Brilliant news for health and happiness of children and their parents in UK! Vaccines are a marvel of human ingenuity, reason, and science motivated by compassion which have transformed our civilisation. We should all do our bit to encourage uptake. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Listening to story of Chris Brain, hearing how CofE dismissed survivors’ concerns and ignored red flags about his behaviour. Gives insight into why claims of a “Quiet Revival” are being pushed despite scant evidence. Seems CofE will welcome anything which shows bums on seats - especially young bums.

Is Christ returning to the UK? Here's my ludicrous, exhaustive examination of the evidence that there is a "Christian revival" in the UK. I think it is the most thorough examination of the evidence available. If you enjoy this you are a masochist - and I love you.

The lovely people at @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social are offering a 10% discount on my new book! Just use the code LOVEBOOKSHOPS

Enriching Multifaith & Belief Conference for Higher Education Chaplains @ King's College London. Thank you to fabulous hosts @kcl-chaplaincy.bsky.social 🙏 Insightful workshop by @croftspeaks.bsky.social challenging misconceptions about #humanism. @humanists.uk @profaliceroberts.bsky.social #druidsky

Humanist beliefs are not permitted to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day. The BBC had a legal requirement to represent everyone equally – not just religious people. If you agree, please lend your support by signing our petition. humanists.uk/action/thoug...

It is frustrating that our publicly funded broadcaster privileges religious messaging, even to the point of allowing people to denigrate nonreligious worldviews. There are many Humanists would could give a more inclusive - and more inspiring - Thought for the Day.

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.

On the eve of a House of Commons debate, new ‪YouGov polls show that both the public & MPs are overwhelmingly in favour of legal recognition of humanist marriages in England and Wales (& that's consistent across all political parties & religious groups too). Urge the government to listen!

I’m supposed to be working on book projects while I have some time away from work, but some days I find it difficult to write anything! Any other writers find particular topics, ideas, or projects especially hard to get into? I feel like my brain is broken, it is so dispiriting.

Many people are humanists without knowing it. If you are non-religious and look to science, reason, empathy, and compassion in order to live an ethical and meaningful life, consider doing our quiz to see if you're a humanist too. humanists.uk/humanism/how...

As white Christian nationalists seek to reshape the United States, we hear from the frontlines of the resistance

EP 2, S7 out now! #WhatIBelieve. With bestselling author & @humanists.uk patron @janefallon.bsky.social. A lovely chat about her love for animals, veganism, and transitioning from TV producer to writer of ‘Chick Noir’. Do have a listen! bit.ly/4kghe9t

How atheists, humanists and democrats are coming together to resist the influence of white Christian nationalism under Trump

Mourning without myths can be lonely. But it can also be honest. It can be rooted in what we know to be true: that life is finite, that love is real, and that meaning is something we make together. thehumanist.com/commentary/m...

It’s baffling that Peterson is hailed as a great intellectual, or any sort of intellectual at all. His answers to these teenagers are risible. I literally laughed out loud.

“Hard Brexit was xenophobic, economically illiterate and narrow-minded. An apology from the Brexit lobby is too much to hope for. Silence might be a relief. An appalling mistake was made. It awaits correction.” Yes. Such damage and waste. For nothing. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

No. The aesthetic quality of the work inheres in the work itself. The objective features of the work don’t change if you discover anything whatever about the author. We may want to reassess other contextual judgments but the work is the work.

Stephen Fry announced as part of an all-star cast. No, it's not #CelebrityTraitors, it's the seventh season of #WhatIBelieve, the Humanists UK podcast about the ideas, morals, and convictions of humanists in the public eye! Season 7 starts tomorrow. humanists.uk/2025/05/21/s...

I was quoted in this article by Emily Retter for the Telegraph! I stressed that research suggests that what is beneficial about religion is participation in a community, not belief in God per se, and that community engagement is important for everyone.

Christian evangelist @glenscrivener.bsky.social joined me at the University of Sussex to discuss whether Christianity is the root of contemporary moral values! Check out our discussion on his YouTube channel here - a model of respectful interreligious engagement, imo! youtu.be/hKbyL4isUdU?...

This week's "Two Humanists" with @andrewcopson.bsky.social explores the Oklahoma religious charter school case, and what it means for secularism. We end with a brief discussion of the VE Day commemorations, and why we need to renew their focus on liberal values at a time when they are under threat.

