Morality Debate & Cream Tea

Saturday 9th July 2.00pm

Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue,                                         Moordown, Bournemouth, BH9 1TW.

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Should we base our lives on doing good for others, or on pursuing our own self-interest? In this combined debate and summer social event, four members of Dorset Humanists will debate the motion “Self-interest is the best basis for morality.”

 

clip_image004The debate will be followed by                                                                a delicious home-baked cream tea.

Come along and join us for a thought provoking afternoon and a tasty cream tea (£2.50 charge for cream tea).

Everyone welcome!

Free Entry (donations appreciated)

If you can help us promote this event by displaying an A4 poster, please email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF copy.

Click here to view our other forthcoming and recent events.

Humanist Funerals talk, 5th July, Sturminster Newton, Dorset

David Pack, Ceremonies Training Officer of British Humanist Association (BHA) will talk at the Martinsey Isle Trust Resource Centre at The Exchange in Sturminster Newton, Dorset at 2pm Tuesday July 5th  2011. Types of celebrants available and funeral options, will be discussed. Everyone welcome.

The Myth of Jesus

Saturday 2nd July 2.00pm

Forest Arts Centre, Old Milton Road, New Milton BH25 6DS

New Milton Humanists present                                                 an illustrated talk by Geoff Jones

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Most people believe that Jesus was, if not the Son of God, at the very least an inspiring moral teacher.

It has become clear, however to an increasing number of scholars that the original Jesus was an imaginary figure who only later acquired a human biography as a result of political pressures to turn him into a tangible and marketable Saviour.

Come along and hear Geoff Jones unravel this most amazing transformation.

Everyone welcome!

Free Entry (donations appreciated)

If you can help us promote this event by displaying an A4 poster, please email Dave at DHcensus(at)@hotmail.co.uk for a PDF copy.

Click here to view our other forthcoming and recent events.

British Humanist Association launches new interactive site: ‘The Really Simple Guide to Humanism’

The really simple guide to Humanism is a new online learning resource that has been Humanism Simple created to help the wider public understand Humanism. The website offers simple answers to the most frequently asked questions about Humanism, and the opportunity for users to think about them in detail and learn more.
An online quiz helps users find out if they are humanists themselves, and the ‘Spot the Humanist’ game features a range of prominent humanists from past and present.
This site has sections covering ‘What about God?’, ‘What's it all for?‘, and ‘What is the good life?’. It features videos of humanists including writers Sue Blackmore, Zoe Margolis, David Nobbs, neurobiologist Colin Blakemore, comedians Ed Byrne and Lucy Porter, philosopher A C Grayling, and journalist and BHA President Polly Toynbee.
Take a look and let us know what you think on our Facebook page.
Click here to view our forthcoming and recent events.

The Science of Happiness

Happy Sun On Saturday, David Warden, Chair of Dorset Humanists shared the results of his reading around the science of happiness, and personal pursuit of the same, in an enjoyable and well-attended meeting. While there isn’t room to do justice to his presentation here, we present a brief summary of his key points and a list of books that David recommended during the afternoon.


If you’d like to discuss this topic, please post comments on our Facebook page or join the discussion on the 'HASSNERS' Humanist Meetup page.


Summary

1. Evolution doesn’t give a fig for your happiness. It just wants you alive and making babies.

2. Your brain is a contraption, part of which we share with lizards and other reptiles. The ancient limbic system generates troublesome emotions.

3. The happiest people are Swiss, in social class I, extrovert and married.

4. Your happiness ‘set point’ is partly determined by your genes and other unalterable factors.

5. You can take control of about 40% of your potential for happiness.


12 top tips

1. Spend more time with the people who make you feel good

2. You can take control of your brain chemistry (to some extent, by thinking of your emotions, chemical events in your body and as information, alarm signals)

3. Active activities (TV, a passive activity, induces mild depression)

4. Life is a package deal – unhappiness is part of the grainy ‘texture’ of life. Don’t be unhappy about unhappiness itself – it’s normal and it will pass.

