Face to Faith: Christians and Humanists in Conversation

***Please note the change of venue from the one published in our programme***

Wednesday 25^th April 7.30pm
Elstead Hotel,  12-14 Knyveton Road, Bournemouth, BH1 3QP

With David Warden and John Macdiarmid

David Warden, chair of Dorset Humanists, will be talking with John Macdiamid, pastor of Poole Christian Fellowship about their different worldviews and how they came to hold diametrically opposed conclusions about God and the meaning of life.

John Macdiarmid was brought up a Catholic. He went through a brief phase of being an atheist and then converted to evangelical Christianity as a student. David Warden was an evangelical Christian in his teens and studied theology at university with a view to becoming a priest, but he graduated and left as a confirmed atheist. John and David are friends and have much in common, but on the biggest question of all they remain firmly in opposite camps. Tonight we bring them together with compère Dean Robertson to discuss their respective worldviews in front of a live audience.

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites: 

http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

***Please note the change of venue from the one published in our programme***

Percy Shelley: A Humanist Out of Time

Saturday 09^th December 2.00pm 
Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, Moordown Bournemouth BH9 1TW

With Songwriter and Publisher John Webster

While he is perhaps most celebrated as one of our greatest romantic poets, Percy Bysshe Shelley was also an idealist who passionately advocated social reform. In this literary and musical presentation, Shelley expert John Webster will reveal how modern humanist ideals inspired much of this revolutionary poet’s work.

John will begin his presentation with an introduction highlighting Shelley's relevance to contemporary humanism, following which he will present many of Shelley’s verses in a cycle of specially composed songs from his 'Shelley's Golden Years in Italy' DVD. These musical adaptations of Shelley’s poems feature introductory explanatory narrations recorded by the poet Benjamin Zephaniah and are illustrated with an eclectic selection of images featuring Shelley-related locations in Italy.

“An excellent opportunity to learn more about humanism in the 19th century and to connect with a visionary poet who looked forward to a democratic, pluralist, and secular future”

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites:

http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

You can also help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Please email Dave at DHweb2(at)live.co.uk for a PDF copy for you to print and display.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

Is Humanism a Religion?

Wednesday 23^rd August 7.30pm
The Green House Hotel,  4 Grove Road, Bournemouth BH1 3AX

with John Coss from Greater Manchester Humanists

Humanism is a worldview that rejects belief in gods and the supernatural, and relies instead on reason, science, empathy and compassion to both guide our morality and inform our understanding of the world around us.

Most humanists have long sought to disentangle ourselves from any hint of religiosity but have we thereby lost something of value? John Coss believes we have and he will explain that there is an important distinction between ‘Religion1’ (the standard dictionary sense involving supernatural beliefs) and ‘Religion2’ (a wider sense that also encompasses non-supernatural belief systems). Controversially, John will be proposing that Humanism is a religion in this wider sense, and he will suggest how this perspective has implications for what Humanism should be in the future.

John Coss is a former Secretary of Greater Manchester Humanists.

“Join us to discover whether our understanding of Humanism and its future may need an update”

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

(The Green House Hotel can also be accessed via its rear entrance in Gervis Road. The hotel has a small onsite car park, and roadside parking is also available in Gervis Road).

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites:

http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

You can also help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

Atheism UK

Saturday 12^th August 2.00pm 
Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, Moordown Bournemouth BH9 1TW

with President of Atheism UK Chris Street

The principles of Atheism UK affirm that humans have fabricated religion, that God and gods do not exist, that morality develops independently of religion, and, perhaps most controversially, that religion inhibits rational thought. The group promotes an atheistic worldview and questions the whole validity of the concept of religious faith. Atheism UK supports the right of all non-religious people to have the same freedom of expression as their religious counterparts, and the organisation has assisted UK-based atheist ex-Muslims who have been threatened with deportation.

In this presentation, President of Atheism UK Chris Street will explain why we need to promote atheism as a worldview, and he will discuss the group’s principles and activities. Atheism UK is the nation’s only democratic, member-led, campaigning organisation advancing atheism. Its distinguished supporters include Susan Blackmore, Maryam Namazie and PZ Myers.

Chris Street is a life-long atheist (despite attending a Catholic secondary school!) and has been an active humanist since 2006. He has been an Atheism UK Council Member since January 2011 and became the organisation’s President in June 2014. He is also a committee member of Dorset Humanists.

“Join us to discover why our nation needs more outspoken atheists”

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites:

http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

You can also help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

Losing My Religion

Saturday 12^th September 2.00pm 
Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, Moordown Bournemouth BH9 1TW

With Clive Aruede and Lola Tibulu of London Black Atheists

For social and historical reasons black societies tend to be very religious, often socially excluding those who live their lives without belief in God. Even here in the UK, a census of church attendance in 2005 showed that black people accounted for nearly half of all churchgoers in London!

