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@humanist-celebrant.bsky.social
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 13/03/2026
The move to remove hereditary peers is welcome. The next logical step should be to remove the Lords Spiritual. There should be no reserved seats in Parliament for any one religion. It’s time to remove bishops from the House of Lords. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Hereditary peers to be removed from Lords as bill passes
The bill abolishes the 92 seats reserved for peers who inherit their titles through their families.
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Reposted by @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social
Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 13/03/2026
Thinking of Terry this week. It's hard to believe it's been 11 years. GNU Terry Pratchett. He was our patron, and he is sorely missed.
'In the Ramtop Villiage they believe that no-one is finally dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away, until the clock he wound up winds down - until the wine she made has finished its ferment, until the crop they planted is harvested. The span of someone's life, they say, is only the core of their actual existence.' Terry Prachett. Author and Humanist
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humanist-celebrant.bsky.social @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
With Valentines day, still fresh in the mind, my latest blog looks at the origins of some of our romantic rituals- who kne love could be so fascinating ????? margaretmulhollandhumanistcelebrant.com/a-brief-hist...
margaretmulhollandhumanistcelebrant.com
A Brief History of Romantic Rituals: How Love Has Been Celebrated - Margaret Mulholland Humanist Celebrant
Explore the history of romantic rituals, from ancient handfasting and fire ceremonies to modern proposals and Humanist weddings.
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Reposted by @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social
Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 12/02/2026
Bonus #DarwinDay content: Six of the best grumpy Darwin quotes.
I hate every wave of the ocean.
—Charles Darwin to W. D. Fox 15 Feb 1836

Oh my God how I do hate species & varieties.
—Charles Darwin to J. D. Hooker, 11 Mar 1858

I am very tired, very stomachy & hate nearly the whole world.
—Charles Darwin to Thomas Huxley, 10 Sep 1860

I am very poorly today & very stupid & hate everybody & everything.
—Charles Darwin to Charles Lyell, 1 Oct 1861

I hate myself, I hate clover, and I hate bees.
—Charles Darwin to John Lubbock, 3 Sep 1862

I am languid & bedeviled & hate writing & hate everybody.
—Charles Darwin to J. D. Hooker 23 Jun 1863
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humanist-celebrant.bsky.social @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
I am reliably informed that love is in the air- so why not check out my latest blog on the origins of Valentines Day : margaretmulhollandhumanistcelebrant.com/the-origins-...
margaretmulhollandhumanistcelebrant.com
The History of Valentine’s Day & Why So Many Couples Propose
Discover the history of Valentine’s Day, from Roman festivals to romantic proposals, and why 14 February remains symbolic of love and new beginnings.
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 06/02/2026
Frustration in the public and the Commons over the filibuster is palpable and growing. A small group of peers are subverting the will of the elected chamber. We’re urging everyone who cares about this issue, and about democracy, to sign. #AssistedDyingBill petition.parliament.uk/petitions/75...
petition.parliament.uk
Petition: Act to ensure Bills backed by MPs & public can complete all stages in Parliament
We want the Government to do everything in its power to ensure that when bills are supported by MPs & the public, they have the time to complete all their stages in Parliament. We believe this is impo...
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 04/02/2026
We watch with dismay as the House of Lords once again makes headlines for all the wrong reasons. Extensive filibustering and a record number of amendments from unelected peers now mean it is almost certain that the Assisted Dying Bill will fail. 🧵 observer.co.uk/opinion-and-...
observer.co.uk
The Observer View: Lords are defying democracy over assis...
The sabotage of the end of life bill by a small group of unelected individuals is unconstitutional
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Reposted by @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social
Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 13/01/2026
A humanist is a non-religious person who shapes their own life in the here and now, because they believe it's the one life they have. Humanists see no evidence to believe in gods or an afterlife. They try to do good for its own sake, without expectation of reward after death.
A humanist is a person who recognises this life is the only life we know we have, and therefore, resolves to live a moral and fulfilling life in the here and now, based on the inherent human capacity for compassion, and a desire to do good on its own merit. Being a humanist is simply a way of thinking and living that emphasises humanity's capacity and responsibility to promote human flourishing across all frontiers, to protect the natural world, and to work towards a more tolerant society, where rational thinking and kindness prevail.
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humanist-celebrant.bsky.social @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
The New Year doesn’t have to be all about resolutions and change. It can also be an opportunity for reflection, remembrance and gentle hope. I’ve shared a new blog looking at the new year from a humanist perspective on my website, do take a look: margaretmulhollandhumanistcelebrant.com/blog/
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 06/01/2026
As humanists, we do not believe in a continued existence after death or place an additional spiritual value upon the body. For many, organ donation is a last act of compassion. You can learn more on the NHS website. www.organdonation.nhs.uk/about-organ-...
organdonation.nhs.uk
Humanism
As humanists do not believe in a continued existence after death or place an additional spiritual value upon the body, they do not object to allowing their organs to be used to help others after…
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 07/01/2026
Humanism in a nutshell 🥜
Humanism in a nutshell. 1) Putting human beings and other living things at the centre of your moral outlook. 2) Seeing the world as a natural place and looking to science and reason to make sense of it. 3) Promoting and supporting human flourishing across all frontiers and championing human rights for everyone.
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Reposted by @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social
Ariane Sherine Juniper @arianesherine.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
It's the 17th anniversary of the Atheist Bus Campaign today, and a kid who was born on its launch date of 6th January 2009 would be nearly an adult now. The campaign is all but forgotten, but it really pissed a lot of people off at the time, and here's why. arianesherine.substack.com/p/6-its-the-...
arianesherine.substack.com
It's the 17th anniversary of the Atheist Bus Campaign
It was the first ever visible expression of non-belief in public life
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Reposted by @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social
Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 06/01/2026
Our online course 'Introducing humanism: non-religious approaches to life' led by writer, broadcaster, and humanist Sandi Toksvig, is now available and free to access for everyone. Learn something new in 2026, and start learning with Sandi today. courses.understandinghumanism.org.uk/courses/intr...
courses.understandinghumanism.org.uk
Introducing Humanism: non-religious approaches to life, with Sandi Toksvig
Click here to start the course Learn about how humanists approach life’s big questions Humanism is a non-religious, ethical world view shared by millions of people around the world. Humanists believe ...
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Reposted by @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social
Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 31/12/2025
'For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love. Carl Sagan. Cosmologist and humanist.
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 01/01/2026
Happy New Year from all of us at Humanists UK. As we step into 2026, we know challenges lie ahead – but with your support, we know we can overcome them. So, wherever the year takes you, thank you for standing with us and helping to build a fairer, kinder world. 🎉✨
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Reposted by @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social
Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 30/12/2025
'There is no hope but us. There is no mercy but us. There is no justice. There is just us... All things that are, are ours. Bot we must care. For it we do not care, we do not exist.' Terry Pratchett. Author and humanist.
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 28/12/2025
What are humanist organisations?

