BHA news BHA news www.humanism.org.uk Issue 1 2014 ‘The only possible basis for a sound morality is mutual tolerance and respect: tolerance of one another’s customs and opinions; respect for one another’s rights and feelings; awareness of one another’s needs.’ — A J Ayer, Humanist Coronation Street takes on assisted dying as right-to-die cases reach Supreme Court Coronation Street has broadcast one of its most memorable episodes, in which the character Hayley Cropper, played by BHA Distinguished Supporter Julie Hesmondhalgh, decides to commit suicide after becoming terminally ill with inoperable cancer. The episode in question was watched by over ten million viewers. Coronation Street’s brave tackling of this important ethical issue takes place as we await the Supreme Court’s judgement on the legal case to establish the right to an assisted death. During the hearings in December, we presented our Kate Rutter, portraying Suzie the humanist evidence in support of Jane Nicklinson, celebrant, at Hayley Cropper's funeral the widow of Tony Nicklinson, who sought and was denied an assisted death, and Humanist Funerals showcased on Paul Lamb, who is seeking the right to an Coronation Street assisted death after being paralysed in a road accident. We have been a party to We were very pleased that ITV producers same time as acknowledging the case throughout as an intervener. of Coronation Street chose to bid and celebrating all that the person The judgement will be announced later farewell to the much loved character of has achieved. this year. Hayley Cropper with a humanist funeral. ITV consulted with our Head of By giving Hayley a humanist funeral, Ceremonies, Isabel Russo, checking on Coronation Street reflected the technicalities of the funeral process as increasing need among non-religious well as on script content and delivery. people to say goodbye in a way that is We are delighted that Hayley’s authentic to them. A humanist funeral funeral will have helped to make so many provides the opportunity to gather more people aware that there is together as a community to say a an alternative — and that it’s a really Tony and Jane Nicklinson and family personal and profound farewell, at the good one! World Humanist Congress sneak preview As we draw closer to the World Humanist Here in the UK, the Racial and others, we will negotiate the difficult Congress in Oxford we are putting Religious Hatred Act of 2006 created boundaries of freedom of expression and final details to the programme. We are an offence of inciting hatred against a incitement to hatred. pleased to give you a special sneak person on the grounds of their religion. preview of just one of the sessions you The wording is careful to ensure that can expect over the action-packed it excludes criticism and ridicule and three days. made it clear that the law is intended to protect people, not belief. But the The difficult case of incitement debate still continues about where the to hatred: limits lie. Featuring human rights lawyer and Hate speech, the advocacy of hatred lecturer in International Human Rights based on nationality, race or religion, at the University of Copenhagen Jacob occupies an exceptional position in Mchangama; UK’s leading authority on international law, and many argue that community cohesion and intercultural the ban on hate speech is directly in relations Ted Cantle; Australian conflict with the right to freedom philosopher Russell Blackford; our Head of expression. Human rights lawyer Jacob Mchangama of Public Affairs Pavan Dhaliwal and MANY THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO DONATED TO OUR CASH APPEAL AT THE END OF LAST YEAR Your ongoing support means a lot to all our staff and volunteers From the Chief Executive Andrew Copson Just as this BHA News went to press posters depicting discarded religious Tickets are almost completely sold out we heard that posters put up by our symbols banned, our Reading affiliate for the World Humanist Congress so if you affiliated society in Southbank University was harassed at Freshers’ Fair over a are intending to come you should hurry had been banned and ordered to be pineapple labeled ‘Mohammed’ and to whc2014.org.uk today! Just this week, removed. They depicted a famous scene our affiliate at the LSE made national with the release on license of Alexander from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel headlines when they were intimidated by Aan from an Indonesian jail, imprisoned but with the original character of god University authorities for wearing T-shirts for setting up an atheist Facebook page, replaced by the satirical online god, depicting the popular web comic ‘Jesus and with the arrest of a British Muslim in the ‘Flying Spaghetti Monster’. That and Mo’. Pakistan for blasphemy, we’re reminded such mild and inoffensive visual humour The National Federation of Atheist, how important the theme of Freedom should be banned by a British university Humanist and Secularist Student Societies of Thought and Expression is. I hope you is appalling – but, unfortunately, not as (AHS), which is a network of societies will join us in