Thursday 8th April 2010

Agenda

1  Reflections on Recent News

Have you seen / read something recently that you think would be of interest to humanists?

2  Minutes

Agree minutes of the last Meeting (11th March 2010)

3  What Role the State in Promoting Moral Behaviour?

Should Government try to control activities such as gambling, prostitution and pornography, or prevent people of sound mind from committing suicide when they are suffering from a debilitating terminal illness or simply no longer want to live? And should the State intervene to protect us from ourselves by clamping down on potentially dangerous activities ― smoking, drinking when pregnant, sexual promiscuity, drug taking, obesity in children, etc. Such behaviour costs society dear. And what about moral relativism ― the view that what is right for one individual or one society may not be right for another. Such relativism can lead to an inability to subscribe to any moral values, or to claims that for example, slavery and the persecution of witches were right at the time.

4  Humanist Book Club

We are looking to set up a Humanist Book Club and publish reviews on our website. It would be good to discuss the issue. I'd like to start with some comments on sex taken from a fascinating recent book by Michael Brooks entitled: "13 Things that Don't Make Sense", Profile Books (2009). Apparently there are far better ways to procreate, but sexual reproduction predominates in most life forms and not asexual reproduction...and no one knows why...

5  Outreach & Campaigning

Over the last few months there have been several initiatives to explore how we might promote ourselves more effectively and increase our membership. We have also discussed initiating some modest charitable activities in the community, possibly starting with some school presentations on Humanism. The forthcoming General Election gives us an opportunity to question the candidates (and get some publicity) and we are signed up to several initiatives in the summer to promote Humanism. It would be good to discuss these at the meeting and see how we can take things forward.

6  AOB

Location York House, London Road, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes

Time 18.15 for 18.30