5. Practise gratitude (over the space of a few days write a list with 100 items on it – things you have been grateful for in your life)

6. Honour your own life (no regrets…)

7. Practise compassion (to everyone around you, even the unlovely)

8. Take action to reduce stress (plan your time better)

9. Do more enjoyable things (and have some idleness time)

10. Engage your senses more fully (enjoy ordinary things, trees, birdsong, sunshine)

11. Join a community organisation (such as Dorset Humanists)

12. Start a happiness project (keep a happiness journal for a year and make it your goal to increase your happiness and those around you)


Further reading (And DW’s comments)

· Daniel Nettle The Science of Happiness – compact and readable

· Cecilia D’Felice Dare to be You – a beautiful self-help book

· Paul Gilbert Overcoming Depression – a chunky self-help manual

· Don Cupitt The Way to Happiness – Don Cupitt is keen on ‘ordinary ecstasy’

· Martin Seligman Authentic Happiness – Positive Psychology

· Robert Holden Be Happy – a bit religious but in-depth and useful

· Andre Jordan Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now – a great book for wallowing in misery

(Note: If you do decide to buy any books from Amazon to further your investigation of the science of happiness, please use the following link which provides a small cash percentage to the British Humanist Association without increasing the price you pay: http://www.amazon.co.uk/?%5Fencoding=UTF8&tag=britishhumani-21&linkCode=sb1&camp=2378&creative=8438 ).

June Bulletin & Newsletter

DW 6298984 (crop)Secular, non-religious worldviews such as Humanism are about to go mainstream in education in Dorset. Find out more in this month’s bulletin and my June letter (PDF downloads). Also inside, how the human mind arose from inanimate matter, how to live a happier life, a Stephen Hawking quote on heaven, members’ comments, and stacks of great events coming up this Summer.

To receive our newsletters and bulletins every month, just enter your details in the subscribe box on our home page. Do come and join us at our meetings. We’re a friendly crowd and we have a wide range of stimulating events and activities planned. We’ll be posting a new updated event programme here very shortly. In the meantime, keep an eye on the website, our Facebook page and our bulletins for updates.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

David Warden
Chair, Dorset Humanists

Click here to view our forthcoming and recent events.

GLOBAL POVERTY PROJECT

Wednesday 29th June 7.30pm Moordown Community Centre Coronation Avenue Moordown Bournemouth BH9 1TW

Around the world today, an estimated 1.4 billion people live in extreme poverty. Together, we can end it!

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You are invited to a special screening of ‘1.4 Billion Reasons’, a thought provoking journey that explores how we can end extreme poverty within a generation.

In this moving and inspiring film, the Global Poverty Project explains the challenges of extreme poverty and shows how we can be part of the solution by making simple lifestyle changes.

Come along to watch our screening of the DVD and discuss how to make a difference.

Everyone welcome!

Free Entry (donations appreciated)

Some Internet Resources:

Global Poverty Project's YouTube Channel

GPP's 'Infobank' containing a wealth of information relating to global world poverty including Health, Education, Women, Infrastructure, Climate Change, Conflict, Sanitation, Children, and related news.

If you can help us promote this event by displaying an A4 poster, please email Dave at DHcensus(at)@hotmail.co.uk for a PDF copy.

Click here to view our other forthcoming and recent events.

South Somerset Humanists walk with Dorset Humanists, Thursday 9th June

Edward Gwinnell of South Somerset Humanists has invited our group members to join them at The Sun Inn, Burton, (on the outskirts of Dorchester) for a pub lunch on Thursday 9th June around 12.30 and then afterwards, for a stroll into Dorchester.  Some of you have met the SSH group before at this venue and it has been a very pleasant occasion.  

The Sun Inn

Lower Burton,
Dorchester, DT2 7RZ