Joint Chair of LHG Invited to meet with King George V College

Chris Hassall, LHG Joint Chair was invited by Glen Skellhorn a teacher at KVG to participate to provide a humanist/atheist perspective on the subject of “Is religious experience ever genuine?”.

This stimulating discussion with the students, which lasted a couple of hours also involved a Zen Buddhist teacher.

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill
Will be debated in the House of Commons in a few weeks time. Concerned being voiced about the religious lobby on this Bill. More details about the Bill here.

BHA has produced a briefing for MPs, which outlines the aims of the Bill, and counters the scaremongering arguments against the Bill based on religious dogma and misinformation. Read here.

‘Passion for Reason’ Facebook group

Pervez Kambakhsh, 23, was convicted of downloading and distributing an article insulting Islam. He has denied the charge. The Afghan senate has retracted it's ratification of the death sentence, he is still imprisioned, but there is a bit of optimism that he might walk free after a 2nd court appearance.

Update in the Independent 26/05/08

Also RAWA [Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan] have had a truly inspirational PR/Appeal.

Podcasting
The BBC still refuses to allow non-religious speakers on their “Thought for the Day” segment on Radio 4.

The Humanist Society of Scotland have once again decided to record their own “Thought for the World” podcasts.

Andrew Copson and Hanne Stinson of the BHA have both contributed http://www.thoughtfortheworld.org/

Assisted Dying
The Humanist and Secular Liberal Democrat one-day conference, “Setting the Agenda for 2008”, on 8/12/07 heard an inspiring keynote address from Dick Taverne, Lib Dem peer and distinguished supporter of the BHA . He reminded the audience of the unscrupulous scare-mongering employed by the religious lobbies to defeat Lord Joffe's 2006 bill to legalise assisted dying for the terminally ill.

BHA Report Launch: Quality and Equality: Human Rights, Public Services and Religious Organisations. Nov. 2008.

Proposed public service reforms risk discrimination against employees and service users and negative effects on social cohesion. Click here for more.

Faith Schools: The government has published a 'joint vision statement' with religious leaders on faith schools in Britain, 10/09/07. Go to our Humanism for Schools page for more info.

Response here to the 2 Gov. Petitions on Faith schools: click 1 here,and 2 here.

The Guardian: Crisis of faith in first secular school - Headteacher is told establishing non-religious education would be 'politically impossible'

Plus LHG Press Officers letter to the Guardian: Faith school scandal

Are you a Bright? find out by clicking here.

Rise of the funerals that leave out God

One in 20 families now rejects a church service in favour of a celebration of life, according to the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD), which represents 85 per cent of the industry.

The rise is being attributed to people's growing willingness to admit that they are non-believers, and to their desire to avoid "hypocrisy".
See Telegraph article here.

Find a BHA Celebrant here.

What's the link between Liverpool & the beginnings of atheism? find out here.

liverpool humanist group
for a good life, without religion

The LHG's Charity Launch Quiz Night on Wednesday 11th June 2008 was a great success. Seven teams took part and the winning team 'Weird Fish' choose the Mustard Seed Secular School, Busota, Uganda as the charity to receive the proceeds from the evening, but also to be the LHG's charity for the forthcoming year.

If you would like to find out more about the school go to the New Humanist web site.

From the evening we raised £138, to put this into perspective a one term bursary for for a child at Mustard Seed Secondary School costs £27. The cost for a year (three terms) is £71.

The winning team also donated their prizes back to the fundraising activities - a very big thank you for their generosity.

The winning limerick, around the theme of the Liverpool Capitol Culture Year, was by Natalie McKenna:

An arl girl from down the Pier Head
Says this culture stuff's good for your 'ed
Sammy Beckett, he's great
Gustav Klimt's at the Tate
And Macca's at Anfield, go 'ed!

Such creativity! & under pressure answering questions at the same time, and that's not all, there was nine other fantastic rhymes.

Photo's from the evening:

Film & Videos Clips

This month video clips: Playing God: The Loving Psychopath. (8.58 mins.) Red State Update: Night at the Creation Museum (2.36 mins)

Writing
	The Dragon in My Garage, Written by Carl Sagan Click here for Word Doc.
	How to Create your Own Religion - In 10 Easy Steps. All Hail The Great God Lardicus. Click here to go to web page.

At the Monro