Humanists come together
to support one another, celebrate life’s biggest milestones, and work for a fairer, more rational world.
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The Happy Human symbol,
used by humanist organisations around the world, represents our shared humanity and human potential.
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For well over a century,
Humanists UK has worked for a tolerant society where reason and kindness prevail.
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Humanists UK
humanists.uk
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 28/12/2025
'Happiness in the ordinary sense is not what one needs in life, though one is right to aim at it. The true satisfaction is to come through and see those whom one loves comes through.' E M Forster. Author and humanist
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 25/12/2025
Lovely words by Bertie for today ❤️
Love is the source of the most intense delights that love has to offer. Bertrand Russell. #Humanist
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 26/12/2025
'Love, like strength and courage, is a strange thing. The more we give the more we find we have to give.' Olga Jacoby. Activist and humanist
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 27/12/2025
How do humanists understand the world?

Humanists believe the universe operates according to natural laws, and that we can use science, evidence, and critical thinking to better understand it.
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Humanists reject supernatural explanations and instead rely on observation and testing.
2

Humanists see learning and discovery as powerful tools to improve life and tackle human problems.
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 24/12/2025
A lovely quote to start the day, by English poet Matthew Arnold, who was born #onthisday in 1822: Is it so small a thing To have enjoy’d the sun, To have lived light in the spring, To have loved, to have thought, To have done
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 21/12/2025
What do humanists think about death?

Humanists believe that death is the end of our individual existence, and there is no afterlife. To humanists, this makes life precious and unique.
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Rather than worrying about ‘the next life’, humanists focus on making the most of the one life we know we have, in the here and now.
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Humanists believe we live on in the memories of others — through kindness, friendship, and the example we leave behind.
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Humanists UK
humanists.uk
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 20/12/2025
How do humanists tell right from wrong?

Humanists believe morality
comes from our shared human needs
and our ability to understand the
consequences of our actions.
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Humanists maintain that people
don’t need to believe in gods
to tell right from wrong.
2

Humanists try to reduce harm
and increase well-being, treating others
as we’d like to be treated. This is sometimes
referred to as ‘the golden rule’.
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THE RULE BOOK

