Humanists call for faith funding cuts

Humanists are calling on Devon County Council to stop public funding for faith consultations because they leave out non-religious people.

They claim that religion is no longer important to most people and therefore public money should not be spent on consulting a “minority”.

Spokesman for the Devon Humanists, Keith Denby said: “The county council funds a body called Devon Faiths Forum and tries to use it to consult about religion and belief issues.

“Unfortunately, by its very name, it excludes all those in Devon who have no religious faith.”

Mr Denby commented: “Three quarters of British people are not members of a religious group or faith, but the local authority appears to be directing its efforts and council tax payers’ money into consulting the religious minority, so ignoring the views of most people.”

Earlier this year it emerged that the British Humanist Association (BHA) was handed £25,000 from a special pot of public money intended for ‘building faith communities’.

It has produced recommendations on how public services should be delivered in which it states that religious pictures on a wall can create a hostile or offensive environment for others.

The BHA, which was behind the atheist bus ads claiming: “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life”, was also given £35,000 by the Equality and Human Rights Commission last year to run seminars on religion and belief with prominent atheists giving keynote speeches.

The money was also used to produce guidance for employers claiming Christians discussing their faith at work could be breaking the law.

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