VE Day was a victory for open society ideals against fascism. 80 years on, these values are under renewed threat globally from authoritarianism and populism. My latest blog post. #VEDay80 #VEDay #Democracy #HumanRights

The philosopher David Hume was born #onthisday 1711. Though his contemporaries denounced his writings as works of scepticism and atheism, today he's considered one of the most influential philosophers of all time – inspiring figures such as Darwin, Kant, and T.H. Huxley. Also, this quote is chill.

The Bible Society's recent report claims a "quiet revival" is sweeping the UK church. Is this true, or is it just hype? Join me and @andrewcopson.bsky.social of @humanists.uk to learn why the rebirth of Christian Britain is - for now - more hope than reality. youtu.be/EPyBf8wVxew

BREAKING: Police just surrounded Rev. William Barber, prominent activist and pastor, as he and others prayed in the U.S. Capitol Rontunda. Police then expelled everyone (including press!) from the Rotunda to (presumably) arrest them. I've covered protests here a lot. Never seen anything like it.

Proud to work with more than 70 Labour MPs and Lords on this letter. Now is a moment of opportunity for all want to see a closer UK/EU relationship and that includes millions of people who put their faith in our party last year. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

When religion and state power merge, religion is transformed from a matter of personal conscience and conviction into an instrument of control. We are deeply concerned about the growing evangelism within the White House, and the flow of funding reaching the UK. www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

I can heartily recommend this little book for anyone who thinks they might identify with humanism, or just want some uplifting quotes. If you are interested, you can visit the Humanist UK website and take their test. Turns out I’m 100% Humanist! Humanism, ‘Think for yourself, act for everyone.'

Proud to be a Harvard graduate today. All private universities must stand up to Trump’s government and its illegal bullying.

There’s been a lot of excitement about a recent report from the Bible Society claiming that the church in the UK is undergoing a “Quiet Revival”. The report is, on analysis, unconvincing, drawing bombastic conclusions from meagre evidence. Here’s why. 🧵 /1

Brighton today is alive with the sound of thousands enjoying grassroots music, thanks to the superb work put into the #Homegrown festival 👏 👏🎸🧑‍🎤🎤 homegrownbrighton.co.uk

Claims early this week that there has been a steep increase in church attendance amounting to a ‘revival’, riled up my data-crunching for a debunk ⬇️ humanists.uk/2025/04/10/g...

Are Gen Z the new 'spiritual generation'? We've myth-busted claims made by the Bible Society. If ‘spiritual’ is a synonym for ‘religious’, then the answer is no. Most of Gen Z don’t claim to believe in god, and less than a third say they are Christian. Our breakdown 👇 humanists.uk/2025/04/10/g...

No humanist has ever appeared on the programme. Given that non-religious people make up the majority in this country, we find it puzzling and disappointing that humanist views are consistently overlooked this way. It's not a radical request. humanists.uk/action/thoug...

An excellent interview with my brilliant friend and collaborator Vanessa Zoltan talking about her experience as an atheist Jewish chaplain who has thought and practiced deeply about how to make spiritual community in healthy relationship with traditional religion podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/c...

@alomshaha.bsky.social you were in great company at my local bookshop yesterday!

The far right always tries to cheat and then complains when it is punished for cheating. When I worked to oppose far right political groups in the States I invariably found they flouted election laws and then cried foul when exposed. They do this because they are fundamentally undemocratic.

🏳️‍⚧️My love and support to Brighton’s incredible Trans and non-binary community, today and every day. Our fight for liberation and equality continues. #TransDayOfVisibility

Eid Mubarak to everyone in Brighton and beyond celebrating today, and wishing peace, joy and love to all. #EidMubarak

Ella casually checking her emails. #EllaEveryday

One element of the OfS judgment against the Uni of Sussex that has received too little commentary is how it plays into a broader attack on higher education institutions - especially those seen as “too progressive” or “woke”. While we are far from the US on this, the same narrative is being spun.

We have our eclipse glasses ready!

University of Sussex taking legal action over £585,000 free speech fine

This article by Sussex university’s vice chancellor about how the Office for Students seemingly oversaw its investigation into worries about free speech at Sussex is… quite something. www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Stylin’ in the jumper my University of Sussex students MADE FOR ME! I may never take it off. 🥹

I actually tried to disrupt the arrest and assault of BLM activists, and I think this is pretty sound advice honestly. I was a white man in a large group with a lot of community support so I felt I could try to step in, but I can see why many would feel they could not do so. I still got arrested.

Under these conditions I would have lost my student visa many times and would have been deported (probably after a lengthy stay in some Louisianan gulag). Appalling.