Andrew Copson on freedom of religion or belief

Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson, who is also the President of Humanists International, speaks about the importance of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) to humanists around the globe, in remarks to mark the launch of the UK FoRB Forum.

[NerdyRodent]

Blasphemy laws are inhumane. Genital mutilation is inhumane. Keep up the good work!

[benstagdospain]

Well presented and nicely explained Andrew. We are fortunate in the UK we can be Humanist without persecution.

[banksy]

As someone transitioning from faith to faithless, so much of humanist thought resonates. In my view religion has run its course, humanity is advanced enough to hold itself accountable. Religion should be an individual choice, it should play no role whatsoever in politics, law, education or governing society at a macro level. We are beyond that. Religion just keeps us locked in history and at a lower level of human consciousness.

[lesclowes]

Words of sanity in a ever increasingly Mad World .

[andybeans]

I encountered a vegan online who thought humanism and veganism are mutually exclusive. I myself am not a vegan, but I know that many humanists are also vegans or vegetarian, but this guy was adamant.

[johnraymondcave]

Keep up the good work. "No more religion".

[pandario]

I would like Italy to have such a movement with which to interface. We have only UAAR (Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics)

[Devious_Dave]

The world is slowly, steadily improving but, given Andrew's examples of anti-humanist violence & oppression, there's a long way to go.
Religions seem threatened by the non-religious. It is bizarre that believers in different gods will join together to oppose the godless. Any god is better than no god, apparently.

[youcanfoolmeonce]

Religion initially was developed by people who feared the unknown, death, natural phenomena like storms, lightning, thunder, volcanoes, earthquakes, etc. and attributed these dangers to supernatural beings, ghosts, demons and gods. They began worshiping these gods, offering sacrifice to them for protection and to prevent harm. So far so good. But when wise men realized that primitive men can be controlled by religion and they can have great power over them, that's when religion became a sham.
This culminated in monotheism, the "Abrahamic" religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam which has dominated the world's population for millennia.

[nonsibi]

In the US, it's easier in some regions, as where I live, to be a Humanist than in others. Still, even at best, revealing one's a Humanist in today's America is rather at the stage of public & family acceptance as coming out gay was half a century ago. Yet we hear increasingly strident & reactionary religious voices that, I feel, are louder not because they're growing stronger but, ironically, because they are finding themselves pushed aside with less relevance each year. The US is becoming increasingly secularized.

[mejaz]

Humanist should respect others or very least not disrespect others.
I am a Muslim, I want to tell everyone about my religion but will only tell those who want to know or are interested in my religion. I don't get offended if my non-muslim friends and colleagues are not interested or have other thoughts/beliefs. I would get offended if they start ridiculing or offending my God or Prophet, why would that ever be acceptable. Just like I wouldn't stand for anyone criticising my parents, wife children etc, who may have certain flaws and even traits that were being criticised, it's just not acceptable right?
I think if I ridicule anyone based on their looks, beliefs, colour etc then I am wrong, it is me that needs to adjust. If I don't like certain skin colour or someone for their sexual orientation that is MY problem not theirs, I need to shut up and deal with it. I should not be able to use freedom of speech to justify my hatred, words or actions to offend others.

[EnbeeEspee]

Freedom of speech is a basic human right. Any restriction of that right is immoral.

Granted, freedom of speech should be absolute and as a result we will hear some horrible points of view and it's our duty to expose those views for what they are.

[ragingsilence]

Jesus Christ died for every single one of us. He rose from the dead and will return.
As a wise man, I believe it was GK Chesterton once said: "If there was no God, there would be no atheists".