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Religious charities

For topics that are more about faith, religion and religious organisations than anything else.
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Alan H
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Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Religious charities

#1 Post by Alan H » November 30th, 2016, 12:13 am

From the BHA: Faith-based charities make unique contributions… say the charities themselves
November 29th, 2016


Faith-based charities are resilient, have unique reach, persevere in the face of unique challenges, and are poorly understood, according to the charities themselves. These are the findings of a new report, What a Difference a Faith Makes, published today by New Philanthropy Capital. In response, the British Humanist Association (BHA) has questioned whether service users also believe that faith-based charities make the distinct contributions the charities themselves think they do.

The evidence suggests that religious individuals are no more charitable and no more likely to volunteer than the non-religious. On top of that, the BHA has concern about where religious charities are contracted to provide public services, and the possibility that they might proselytise, or otherwise discriminate against employees and service users, while doing so.

The report also asked the charities, ‘“Through our activities we aim to increase the number of people who share our faith”. The statement did not include the word “proselytise” but at the time we thought the intent of the statement was clear. Responses were split across all answers. Although almost 23% of respondents strongly disagreed with the statement, 19% of respondents strongly agreed.’

However, the report goes on to state that, ‘for many faith-based organisations, sharing one’s faith and proselytism are not the same. Proselytism is often viewed as negative and coercive whereas sharing faith is seen as a way to increase understanding of faith and help beneficiaries with spiritual needs.’

‘Some religious charities certainly proselytise in the provision of public services, for example, state-funded schools through religious assemblies,’ said BHA Director of Public Affairs Pavan Dhaliwal. ‘But regardless of the extent to which this happens, the fact remains that such charities are legally able to proselytise and discriminate against staff and service users, while providing public services, due to legal exemptions in the Equality Act.

‘While such exemptions continue to exist, we do not think that religious groups should be able to provide such services. And we do not think that reports surveying what the groups themselves think provide much insight into whether or not they provide any public service that other charities cannot.’
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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