HUMANIST SOCIETY OF WEST YORKSHIRE
Affiliated to the British Humanist Association

NEWSLETTER (105) MARCH, 2008

March meeting:- “The Law - Fit for Purpose?”
John Wilson,  Wilson’s Solicitors

It was more than ten years ago when we had a talk entitled “The Law - Is It an Ass?”  The title  was too cryptically Dickensian for some!  As well as those issues of particular interest to Humanists there is now controversy about the rights of those defending themselves and their property, parental chastisement, low-level antisocial behaviour, drugs, and estate duty.  I personally have a grouch that you can do nothing to remove bats from your roof space, though so far I have only had to deal with squirrels!  So come at 7.30pm (coffee from 7.00) Tues. 11th March in Room 2, Swarthmore.

February Meeting; Scientific Standards - Does Religion Make the Grade?”

Gerry Hannant questioned the reliability of processes, such as holy books and prayer, used by religions. Christian religion believed in a man and earth-centred universe, failing comparison with well-established science. Scientific testing always gives the same chemical formula for water, but religions fail this further test of internal consistency. There wouldn’t be different religions, variants within a religion, or differences on moral issues if their methods work. Creationists can only proclaim their views. Their claims belong with other religious creation accounts, having no equivalent of science’s experimental method, which gives cross-culture consensus, based on evidence testable by all.
We conclude religion does not meet scientific standards of seeking truth, and the probability of any religion being the true religion is practically zero. They have no basis to claim authority or certainty for anything. They should have the honesty to admit it.
How do religions get away with this scam? Natural selection can be applied; religions’ expansion against others depends on retention of existing members, and recruitment. A religion must retain their families’ children to survive into future generations – hence the marriage requirement to bring up children in that religion, with honour killings, exclusion and family disgrace if not. All reinforced by religious ‘education’. Gerry described religions’ treating children as their property as slavery. Do you own your religion, or does it own you? Religion seeks to attach debilitating guilt and shame to our being an animal species – sexual attraction and nakedness. Debilitated people question less.
Is God a decent chap? His instruction to massacre the inhabitants of biblical Israel and occupy their land is surprisingly close to the Nazi concept of Lebensraum. Should He and Joshua face a war crimes tribunal? Religions should subscribe to a code of practice, including respect for human rights. Especially children’s right to seek and pursue their own spiritual way without pressure from community or family. Religions could be sued for breaches, and lose charitable status.
Weapons of mass destruction will become much more available in future. It is the duty of every individual to question. Unless religion accepts its limitations, we could destroy ourselves.
Gerry’s own summary

Bradford SACRE, Robert (Bob) Lee has volunteered to be our representative.

Diary  All meetings at Swarthmore at 7.30 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.