British Humanist Association
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The British Humanist Association is an organisation of the United Kingdom which promotes Humanism. The BHA is committed to secularism, human rights, democracy, equality and mutual respect. It works for an open and inclusive society with freedom of belief and speech, and for an end to the privileged position of religion in law, education, broadcasting and wherever else it occurs.
The BHA is the foremost provider of humanist and non-religious ceremonies in England & Wales, maintaining a national network of accredited officiants. This network offer humanist wedding/civil partnership celebration, humanist baby naming and humanist funeral ceremonies, linked to the rites of passage.
The BHA is a member organisation of the International Humanist and Ethical Union. The official symbol of the BHA is the Happy Human.
The British Humanist Association was founded in 1896 by American Stanton Coit as the Union of Ethical Societies, which brought together existing ethical societies in Britain.
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[edit] IHEU's Minimum statement on Humanism
All member organisations of the IHEU are required by IHEU bylaw 5.1 to accept [1] the IHEU Minimum statement on Humanism:
"Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality."
[edit] Famous British Humanists
[edit] President
- Vacant, as of March 2007
- Linda Smith (25 January 1958 – 27 February 2006)
[edit] Vice-Presidents
- Professor Simon Blackburn
- Baroness Blackstone
- Professor Bernard Crick
- Professor Richard Dawkins FRS
- Dr James Hemming
- Lord Hughes of Woodside
- Professor Richard Norman
- Claire Rayner OBE
- Dr Harry Stopes-Roe
- Baroness Turner of Camden
- Baroness Whitaker
- Jane Wynne Willson
- Professor Lewis Wolpert CBE FRS
[edit] Distinguished Supporters
- Alan Brownjohn, poet and novelist
- Alice Mahon, trade unionist
- Anish Kapoor, sculptor
- Ashok Kumar MP
- Baroness Flather, Conservative peer
- Bob Marshall-Andrews QC MP
- Colin Pickthall, Labour politician
- Dr Helena Cronin, philosopher
- Dr James Hemming
- Dr Kenan Malik FRSA, lecturer and broadcaster
- Dr Laurie Taylor, sociologist
- Dr Susan Blackmore, writer, lecturer, and broadcaster
- Faith Brook, actress
- George Melly, jazz and blues singer and writer
- Glenys Kinnock Labour MEP
- Graham Allen Labour MP
- Ian McEwan, novelist
- Jane Asher, actress
- Jonathan Meades, writer and broadcaster
- Julie Morgan, Labour MP
- Kelvin Hopkins, Labour MP
- Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London
- Lord Avebury, Liberal Democrat peer
- Lord Bilston, Labour peer
- Lord Dubs, Labour politician
- Lord Graham of Edmonton, Labour politician
- Lord Harrison
- Lord Hunt of Kings Heath OBE, Labour peer
- Lord McCarthy
- Lord McIntosh of Haringey, Labour politician
- Lord Monkswell
- Lord O'Neill of Clackmannan, Labour politician
- Lord Peston
- Maureen Duffy, playwright and novelist
- Michael Clapham, Labour MP
- Michael Connarty, Labour MP
- Michael Rubenstein
- Mike Hall, Labour MP
- Miriam Karlin OBE, actress
- Peter Goodfellow FRS
- Phillip Pullman CBE, writer
- Polly Toynbee, journalist and writer
- Professor A. C. Grayling FRSA
- Professor Antony Flew
- Professor Brian Barry
- Professor Colin Blakemore FRS
- Professor Frank Furedi
- Professor Hugh Huxley FRS
- Professor John L Harper CBE FRS
- Professor Lord Wedderburn of Charlton QC FBA.
- Professor R I M Dunbar FBA
- Professor Robert A Hinde CBE FRS
- Professor Sheila McLean
- Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys FRS
- Professor Sir Anthony Epstein CBE FRS
- Professor Sir David Weatherall FRS
- Professor Sir Hans Kornberg FRS
- Professor Sir Harry Kroto FRS
- Professor Sir Kenneth Stuart FRCP
- Professor Sir Michael Atiyah OM FRS
- Professor Sir Roger Penrose FRS
- Professor Sir Thomas Blundell FRS
- Professor Steve Jones
- Professor Steven Rose
- Randal Keynes OBE
- Rhodri Morgan AM
- Rt Hon Michael Foot
- Rt Hon Nick Brown MP
- Rt Hon The Lord Hattersley
- Salman Rushdie
- Sir Arthur C Clarke
- Sir David Smith FRS FRSE
- Sir Francis Graham-Smith FRS
- Sir James Gowans CBE FRCP FRS
- Sir John Maddox
- Sir John Sulston
- Sir Keith Thomas FBA
- Sir Kenneth Clucas
- Sir Lou Sherman OBE
- Sir Ludovic Kennedy
- Sir Michael Levey LVO FBA FRSL
- Sir Roy Calne FRS
- Stewart Lee
- Suzanne Moore
- Terry Pratchett OBE
- Viscount Craigavon
- Viscount Falkland
- Warren Mitchell
For more information regarding the 'Distinguished Supporter' honorific:
[edit] See also
- National Secular Society
- Rationalist Association
- International Humanist and Ethical Union
- South Place Ethical Society
