North East Humanists - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Tyneside

Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...

Group of the North East Humanists (NEH) was founded on September 17, 1957, although organised secularism

Secularism

Secularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...

in the North East

North East England

North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...

had been active from the 1860s. The group adopted the name North East Humanists in 1997, after merging with the Teesside

Teesside

Teesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...

Humanist group.

NEH is a registered charity, consisting of over 200 members, and is the largest regional Humanist group in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. The group is involved in a wide range of activities including Humanist presentations to schools, campaigns and a varied selection of social events for members.

In common with the basic principles of Humanism

Humanism

Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....

, the NEH is concerned with values and moral issues from a non-religious viewpoint and with the achievement of a more open, just and caring society.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the NEH, the group held a joint lecture with Newcastle University. On October 4, 2007 A. C. Grayling

A. C. Grayling

Anthony Clifford Grayling is a British philosopher. In 2011 he founded and became the first Master of New College of the Humanities, a private undergraduate college in London. Until June 2011, he was Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London, where he taught from 1991...

gave a lecture on 'Reason and the Good', in which he explored the view (rooted in Aristotelian

Aristotelianism

Aristotelianism is a tradition of philosophy that takes its defining inspiration from the work of Aristotle. The works of Aristotle were initially defended by the members of the Peripatetic school, and, later on, by the Neoplatonists, who produced many commentaries on Aristotle's writings...

thinking) that reflection

Introspection

Introspection is the self-observation and reporting of conscious inner thoughts, desires and sensations. It is a conscious and purposive process relying on thinking, reasoning, and examining one's own thoughts, feelings, and, in more spiritual cases, one's soul...

and choice

Choice

Choice consists of the mental process of judging the merits of multiple options and selecting one of them. While a choice can be made between imagined options , often a choice is made between real options, and followed by the corresponding action...

, both expressions of the exercise of reason

Reason

Reason is a term that refers to the capacity human beings have to make sense of things, to establish and verify facts, and to change or justify practices, institutions, and beliefs. It is closely associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, science, language, ...

, are essential to the good life, underlying both the meaning we give to it and the value we find in it.

History

The first meeting of the Tyneside Humanist Group, later to become NEH, was attended by ten people and was held on 17 September 1957 in Kirkstone Gardens, Newcastle upon Tyne. Mr F. R. Griffin addressed the meeting about his attendance at the Second Congress of the International Humanist and Ethical Union

International Humanist and Ethical Union

The International Humanist and Ethical Union is an umbrella organisation embracing humanist, atheist, rationalist, secular, skeptic, freethought and Ethical Culture organisations worldwide. Founded in Amsterdam in 1952, the IHEU is a democratic union of more than 100 member organizations in 40...

(IHEU) in London, and he moved that the ten people present constitute the Tyneside Humanist Group. This motion was seconded by Mr J.W. Alexander and carried unanimously.

On 22 October 1957, the first of a series of ten fortnightly lectures began at Cowan House in the University of Durham, with a lecture by Mr G. Leith on Philosophy. In April 1958 it was decided to arrange a programme of speakers which would include group members. An annual membership fee of 2 shillings and 6 pence was decided upon, with regular members contributing 1 shilling a week, and a fee for visitors.

In October 1958, Mr F. R. Griffin began a series of twelve fortnightly lectures at the British Legion Social Club on the Great North Road

Great North Road (Great Britain)

The Great North Road was a coaching route used by mail coaches between London, York and Edinburgh. The modern A1 mainly follows the Great North Road. The inns on the road, many of which survive, were staging posts on the coach routes, providing accommodation, stabling for the horses and...

in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where meetings were held until 16 December of that year. The first annual general meeting

Annual general meeting

An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...

of the group was held here in May 1959, by which point there were 21 paid up members. In November 1959 the group agreed to send a £1

£1

There are many £1 banknotes, bills or coins, including:Current currencies:*One pound sterling coin and Sovereign, both of the United Kingdom**Old English pound coins: Anglo-Saxon pound, broad, Unite, laurel**Pound Scots...

affiliation fee to the International Humanist and Ethical Union. The group began to organise various social events including theatre visits, and social evenings with games, films, prizes and gramophone record recitals.

BY 1970 the Tyneside Humanist Society were holding meetings at The Friends’ Meeting House in Jesmond

Jesmond

Jesmond is a residential suburb and is split into two electoral wards just north of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The population is about 12,000. It is adjacent to, and to the east of, the Town Moor, providing pedestrian and cycle paths to Spital Tongues and the city's two Universities...

