THE COTSWOLD HUMANIST

Newsletter No 10. Autumn 2003

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COUNTY SACRE AGREES TO HUMANIST REP

We learned in June that the Gloucestershire SACRE had voted in favour of co-opting a Humanist representative and this has now been confirmed to us in writing. We originally heard of the decision from Mark Rogers of Stroud who, as a BHA member and parent concerned about the RE teaching his two young daughters had been receiving had been attending SACRE meetings as an observer. We invited him to our June committee meeting and he told us the Church of England Committee and the County Councillors Committee voted in favour of co-option; the Other Faiths group (non-C of E and Muslims) voted against. The Teachers Group voted for but on condition that the co-option, and any other co-options, should be on an annual basis, to be reviewed and renewed annually. There had been some fear expressed that they might have to invite others such as Pagans, Druids, etc. Any co-opted member would not have a vote nor serve on any of the Committees but would have the power to speak. They would want any co-opted Humanist to represent a recognized organization, such as the BHA (and therefore, presumably to be a BHA member and not just a member of a local Humanist group). Mr Rogers had understood from the SACRE meeting that the Chair of SACRE, a John Sweeney, would be writing to John Sutton and to the BHA confirming the agreement to co-opt a BHA member/Humanist.

Mr Rogers said that discussion had been very open and that he had been made very welcome, in particular, by the Salvation Army representative sitting next to him. He also said that if we and the BHA wished he would be willing to serve as the co-opted member, but that, even if not, he would hope to continue attending as an observer. He joined our local group and paid his subscription and said that if he were chosen to represent the Humanists, he would be happy to report to our Committee meetings on SACRE proceedings. This appears to be a pleasing result of our efforts over the years to secure representation and we look forward to the next steps.

CHARLES BRADLAUGH

That humanists and others can choose to affirm rather than take the oath in courts is thanks, largely to the persistence of one man, Charles Bradlaugh. In March our member, Jim Davies gave us an account of his life. Charles Bradlaugh was born in 1833 and had strong anti-religious views. He left home and joined the army in 1850 but was bought out in 1853 and then worked in a solicitor's office in London. He was a republican and wrote freethinking tracts and articles under the name of "Iconoclast". In 1860 he took over the editorship of the National Reformer which in 1868-69 was prosecuted for alleged blasphemy and sedition.

Bradlaugh stood for Parliament as a radical and in 1880 was elected to the House of Commons. For more than five years he was denied his seat because he asked to be allowed to affirm rather than take the oath but was forbidden to do so until finally in January 1886 permission was granted and he was seated. By that

time public opinion had swung in his favour and the Affirmation Bill was finally passed.

SPRING RAMBLE

On Sunday 18 May eight hardy walkers met in a shower of rain just east of Stanway. Fortunately the rain stopped and we climbed steadily up through woods to the summit near the iron-age settlement of Shenberrow and a section of the Cotswold Way. Here we met various people, horse riders and bikers all intent on their various activities as we came down hill. At the end of the path we came quite suddenly into the yard of The Mount Inn where we enjoyed well-earned food and liquid refreshment. Cars took us back to our own vehicles after a very enjoyable morning.

ARE YOU A DEVOUT SCEPTIC?

This was the question asked in April when our member Jim Davis brought along some sound tapes from the BBC series Devout Sceptics as a basis for discussion. I was sorry to miss it when I was away.

THOMAS PAINE, 1737-1809

In May we watched a video on Thomas Paine, kindly lent by Gillian Bailey. Paine was born in Thetford, Norfolk and educated at his local grammar school. At 13 he began to learn his father’s trade of staymaking and at 20 moved to London as a journeyman staymaker. He was also employed as an excise man and after a period of moving around he settled in Lewes in Sussex. It was here he published his first pamphlet The Case of the Officers of Excise, a plea for better salaries.

His outspokenness eventually cost him his job. He accepted the advice of Benjamin Franklin and sought a new life in America, which was at that time a British Colony. He obtained employment as a journalist on the Pennsylvania Magazine. He submitted numerous contributions on subjects ranging from the abolition of slavery to women’s rights and the evils of duelling.

He came to believe in the necessity of complete American independence from Britain as he saw the injustices to which British rule subjected the Colony. (Paine believed deeply in basic human rights and the principle of government by the people and for the people.) His persuasive writings had an immediate effect on the political scene.

When American independence became assured he returned to Europe and supported the movement which led to the French Revolution. In his Rights of Man Paine argued for a system of government based on the natural rights of all people to a life free from oppression. His writings were unpopular with the English authorities and banned.

Paine crossed to France where at first he had a hero’s welcome. He was granted French citizenship and elected to the National Convention. The excess of the French Revolution led to his being imprisoned under threat of the guillotine for suggesting that the life of Louis XIV be spared. At this time his thoughts turned to religion and he wrote his famous ‘deistic’ work The Age of Reason. He believed religion was a private matter between man and his maker, and he poured scorn on the church establishment, organized religion and the doctrines of the bible. This sweeping attack made him highly unpopular in England and America.

On his eventual release from the French prison he returned to America to continue his writing, but his great work had been done. His political ideas are still influential amongst developing nations. His own words could serve as his epitaph “the world is my country, to do good is my religion”.

ORGANIC FOOD AND ITS PRODUCTION

In June we heard a talk by Julian Etheridge, who grows organic vegetables in the Pershore area. To be recognized as an organic grower he must belong to the Soil Association and abide by their guidelines, be approved by its Certificate Committee and submit to an annual inspection. The Soil Associations’ concerns included: nutritious food, soil health, and a high standard of animal health, minimum dependence on fossil fuels, landscape and wildlife. Though he chose to go into organic g rowing because he believes in it, he aid it was not getting easier. In fact massive changes were expected next year involving big seed producers.

The basic idea of organic growing was to maintain the health of the soil by manuring and rotation of crops on a four-year cycle. Pests were dealt with by cultural rather than chemical methods. Most of his selling was direct to the public using the veg-box scheme and pick up points in a limited area.

CREATIONIST SCHOOLS

At a recent meeting we asked members to write to their MPs to support Jenny Tonge MP’s Early Day Motion regarding the spread of creationist schools sponsored by the Vardy foundation. I wrote to Nigel Jones MP for Cheltenham and he replied as follows:

`I have signed Jenny Tonge’s EDM and urged colleagues to do the same. I really do not think the Government should be encouraging schools which imbue every aspect of their teaching with what is at best a myth.’ If you have a different MP you can check at http://edm.ais.co.uk/weblink/html/motion.html/ref=1124 whether your MP has signed, and if s/he has not, please write and ask them to.

Published for Cotswold Humanists by Philip Howell, 2 Cleevelands Close, Cheltenham, GL50 4PZ

Tel: 01242 528743