By Tod Lundy Sometimes the most important decisions in life take only two seconds. In this reflective memoir, Tod Lundy looks back on how a single chance encounter in a university corridor changed the entire course of his life. A story about mentorship, intuition, and the surprising ways we find our purpose in life. This is the first in a series of personal reflections from Tod, using stories from his own life to uncover ideas with universal relevance.  Tod is a retired archi

By Dr Peter Connolly Before his retirement, Peter Connolly was senior lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Chichester where he taught courses on Ethics, Indian Religion and Psychology of Religion. He has also worked as an associate lecturer in both Psychology and Religious Studies with the Open University. On 12th April 2025, Peter gave this talk to Dorset Humanists in Bournemouth. Some notes and illustrations have been added. John Stuart Mill Introductory note

By Anthony Lewis NORMALITY Rock statues move in their free state Minds stay still to segregate Ear drums burst by deafless talk Whilst in their snare the gunmen stalk Intractable the land is rich A sutured gash and coarsened stitch A garment worn to hide the wound Sixes all from view entombed In the ground and still alive Normality that must survive © Antz Lewis 1985 Biographical note Growing up in Northern Ireland during the 'Troubles' was a great education in intolerance. L

Saving my Smoting I have got incontrovertible, absolute, divine Proof of Non-God. I have been so incontrovertibly, absolutely, divinely sinful, I should have been smote from here to Kingdom Come. Yes, I should have been smote, not whispering: I’ve had some lucky escapes!   Unless – He (or She more like) is saving my smoting for when I least expect it, savouring it Ten Thousand Times over. No, I don’t think so. I think Non-God nods as my sins run round and round and round and

By Alexandr Ivanovich Borscht is a vibrant beetroot soup from Eastern Europe, rich in flavour, colour, and cultural symbolism. Traditionally made with beets, onions, and beef or vegetable stock, it’s a dish that brings comfort and community to cold nights — and a perfect metaphor for humanist values: simple ingredients transformed through care, attention, and sharing. Alexandr Ivanovich was born in Odessa, Ukraine, in 1989, into a family of musicians and teachers. After trai

The humanist ideal has been applied to towns and cities for over 500 years. A 15th-century painting The Ideal City  (1480-84, usually...

Andrew Copson in Luxembourg After 15 years of leadership — including 10 years as President — Andrew Copson recently stepped down from his...

By Mike Flood The Luxembourg Declaration on Artificial Intelligence and Human Values is a powerful statement of concern and intent. But...

By Lloyd Hawkeye Robertson In this article, Lloyd explores the challenge of fostering respectful, reason-based dialogue across...

By David Warden David is the humanist representative on the Bournemouth & Poole Holocaust Memorial Committee. In this article, writing in...

BBC on the Assisted Dying Bill The BBC News website  extensively covered the passing of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill,...

Advertisement Self-mapping in therapy Lloyd Hawkeye Robertson, Ph D. Teela Joanne Robertson, M.C. Discover a transformative tool for...

By Lucy Erskine Poundbury isn’t for everyone. It has its quirks, but it’s a model that works. Lucy describes it as a tiny slice of safe,...

By Matthew Robinson Matthew is a British-Cambodian TV and film producer, director and writer. In this article, he explores the elusive...

By Dr George Locke In this article, George returns to her hometown of Pembroke Dock and finds herself reflecting not just on policy ideas...

By John Hubbard John is a retired English teacher who has had a lifelong interest in architecture. He currently volunteers for the...

By Maggie Hall Maggie is a retired teacher of speech and drama, a former Chair of Brighton Humanists, a member of the Humanists UK...

By Aaron the Humanist In this month’s exploration of the future of our town centres, Aaron shares a bold and human-centred vision of what...

By Paul Benton Paul is an educational support worker and freelance writer from Peterborough, UK. In this lively and thought-provoking...

By Mohit Palagiri Mohit is a humanist and a political activist. In India, he writes for the English-language magazine Modern Rationalist...