Diary
Monthly meeting
Thursday, May 27, 2010Finalising plans for Humanist Week & 10-minute Topics. We’ll be deciding what to put in the display case we’ve booked at Ipswich Central Library for Humanist Week (starts 21st June). Then, if there’s time, it’ll be 10-Minute Topics; everyone writes a subject for discussion on a bit of paper, then they all get mixed up and drawn at random. Any bees in your bonnet this week?Death in film
Thursday, May 20, 2010The Ceremonies Team keep in touch by email and phone between face-to-face meetings. We’re friends, we support one another, and we share information, observations and ideas. During on online discussion about films today, Sophie recommended a speech from a Dustin Hoffman film entitled. Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, aimed at fairly young children, with death as its theme. The passage Sophie particularly loves, “for it’s simplicity and dignity and honesty”, is the following:Humanist contribution to Suffolk Forum of Faiths
Wednesday, May 12, 2010The theme for the forum on May 11th 2010 was What on Earth are YOU doing?. SIFRE members from the Faith and Belief communities around Ipswich were asked to speak for not more than ten minutes about the activities, aspirations and needs of their particular communities. SIFRE hoped to be able to identify areas of common concern, areas for cross-faith co-operation, which will be mutually beneficial and where one community might be able to help or advise another on issues of common concern.May meeting planning for Humanist Week
Monday, May 10, 2010Our May 11th meeting will be a brain-storming session, as we make plans for events over the coming year, mainly for Humanist Week, beginning 21st June, when we’ve booked a display case at Ipswich Central Library for an exhibit. We’ll be in the lounge at Pinewood Hall, as usual.Lord Careys upset
Monday, May 10, 2010The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, has forecast “civil unrest” as a result of recent court decisions involving Christians. This was in response to Lord Justice Laws’ dismissal of an appeal by a Christian marriage guidance counsellor who was sacked for refusing to give advice to gay couples. The Guardian reported, Lord Justice Laws said legislation to protect views held purely on religious grounds could not be justified. He said it was an irrational idea “but it is also divisive, capricious and arbitrary”.Our committee has been refreshed
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010Excellent AGM at Pinewood Community Hall last night. For the first hour, our guests were The Worshipful The Mayor of Ipswich Councillor David Goldsmith and Mayoress, Mrs Goldsmith. We talked about their experiences of visiting various faith and community groups in the town, council prayers, and humanist ceremonies (amongst other things). The picture shows (left to right) retiring group Chairperson Margaret Nelson, the Mayor, the Mayoress, and newly elected Chairperson Andrew Morrison, who’d just got back from his Humanist wedding in Devon – we wish Andrew and Angie every happiness.April newsletter ready for download
Friday, Apr 9, 2010Our latest newsletter is ready. [Click here to download it](http://www.suffolkhands.org.uk/files/1/2010 SH&S News April.pdf “April 2010 newsletter”) (pdf). Contents include: what group members have been reading, AGM reports, an addition to our Ceremonies Team, and meeting dates for the year. Members are reminded that your 2010 subscriptions (a minimum of 10) are due now. You can pay by cheque or standing order. For help with pdf files, click here.Are Christians being persecuted? I dont think so.
Monday, Apr 5, 2010Late on Easter Day, BBC One aired a programme that asked, “Are Christians being persecuted?” (you have 6 days left to view it on i-Player). Presenter Nicky Campbell (of the Big Questions, Sunday’s God-slot programme), implied that they are. There was no attempt to present a balanced report. Instead, we got the usual aggrieved BA crucifix wearer and nurse who was sacked for offering to pray for a patient – anecdotal “evidence” of people being mean to Christians.The guru who failed to kill a sceptic on live TV using only mystical powers
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010In a not-too-shocking turn of events in 2008, a tantric guru failed to kill Sanal Edamaruku of the Indian Rationalist Association on live television using only his mystical powers. Edamaraku challenged the guru to demonstrate his powers on him after hearing the guru’s boasts of being able to kill a man in three minutes using only black magic. The guru obliged. TV ratings went through the roof as India waited to see what would happen.the creeping influence of liberal, secular society weakens resolve against sexual abuse, apparently
Monday, Mar 22, 2010As the Catholic church has to find millions to pay compensation to victims of clergy abuse, the excuses being trotted out by the hierarchy are staggeringly creative. Archbishop of Westminster the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, leader of the Catholics in England and Wales, told the BBC’s Newsnight programme, “The level of abuse in the Church is actually quite small in terms of the overall levels of abuse in any country.” Now Pope Benedict, in his pastoral letter to Irish Catholics, blames the abuse on “the creeping influence of liberal, secular society for weakening resolve against it.