WASP Summary of the speech of Baroness Wilcox in the House of Lords 19th April 2007, Relgion: Non Believers debate.

WASP Summary of the speech of noble Lady Baroness Wilcox in the House of Lords 19th April 2007, Relgion: Non Believers debate.

Full text of speech here in Hansard (or with WASP highlights here).

WASP highlights Main Points & Key Points.

• TheyWorkForYou Baroness Wicox entry

• Baroness Wilcox Wikipedia entry

Action: WASP to send a message to Baroness Wilcox - disagreeing with Humanist schools

WASP - Key Points of Baroness Wilcox speech:

• those with faith feel pushed to the outskirts of society and find our values and beliefs infringed and belittled
• Humanist schools
• the trouble with Humanism
  

Baroness Wilcox:
I declare an interest. I am a communicant member of the Church of England.

Sadly, it sometimes, and increasingly, seems to some of us, as was so powerfully stated by the cardinal archbishop lately, that those of us with faith feel pushed to the outskirts of society and find our space, values and beliefs that are the very core of our daily being infringed and belittled.

No one would disagree with the belief of the noble Lord, Lord Harrison, that in a democratic state a person’s lack of religion should not lead to any kind of prejudice or deprivation. We agree that religious groups should be controlled in any misuse of their position. The modern state has tried to meet the position of those who profess no religion by allowing them to withdraw their children from religious assemblies. It is open to non-religious people to raise money and to set up schools of their own. Of course it might mean that their children have to travel long distances. That is very often so for religious parents who wish their children to attend a school of their choice.

Those who profess no religion have not yet evolved a common ritual and philosophy that appeals to the mass of the population. Perhaps that is why they have not yet set up any schools. Where are the humanist schools? I wonder how many people would attend them. Maybe now that this little group has been set up in the Houses of Parliament, it may work towards that end.

The trouble is that humanism can seem too intellectual or remote. There is also disagreement about the prevailing non-religious philosophy, stretching from Nietzsche’s superman to a vague humanism. By contrast, although religious adherence seems small, surveys show that around 70 per cent of people profess a belief in God. Many people’s morality is still tied to the traditional religious patterns.