Humanists UK
humanists.uk
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 17/12/2025
The scale and nature of amendments make it increasingly difficult to accept claims that this is simply about careful scrutiny. What we are seeing instead is a coordinated attempt to delay, obstruct, and prevent Parliament from properly considering the #AssistedDyingBill. humanists.uk/2025/12/17/a...
humanists.uk
Anti-assisted dying peers have been open about filibustering the Bill
Peers have been accused of attempting to filibuster the Assisted Dying Bill, essentially causing it to fail by proposing an unreasonable number of amendments and deliberately making unnecessary speech...
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 18/12/2025
Musician Kirsty MacColl died #onthisday in 2000. It's difficult to believe it's been 25 years. We were proud to conduct her humanist funeral, in accordance with her wishes. This Christmas marks the third year without Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl, but still, their voices live on❤️
I'll see you baby when the clans rise again, women and men united in the struggle in this free world. Kirsty Maccoll. Musician and humanist.
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Understanding Humanism @humanismedu.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
Join our November webinar for GCSE RS teachers! We're sharing strategies and resources to help with improving pupil responses on non-religious perspectives. Find out more and book to join us below - Thursday 20 November, 16:00-17:00. understandinghumanism.org.uk/training/
understandinghumanism.org.uk
Understanding Humanism teacher training
We deliver teacher training about humanism to help with subject knowledge and practical ideas for the classroom. We can offer training as part of initial teacher training (ITT) and for continued profe...
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 06/10/2025
In case you missed it: The UK Govt confirmed it will extend legal recognition to humanist marriages in England and Wales. 🎉 After more than a decade of campaigning, it’s no longer a question of if – but when. Humanist couples will have the recognition they deserve. humanists.uk/2025/10/02/c...
humanists.uk
Celebrations as UK Government announces legal humanist marriages, but law change some way away
The UK Government has announced that it will finally legally recognise humanist marriages in England and Wales, but only as part of wider marriage reform on which it has announced further consultation...
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Humanist Ceremonies @humanistceremonies.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
5 ideas for planning the perfect non-religious naming ceremony! humanists.uk/ceremonies/n...
humanists.uk
5 Ideas For Your Naming Ceremony
Welcoming a new child into your family is a joyful and life-affirming moment. For families who are non-religious, a humanist naming ceremony offers a unique and personal way to celebrate a child’s arr...
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humanist-celebrant.bsky.social @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
I love an Autumn wedding and have attached a photo from one of my favourites last year
Autumnal wedding decor
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 26/09/2025
When you segregate children by religion, as faith schools do, children are also segregated by ethnic background. This would be literally unacceptable in any other circumstance. Why then, is it part of our state school system? humanists.uk/2025/09/26/u...
humanists.uk
UK Government accepts and supports state school race discrimination
A High Court judgment has found that faith-based admissions in state schools can result in ‘indirect race discrimination’, highlighting long-standing concerns from Humanists UK that religious…
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humanist-celebrant.bsky.social @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
Thinking of writing your own wedding vows? 💍 It can feel daunting — but it’s really about speaking from the heart. I’ve put together a gentle guide to help you shape promises that are personal, meaningful and truly you. Click here for more : margaretmulhollandhumanistcelebrant.com/how-to-write...
margaretmulhollandhumanistcelebrant.com
How to Write Wedding Vows That Are Personal, Memorable & Heartfelt
Learn how to write wedding vows that reflect your love story. Add personal touches, promises, humour, and heartfelt moments for an unforgettable ceremony.
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 24/09/2025
What is a humanist? A humanist is a non-religious person - usually atheist or agnostic - who reasons that, this life being the only one we have we should: treat others with empathy and compassion, make decisions using reason and science, act fairly, for other living beings, our planet, and future generations. For humanists, morality comes from empathy and our evolutionary heritage, not from any god.
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Andrew Copson @andrewcopson.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Crucial step forward for the #AssistedDyingBill. A powerful debate highlighting the need for compassion, dignity, & individual choice. Thank you to all those who spoke in support! humanists.uk/2025/09/19/a...
humanists.uk
Assisted Dying Bill passes next hurdle after record breaking debate in the Lords
The House of Lords has set up a Select Committee to examine assisted dying in a historic first as the Bill passed its Second Reading in the Lords, a critical stage of the Bill’s passage into law. No s...
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 17/09/2025
GNU Terry Pratchett. Our patron, whose wit, humanity, and imagination live on – in our memory, in the humanist values we share, and in his beautiful, wonderful, and beloved books.
Life after death

In the Ramtops Village they believe that no-one is finally dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away, until the clock he wound up winds down – until the wine she made has finished its ferment, until the crop they planted is harvested. The span of someone’s life, they say, is only the core of their actual existence.

