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I understand that you don’t believe in God or organised religion and that’s fine by me. What i’m not sure about is why you feel the need to take a swipe at religion? I subscribe to a live and let live philosophy, I thought Humanism was about repsect for others and their beliefs as much as their own? Correct me if i’m wrong. I’m not having a go – i’m just interested.
There’s no ‘swipe at religion’ in pointing out that more than 40% of the scottish population believe they can live good and worthwhile lives without it, Kathryn.
Thank you HSS for giving a voice to those 2 million of us who are good people but who do not believe in God or who disagree with many of the more dubious messages pushed by organised religion. I am glad Kathryn Smith has a ‘live and let live philosphy’ towards people like me but the Pope in his message today clearly does not! Also, Jill, I don’t see how the HSS is ridiculing the beliefs of others. It seems to me that it is you doing the ridiculing! This campaign is highlighting the feelings of the many people who never get a chance to voice their (non) beliefs. My children go to a non denominational school and I put down on their school entry form that they have no religion (I know loads of other parents who did the same). That is a choice they will make for themselves when they are old enough! Yet, they are still being told in class that they are Christians and that God created the Earth. End of story! I am not the only parent who is baffled by this but we feel we have to put up with it so our children aren’t stigmatised. After so many years being made to feel like outcasts the HSS campaign feels like a breath of fresh air to people like me who generally feel marginalised or ignored. Thank you HSS.
Fiona,
As I have previously said, why as a ‘non Christain organisation’ does so much of the advertising of the HSS focus on religion?! Do you not agree that the opportunity to reach millions of people would be better placed to focus on the positive aspects of the HSS? Instead it uses this opportunity to criticise religion, making it no different from the very sects it criticises. I think this has been a wasted opporunity by the HSS to raise awareness in a ‘positive’ manner.
Incidentally Fiona, I strongly believe that if you have stated on your children’s school entry form that they have no religion, that they should not have religious beliefs forced upon them.
On seeing the latest campaign by the Humanist Society’s I think have I misunderstood some of the organisation’s beliefs. My previous understanding of the fundaments of the HSS included respect for others values and beliefs, clearly not apparent in this campaign.
I think this campaign is highly suggestive of ‘anti-religion’ views. I’m sure most Christains would agree that a belief in God is not necessary for a person to have excellent morals. To make this a major point in your campaign verged on the ridiculous.
I think, as a non religious organisation, it is sad that so many of your beliefs seem to focus on religion. Perhaps it would have been more beneficial to focus on what the HSS has to offer, rather than ridicule others beliefs.
This campaign has sadly has had a detrimental effect on my opinion of the HHS, and i’m sure it will have a similiar effect on many others, regardless of their religious views.
I don’t see it as being anti-religious, or as attacking religion as such. It looks to me to be an awareness-raising campaign to remind people that there are other options. The pope has already been attacking atheists and secularism, making them sound like they will lead to a worse society that doesn’t care about anything or anyone. I think the ‘good without god’ campaign is useful in reminding people that the pope’s views are his own and that there are alternatives.
Thanks Ross… it’s good to know there are some calm minds out there
HSS,
Your reply to my comments don’t address any of the points I have made. I feel it may be more beneficial to attempt to do this as opposed to make a comment about whether or not I have a calm mind?!
My initial opinions of the HSS were that it sounded like a fantastic concept, to promote an organisation which focuses on the positive aspects of human nature. I am interested to know the motivation behind this campaign and why the need to involve religion, the very concept you are trying to avoid, was included?
I too thought that the Humanist Society was promoting humanism, which I thought was belief in the human – not that I’ve ever understood what that means. However, both at Scottish and UK level it seems to have become more of an Anti-God Society.
The Humanist Society must also have a really strange definition of good. If we’re really living in a society so full of good people why doesn’t it appear a bit less broken?
