HUMANIST SOCIETY OF WEST YORKSHIRE
Affiliated to the British Humanist Association

NEWSLETTER (105) FEBRUARY, 2008

February meeting:- “Scientific Standards - Does Religion Make the Grade?”
Gerry Hannant,  member

With most of our meetings being on specific matters of social concern our members have sometimes said they would like to have  a meeting on Humanism in contrast to religious belief.  Well, this comes somewhat from the other direction but it will give the opportunity to ‘compare and contrast’  in the discussion. 7.30pm (coffee from 7.00) Tues. 12th Feb. in Room 2, Swarthmore.

January meeting:- “What Muslims Want” DVD of ‘Dispatches’, Channel 4

            We had some difficulty in getting the laptop to play the DVD, but finally, thanks to the sterling efforts of Paul Dean and the Caretaker we got going at around 8.00 using a DVD player and a ‘ghetto blaster’ for sound  I will run through the statistics.  If any member wishes to hire the DVD let the Secretary know and return it within a week of receipt with a cheque for £1.
There are 1.5 million Muslims in Britain, 40% think Princess Diana was killed by the British Secret Service.  93% say their religion is important to them.  82% feel strongly British. 25% think the 7/7 bombers were justified.  0.80% gave the most extreme response to every question.  The young and educated were the most extreme, the young being more religious than their parents.   90% said that women should choose their own partner and 28% think they are not treated with respect.  40% are offended by the moral behaviour of the indigenous community.  50% want Islamic schools, 33% want to live under Sharia law and 7% want Britain to be an Islamic state.  40% say the police stop and search too many Muslims though 80% say terrorist activity should be reported.  Many are dissatisfied with Muslim leaders who claim to speak for the Muslim community with 87% saying no one body speaks for them.  
Although there was a spontaneous argument for integration by a Muslim who butted in to an interview with an extremist, the interviews with young university educated Muslims, including females, were frightening in their extremism.  Jon Snow’s summing up was that the British Muslim community is best described as ‘separatist’.

Our website address is www.wyhumanists.org.uk and, thanks to Paul Dean, it has been online since December.

“The Big Questions”, broadcast from Leeds on 20th Jan. was attended by three of our members.  However, unlike the earlier Bradford one, it had so many pre-arranged speakers that only one of the audience was able to make a point.  Many of the speakers on “Re-incarnation” confused it with spiritualism.  The only speaker against it was the Bishop of Ripon who, of course did believe in an afterlife.  The voice of rationalism had no chance of being heard!

Diary  All meetings at the Swarthmore Centre, 2 -7 Woodhouse Square unless stated otherwise:

Tues. 11th March, “The Law - Fit for Purpose?”, John Wilson, solicitor.

Tues. 22nd April,   AGM, Drinks and nibbles in the Café after the formal part and then Paul       Dean on “Early Religion: The Beliefs & Monuments of Neolithic & Bronze-age Britain ”.

Tues. 13th May, “The Unwoven Rainbow”, Richard Parker.

Sun. 13th July, Summer Social, 3.00 - 7.00pm at 36 Oak Dene Close, Pudsey.