History Month: Shelley's atheism; gay conversion therapy; birth control & Goldman Sachs

Dear reader,

It's History Month at the Freethinker. In our leading article today, Dr Tony Howe considers what kind of an atheist Percy Bysshe Shelley might have been. He argues that Shelley's atheism was not negative, but the starting point for wonder.

How should the law on gay conversion therapy be reformed so as to protect vulnerable victims while allowing for freedom of conscience and religion? This is the thorny question discussed by Richard Scorer. 

Finally, we have an article from Bob Forder on the surprising connections between the birth control movement and Goldman Sachs (or their London premises, at least); and an interview with Bhavan Rajagopalan, director of the Indian rationalist film Vivesini.

Articles
Lifting the veil: Shelley, atheism and the wonders of existence, by Tony Howe
Gay conversion therapy: how to reform the law, by Richard Scorer
Freethought and birth control: the untold story of a Victorian book depot, by Bob Forder
The resurgence of enlightenment in southern India – interview with Bhavan Rajagopalan

Freethought events
I enjoyed speaking to the Sunday Assembly Brighton and the Leicester Secular Society about freethought ancient and modern. If your local freethinking/secular/humanist/etc society would like me to come and give a talk about what freethought means and why it matters, do get in touch.

Bob Forder's article was originally read as a paper at the recent conference on Freethought in the Long Nineteenth Century at Queen Mary, University of London. There is some fascinating research being done on the history of freethought around the world. We hope to be able to publish articles by more of the speakers in due course.

I hope you enjoy our latest articles, and if you do, please share them widely. As always, we rely on your support.

Best wishes,

Emma Park
Editor, The Freethinker
editor@freethinker.co.uk
freethinker.co.uk