That’s likely more to do with capitalism, an equally detrimental influence on societies wether they’re secular or religious. Look at the United States; being very religious society – by western standards, at least – hasn’t immunised it from capitalism’s propensity to cause overwhelming social problems either.
Love this campaign! Good without God !
So what if some people believe this is a “anti-religious” group. I say we should abolish religion – its the number one cause of all problems in this world.
Fantastic day for Scotland!!
Oh, Ross, the Popes views are not his own as you stated. They are written in Scripture and no Pope can re-write that!!
Anne
Good with out god campaign is absolutely best. I was born in a devout Hindu family. Brought up as one and now have seen the sense. I have read up on Christianity and Islam (not the third Abrahamic religion Judaism as I did not manage to get hold of good works to read up)
The lip service religious leaders do about tolerance in absolute nonsense. No religion is truly tolerant they all ferment dislike to hatred of others. Sure all religion will unite against athiest. Pope is a leader of a large sect that is no different to a VOODOO tribe in far corner of the world except in the number of people who follow it. He became the leader by political manoeuvring like Hitler became the Nazis leader. He should be treated as a leader of a sect and no more.
Calling spade a spade is honest and good for co-existing rather than beating around the bush.
Keep up your good work
This is one of the most ridiculous billboards I have ever seen. All I have to say is when each and every one of you are taking your last breaths on this Earth you will pray to the Lord God. Many of you will even ask for your last spiritual rights and pray again. I have experienced and witnessed this with my own eyes. Very similar groups who deny god until it counts, I promise you will pray. Remember St. Peter denied the Lord three times and spent a lifetime writing about it in remorse. I will pray for all of you, someone needs to. Lord forgive them for they know not what they do, bless them and guide them in their journey. For we know they will pray on judgment day.
God Bless,
Brandon in United States Texas
Nobody forces religion upon anybody. Your are entitled to your own beliefs, you are not persecuted nor prosecuted . To be demeaning to others who do practice and believe is just plain wrong.
Brandon in United States Texas
Ok Brandon.
> “To be demeaning to others who do practice and believe is just plain wrong.”
You’re quite right. Humanists respect people of all faiths and none. And even if we disagree with your beliefs, we respect your right to hold them, so long as they do not harm other people.
In fact, that is why a humanist, secular democracy – unlike a religious government, or theocracy – is the best guarantee of freedom of worship for all people: with no state religion, the state is free to prevent oppressive domination by any one religion and gives, in turn, no privileges or subsidies to any of them.
Is any part of this site “demeaning” to religious people?
“Nobody forces religion upon anybody.”
Except for all the times throughout history when they actually have, and it’s still going on in the world today. Don’t forget, Bush used eradicating Taliban fundamentalism as part of the official narrative justifying the Afghanistan war (Sure, it was really about oil, but I’m just talking about the official line here).
And you can bet your ass I won’t be praying on my deathbed. Pray for me all you want if it makes YOU feel better – I don’t care, it is meaningless. I was raised a Catholic and had YEARS of intimidation about the threat of Hell drummed into me. Yet when I started to rationally analyze the concept of “hell”, it made no sense – then I learned it’s so nonsensical, even a number of Christian denominations don’t bother with it because it’s so absurd. THERE. IS. NO. AFTERLIFE. It’s nothing but a means of coercion to bend people to the will of the powerful. It’s tantamount to obtaining goods or services under false pretences which, last time I checked, was a criminal offence.
Good luck with this campaign. It is perhaps ironic that the biggest winner from the pope’s visit may be the humanist movement and secularism.
As stated above people should be entitled to believe what they wish. I’m mystified though how the pope, a learned and well read man, can believe that a superior, omniscient and omnipotent being responsible for granting the human race with such sophistication, decisive powers, critical faculties and intelligence, can have such crude and primitive methods (i.e. the bad fire) of punishing those who don’t subscribe to his point of view.
Sorry about that long sentence there!
Keep up the good work. Your spokesmen and women came over very well on Radio Scotland this week.