Mid-west Humanists – An Irish Atheist Community

The April Meeting was held yesterday at the Carlton Castletroy Park Hotel.  The theme of the meeting was Humanism in the news and it turns out that there is a lot of humanism related stories.  We only looked at the Irish Times and only for the last 6 weeks or so and generated some lively discussion on the stories reviewed.  These were :

1.    It seems as if religion is the last taboo by BREDA O’BRIEN

Religious practice has many positive effects, and we should try and harness those benefits.  Are people returning to the “comfort blanket” of religion in a time of recession?

Its a sad reflection on religion if it is reduced to the fear engendered by the recession to increase its numbers. Full Article

2.    Is religion good for you? By SHANE HEGARTY

A response to the Iona Institute document saying that religious practice makes you happier, healthier, and less likely to stray as a teenager or as a spouse.  This is a great piece of criticism and the best quote in it is “(The report is also quite amusing in how it talks in its main text about Richard Dawkins and The God Delusion without mentioning either by name. Say it: Dawkins, Dawkins, Dawkins. He won’t materialise in a puff of sulphur.)” Full Article

3.    Humanists launch campaign against judicial religious oaths by PATSY McGARRY, Religious Affairs Correspondent A report on the The Humanist Association of Ireland poster campaign on Dart trains in the capital against the practice of judges and presidents of Ireland being obliged to take an oath. FullArticle

4.    A row that goes all the way back to creation By FIONOLA MEREDITH As the Ulster Museum in Belfast prepares for its grand reopening after a major makeover, curators didn’t plan on a blazing row over plans to host a Darwin exhibition in its new science galleries. Full Article.

5.    New school model still tramples on rights of the non-religious by DICK SPICER, chairman of the Humanist Association of Ireland.  OUR STATE is unique among developed democracies in compelling children to attend school and then not providing them with a religiously neutral educational choice and schools, although they are funded by the taxpayers, are not “national” in the sense of accommodating all our children equally. Full Article

6.    Hospice group asked to back doctor-assisted suicide By PATSY McGARRY

THE IRISH Hospice Foundation has been asked to support “legal doctor-assisted suicide” where requested by terminally ill patients. Its support has also been sought for the creation of an “advance healthcare directive” whereby a person may stipulate in advance the circumstances where he or she would refuse treatment.  The requests have been made by the Humanist Association of Ireland (HAI) in a submission to the Irish Hospice Foundation. Full Article

7.    Saying goodbye your own way by ARMINTA WALLACE

With society becoming increasingly secular, civil funerals can provide a more personal ritual for those who are uncomfortable with the pomp and dogma of church services. Full Article

8.    How Darwin helped shape Irish writing by FINTAN O’TOOLE

The way in which Irish writers responded to Darwin’s beliefs forged a whole new cultural space here.  Full Article

9.    Moral equivalence is of little use to those dying without dignity by LEN DOYAL

An opinion piece putting forward his arguments for the legalisation of euthanasia following his prevention from speaking at Cork University Hospital. Full Article

We discussed the meeting schedule and decided to make the May meeting and evening one.  It will take place on the 19th May at 20:00, with the venue to be decided.  Hopefully this will be more conveinent for more members as the Sunday morning seems to be too early for some.

Filed under: humanism, Meetings | 2 Comments »

From: Sully
To: Jason, dj357, drorgasm, stilldoubting
Subject: About that meeting…

Pssssst…

You might have noticed my conspicuous absence from last month’s meeting (the lack of narcissism-fuelled interruptions whilst people were talking might have brought it to your attention).

I gave the meeting a miss in favour of spending a week in the US of A, enjoying Thanksgiving with my ladyfriend, but now I’m worried that I’m missing out on some vital info! Good thing you guys were there! Any chance you could give me a little cheat sheet so nobody notices? I’ll make it worth your while!

Just do me a favour – don’t tell Larry. Remember that time he caught me passing notes during a meeting and put me cleaning toilets for a week? I shudder to think at what he’d do if he found out that I went mitching to partake in yet another holiday that has had its true origins scrubbed from the public consciousness…

So what’d I miss last month?

Filed under: humanism, Meetings | 1 Comment »

Each time that we have brought up the issue of actively working to increase membership (at the AGM and at our local November meeting) the response from some Humanist Association of Ireland members has been (to paraphrase) that the organisation would be happy to accept new members but humanism is not a religion and we do not proselytise. I understand this point of view but I can’t agree with it.

Humanism is a life stance and if we take this stance we must believe that it has value. I for one believe that if people take personal responsibility for their own lives and collective responsibility for the species, and base this responsibility on reason and ethics, the sum of human happiness will increase and the sum of suffering be reduced. So for three reasons we should actively seek new members:

1. Humanism has something to offer to the individual and to society.

2. People cannot choose humanism if they don’t know it exists so some form of active communication is necessary.

3. In practical terms a larger membership gives the organisation resources to draw on to get things done. It also demonstrates to society (and politicians) that there is a constituency of freethinkers that must be listened to.

For me the big issue is around knowledge of humanism and the sense community and shared experience it provides. I have been an agnostic since I was 16. However, I didn’t meet an acknowledged humanist/atheist until I was 50. In the intervening years I worried about my strange views, wondered how I would teach my children to be moral and dealt with a hundred other dilemmas on my own. I wasn’t able to acknowledge my atheism until I was in my 40’s. Finding out about humanism/freethinking and becoming involved with it lifted an enormous burden from me. I now believe that there are literally hundreds of thousands of others with the same dilemmas out there and we should be reaching out to them because humanism has something to offer.

Filed under: humanism, Meetings | 1 Comment »

Our next meeting is on 23rd November 2008 at 11:00 in the Castletroy Park Hotel.

The last meeting was, I think successful. I would appreciate feedback from attendees about the format for our meetings.

The opening round where people spoke of their own experiences and what motivated them to become freethinkers was particularly interesting and I think we should retain it or some version of it.  There may be time constraints but I think we should try to hear from newcomers and anyone with a particular urge/need to speak.  It is a key way of offering support to each other and a very valuable outlet for people who have not have had like minded people to express themselves to before now.

Another section I think we should include is discussion of some current topic/controversy.  This could be led by someone with strong views on or an interest in the topic concerned.  For example we could discuss the church’s role in education.  This would have the added benefit of rehearsing our arguments so that if asked to explain our position in the media we would be able to do so with the fluency that practice brings.

The format for our meetings might be:

• Opening Round
• Speaker or Presentation + Discussion
• Current Topic/Controversy
• Open Forum (AKA Any Other Business)

I look forward to your comments.

Filed under: humanism, Meetings | 9 Comments »