stupidity]

1. Nothing to see here, move along.

[Yorktown]

2. Edit: thx, mr blur

Tried to download the report yesterday from the main site, I got a Google error report.

Your link worked. Thanks.

[Lordquinton]

3. But, China is an atheist country!

They oppress religion and is paradise for atheist!

[Act_of_Reparation]

11. To be fair, the report concerns itself with more than atheism.

If you read the report, China's low scores are derived from its repressive form of governance being antithetical to humanist values.

[Lordquinton]

12. But, China is Atheist

therefore your point is invalid.

[edhopper]

4. What's up with Canada?

how can they be worse than us?

[progressoid]

5. Or Denmark or the UK?

Seems like some of this is based on old laws that aren't necessarily enforced. I suppose one needs to read the 500+ page report to find out.

[Lordquinton]

7. Old laws should be counted too

Even if they aren't enforced, they are still there and could be enforced. Like the stuff in holy books, as we have seen people will bring up any passage if they think it supports their position.

[whatthehey]

6. Any report that shows the US as less unfriendly to freethinkers than the UK is nuts

[gelatinous cube]

8. Mostly Based on Legal Standpoints

Perhaps as a general society, the United Kingdom is far more accepting than many in the U.S., however, this chart is based on legal grounds. The United Kingdom has an established Church/Religion and some religious institutions are state funded for example (page 455 in the Dropbox).

This truly is a depressing chart, since the U.S. is the biggest yellow country and there are only a few, very small, green ones.

[whatthehey]

9. I suppose, but to me that's a false metric

I've spent some years in the UK and am in frequent touch with residents. It's certainly true that the church is state sponsored and that there is no equivalent to our 1A, but it's a legal nicety with no social or civil import. Religion has minimal impact on their lives, and the idea of having to worry about what preachers think of laws or social mores is completely alien to them.

[mr blur]

10. I've always lived here, it's a false metric for me to.

I could go to the centre of the city, stand on a box and proclaim that religion is a force for evil, Jesus never existed and people who believe are mentally ill and no-one would take much notice of me; some would nod, some would laugh and most would do what English people usually do when faced with someone telling them what they believe in the streets - get embarrassed for you and pretend you're not there.

[Lordquinton]

13. The problem is that the laws are still on the books

which means that is the political winds shift there's nothing to overcome in that regard. In the US the creeping theocracy has been held at bay because of the 1st, if it weren't there nothing would be stopping the right from just establishing everything based on biblical stuff.