Swedish Humanist Association
Encyclopedia
The Swedish Humanist Association is the largest humanist
/rationalist
organisation in Sweden
with over 4,000 members. It's a member organisation of the International Humanist and Ethical Union
(IHEU).
The SHA works for a secular life stance founded on reason, compassion and responsibility. Its goals include a completely secular society, free of religious oppression, discrimination and other infringements on human rights
. The SHA also promotes science as the primary method for finding answers to empirical questions, staunchly opposing for instance pseudoscience
.
The SHA is the fastest growing humanist organisation in the world, having increased its membership by over 150% during 2006.
Christer Sturmark
has been chairman of the organisation since February 2005.
There are several local groups, situated in Stockholm
, Gothenburg
, Umeå
, Uppsala
, Scania
, Örebro
and Småland
. There is a virtual network for creating debate in media, and members of the SHA have also founded a virtual network for former Christians, "Exkristen". In November 2007 the youth organisation "Unga Humanister" ("young Humanists") was started.
or other religious institutions. They also organise coming-of-age summer camps for teenagers where the participants get to discuss ethics, philosophy, religion, human rights, discrimination and other important issues. These camps are analogous to Christian confirmation camps, although a person does not need to be a member of the SHA or share the humanistic worldview to participate and no confession of faith
is made.
, Nyamko Sabuni
, Georg Klein and Dilsa Demirbag-Sten), as well as articles and debate concerning humanism, rationalism, religion, philosophy, science and pseudoscience, culture and politics.
, whose views - expressed in his book Tro och vetande ("Belief and knowledge") - were instrumental in starting the cultural debate that eventually led to the separating of the Swedish church and state. Its purpose is to acknowledge and support individuals who have worked, as Hedenius did, for a humanistic life stance, rationalism and critical thinking. The award was founded in 2000.
that will be awarded to anyone who can demonstrate beyond doubt that they possess a paranormal or supernatural talent that cannot be explained by conventional science. The award is similar to The One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge of the James Randi Educational Foundation
.
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....
/rationalist
Rationalism
In epistemology and in its modern sense, rationalism is "any view appealing to reason as a source of knowledge or justification" . In more technical terms, it is a method or a theory "in which the criterion of the truth is not sensory but intellectual and deductive"...
organisation in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
with over 4,000 members. It's a member organisation 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).
The SHA works for a secular life stance founded on reason, compassion and responsibility. Its goals include a completely secular society, free of religious oppression, discrimination and other infringements on human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. The SHA also promotes science as the primary method for finding answers to empirical questions, staunchly opposing for instance pseudoscience
Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience is a claim, belief, or practice which is presented as scientific, but which does not adhere to a valid scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, cannot be reliably tested, or otherwise lacks scientific status...
.
The SHA is the fastest growing humanist organisation in the world, having increased its membership by over 150% during 2006.
Organisation and history
The organisation was founded in 1979 and was then called Human-Etiska Förbundet ("Humanist-Ethical Association"). The name was changed into the more international Humanisterna in 1999.Christer Sturmark
Christer Sturmark
Nils Gösta Christer Sturmark, born 7 September 1964 in Danderyd, Stockholm County, is a Swedish author, IT-entrepreneur and prominent debater on religion and humanism in Swedish media....
has been chairman of the organisation since February 2005.
There are several local groups, situated in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Umeå
Umeå
- Transport :The road infrastructure in Umeå is well-developed, with two European highways passing through the city. About 4 km from the city centre is the Umeå City Airport...
, Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
, Scania
Scania
Scania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
, Örebro
Örebro
-Sites of interest:Örebro's old town Wadköping is located on the banks of Svartån . It contains many 18th and 19th century wooden houses, along with museums and exhibitions....
and Småland
Småland
' is a historical province in southern Sweden.Småland borders Blekinge, Scania or Skåne, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. . The latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages...
. There is a virtual network for creating debate in media, and members of the SHA have also founded a virtual network for former Christians, "Exkristen". In November 2007 the youth organisation "Unga Humanister" ("young Humanists") was started.
Secular ceremonies
The majority of Sweden's population is not religious and there is an increasing demand for secular alternatives to religious ceremonies. The ceremonies of baptisms, marriages and funerals are still largely carried out in churches, conducted by priests, even though the participants rarely are practicing Christians. The SHA offers help and advice in creating secular ceremonies for those who don't wish to employ the Church of SwedenChurch of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...
or other religious institutions. They also organise coming-of-age summer camps for teenagers where the participants get to discuss ethics, philosophy, religion, human rights, discrimination and other important issues. These camps are analogous to Christian confirmation camps, although a person does not need to be a member of the SHA or share the humanistic worldview to participate and no confession of faith
Confession of Faith
A Confession of Faith is a statement of doctrine very similar to a creed, but usually longer and polemical, as well as didactic.Confessions of Faith are in the main, though not exclusively, associated with Protestantism...
is made.
Humanisten
The SHA publishes a bi-monthly magazine called Humanisten ("the Humanist"). Every issue contains an interview with noteworthy people (e.g. Björn UlvaeusBjörn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
, Nyamko Sabuni
Nyamko Sabuni
Nyamko Ana Sabuni is a politician, currently serving as Minister for Integration and Gender Equality in the Swedish government. She is a member of the Liberal People's Party...
, Georg Klein and Dilsa Demirbag-Sten), as well as articles and debate concerning humanism, rationalism, religion, philosophy, science and pseudoscience, culture and politics.
Ingemar Hedenius Award
The yearly award commemorates the Swedish philosopher Ingemar HedeniusIngemar Hedenius
Per Arvid Ingemar Hedenius was a Swedish philosopher. He was Professor of Practical Philosophy at the University of Uppsala . He was a famous opponent of organised Christianity...
, whose views - expressed in his book Tro och vetande ("Belief and knowledge") - were instrumental in starting the cultural debate that eventually led to the separating of the Swedish church and state. Its purpose is to acknowledge and support individuals who have worked, as Hedenius did, for a humanistic life stance, rationalism and critical thinking. The award was founded in 2000.
Previous winners
- 2008: Per Kornhall
- 2007: P. C. JersildP. C. JersildPer Christian Jersild, better known as P. C. Jersild, is a Swedish author and physician. He also holds an honorary doctorate in medicine from Uppsala University, and another one in engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology . P. C...
- 2006: Björn UlvaeusBjörn UlvaeusBjörn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
- 2005: Lena Andersson
- 2004: Barbro WesterholmBarbro WesterholmBarbro Westerholm is a Swedish Liberal People's Party politician. She has been a member of the Riksdag since 2006. Westerholm was previously a member from 1988 to 1999....
- 2003: Hans AlfredsonHans AlfredsonHans Folke "Hasse" Alfredson is a Swedish actor, film director, writer and comedian. He was born in Malmö, Sweden. He is known for his collaboration with Tage Danielsson...
- 2002: Georg KleinGeorg KleinGeorg Klein is a composer, sound and video artist. He lives in Berlin.The artist Georg Klein mainly works in site-specific art in public space with sound, including light, texts and later also video...
- 2001: Sholeh Irani
- 2000: Dan Larhammar
Kristallkulan
Kristallkulan ("the Crystal ball") is a prize of 100,000 SEKSwedish krona
The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it, but especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value...
that will be awarded to anyone who can demonstrate beyond doubt that they possess a paranormal or supernatural talent that cannot be explained by conventional science. The award is similar to The One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge of the James Randi Educational Foundation
James Randi Educational Foundation
The James Randi Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 by magician and skeptic James Randi. The JREF's mission includes educating the public and the media on the dangers of accepting unproven claims, and to support research into paranormal claims in controlled...
.