Jump to content

Recommended Posts

But not being religious is like not believeing in Santa isn?t it? I don?t need to belong or support Santadoesn?texist society ? or to be preached at to do so


I can just counter any pro-santa arguments as they arise


Creating a society around not believing in God just gives ammunition to those who say not-believeing in God is just another form of religion

If 'most' people don't believe but our taxes and gov't philosophy is still geared around religion, would that be representative? Of course we can lead good lives without god. In fact local councils do this more successfully (create a society without special regard to the idea that everyone has faith) than governments. And Santa doesn't demand lots of money and insist on special treatment (though marketing companies do that for him). However, I have yet to hear a representative of Santa have a Thought For The Day so may be that should be changed! I'll write to Radio Four immediately.


Yes please everyone follow the links.

My personal view is that the least I fill in on any form put to me the better.

To give your religion openly could be seen to others as not of their faith.

How true can a returned form be?

Many just object to giving their details and put the opposite.

Whatever you disclose will at a later date become Public general knowledge.

I don't really subscribe to the whole Humanist thing either - I don't feel the need to belong to an organised belief system. But in this case, the message is a good one. I've never understood why some people automatically classify themselves as C of E (or whatever background they're from) rather than what they actually believe.

There is a point though to this when you consider that no-one really has ever measured the level of Atheism. We monitor for various religious preferences (and that data might be accurate or not) and then just make the assumption that everyone else is of no religion. I think it would be interesting to know what the level of Atheism/ Agnosticism is and within that what the thinking is. I'm sure for example that a humanist may have a different view/ philosophy to that of say Richard Dawkins.

I also think far more people have faith than any survey shows.

"then just make the assumption that everyone else is of no religion".

That's the problem with the census. People just put CofE because that's what they're habit is or their parents did.


It's an interesting concern.


It's better in court than in government. I have to go to court about 5 times a year for work and they always ask if you have faith, rather than "what is your faith?" (making the assumption you have one, which is something the government does).


My word in court is taken no less seriously because I have merely promised to tell the truth, yet I stand against those who promise to God they'll speak the truth and lie blatantly in front of me!

Well quite....faith is a cultural label not a way of life (for many people) and the census question aids that. It's a good point because I've done it too. Ticked the CofE box because that's the culture I was born into. I don't do that now because I don't know what my religion is or if I have one. I do have spiritual belief but it fits no religion I know of, although someone told me my views might be those of a Quaker (at least they didn't say Scientology)! So there you go.....maybe I do have a religion after all....do they even list Quaker on the census form?

The actual 2001 census question:


"10 What is your religion?

* This question is voluntary

* Tick one box only


- None

- Christian (include Church of England, Catholic, Protestant and all other Christian denominations)

- Buddhist

- Hindu

- Jewish

- Muslim

- Sikh

- Any other religion, please write in

[two ten-character spaces provided]" http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/censusform.asp


"The religion question was voluntary, and 4,011,000 people chose not answer it (7.7 per cent)." http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/commentaries/ethnicity.asp


I don't call that a leading question, and if 70+% of the population choose to tick the Christian box, who is to gainsay them? There are already available statistics - even cited within the Examples of Census Data Use PDF doc http://www.humanism.org.uk/_uploads/documents/Howthecensusisused.pdf (191kbyte) available on the BHA site - as to the much lower figures of actual attendance/participation. So I don't think anything is being hidden.


Paradoxically, if there had been a 'humanist' slot in the 2001 census, I'd probably have ticked it. If one turned up in the 2011 census I might not, if I thought it might be thought to place me in the BHA camp.

Query.


If the results of the census show that the majority of people in this country are non-religious that makes 'believers' a minority. As such, doesn't this strengthen the arguments and justification for faith schools, ie to protect minorities from discrimination?

That all depends what, culture you are brought up in there are plenty of minorities that still attends churches on Sundays and Saturdays and they are full as well as other faiths like Islam Judaism. My husband and I are spiritual although I don?t attend church regularly and he does not regularly attend a synagogue.


As for faith schools that and individual choice, I don't feel it is discriminatory at all.

There are several books devoted to what Humanism means.

When asked, I merely say that the difference is humanism is conscientious atheism, ie. you're consciously aware you are living life without a religion, and consciously trying to live a good life, too!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • OP has perhaps inadvertently provided free advertising for Gails, drawing attention to Dulwich Gails being open on Christmas Day.
    • Staff get taxis in and out and get paid extra (which I think is x2). Some people like to work on Bank Holidays and others don’t. Some people actively avoid Christmas for personal reasons. Long live freedom of choice! 
    • Here is another article from the excellent Special Needs Jungle (SNJ) with tips for responses to the SEND conversation survey. Including shoe horning in EHCPs which they "forget" to ask a question about in the conversation. And living as we do in Southwark with the huge misfortune of 100% academy secondary schools, some thoughts on this and how unlikely inclusion in mainstream is within the current education landscape. Closing date 14 Jan 2026. And please consider a donation to the excellent entirely run by volunteers SNJ. In my view the government could save money by creating some smaller mainstream secondary schools for kids who can cope in primary school but not  with the scale of secondary, and need a calmer less busy setting. The funding would have to be different - it is currently on a per pupil basis which favours larger schools. But it would undoubtedly be cheaper than specialist provision, and the huge cost to individual children and families (emotional and financial) and to society. https://www.specialneedsjungle.com/tips-help-complete-governments-send-conversation-survey-law/ If anyone wants to take a radical step to help their struggling child, my tip is to move far away: these are the best two schools I have ever visited and in a beautiful part of the country. I only wish we'd moved there before it was too late for my son who had to suffer multiple failings at Charter North and then at the hands of Southwark SEND, out of education from February to October in year 10-11, having already suffered the enduring trauma of a very difficult early life, which in combination with ADHD made his time at schools which just don't care so very unbearable for all of us. https://www.cartmelprioryschool.co.uk/ https://settlebeck.org/ As an add on, I would say to anybody considering adoption, please take into account the education battles that you are very much more likely to face than the average parent. First you have schools to deal with, already terrible; then being passed from pillar to post within Southwark Education, SEND, Education Inclusion Team, round and round as they all do their best to explain why they are not responsible and you need someone different, let's hold another multi-agency meeting, never for one minute considering that if they put the child at the centre and used common sense they would achieve a lot more in much less time without loads of Southwark employees sitting in endless meetings with long suffering parents. It is hard to fully imagine this at the start of your adoption journey, full of hope as you are, but truly education is not for the faint hearted, and should be factored into your decision. You'll never hear from people who are really struggling and continue to do so, only from those who've had challenges but overcome them and it's all lovely. And education, the very people who should be there to help, are the ones who make your lives the most hellish out of everything your child and you face.
    • It’s a big problem all over London. I’ve seen it happen in Kennington and Bloomsbury in the last year. I think there has been some progress recently with some key arrests, but you do need to be very careful when walking around with your phone out, especially, as you say, if wearing noise cancelling headphones. Sorry you experienced this 
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...