What We Think
Humanism is an attitude to life and to living.
Humanists see no plausible or acceptable reason for
believing in a creator god, nor in any kind of
omniscient, omnipotent deity or supernatural force which
may affect, influence or help our individual or
collective lives.
Humanists wish to live in an open, just and caring
society, where human rights and human dignity are
respected. As humanists, we don't all agree about
everything, but we do share basic values and ideals.
As humanists, we expect to live just this one life – the
corollary of this is that there is no afterlife and no
god.
Since we believe that this is the only life we have, we
try to make it as good as possible for everyone. This
includes accepting responsibility for those yet to be
born. We consider it our duty to help others wherever
and whenever we can. We accept that giving such help is
not always possible, and indeed not always wanted by
some people.
As humanists we believe strongly in life, but we believe
even more strongly in the quality of that life.
Therefore a person whose quality of life is poor through
terminal illness or extreme mental or physical
disability, and who wishes to die because they feel that
their life is no longer worth living, should, we
believe, be allowed to die, possibly being assisted in
the process of dying. We accept that such assistance is
illegal in this country, but still believe in the
desirability of that assistance.
We consider that we are responsible for our own actions,
responsible for the kind of world we live in,
responsible for conserving the earth's resources and
responsible for nurturing the next generation. We find
morality in human nature and in human concern for each
other, rather than in a divine authority. This means
that we do not look to a supernatural being for answers
to the problems of living.
We believe that we should help our children to grow up
as loving, well-behaved, good and helpful people.
We do these things because being good people, being good
to ourselves and to others, is intrinsically the right
thing to do. We do not do them because a holy book tells
us that a deity says it is the right thing to do.
We believe in looking seriously at the problems of life
and considering them in a rational way, but we also find
fun and happiness in the joys of living, in enjoying the
company of family and friends, and in meeting new
people. We regard love and friendship as the greatest
sources of human happiness.
We turn to our fellow men and women, to our family and
friends for support in times of trouble, hoping to solve
our problems together. We also use our own internal
strength to solve our problems for ourselves. We
acknowledge that many people gain great emotional
support and solace from their animal pets and from their
deity.
We deplore prejudice and discrimination, on whatever
grounds – gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or
ability/disability– although most of us acknowledge
that, as human beings, we can be subject to these
failings ourselves. We fight such prejudice within
ourselves where we recognise it. We hate all wanton
cruelty and violence and try at all times to avoid them
ourselves. However, many of us acknowledge that there
can be occasions when violence may be necessary for the
greater good.
A lack of religious belief does not make a person a
humanist: Humanism is a step beyond atheism. A person
can easily be both atheist and secular without being a
humanist: Humanism requires the positive desire to help
others, to improve the quality of life for others, and
the ability to accept that there are people who do have
a religious belief, without insulting that belief or
that person for their belief.
For more information abut humanist beliefs, visit the
website of the British Humanist Association at
www.humanism.org.uk.
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