New Humanist

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Free thinking in an age of extremes. Follow for independent journalism on ideas, culture, politics and science. Published since 1885. www.newhumanist.org.uk

Hardline Islamists and Christian nationalists are locked in a toxic symbiosis There’s a symbiotic relationship between extremisms. And there’s a danger that the rise of Christian nationalism is playing into a narrative of hardline Islamists that says, “Western society will never accept you.” And then that plays into the Christian side. We don’t want to go down that path. We really do need our political leaders to stand up and be brave and defend Britain’s diverse, multicultural society where there is space for people of all religions, and no religions as well. We need some boldness, and we haven’t had that. Sensible people, moderate people, have to step up, because if we cede the ground to these extremists, Britain will be moving into quite a dangerous place. Nick Lowles, New Humanist Summer 2026 edition New Humanist
Money, God, and the far right’s nostalgia for a past that never existed The far right and the populist right are framing their political narrative around an existential threat to the British way of life, or the “Judeo-Christian West” – a nostalgic throwback to some golden era that didn’t happen. Some of this is about framing and tapping into this mood of decline, this idea that Britain is going downhill, and a nostalgic view of the golden days – you know, Empire, Queen, Country, God. It’s also a reflection of US politics coming into Europe and the UK, and right-wing Christian money coming in as well. Nick Lowles, New Humanist Summer 2026 edition New Humanist
Christian nationalism's elite is far more devout than Tommy Robinson You have the Tommy Robinson version of Christian nationalism, which is an appropriation of religion for political reasons... more serious is the rise of post-liberalism in Catholic and other branches of Christian theology. That includes people like the Cambridge theologian James Orr, who is now Reform UK's Head of Policy, media mogul Paul Marshall, who co-owns GB News, JD Vance, and the tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel, who is part of a slightly different wing. They seem more respected, and less politically toxic, but actually they are driven by a much more defined and devout political view. There’s serious money behind them and they have influence. Nick Lowles, New Humanist Summer 2026 edition New Humanist
Milad Resaeimanesh, an Iranian atheist based in Sweden says that in the past 20 years, Iranians have begun to “come out with their own identity and their real face and voice and name, saying, ‘We left Islam, we are not afraid, we exist and we’re not going to be silent anymore and we are not scared of you.’” He adds that, during the 2022-23 Woman, Life, Freedom movement, protestors were attacking mosques and women were burning their headscarves in public acts of defiance. “When they were going to the funerals of people who lost their lives during the protests, their families and loved ones, they didn’t read the Koran, they didn’t cry, they listened to music and started dancing”.
Apostasy is on the rise in Iran, and it is punishable by death The Gamaan poll found that 9 per cent of Iranians are now atheists and 6 per cent agnostic, with younger respondents reporting higher levels of irreligiosity... Anyone who converts from Islam to another faith, or to no faith, faces the threat of execution on charges of apostasy. Atheists and agnostics are persecuted by the state, along with Sufis and Yarsanis, who practice an ancient syncretic faith. But “the biggest injustice, I think, in terms of sheer numbers and sheer brutality, is against the Baha’is,” says Abbas Milani, director of Iranian Studies at Stanford University. Saleem Vaillancourt, New Humanist Summer 2026 edition
Leaving the Church meant I could rebuild myself. I'm sure a therapist could have helped me, but it would have to have been someone specifically trained in these issues... I didn't frame my feeling of unsafety as a problem with me, so much as a problem inherent to the godless universe... Over time, losing your religion may start to feel less like a loss, and more like an opportunity to rebuild yourself from the ground up.' Abi Millar, Ex-Evangelical and author.