A fundraising night of comedy, stories and music has been organised by the British Humanist Association (BHA), as part of a week of activities for the Protest the Pope campaign. Relief-O-Matic, at the Bloomsbury Theatre, 19.30 on Monday 13th September, will feature Robin Ince, Ed Byrne, Ben Goldacre, Natalie Haynes, Richard Herring, Andy Zaltzman, Tony Hawks, Peter Tatchell and others.
Relief-O-Matic is a one-off event and marks the first day of Sexual Health Week, and of the week of the Papal state visit to the UK. The proceeds from Relief-O-Matic will support AIDS treatment projects in Africa.
Andrew Copson, BHA Chief Executive, commented, ‘The Holy See and the Pope himself have been consistent in their opposition to the use of condoms and of their distribution in HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives throughout the world. Relief-O-Matic will provide a light-hearted vehicle for comedians, scientists, musicians, campaigners and others to make some really serious points, including the fatuity and immorality of the Pope’s own dangerous and irresponsible comments such as denouncing the distribution of condoms.
‘The BHA, working with other members of the Protest the Pope campaign, is using the state visit of the Pope to the UK to highlight some key objections to the negative effects that the policies and practices of the Vatican and the Holy See have on human rights; including restricting access to contraception and abortion and failing to endorse equality for gay people. Through our organisation of Relief-O-Matic, the BHA is taking the opportunity of the Pope’s state visit to promote the humanist values of human rights and equality that are opposed internationally by the Vatican, reinforced by the power it gains in posing as a state.’
Dr Ben Goldacre, who will be speaking at Relief-O-Matic, commented on his support for the Protest the Pope campaign: ‘I am supporting the campaign because the Catholic Church, with their foolish and aggressive campaign to stop people at risk from using condoms, exacerbate the epidemic of AIDS which kills two million people every year. For such a powerful international organisation, that claims to do good, this is barely forgivable.’
Notes
There are very few tickets remaining for this event. See Bloomsbury Theatre for details http://www.thebloomsbury.com/event/run/1489
This event is part of the Protest the Pope campaign, a coalition of diverse groups who believe that the 2010 papal visit to the UK, which he has every right to make, should nevertheless not be a State Visit costing the taxpayer and giving official sanction to the Vatican. The Vatican, as well as denying abortion to even the most vulnerable women, opposing equal rights for lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender people, covering up the many cases of abuse of children within its own organisation, “rehabilitating” holocaust deniers and failing to sign many major human rights treaties, also opposes the distribution of condoms and sometimes spreads disinformation about contraception and disease, so increasing the spread of AIDS often in the poorest parts of the world.
For further comment or information, please contact Andrew Copson on 020 7079 3583.
The British Humanist Association is the national charity representing and supporting the interests of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.
The British Humanist Association is the national charity representing and supporting the interests of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.