Introduction to Humanism: Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of the British Humanist Association

The Ancestor's Trail is an annual event combining walking, evolution and art. Based on Richard Dawkins' book 'The Ancestor's Tale', the Trail guides its walkers along a time line from the present day back 3.8 billion years to the origins of life.

The 2013 event celebrated the life of Alfred Russel Wallace, and helped raise funds for the statue of Wallace which was unveiled by Sir David Attenborough in November 2013.

[Roshambo]

I could listen to this guy talk all day. So well-articulated and has a very delicate, humble way of explaining things

[stephencollinson]

Excellent summary, by Andrew, in his gentle intelligent personable style

[LottLottie]

Incredibly smart and effective guy. :)

[pappy]

Excellent summary. I said I was a humanist once but was completely unaware of the concept. My view as a teenager was very close to your description. I've recently described myself as an atheist which has a narrower definition. Humanism is an umbrella belief system made up of humanists who are by definition atheists but not all atheists are humanists.

[shamsulislam]

Hello world, lessen to this young man and say loudly HUMANISM is the answer for all. We human isn't foolish anymore. Thanks for your service young man

[rohansrider]

I became a Humanist officially about seven years ago, and glad that  I did. I have always believed in the truth and at the same time being decent to ALL sentient creatures.  Good without God. It's not difficult, try it. It just might take you feel happier about yourself. 

[mikewilson]

Excellent! I'm glad I am one of the Humanists.

[superbbcfan]

I consider myself a humanist and atheist. His speech is so nice. But the portrait that he has used for Charvaka at 6:28 is actually of Adi Shankara. Adi Shankara was very much a theistic philospher of Advaita Vedanta philosophy.

[Supremerob]

I imagine at least 5-10% of the British public hold views similar to those of humanism. And yet bha membership is 30k, which is 0.05% of the population. A recruitment drive of some sort could really be of some benefit, especially off the back of the recent coronation street episodes!

[rohansrider]

By what I have read, witnessed and heard I am amazed that so many people  still want to embrace a monotheistic belief system. Do they all really fear death that much? Their 'creator' at best is jealous and selfish, and at worst is a monster. 

[thedarwinist]

I'm almost done with the video and he still hasn't explained what humanism is.

[michaelkingsbury]

Lovely as always. Do Quaker weddings in England start with a signing of a secular marriage certificate and end with witnesses signing, as they do in most U.S. states?? If so, wouldn't it be an appropriate, and a legally viable approach to Humanist weddings over there? The Friends approach to religious education could also stand for an example, teach all and none tovether, then get on with the rest. Keep up the good work.

[brandonlegallez]

Oh to be able to monopolise "the" truth with humanism.

[Armando]

what's precisely in question is weather or not Humans are of God or of the environment.
To say "Human considered without God is called Human" is question-begging circular illogic

[soulzfire]

Lee johnson, you seem to be too naive to understand india

[stefenski]

There is abundant evidence for a spirit life; If the individual desires to find it.

[petersmafield]

Humanism has been around for at least 2600 years but the biggest problem humanists have had was that religion had answers
for things that science had discovered yet. Even though the answers that religion had been false, people wanted solid answers and were afraid of the unknown. I understand that because I’ve been afraid of almost everything all of my life. The scientific method after many centuries of accumulated knowledge finally began to answer many of those previously unanswered questions. We know
pretty much how everything began. As of yet, we have not discovered how life formed from the so-called primeval gunk (they had another word for gunk but my dictation program keeps saying who’s instead of ooze.) Science, however, is getting closer to that answer every year. Creationists think that evolution is the same thing as abiogenesis but that’s because creationists are either liars
or ignorant. The majority of creationists are ignorant. The few creationist apologists are liars.

[truthseeker]

Humanism is Materialism, plain and simple.
Can humanists deny that life, thoughts, intelligence, will, wisdom, and feelings (emotions) are spiritual expressions and qualities?
Can matter be self-conscious, express love, hate, intelligence, speech, etc?
Little understood is the saying of Jesus: "Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."
(Matthew 12:32).
And again: "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God (Spirit) and mammon (materialism)." (Matthew 6:24)
Jesus is a non-dual theist.
Well, as long as we live in a world of duality there will always co-exist these two divergent forms of "religious beliefs"— one theistic, the other atheistic.
Yet only one (the non dual) religion can prove that Spirit exists, It is the Sole Cause of the world of duality. The materialists who deny the existence of Spirit, will naturally be denied the experience of Spirit so long as they continue in their sin of denial against It.
The good news is, materialists too can repent of their denial of Spirit at anytime if they so choose, and thereafter experience the truth that Spirit is Ever-Existing, Ever-Conscious, Ever-new Bliss.
But until then, for materialists, death will be the end. Whereas, for the theists, life is eternal.
🙏

[Nature_Gal]

This is all there is!? What an extremely depressing concept! Might as well opt out of it right now then....😑😬