Humanist Society of Victoria

Welcome to the Humanist Society of Victoria Incorporated (HSV).

Humanism is an optimistic world-view relying on human capabilities only – guided by reason – informed by evidence – driven by compassion.

We work to build a more civilized society, fostering ethics based on human values. We consider that reason, free inquiry and a scientific approach enable us to understand the universe and our place in it. We defend freedom and democracy and provide a positive alternative to religious and dogmatic creeds. We support separation of church and state, and secular education.

Lobbying the politicians

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Nov 222011

In June 2011 the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development advised school parents to lobby their politicians on any concerns over special religious instruction.

Two of us HSV members began to visit our MPs forthwith, one of us being a primary school parent and the other a primary school grandparent.

In addition to eight such visits by November we wrote to all Victorian MPs not yet contacted using the draft letter on this website. Sixteen more MPs have responded including ALP, Green and Liberal members. We have now have productive dialogue with 19% of the total of 128 Victorian MPs, but one, who shall be nameless for the present, has refused to meet with one of his constituents! We’ll give him another chance.

Contacting MPs next year will be guided by the VCAT hearing on 1 March. Perhaps we should also be talking to our Federal MPs on the matter of formerly “secular counselors” in State schools now being reclassified as social workers and accredited by the religion providers. It’s no big deal to visit a pollie. The visits are most enjoyable even with those who say that they are unable to support one, like “How can I possibly help you? I’m a Government Minister in the Bible belt.”

Let’s just do it!! – HG

Secular workers added to chaplaincy programme - well hardly secular

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Nov 212011

”There’s many a slip twixt cup and lip.” Greek and English proverb

It was great to read in The Age of two months ago that the National Chaplaincy program was being extended to permit schools to hire secular counsellors who would not proselytise their children, but, since it seemed too good to be true, we wrote to Minister Garrett (left) asking who would administer the program. The reply on 15 October (see Response 1) was not 100% reassuring and now on the grapevine we are hearing that the word ‘secular’ is quietly dropped and that the existing religion providers, ACCESS ministries, Chaplaincy Australia, GenR8 Ministries, Schools Ministry Group, Scripture Union, etc will administer the formerly ‘secular’ program.

Can we find a suitable secular agency to suggest to the Minister before the decision is announced as a fait accompli?

And furthermore do we need to think about what could happen behind the scenes as the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority gets influenced to link ethics with religion in the proposed national curriculum? - HG

UN Day of Remembrance for road trauma

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Nov 202011

At noon today about one hundred people, including five Humanists, assembled in Queen’s Hall, Parliament House, Victoria, to participate in a moving ceremony convened by Road Trauma Support Services. Photographs of deceased were displayed on a table in front of the lectern.

The service was led by Rev. Andrew Calder, but mercifully not too religious although some of the speakers did naturally testify to their faiths. Chamber music was played by four girls from Methodist Ladies College and the ‘Organised Water’ choir sang several times directed by Ruth Schoenheimer. Candles were lit by Ian Smith from the Victorian Council of Churches, Murray Davis of the Faith Communities of Victoria and Judy Watt from our Society, followed by many in the audience.

For the writer the Humanist Society is most relevant when trying to raise consciousness of suffering and helping in the comfort of those bereaved by such preventable tragedy. – HG

Untouchability - Adopt a Dalit Village in India

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Nov 202011

Untouchable castes occur in several countries, but notably in India and Nigeria. As described by the immediate past president, Roy Brown (left), the International Humanist and Ethical Union has relief work established in India and donations are welcome. – HG More …

Daniel Dennett visits Melbourne

News Items 1 Response »

Nov 162011

On Wednesday, 6:30 pm 15 instant at Melbourne University, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Prof Daniel Dennett, spoke on the Evolution of Purposes with the aid of computing science.

The designer of this website and host of Singularity Summit 2010, Adam A. Ford (left), got together with Horseman Dan (right). – HG

Center for Youth Empowerment School System in Liberia

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Nov 142011

For several years our South Australian member, Dick Clifford, raised funds for Liberian refugees in Ghana. The Center for Youth Empowerment (CYE see pix above) was established by Slabe Sennay, then demolished by storm and rebuilt. This year the refugees were repatriated to Gardnersville, Monrovia, Liberia, and the CYE re-established by Slabe Sennay.

Dick wants readers to write a cheque as described in V2011 11 Nov or donate via Western Union. – HG More …

Last Humanist Society public lecture 2011

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Oct 292011

Teresa Puszka (HSV) at the Balwyn Library, 336 Whitehorse Rd, Balwyn, Victoria (Melway Map 46 E8).
All welcome, entry by donation. Enquiries: ph. (03) 9857 8318.
Thursday 24 November 2011, 8:30 pm for Teresa spoke on “How do our State primary schools do religion?” giving details of the treatment of her children before and after when she opted them out of special religious instruction. – HG

More …

A vote against world-view education

Articles and Opinions, Secularism and Religion No Responses »

Oct 242011

The Anglican Synod has voted approximately 5:4 to reject a call for general religious education in State schools. It thereby inadvertently supported the local evangelicals who deliver special Christian religious instruction in such schools. In opposing the motion the Chair of ACCESS ministries, Bishop Hale, continued the fiction that special religious instruction is not used for proselytising when in fact that’s just what it’s permitted to do according to the Education Department itself; see answer (8) on 25 May 2010 in the Department’s reply to a Parliamentary question of 25 March 2010. – HG
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Beliefs and observations of a Humanist

Articles and Opinions, Humanism, For, Secularism and Religion No Responses »

Oct 222011

“I firmly believe we need some projects to work on together to build the sense that we actually achieve something tangible and significant, as well as visible to the community. Any ideas?”

David Fotheringham (left), a scientist writes from his hospital bed. More …

Will children who don't do religious instruction get a fair deal?

Ethical Education, Secularism and Religion No Responses »

Oct 202011

On 24 August the Education Department introduced new advice to school principals requiring opted-out children to be given meaningful supervised work, including studies about local community groups. (The HSV ethics course would qualify.) However the difficulty of finding available schoolteachers to supervise this teaching concerned Sue Pennicuik, MLC, who raised the problem in the Legislative Council on 12 October 2011.

The answer from the Minister for Higher Education and Skills, Hon. P.R. Hall, failed to resolve the matter.

A request from HSV to deliver its ethics course would bring the matter to a head, but HSV will await guidance from the VCAT case on Special Religious Instruction discrimination (starts 12 December 2011) with an answer possibly available in early January 2012. – HG