4,
School Lane
Greenisland
BT38
8RF
2
April 2007
President and Vice-Chancellor
Queen’s University
Belfast
Dear Professor Gregson,
I am writing to you on behalf of the Belfast Humanist
Group (hereafter ‘the BHG’) which is a local organisation affiliated to the
British Humanist Association.
Humanism is a naturalistic outlook, meaning that it
omits all belief in the supernatural, including all gods and goddesses,
angels and demons, heavens and hells, etc.
Many of the foremost scientists, writers and philosophers of today
are Humanists: Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, AC Grayling, Ian McEwan,
Salman Rushdie, Claire Rayner and Polly Toynbee, to name but few.
The main purpose of the BHG is to explain Humanism to
the general public, to provide a contact group for people who share our
naturalistic outlook and to help people who have lost their religious
beliefs to find a positive alternative in Humanism.
Many people today find religious beliefs untenable. A recent Ipsos Mori poll found that more
than a third of the UK general public hold broadly Humanist beliefs rather
than religious ones. The percentage
is higher among young people of university age. Harvard University has had a Humanist Chaplain for more than
30 years.
The BHG would therefore suggest to you that the
provision of Chaplains and Other Religious Representatives at Queen’s
University should be extended to include Humanism. The current list of Chaplains and
Representatives covers 16 different faiths and denominations, but not
Humanism. The BHG is concerned that
young people who have adopted a naturalistic outlook are not being catered
for as generously as their religious counterparts. We hope that you will agree that such
unequal treatment should be remedied.
Yours truly,
Les Reid
Chair
Belfast Humanist Group
