Secular Society member, Emma Campbell, advocates that there be respect for all beliefs, including non-belief. South Africa is a country shaped by different cultures, traditions, religions and ways of understanding the world. In our homes, workplaces, schools and communities, we encounter people whose beliefs differ from our own. Some people find meaning through religion or
Respecting Different Beliefs Read More »
SASS member Emma Campbell considers some aspects of freedom of expression in South Africa. Freethinking begins with the freedom to question. Humanism takes that freedom and places it within a broader commitment to human dignity, autonomy and flourishing. Both depend on an open exchange of ideas. Freedom of expression is therefore more than a political
Freedom of Expression: The Freedom to Think, Question and Speak Read More »
SA Secular Society member Emma Campbell unpacks an aspect of critical thinking. Someone tells you that a particular treatment works. A friend recommends a product that supposedly has remarkable effects. You see a post online claiming that something happened, or that a particular person, organisation or government is responsible for it. How do you decide
Asking for Evidence Read More »
SA Secular Society member Sacha Smith considers a humanist approach to heritage. We look back because we want to understand where we came from. The past wasn’t always better, and revisiting it can be uncomfortable. But understanding where we come from helps us make sense of who we are. Heritage Heritage is often presented
Humanism, Heritage and the Arts: The Stories We Choose to Carry Read More »
SA Secular Society member Emma Campbell turns her lens on social justice, from a Freethinker’s point of view. Throughout history, many social institutions and customs have been defended on the grounds that they are traditional, natural or ordained by a higher authority. Freethinking challenges us to ask a different question: Are these ideas actually justified?
Freethinking and Social Justice: Questioning the Rules We Inherit Read More »
SA Secular Society member Emma Campbell provides some insight into these two ways of thinking and living. The terms Freethinker and Humanist are often used interchangeably. While they are similar in many, overarching ways, they contain some differences. Both terms centre themselves around reason, evidence and intellectual freedom, and both have played an important
Freethinkers and Humanists: What’s the Difference? Read More »
When we hear the word freethought, it is easy to imagine a modern movement that emerged in response to organised religion. In reality, the desire to ask questions, challenge accepted wisdom and seek evidence has been part of the human story for thousands of years. Freethought is not about telling people what to believe. Rather,
The Long History of Freethought Read More »
Introduction Many young couples would describe themselves as “non-religious”. So when they have a baby they don’t wish to take it to a formal religious venue for some sort of ritual which will commit them and the child to uphold that religion’s teachings. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t want a ceremony in which
Why have a Baby Naming Ceremony? Read More »
Introduction Coming-of-age ceremonies have long served as vital milestones, marking the transformative journey from childhood into the responsibilities of adulthood. While these transitions were historically anchored in religious traditions, like Bar Mitzvahs or Confirmations, more families today are seeking meaningful ways to celebrate this evolution outside of a spiritual framework. A secular ceremony focuses on
The Value of Non-Religious Coming-of-Age Ceremonies Read More »
Introduction South Africa is one of the most religiously diverse countries in the world. Our classrooms bring together children from Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, African Traditional, and many other faith backgrounds. Increasingly, they also include learners who identify as atheist, agnostic, humanist, or simply non-religious. In a democratic society, schools have an important responsibility: to
Confronting Religious Indoctrination in South African Schools Read More »
