We now have a proper website

Please, forget about this blog and check us out at http://humanist.eusa.ed.ac.uk

Cheers,

Roger

12 February - Darwin Day Debate: How Intelligent is Intelligent Design?

Not to miss!

12 February - Darwin Day Event: How Intelligent is Intelligent Design? Rev Howard Taylor, chaplain at Heriot Watt University, will give a presentation in support of Intelligent Design; Clare Marsh of the HSS will follow with a presentation arguing against it and in favour of the theory of evolution. After both talks there will be a Q&A session.
Venue: Quaker Meeting House, Victoria Terrace, EDINBURGH, EH1 2JL. (just off the Royal Mile). Click here for map. Meetings start at 7.30 pm unless otherwise stated.

Did Man make God? debate

On Tuesday 30^th
Did Man Make God?
Old College, Lecture theatre 175. 7:30 to 8:30 pm

Join in the debate: The ‘God Delusion’ or ‘The Way, the Truth and the Light’. Hear both sides of the argument and make up your own mind.

John Wiltshire (a mathematical systems engineer) will take the speaker's chair against Fr Hunter (a priest from Oxford)

Everybody welcome…

Obviously, SHS members are encouraged to attend this event!

Where to find us during the Student Festival

The SHS still needs officials and members. If you want to meet some of us, this is where we plan to be next week, during the student festival:

Monday 29^th Jan.
Faith to Faith Social
Teviot Row House, Wee room from 6 to 8 pm.
Comment: The description of the event says to "see and hear those with different perspectives on life. All welcome" Well, Humanism doesn't profess any faith but it is definitely an ethical philosophy of life, so we will be there from 6 to 8 pm.

After that,…

Monday 29^th Jan
Matters of Life and Death
Holyrood Tavern 7 to midnight
We will get there after 8 pm.

On Tuesday 30^th
Did Man Make God?
Old College, Lecture theatre 175. 7:30 to 8:30
This could be the first collaboration between the Secular Humanist Society and the Catholic Students’ Union. The CSU had the great idea of organizing the debate and the SHS, through the Humanist Society of Scotland, may bring the speaker defending the “God Delusion” side of the debate. I’ll post as soon as the names of the speakers are confirmed.

We are open to recommendations as to where we can meet you guys, if interested in more info about, or in joining, the SHS. Just send an email to shsediuni@yahoo.co.uk, leave a message in the EUSA online forum (under Society News): http://eusa.ed.ac.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15467, or in the blog http://shsediuni.blogspot.com/

What SHS needs to start...

1) Officials: SHS is going to need an interim Treasurer and a Secretary, until elections can be held. Volunteers needed.

2) Members: In order to create the Secular Humanist Society (SHS) we need at least 20 members, with names, signatures and matriculation numbers and £3 subscription fee.

In the making...

A UoE Secular Humanist Society (SHS) is in the making…

Our time as students at Uni should be a critical time to question the way we live, how we think and what type of society we want to spend our adult lives in. A group of UE students would like to invite you to meet, discuss and act in an environment that is freethinking, progressive and based on Humanist values. Is this your kind of group?

• Do you support secular government and an open society that guarantees Human Rights for all?
• Do you try to live an ethical and fulfilling life (without reference to gods or dogmatic texts)?
• Do you think knowledge (from science and technologies) coupled with our own reasoning gives human beings a reliable basis for decision-making?

If you answered "yes" to these questions, you might be one of the millions of humanists on Earth -- people who live meaningful, fulfilling lives based on reason and compassion for others.

Humanism (in brief)

Humanism is a philosophy of life inspired by humanity and guided by reason. It provides the basis for a fulfilling and ethical life (without religion). Humanists:

• Make sense of the world using reason, naturalism, free inquiry, creative imagination and the power of science.
• See no convincing evidence for gods, the supernatural, or life after death.
• Believe that moral values are properly founded on human empathy and scientific understanding.
• Believe we must live this life on the basis that it is the only life we'll have -- that, therefore, we must make the most of it for ourselves, each other, and our world.

A UoE Secular Humanist Society (SHS) would be an inclusive gathering of inquisitive minds, with affirmative and constructive goals. Its members will have the ultimate democratic choice as to what actions, campaigns and events the student society would host, organize and engage in. Some suggestions: Public discussions and debates, talks from invited speakers; film nights and other social gatherings. SHS would also enjoy representation at the Societies’ Council and Societies’ Executive Committee and dialogue with other Student Societies. There is also the exciting option of networking with the international community of Humanist and Humanist students worldwide.

For more information on Humanism check the websites of the Humanist Society of Scotland at http://www.humanism-scotland.org.uk or the Center for Inquiry at http://www.centerforinquiry.net

Interested send an email to shsediuni@yahoo.co.uk , leave a message in the EUSA online forum (under Society News): http://eusa.ed.ac.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15467, or in the blog http://shsediuni.blogspot.com/