List of irreligious organizations

Conway Hall, home of the Conway Hall Ethical Society, is the oldest freethought community in the world (established 1793).

Irreligious organizations promote the view that moral standards should be based solely on naturalistic considerations, without reference to supernatural concepts (such as God or an afterlife), any desire to do good for a reward after death, or any fear of punishment for not believing in life after death.

Background

Individuals and organizations sharing these views, identify themselves by a variety of terms, including, bright, freethinker, naturalist, rationalist, or skeptic.[1][2] Despite the use of these various terms, the organizations listed here have goals in common. Note that, while most of these organizations and their members consider themselves irreligious, there are certain exceptions (Ethical Culture, for example).

In some jurisdictions, a provincial or national humanist society may confer upon Humanist officiants the ability to conduct memorial services, child naming ceremonies or officiate marriages – tasks which would be carried out by clergy in most organized religions.[3][4][5]

List

Australia

Belgium

Brazil

Canada

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Iceland

  • Sidmennt – Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association

India

Indonesia

Ireland

Italy

Kenya

Luxembourg

Netherlands

New Zealand

Northern Ireland

Norway

Philippines

Romania

Singapore

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

United Kingdom

National organisations

Local groups

There are many local humanist groups around the United Kingdom, most being affiliates of Humanists UK and the National Secular Society. Of these, Leicester Secular Society has particular claim to fame in being the world's oldest secular society, founded in 1851.[17] Others include North East Humanists.

United States

Freedom From Religion Foundation billboard
American Atheist bench and "Ten Commandments" display (Bradford County, Florida)

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ Who does the Secular Coalition for America represent? Archived 2008-04-16 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Some less common labels include: apatheist, godless (in the non-pejorative, literal sense), ignostic, infidel (or unbeliever), heathen, materialist, or realist.
  3. ^ "Humanist Canada: Humanist Weddings". Archived from the original on 2012-12-28. Retrieved 2014-11-23.
  4. ^ "Humanists Stand Ready to Perform Same-Sex Marriage Ceremonies". American Humanist Association. March 3, 2010. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  5. ^ "The Humanist Society Listing of Humanist Celebrants". Archived from the original on 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2014-11-23.
  6. ^ [1] Archived 2021-05-07 at the Wayback Machine Atheist Republic
  7. ^ The Movement Archived 2008-03-12 at the Wayback Machine, The Brights' Network, 2008 (Accessed 9 April 2008)
  8. ^ Presentation, European Humanist Federation website, 2006 (Accessed 10 April 2008)
  9. ^ Laïque (French): "secular"
  10. ^ About IHEU Archived 2008-07-05 at the Wayback Machine, IHEU website Archived 2014-01-02 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 5 April 2008)
  11. ^ "Internet Deconstructing State Church in Finland". eroakirkosta.fi. Archived from the original on 2022-09-21. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  12. ^ Atheist Union of Greece Statute
  13. ^ "Les non-religieux veulent aussi être consultés". L'essentiel (in French). Edita SA. 18 January 2015. Archived from the original on 27 August 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  14. ^ The Norwegian Humanist Association Archived 2008-04-12 at the Wayback Machine, Human-Etisk Forbund website (English version), 2011 (Accessed 5 February 2011)
  15. ^ Membership Archived 2007-10-30 at the Wayback Machine, Human-Etisk Forbund website (English version), 2004 (Accessed 9 April 2008)
  16. ^ South Place Ethical Society website Archived 2008-04-20 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 5 April 2008)
  17. ^ Leicester Secular Society website Archived 2008-05-15 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 5 April 2008)