Is Religion a force for good? That’s the topic for the next Manchester event for the Duscuss Group this Wednesday evening at the Albert Chop House
It’s hard to argue that it is as we witness horrors in the name of religion blighting our TV screens almost every night.
What good there is comes despite our religious traditions, not as a result of them. The number of people who declared themselves to be ‘of no religion’ in the 2011 census had doubled over the preceding decade.
The public are breaking with religion. The debate over gay marriage has shown how out of touch with public opinion most faith groups are. It is anachronistic that religious groups enjoy such privilege. The harm that many religious doctrines still do to people out weight any good.
But this drift to secularism brings risks. Religion, both the Christian traditions and the faith of immigrant communities are the glue that hold society together. The churches provide valuable social services, food banks, education, as well as a moral hand on the tiller.
It is this ever-growing religious apathy and militant atheism among Brits that is leading to the downfall of the values that make a society strong and sustainable. It is this that will destroy Britain faster than any fundamentalist.
There is a heavyweight panel set to debate the issue.For the motion, Philip Blond, ResPublica and Former Lecturer in Theology, St Martin’s College and the newly appointed Right Revd David Walker, The Bishop of Manchester.
Those arguing against the motion are led by one of Britain’s best known journalists Polly Toynbee of the Guardian and former President of the British Humanist Association, along with Ian Abbott of the Lancashire Secular Humanists.
You can get your tickets HERE
