Category: Reason and Science
Humanist Society contributes to new Faith and Belief Engagement Strategy
March 21, 2023
Humanist Society Scotland was delighted to contribute to Scottish Government’s new Faith and Belief Engagement Strategy, which launches today. The strategy offers a newly accurate understanding of faith and belief across Scotland. This will inform policy development. It’s also about…
Our CEO talks religion and politics in The Herald
March 7, 2023
Our CEO Fraser Sutherland spoke to Neil Mackay for a long read in the Sunday Herald on 5 March. They talked about the rising influence of religion on Scottish and global politics and possible impacts on our democracy and human…
Our CEO talks Kate Forbes, faith, and policy-making on BBC Radio Scotland
February 22, 2023
Humanist Society Scotland CEO Fraser Sutherland appeared on BBC Radio Scotland on 21 February to talk about faith and policy-making in a secular country. There has been much discussion in recent days of FM candidate Kate Forbes’s links to a…
Humanist Society Scotland on Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation
February 15, 2023
Humanist Society Scotland notes the resignation of Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon. As first minister Ms Sturgeon has led Scotland through a time of progressive change, including improving LGBT+ inclusive education in schools, strengthening children’s rights and, more recently, overseeing…
We urge local councils to scrap church voting rights
May 11, 2022
We have written to all of Scotland’s local councils urging them to end voting rights for non-elected church representatives sitting on local education committees.
2020 Scottish humanist of the year jailed for blasphemy
April 5, 2022
Humanist Society Scotland and humanists across the globe have reacted with dismay after Mubarak Bala was sentenced to 24 years in prison in relation to social media posts that were deemed to be “blasphemous”. Dr Leo Igwe, Board member of…
Non-religious people encouraged to ‘be honest’ about their beliefs in 2022 Census
March 9, 2022
New research carried out by YouGov published today by Humanist Society Scotland reveals how the 2022 Scottish census is potentially expected to show a vast decline in religious identity when compared to the 2011 census. The poll findings reveal how…
Climate emission results ‘alarming’
June 24, 2021
Greenhouse gas emissions data from 2019, released by the Scottish Government last week, shows that Scotland has not met its annual target of reducing emissions. Three years of targets have now been missed ‒ for the years 2017, 2018, 2019….
Scottish blasphemy law repealed following humanist campaign
March 11, 2021
Today members of Scottish Parliament voted to pass the Hate Crimes and Public Order (Scotland) Act which (amongst other things) repeals Scotland’s common law offense of “blasphemy”. Humanist Society Scotland has been at the forefront of the campaign to repeal…
New research reveals Scots’ tolerance
December 28, 2018
A new research report by Humanist Society Scotland has shown that tolerance in Scotland to people of different faiths or none in Scotland is very high amongst the Scottish public. However the report authors, Humanist Society Scotland, cite concern about…
Scottish water wash hands of dowsing
December 1, 2017
Scottish Water have distanced themselves from the practice of water dowsing after media reports suggested the publicly owned firm’s engineers were using the technique in maintenance. In a twitter exchange with award winning science writer and oxford academic Sally Le…