The British Humanist Association (BHA) has welcomed the launch of the AHS – a new federation of atheist, Humanist and secular student societies, affiliated with the British Humanist Association.
Update: Photographs from launch can be found on our dedicated AHS page.
Andrew Copson, BHA Director of Education and Public Affairs, said, ‘Our universities and colleges are places where the rational humanist tradition is at its best: places of free inquiry, of personal development and of community. The launch of the AHS today makes that explicit and we are delighted that we can support such a new group.
‘The first mobilisation of non-religious students was the Humanist University Federation, which existed from the 1950s to 1970s and involved thousands of students in the great humanist causes of the time, from abortion law reform to homosexual law reform and the promotion of an open society. We look forward to working with the AHS to face the equally pressing issues of today’.
The AHS is launching at a time of renewed religious fundamentalism on campuses, of increasing pressure to muddy science education with the religiously inspired dogma of ‘intelligent design’, and of increasing discrimination against non-religious people in law, employment and elsewhere.
The AHS will support established and newly-forming atheist, Humanist and secular student groups and give them a national voice. It will provide a network, resources and a joint platform for these societies and make sure that their needs and views are being considered on the national and international level.
BHA President Polly Toynbee, BHA Vice President Richard Dawkins and BHA Distinguished Supporter A C Grayling are speaking at today’s launch.
Polly Toynbee said, ‘I am honoured to be present at the birth of this new movement. We need to oppose zealotry and fanaticism of all sorts by promoting the positive and liberating case for believing that life on earth is precious because the here and now is all there is and that our destiny is in our own hands. The Humanist view of life is progressive and optimistic, in awe of human potential, living without fear of judgement and death, finding enough purpose and meaning in life, love and leaving a good legacy. It is great to see these values being taken up by today’s students. I’m sure the AHS will go from strength to strength and keep the rational and ethical humanist tradition alive both on- and off-campus.’
A C Grayling said, ‘As well as making the case for reason and science, it is great to know that the AHS will be standing up against religious privilege and discrimination. All people are entitled to their beliefs but we secularists (whether religious or humanist) are right in arguing that the state must be entirely neutral in these matters. A situation where the religious beliefs of a few may dictate the personal choices of everyone – in abortion, for example, or assisted suicide – is quite wrong. Yet some religious groups defend and even aim to expand their considerable privileges – public money for their “faith-based” schools, seats in the House of Lords, exemption from laws inconvenient to their prejudices. The AHS shows that increasing numbers of young people are unwilling to put up with it.’
Richard Dawkins said, ‘Public statements of non-belief are treated as threatening, an affront to the religious, while the reverse is not true. More concerning is the enduring assumption that religious belief does not have to earn respect like any other view, an approach that has caused politicians and public figures across the UK to withdraw from asking the vital question: why is religion given such special status in government, culture and the media? Why is belief in a higher power an indication of greater moral fortitude, character and acumen? The AHS says publicly that it isn’t; on the contrary, beliefs that are unsupported, bigoted or demand special privileges should always be challenged. No opinion should be protected from criticism simply by virtue of being religiously held.’
Notes
For comment or information, contact Andrew Copson on andrew@humanists.uk or 020 7079 3584 or 020 3675 0959.
The British Humanist Association (BHA) is the national charity representing and supporting the non-religious, campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief and is the largest organisation in the UK working for a secular society.