In this presentation Clive and Lola will be sharing the experiences that led to them rejecting their religious beliefs and later co-founding London Black Atheists. Their group’s mission is to encourage and enable people of all ethnicities, particularly of the African Diaspora, to ‘come out’ as atheists, and they provide support and a welcoming environment to anyone wary of receiving hostile reactions from family and friends.

Originally from Nigeria, Lola Tinubu has lived in the UK for 25 years. She is a legal representative for refugees and migrants, a human right activist and a staunch supporter of the LGBT community. She describes herself as a feminist and an unapologetic atheist. She was raised in a devout Seventh Day Adventist Church family, and has been both a street preacher and a church worship leader. She is a co-founder and one of the organisers of London Black Atheists, and has appeared on 4ThoughtTV and BBC’s The Big Questions.

Also from Nigeria, Clive Aruede came to the UK with his parents when he was around six, and was brought up as a Methodist.  As an adult he married a Catholic, converted to Roman Catholicism and practised as a Eucharistic Minister, before a journey of discovery led him to atheism. He is currently Chair of London Black Atheists.

London Black Atheists works with the British Humanist Association, London Atheist Activist Group, and Central London Humanists, and despite the name ‘Black’ welcomes atheists of all races.

Come along to hear Clive and Lola share their journeys from Christianity to atheism, along with their experiences of building a positive community for atheists in London.

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites:

http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

You can also help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

Science and Religion in the Classroom

Saturday 09^th May 2.00pm 
Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, Moordown Bournemouth BH9 1TW

With Alom Shaha - author of The Young Atheist’s Handbook

How can children brought up in religious families reconcile the different ‘truths’ they are told about the world? And to what extent should we discuss these issues in schools? What exactly should science teachers say when asked about the ‘truth’ of science by religious students? In this talk, Alom Shaha will describe his personal experiences of growing up in a Bangladeshi Muslim community in London, what role his science education played in his journey towards atheism and how, as a physics teacher in a London comprehensive, he responds to the apparent conflict between science and religious ideas in the classroom.

Alom Shaha was born in Bangladesh but grew up in London. As a teacher, science writer, and filmmaker, he has spent most of his professional life sharing his passion for science and education with the public, and has received fellowships from the National Endowment for Science, Technology, and the Arts (NESTA) and the Nuffield Foundation. He has also represented his community as an elected politician, and currently produces the children’s science video series ‘ExpeRimental’ for the Royal Institution (Ri).

“A great opportunity to discover what happens when science meets conflicting religious beliefs in the classroom”

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites:

http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

You can also help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

‘One Life’ Course: Exploring Humanism and Atheism

October/November 2014. All sessions: 7.30pm to 9:30pmThe Green House Hotel, 4 Grove Road, Bournemouth BH1 3AX

The ‘One Life’ Course: A six week introduction to Humanism and Atheism (Course Tutor: Chair of Dorset Humanists, David Warden)
This popular and enlightening course is intended for everybody who is interested in Humanism and wishes to discover more about its principles and the activities of Humanists. It's a great opportunity to explore life's big questions from a non-religious perspective, while meeting and interacting with interesting new people in a positive friendly environment.
During the course we’ll discover how Humanism provides a rational, non-religious way of approaching life’s ‘big questions’, and how it offers values that help us to live happy, worthwhile and fulfilled lives.
Session schedule:
   1. Humanist Beliefs and History: Tuesday October 7^th 2014
   2. The God Debate: Monday October 13^th 2014
   3. Secularism and Religious Privilege: Tuesday October 21^st 2014
   4. Ethics & Morality without Religion: Tuesday Nov 4^th 2014
   5. Prospects for Happiness: Tuesday November 11^th 2014
   6. Possibilities for a Good Society Tuesday November 18^th 2014
   (No meeting on 28^th October due to half-term break).
There will be a small charge for this course to help cover venue hire. All sessions 7.30pm – 9.30pm at The Green House Hotel, Grove Road, Bournemouth BH1 3AX.
Total Course cost (The total course cost is the same regardless of how many sessions you choose to attend)
   · £15 for non-members, or £12 for members of Dorset Humanists.
   · Early booking discount: £2 off members’ and non-members’ prices if booked before 15^th Sept.
   · Flat rate of £5 for students (whenever booked).
Please make cheques payable to ‘Dorset Humanists’, or contact us for BACS payment details.
Please book early to avoid disappointment due to a limited number of places

Some feedback from previous ‘One Life’ courses:
· “An amazing course – it’s been fantastic!”
· “Just what we need to introduce people to Humanism”
· “As a Christian I felt at ease and accepted by those present.”
· “My mind continues to buzz about many issues arising from the course”
Course Tutor: David Warden BA, MA, Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Chair of Dorset Humanists.
For further information, email David Warden at chairman@dorsethumanists.co.uk or phone 07910 886629, or talk to us at one of our meetings.
(The Green House Hotel can also be accessed via its rear entrance in Gervis Road. The hotel has a small onsite car park, and roadside parking is also available in Gervis Road).
Click here to view details of forthcoming and recent Dorset Humanists events on this website.

