On Humans, Humanism, and All Other Life
I have just finished reading the late Douglas Adams’s Last Chance to See, his 1990 book recounting his travels around the world with the naturalist Mark Carwardine to encounter rare and endangered animal species for a BBC radio series broadcast in 1989. In it, Adams uses his abundant wit, scientific knowledge, and deeply humane ethos to show just how absurdly destructive is the human species. The book has prompted me to consider the relationship between humans and the rest of nature, and how this relates to the non-religious outlook on life known as humanism. Adams impresses upon the reader...
Read MoreSecularists Must Challenge Racist Discourse Not Enable It
Secularism, like any other social concept, carries different connotations to different people in different parts of the world. To consolidate a purely definitional view of secularism as proposed by French academic Jean Bauberot: secularism is the formal separation of the state and religious institutions, freedom of thought, conscience and religion and no state discrimination against anyone on the grounds of their belief. No state in the world adheres to this definition entirely and because of the complexities of concepts such as discrimination it arguably never will be fulfilled for everyone...
Read MoreThe Right To Assisted Suicide
We had the pleasure of being invited this year’s debate ‘Persons who wish to decide when to end their lives should be able to do so with the assistance of a registered physician’
Read MoreCan The Non-religious Be Moral? Well, Can The Religious?
Recently the topic of the moral decline of society has reentered the public discourse. This unwelcome topic has again reared its ugly head in the wake of the horrific shooting in a Florida school.
Read MoreThis house would abolish state-funded faith schools
Source: This House Would Abolish State-Funded Faith Schools Original post by Patrick Mackie George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh have a school debating society which, from time to time, invites guest speakers to debate a motion. The Scottish Secular Society were asked to put up a speaker to propose the motion, “This house would abolish state-funded faith schools“, and I offered to act as proposer. The speaker for the opposition was Barbara Coupar, from the Scottish Catholic Education Service. The full text of Patrick’s opening speech and closing remarks can be found at the link below:...
Read MoreDoes Denominational School Provision in Scotland Match Religious Affiliation?
Source: Does Denominational School Provision in Scotland Match Religious Affiliation? Original post by Patrick Mackie The usual rules of such questions apply; the answer is, of course, no. I’d better begin, by stating yet again that my beef is not against any particular church, or Christianity, or religion per se; this post drills a bit deeper into the information I’ve dug out since being asked to speak at a school debate on the motion “This house would abolish state-funded faith schools”. (Read more…)
Read MoreFirst Anniversary of Western Isles Secular Society!
A series of unexpected events afforded me a surprise opportunity to travel to Stornoway to join the Western Isles Secular Society as they celebrated their 1st anniversary. Given the wild ride through their inaugural year, it was a privilege to join them in celebrating their success. The official celebration was to be held on the first Sunday evening in December, at the Caladh Inn. This gave me an extended weekend to wander around the beautiful eastern area of Lewis & Harris. Strong messages in the media about Stornoway’s unique desire for publicly and privately keeping the Sabbath holy...
Read MoreTheos | Secular Wales/Cymru Seciwlar
The important question is: What are the roots of morality and justice now that we have (in Wales) a (nearly) secular society?
Read MoreChurch nominees on Education Committees; (for 3rd time) | Primate’s Progress
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any better for our Petition to remove unelected Church nominees from Scottish Local Authority Education Committees, things got better.
Read MoreGlasgow local elections; my preferences based on secularism issues | Primate’s Progress
A few thoughts on the upcoming elections from one of our members.
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