Promoting Humanism

[animist]

Latest post of the previous page:

India now has laws preventing such discrimination against Dalits. In fact, there are positive discriminations which uses a quota system to ensure historically underprivileged people get a leg up. Although, Dalits are still discriminated against by certain private sector employers. Rural areas have much more problems with caste based segregation and discrimination than cities in India.

That's good, Compo, there is some hope for India getting into the current century then!

There seems to be two conflicting yet concurrent Indias - one is modern, scientific, urban and secular while the other is traditional, rural, religious and superstition-based.

sounds a bit like the US?

[Dave B]

[coffee]

I recently received a BHA fund raising letter for humanist advisers (chaplains) work to give
emotional suport & moral guidance to non religious prisoners which i thought was a very good
idea so I was wondering if local humanist groups could do the same and offer some emotional
suport & moral guidance to wish to learn and live as a humanist if required.Also may be
worth for humanists try running humanist youth groups to draw non religious young people in
because the christians are trying catch them younger now and they seem a lot more better
organized than humanists. Humanists values are very good but humanists can only pass it on
through meaningful socialisation because people like socialising & friendship and that is
what the christian are doing. I don't think it a good idea for humanists to sit back and wish religions will just go away because people like to come together to socialise with like minded people and to share similar values, unless humanists step in, christianity will alway be there and impose their irrationality to others.

[Compassionist]

I recently received a BHA fund raising letter for humanist advisers (chaplains) work to give
emotional suport & moral guidance to non religious prisoners which i thought was a very good
idea so I was wondering if local humanist groups could do the same and offer some emotional
suport & moral guidance to wish to learn and live as a humanist if required.Also may be
worth for humanists try running humanist youth groups to draw non religious young people in
because the christians are trying catch them younger now and they seem a lot more better
organized than humanists. Humanists values are very good but humanists can only pass it on
through meaningful socialisation because people like socialising & friendship and that is
what the christian are doing. I don't think it a good idea for humanists to sit back and wish religions will just go away because people like to come together to socialise with like minded people and to share similar values, unless humanists step in, christianity will alway be there and impose their irrationality to others.

I agree. The trouble is that humanists don't have halls to host youth events in. Churches have halls and they use them for social activities. I am one of the only 7 Life Members of the Humanist Society of Scotland. Very small percentage of the population bother to join Humanist organisations (e.g. 0.1% or less).

[Alan C.]

Figures reveal more humanist than Catholic weddings in Scotland.

Most of the religious marriages, 5,557, were Church of Scotland, with 1,729 Catholic. Humanists presided over 2,486 ceremonies.

Steve Chinn, secretary general of the Humanists Society Scotland, said if current trends continue, humanist ceremonies will overtake the Church of Scotland in 2015.

[Fia]

We did more weddings than the catholics last year, but for some of us HSS Celebrants it's not to do with numbers but quality. I turn down far more than I do...

[Alan C.]

Fia
I turn down far more than I do...

That's a shame,
Any particular reason, Apart from your other commitments?

[Fia]

As you surmised, Alan, other commitments for sure e.g. I worked this morning and doing a wedding this afternoon. Also my nearest city - Aberdoom - is over an hours drive away and I try to avoid impersonal hotels where possible. And I do Legal Humanist Marriages for Humanists, not pick'n'mix nice ones for folk who are church members but prefer our style ceremony. Many of my colleagues will do that but I'm crystal clear at the outset that I will not include god/s, hymns, prayers, readings from holy books, mentions of soul/angels etc. as personally my Humanism comes firmly first

[Dave B]

Hear, hear!

[Alan H]

[Compassionist]

As you surmised, Alan, other commitments for sure e.g. I worked this morning and doing a wedding this afternoon. Also my nearest city - Aberdoom - is over an hours drive away and I try to avoid impersonal hotels where possible. And I do Legal Humanist Marriages for Humanists, not pick'n'mix nice ones for folk who are church members but prefer our style ceremony. Many of my colleagues will do that but I'm crystal clear at the outset that I will not include god/s, hymns, prayers, readings from holy books, mentions of soul/angels etc. as personally my Humanism comes firmly first

[Fia]

Whilst I'm enjoying this wholehearted endorsement of my principles - thank you good folk - the argument that pick'n'mix colleagues often use is that they are promoting Humanism by their very obvious tolerance. And, of course, that I'm one of those pesky fundamentalist Humanists (rather like my Feminism ) who is missing out on the opportunity to show how lovely and tolerant we are.

They have a point, especially in the light of this threads' title. Perhaps more inclusivity and sensitivity to gather the self-proclaimed faithful to a touchy-feely Humanist fold, however brief, may gradually dawn the idea that perhaps we're on the right lines life choices wise.

But I think this sends mixed messages. Although personally I'm tolerant and understanding of others life paths, when I'm asked to do a legal Humanist marriage I'm representing the current Scottish face of Humanism. I really really don't want that to be that we do nothing more than rather lovely ceremonies. If we use religious readings, references and language it dilutes both our message and our service to our families.

With weddings (funerals are more delicate) I always reply to an enquiry with a link to the Amsterdam Declaration. I have had far more couples respond with 'thank goodness, that's wonderful, exactly how we feel' than huffing off as i won't entertain Great Aunt Flo reading some 'holy' tract in the name of inclusivity.

I reckon as I have a self-proclaimed ethical life stance, embodied in my Celebrancy, it is ethical to uphold it, even if it may lose me work or I have accusations of not being a good and tolerant Humanist.

Wherefore my promoting Humanism now?

[Dave B]

I'm still with you, Fia!

Yes, perhaps we need a little bit of inclusivity at times but there seems to be some danger of just "pandering" to those who want some sort of ceremonial content and don't care what it is so long as it is not religious exactly. Perhaps they would ask the Wicca or the Pagans if they really had a taste for the different! (Betcha those people would not want to know either . . .)

If they have a sincere want for a humanist ceremony it's good; if the need is in any way insincere or cynical why should you indulge their petty preferences?

[Fia]

Thank you Dave There is apparently a huge issue for the HSS now in Scotland with pick'n'mix celebrants, who apply for authorisation for each legal marriage ceremony, unlike us who are annually licensed. (I admit to contemplating that route myself when frustrated with the organisation.) More pick'n'mix funeral folk trying their hand. Even if Celebrancy was my main source of income I still think that standards are more important than numbers. We have excellent training, support, insurance and disclosure (or whatever it's called now) and persoanlly I don't think it's helped by being diluted to indulge petty preferences.