Oxford and meet humanists unusual or surprising to us as it should be. facilitated by the BHA, has grown fast from over forty countries. It is as much Case after case has come to us in the in the last couple of years, and it’s not by building strong personal relationships past couple of years of our affiliates on surprising in light of all this. We need to and networks with our fellow humanists campuses being censored, intimidated support freethinking in universities just across the world as through our advocacy or otherwise disrupted as they try to go as much if not more as in our schools and at the UN and elsewhere that we can about their perfectly legitimate social we’re actively looking for ways that we create a better world. and political activities. At Warwick can do that in the coming years. University, our affiliated society had ********* Bentham Lecture: Humanism and the Posthuman Challenge One of the leading figures in feminist modification of the human body will reflected on what rights trans-humans political theory, Professor Anne Phillips affect how we relate to one another; if it would possess in comparison to ordinary FBA, Graham Walls Professor of will be possible to use digital technology humans, and Jürgen Habermas, who Political Science at the London School to enhance human intelligence way argued that the creation of trans-humans of Economics, presented our annual beyond what humans are currently would place restrictions on human Bentham Lecture at University capable of; and what kind of relationship autonomy by subjecting individuals to College London (UCL) on the topic these enhanced, or ‘posthumans’ will specifications imposed by someone else. Humanism and the Posthuman Challenge have with non-enhanced humans. The Bentham Lecture is organised by in November. Professor Phillips expressed a the Humanist Philosophers’ Group, Professor Phillips discussed the sceptical attitude towards post- and with support from us and the UCL technological and moral questions posed trans-humanism, expressing concerns Philosophy Department. by recent developments in cybernetics over equality and highlighting and biotechnology, exploring how the philosophers Francis Fukuyama, who Professor Anne Phillips delivering the 2013 Bentham Lecture Dying Matters Week launch Free School has links to News in brief private creationist school Humanist Ceremonies’ funeral celebrants are busy organising events to support We were alarmed to discover that one of Trainee teachers receive Dying Matters Awareness week taking the Free Schools opened last September, sessions on Humanism place from 12 — 18 May. Tyndale Community School in Oxford, From talks and displays, stands and is co-sponsored by an organisation that Our Board member, David Pollock, death cafes, celebrants will be supporting also runs a private school that is part of delivered training sessions at universities this year's theme of ‘you only die once’ the Christian Schools’ Trust network of in Sheffield, Liverpool, and London in (#yodo), and in particular encouraging creationist schools. The other sponsor, December for students undertaking a members of the public to think about and Chapel St, runs two Free Schools, with postgraduate certificate in education. record their funeral wishes. three more on the way. Students received a thorough background We are a member of the Dying Matters in the rich history of Humanism, as coalition that aims to change public Afghan Atheist granted well as engaging with some of the big knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours asylum by Home Office questions about morality, meaning, towards dying, death, and bereavement. and purpose. The training ended with a For more information see The Home Office has granted asylum to session on how Humanism can contribute www.dyingmatters.org an Afghan atheist who is at risk of being young people’s education within Religious persecuted or executed if he returns to Education. his home country. This is one of the few Dying Matters: times that the UK has granted asylum to CFI UK conference on Be ready an atheist on the grounds of protection science and pseudoscience from persecution for reasons of religion for it or belief. Dying Matters Awareness Week 2013 The Centre for Inquiry UK, the section of 13th – 19th May 2013 the BHA that aims to apply science and BHA condemns gender reason to questions regarding religion and things you can do to segregation at university the supernatural, contemporary ethical dilemmas, and social/political problems, live well and die well events held a day-conference on science and Make a will pseudoscience in December. Record your funeral wishes Together with the National Federation of Speakers included Professor Chris French Plan your future care and support Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student from Goldsmiths University Department Register as an organ donor Societies (AHS) we have condemned a of Anomalistic Psychology speaking on Tell your loved ones your wishes report which endorsed gender segregation How many of these parapsychology and science; Andy Lewis have you done? at university events.