• In total there are 7 users online :: 0 registered, 0 hidden and 7 guests (based on users active over the past 60 minutes)
    Most users ever online was 789 on Tue Mar 19, 2024 5:08 am

Council ban on atheist websites

#52: Aug. - Sept. 2008 (Non-Fiction)
User avatar
Chris OConnor

1A - OWNER
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 17016
Joined: Sun May 05, 2002 2:43 pm
21
Location: Florida
Has thanked: 3509 times
Been thanked: 1309 times
Gender:
Contact:
United States of America

Council ban on atheist websites

Unread post

Council ban on atheist websites
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 530519.stm
A city council has blocked its staff from looking at websites about atheism.

Lawyers at the National Secular Society said the move by Birmingham City Council was "discriminatory" and they would consider legal action.

The rules also ban sites that promote witchcraft, the paranormal, sexual deviancy and criminal activity.

The city council declined to comment on the possible legal action, but said the new system helped make it easier for managers to monitor staff web access.

'Very strong case'

The authority's Bluecoat WebFilter computer system allows staff to look at websites relating to Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and other religions but blocks sites to do with "witchcraft or Satanism" and "occult practices, atheistic views, voodoo rituals or any other form of mysticism".

Under the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, it is unlawful to discriminate against workers because of their religion or belief, which includes atheism.

National Secular Society president Terry Sanderson said the city council's rules also discriminated against people who practise witchcraft, which is also classed as a legitimate belief.

He said the society would initially contact the council and ask for the policy to be changed, and otherwise pursue legal action.

He said he believed he would have a "very strong case".

Mr Sanderson said: "It is discriminatory not only against atheists but they also are banning access to sites to do with witchcraft.

"Witchcraft these days is called Wicca, which is an actual legitimate and recognised religion.

"We feel very strongly that people who don't believe should not be denied the access that people who do believe have got."

He added that some opinion polls said that up to 25% of the UK population now considered themselves atheist.

A city council statement said the authority had a "long-standing internet usage policy for staff".

It added: "We are currently implementing new internet monitoring software to make the control of internet access easier to manage.

"The aim of this is to provide greater control for individual line managers to monitor internet usage, and for departments, such as trading standards and child protection, to gain access, if needed, to certain sites for business reasons."
User avatar
Chris OConnor

1A - OWNER
BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
Posts: 17016
Joined: Sun May 05, 2002 2:43 pm
21
Location: Florida
Has thanked: 3509 times
Been thanked: 1309 times
Gender:
Contact:
United States of America

Unread post

How do you all feel about this article? Should atheist sites be banned?

I think this article goes a long way towards showing theists how atheists are abused and mistreated in society. Why are Christian sites permitted while atheist sites are banned and grouped in with "witchcraft, the paranormal, sexual deviancy and criminal activity."?
User avatar
tarav

1F - BRONZE CONTRIBUTOR
Genuinely Genius
Posts: 806
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2003 3:25 pm
20
Location: NC

Unread post

That is soooooo ridiculous! Yet, it doesn't surprise me at all. :(
User avatar
Steingerd
Atop the Piled Books
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:47 pm
15

Not fair

Unread post

If they are going to ban Atheism, they should also ban looking at Jesus sites.
Why don't they just ban thinking. They could put a microchip in everyone's brain that zaps people when they have independent thoughts. Oooh, or maybe they could just ban the sites you have to be literate to use. That leaves video games, the Barbie site, and some of the Disney site. That would be safe. Then, nobody could THINK anything unpleasant at work! ...Or could they?
Post Reply

Return to “50 reasons people give for believing in a god - by Guy P. Harrison”