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I received a flyer from the British Humanist Association to accompany their current “member finds member” membership drive. As many of the people I know read this weblog, I thought I’d do an on-line version. So, my question to anybody who reads this, and considers themselves atheist, agnostic. Heck, even CofE: Are you a Humanist?.

To help, here’s “What Humanists believe”, from the BHA flyer:

• Humanism is an approach to life based on humanity and reason - humanists recognise that moral values are properly founded on human nature and experience alone. Our decisions are based on the available evidence and our assessment of the outcomes of our actions, not on any dogma or sacred text.
• Humanism encompasses atheism and agnosticism ‑ but is an active and ethical philosophy far greater than these negative responses to religion.
• Humanists believe in individual rights and freedoms ‑ but believe that individual responsibility, social cooperation and mutual respect are just as important.
• Humanists believe that people can and will continue to find solutions to the world’s problems ‑ so that quality of life can be improved for everyone.
• Humanists are positive ‑ gaining inspiration from our lives, art and culture, and a rich natural world.
• Humanists believe that we have only one life ‑ it is our responsibility to make it a good life, and to live it to the full.

If you agree to the above (a recent MORI poll put 36% of the population as ‘humanist in outlook’), you might consider joining The British Humanist Association, which is seeking to grow it’s membership base to campaign on behalf of the non-religious viewpoint. Governments are frequently besieged by special interest groups from religious minorities seeking special treatment or privilege: A larger membership for the BHA would help ensure that the large proportion of the British population who do not claim to adhere to a particular religious group would gain better representation. It would also help push the case for humanist ceremonies to be recognised.

Join the BHA via this link. I’d be delighted to hear if any regular readers have joined, or are already members.

See also:

• Are you a humanist?. Take a look at the questions and see for yourself.
• Supporters - Supporters include Stewart Lee, Philip Pullman, Terry Pratchett, Claire Rayner, as well as many other famous scientists, politicians, authors and figures.
• The trouble with Atheism - Channel 4’s broad-side against atheism, presented by Rod Liddle.
• 42% of the population feel that Government ‘pays too much attention to religious groups and their leaders’, leading to well-supported legislation being dropped - such as assisted dying.