, Newcastle upon Tyne. Neil Jenkins

George Neil Jenkins

George Neil Jenkins was Professor of Oral Physiology at the Dental School of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne for most of his distinguished career. He concentrated his research on the prevention of tooth decay, becoming a world expert in oral hygiene...

was President of the group with Alfred Hobson as Chairman, and both went on to author the book Modern Humanism in 1989.

During 1993, membership of the group had increased dramatically, and now stood at 60. At the annual general meeting of 1993, it was suggested that the group assume the title of North East Regional Humanist Association, continuing to operate as the Tyneside Group but prepared to act also as the Regional Association if requested.

In the spring of 1995 the first North-East Humanist Newsletter was published. In the summer of 1995 a Teesside Humanist Group was formed as branch of the Tyneside Group. In Autumn 1995 a motion was carried to change the group name to North East Humanists, incorporating both the Tyneside Humanist Group and the Teesside Humanist Group. Humanism in the North East continued to expand, with the paid up membership of the group at 114 by the beginning of 1996. By the summer of 1998, membership exceeded 150.

The first NEH regional conference was held on the 12th May 2000 at Durham Castle, with Prof. David Cooper of the Durham University Philosophy Department as the keynote speaker. The group also launched a website this year.

Activities

The group holds meetings at the Literary and Philosophical Society in Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...

on the third Thursday of every month, featuring talks and discussions on ethical and social issues with visiting speakers. The group occasionally holds one-day regional conferences on Humanist subjects. Group members receive a quarterly newsletter which includes articles, a programme of events and matters of current interest. A wide range of social events are organised for members and non-members, including garden parties, quiz nights, country walks and museum visits.

Beliefs

The main beliefs of the North East Humanists, as stated on their website, are:

In common with other forms of life, human beings are part of an evolutionary process that began billions of years ago.
There is no supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...

agency to which we can turn for instruction, justice, comfort, or support. The solutions to human problems are in the hands of humans alone.
We acquire our moral values not from a supernatural source but from the groups and society that we grow up in.
Men and women are responsible for their conduct and should have regard for the welfare of others.
As far as we know, our life
Life
Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate...

is the only one we will ever have.
Human beings can lead happy, creative, fulfilling and meaningful lives whilst in this world.

The word 'belief

Belief

Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.-Belief, knowledge and epistemology:The terms belief and knowledge are used differently in philosophy....

' is used by the group in the sense of something believed, in the form of an opinion or conviction. This should not be confused with belief in the religious sense, meaning confidence in the truth

Truth

Truth has a variety of meanings, such as the state of being in accord with fact or reality. It can also mean having fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. In a common usage, it also means constancy or sincerity in action or character...

or existence

Existence

In common usage, existence is the world we are aware of through our senses, and that persists independently without them. In academic philosophy the word has a more specialized meaning, being contrasted with essence, which specifies different forms of existence as well as different identity...

of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof

Proof

Proof may refer to:* Proof , sufficient evidence or argument for the truth of a proposition* Formal proof* Mathematical proof, a convincing demonstration that some mathematical statement is necessarily true...

, or belief in a certain religious tenet

Tenet

A tenet is one of the principles on which a belief or theory is based. Tenet may also refer to:* Tenet , a Canadian heavy metal band* Tenet Healthcare, a hospital holding company* Tenet people, an ethnic group in Sudan...

or set of tenets, more commonly referred to as faith

Faith

Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...

.

The group considered the IHEU Amsterdam Declaration

Amsterdam Declaration

The Amsterdam Declaration 2002 is a statement of the fundamental principles of modern Humanism passed unanimously by the General Assembly of the International Humanist and Ethical Union at the 50th anniversary World Humanist Congress in 2002...

of 2002, and believed it could be expanded to answer basic questions that frequently arise from group members, acquaintances and guests at meetings. To address this, a working party produced a discussion paper which was widely circulated.

Charitable work

NEH became a registered charity in February 2006, their stated aims being to:

Promote the mental and moral improvement of the human race by the advancement of the philosophy of humanism.
Advance the education of the public in the philosophy of humanism.
Promote charitable purposes.

The group has an established fund-raising committee which researches charitable causes compatible with Humanist thinking, and organises events to raise money for these charities and for the group’s own campaigns.