— Terry Pratchett
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Humanist Ceremonies @humanistceremonies.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
A wedding without religious content doesn’t mean a ceremony without cultural traditions! Mercedes and Nurkanat chose to include meaningful rituals that celebrated their cultures, such as jumping the broom, a tea ceremony, and including traditional Kyrgz wedding attire. humanists.uk/ceremonies/w...
humanists.uk
A cross-cultural humanist wedding: Mercedes and Nurkanat’s story
City girl Mercedes is from Atlanta in the USA. Her husband Nurkanat is from rural Kyrgyzstan. They met in the UK and designed a humanist wedding ceremony which combined both cultures.
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Humanist Ceremonies @humanistceremonies.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
We know that planning a funeral can be a stressful and often overwhelming time. Our easy-to-use map is a simple way to find highly trained humanist funeral celebrants who are local to you. humanists.uk/ceremonies/f...
humanists.uk
Find a humanist funeral celebrant
To find a funeral celebrant near you, just click on your location on our map or add your postcode to the search bar.
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 16/09/2025
Did you know that the majority of British adults are non-religious? Here's how it breaks down (British Social Attitudes Survey).
British Social Attitudes Survey Find 53% of Britons have no religious. Breakdown 53% No religion. 12% Anglican. 7% Catholic. 18% Other Christian. 9% All other. Source: British Social Attitudes Survey 37. National centre for social research 1983-2021
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 16/09/2025
Sir Nicholas Winton was a British humanist who organised the Kindertransport humanitarian rescue of hundreds of children from Nazi-occupied Europe. His life demonstrated his belief: that people did not need religion to live good, ethical lives. He exemplified 'Think for yourself, act for everyone.'
Black-and-white photograph of Sir Nicholas Winton holding a small child. Overlaid text reads: “I believe in ethics, and if everybody believed in ethics we’d have no problems at all. That’s the only way out; forget the religious side. Sir Nicholas Winton, British humanitarian and humanist.” The Humanists UK logo appears in the corner.
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 16/09/2025
Well done, Netherlands! www.thepinknews.com/2025/09/10/n...
thepinknews.com
Dutch parliament votes to criminalise gay conversion therapy
The Netherland's parliament has voted to criminalise so-called 'conversion therapy' in a victory for the Dutch LGBTQ+ community.
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Andrew Copson @andrewcopson.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
In Northern Ireland, where humanist marriages are legally recognised (& only since 2018), they've become the 3rd most popular type of marriage. Mind boggling that the UK Government is yet to follow suit for England and Wales! www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/norther...
belfastlive.co.uk
'NI changed forever' as humanist weddings could become third most popular in NI
Humanist weddings are third behind Catholic and Civil ceremonies
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 15/09/2025
It's official: 15% of all marriages in Northern Ireland last year were humanist marriages. Northern Ireland has become a trailblazer for humanist marriages. These numbers should inspire change at last in England & Wales, where legal recognition is still lacking!
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 12/09/2025
Peers aren’t elected, and some may believe they can ignore the public. A large, visible demonstration in Parliament Square will remind them that the country is watching. We must send the Lords a clear message: terminally ill people deserve compassion, dignity, and the freedom to choose.
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 11/09/2025
'The meaning of life is to live it, as wholly as we can, as abundantly as we can, as bravely as we can, here and now.' A wonderful words by child psychologist, educationalist and humanist James Hemming ❤️#TheLittleBookofHumanism
The meaning of life is to live it, as wholly as we can, as abundantly as we can, as bravely as we can, here and now, sharing the experience with others, caring for others as we care for ourselves, and accepting our responsibility for leaving the world better than we found it. James Hemming.
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 09/09/2025
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 08/09/2025
What is humanism, anyway?
Humanism in a nutshell: putting human beings and other living things at the centre of your moral outlook. 2: seeing the world as a natural place and looking to science and reason to make sense of it. 3: Promoting and supporting human flourishing across all frontiers and championing human rights for everyone.
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humanist-celebrant.bsky.social @humanist-celebrant.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
If you are interested in the origin of some of these traditions you might enjoy my blog :https://margaretmulhollandhumanistcelebrant.com/the-curious-origins-of-our-favourite-wedding-traditions/
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 05/09/2025
A humanist is a person who recognises this life is the only life we know we have, and therefore, resolves to live a moral and fulfilling life in the here and now, based on the inherent human capacity for compassion, and a desire to do good on its own merit. Being a humanist is simply a way of thinking and living that emphasises humanity's capacity and responsibility to promote human  flourishing across all frontiers, to protect the natural world, and to work towards a more tolerant society, where rational thinking and kindness prevail.
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 04/09/2025
Writer and humanist Richard Wright was born #onthisday in 1908. Author of 'Native Son' and 'Black Boy', he explored race, poverty, and prejudice in America, and later reflected deeply on religion, belief, and the human condition.
If you possess enough courage to speak out what you are, you will find that you are not alone. Richard Wright. Author and humanist.
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Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 04/09/2025
Humanists stand for: Universalism, not tribalism. Freedom, not conformity. Generosity, not selfishness. Diversity, not uniformity. Equality, not hierarchy. Empathy, not pity. Rational doubt, never certainty. Courage, over fear. And truth, love, and kindness above all else.
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