People's Kitchen

The group is currently supporting the People's Kitchen, established in 1985 by Alison Kay, which aims to provide friendship, food and support to the lonely and homeless in and around Newcastle upon Tyne.

Isaac Newton High School

The group supports the Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...

High School at Kateera Village near Masaka

Masaka

Masaka is a town in Central Uganda, lying west of Lake Victoria. It is the chief town of Masaka District. Besides being the headquarters of Masaka District, the town is the regional headquarters and largest metropolitan area in Lyantonde District, Sembabule District, Lwengo District, Bukomansimbi...

, Uganda

Uganda

Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...

. The school was founded by Peter Kisirinya, a member of the Uganda Humanist Association, which is part of the worldwide International Humanist and Ethical Union

International Humanist and Ethical Union

. He bought land and built the first two classrooms with funds donated by his family and friends.

A major aim of the school is to help disadvantaged children who cannot afford to pay fees for secondary education. These include orphans (many of whose parents died from HIV

HIV

Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...

/AIDS

AIDS

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...

), children in very poor families who cannot afford to pay fees and abandoned children who can be placed in foster homes around the school and can then receive education there.

By 2006 the school had over 80 pupils, of whom only half could afford tuition fees. To facilitate the tuition of orphans and other disadvantaged children at the school, the NEH set up a fund which in 2006 raised £2880 to support 24 students for a year. The school has also received a grant of €10,000 for the construction of a science laboratory. These funds were obtained by Peter Kisirinya from IHEU, to which the NEH is affiliated, and the Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation (HIVOS). Fundraising for the school is ongoing, with money being raised through various charity events, such as quiz nights, bring and buy sales, coffee mornings and countertop collections.

Non-religious ceremonies

In recognition of the fact that those who choose to live without religion still wish to publicly mark important events in their lives, the NEH will arrange for accredited officiants

Humanist officiant

A Humanist officiant is a person who performs secular humanist celebrancy services for weddings, funerals, child namings, coming of age ceremonies, and other rituals...

, known as celebrants, to conduct non-religious weddings, baby namings, same sex affirmations and funerals.

Weddings

Humanist weddings organised by the group can take place in any setting which has particular significance for the participants. The whole ceremony is designed to reflect the tastes of the participants. With the help of the celebrant, the participants choose their vows, the readings, the music and the whole structure of the ceremony. Humanist weddings are not yet recognised in law, which means that most couples will have a registry office ceremony, prior to their Humanist wedding.

The group has held Humanist weddings in Durham Castle

Durham Castle

Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham, England, which has been wholly occupied since 1840 by University College, Durham. It is open to the general public to visit, but only through guided tours, since it is in use as a working building and is home to over 100 students...

, St. Mary's Lighthouse

St. Mary's Lighthouse

St. Mary's Lighthouse is on the tiny St. Mary's Island, just north of Whitley Bay on the coast of North East England. The small rocky tidal island is linked to the mainland by a short concrete causeway which is submerged at periods of high tide....

, stone circles, woods, castles, National Trust

National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty

The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...

properties, and several hotels.

Baby namings

The number of christenings in the UK is steadily falling , and the NEH aims to provide a more inclusive ceremony. Most parents choose to hold the ceremony at the start of a celebratory party, either at their home or some other special venue. Parents state their love and commitment to their child, and their hopes for its future happiness and welfare. Poems, prose reading and music are often included.

Instead of godparents, the parents can choose relatives or friends to become 'supporting adults', 'mentors', or 'special friends', who can join in the ceremony, making a public commitment to be there for the child as they grow up. Some parents choose to mark the occasion with a book in which everyone present can write a message for the child to read when it is older, and some plant a tree to mark the occasion. Other children are encouraged to join in the ceremony, and friends and relatives are invited to contribute.

Funerals

Funerals organised by the group provide a dignified opportunity for people to celebrate a life as well as to share their grief. They can take place at crematoria, cemeteries or woodland burial grounds, and often include music, readings, and tributes to the deceased.

Officiants are trained and accredited by the British Humanist Association

British Humanist Association

The British Humanist Association is an organisation of the United Kingdom which promotes Humanism and represents "people who seek to live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs." The BHA is committed to secularism, human rights, democracy, egalitarianism and mutual respect...

. On receiving a request to conduct a non-religious funeral, they will visit the family to help them decide how they would like the ceremony to reflect the life of the deceased. The officiant then writes the tribute and plans the event to ensure that all of the contributions fit smoothly into the whole ceremony.

External links

The Uganda Humanist Scheme

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