An Atheist on the Alpha Course

Wednesday 23^rd October 7.30pm
The Green House Hotel,  4 Grove Road, Bournemouth BH1 3AX

The Christian Church’s ‘Alpha Course’ aims to recruit non-believers and lapsed Christians and convert them to evangelical Christianity.

Church advertising for the course makes bold claims about exploring the meaning of life, but critics suggest it targets the lonely and easily-influenced with a mixture of friendship, mild brainwashing and some tasty food.

Atheist and Chair of Dorset Humanists, David Warden decided to investigate for himself.

Find out what happened in this entertaining account of David’s experiences, which will also be of considerable interest to anyone considering taking the Alpha Course.

Join us for “an entertaining account of the secrets of the Alpha Course”

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

(The Green House Hotel also has an entrance on Gervis Road, which has roadside parking and is easier to access on foot).

[Update: David will also be presenting this talk for West Dorset Humanists at 7.30pm on 24th October at Wessex Royale Hotel, 32 High Street West, Dorchester DT1 1UP. Please see their website for more details: http://www.westdorsethumanists.org]

Please help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

A Selection of Podcasts

Humanism related podcasts

Some members of the Dorset Humanists Facebook Group compiled a list of their favourite podcasts and we are sharing their choices here. Each of these podcasts have a different style so there should be at least one or two in the list (and hopefully many more!) that you will enjoy.

People who use iTunes will be able to download these fairly easily. For those who don't use iTunes, these podcasts can be listened to through an internet browser or on a smart phone with a podcast app like Stitcher or DoggCatcher.

If you know of any good podcasts that you feel would be of interest to other humanists please add your suggestions in the comments.

Humanism/Atheism

The Atheist Experience – Atheist Community of Austin

Description – The Atheist Experience is weekly cable access television show in Austin Texas geared at a non-atheist audience.
Website
iTunes
RSS URL

Reasonable Doubts

Description – Reasonable Doubts is an award winning radio show and podcast for people who won't "just take things on faith." RD's mission is to investigate the claims of religion from a fair-minded yet critical perspective. In addition to interviewing the top minds in skepticism, RD offers regular segments on religious apologetics, psychology of religion, biblical criticism, and mythology.

Website
iTunes
RSS URL

The Thinking Atheist

Description – Seth Andrews, a former Christian broadcaster and believer for 30 years, ultimately escaped the bonds of superstitious thinking to embrace the more satisfying explanations that science provides. A professional video producer and host of one of the most popular atheist communities on the internet, Seth Andrews brings a polished format, a relaxed environment and a rage-free challenge to the religious beliefs that defined his youth.

Website

YouTube

iTunes

RSS URL

The Humanist Hour

Description - A monthly one-hour talk show produced by the American Humanist Association.

Website

iTunes

RSS URL

Humanist Thought of the Week

Description - Inspiration to live a better life. (each show about 1 minute long)
Website
iTunes
RSS URL

Rationalist Organisation

Description - from the producers of New Humanist magazine (UK). Every December, daily podcasts with humanist/atheist comedians or scientists. Other occasional podcasts throughout the year of a sceptical secular viewpoint.
Website

Soundcloud
iTunes
RSS URL

Science/Skepticism

Skeptics' Guide to the Universe

Description - The Skeptics Guide to the Universe is a weekly Science podcast talkshow discussing the latest news and topics from the world of the paranormal, fringe science, and controversial claims from a scientific point of view.
Website
iTunes
RSS URL

The Pod Delusion

Description – A weekly news magazine podcast about interesting things. From politics, to science to culture and philosophy, it’s commentary from a secular, rationist, sceptical, somewhat lefty-liberal, sort of perspective.
Website
iTunes
RSS URL

Skepticule

Description - Irregular audio utterances from a UK skeptic or three
Website
iTunes
RSS URL

Skeptics with a K

The podcast of the Merseyside Skeptics Society, recorded and edited at the region's internationally-renowned Summit Studios. Each episode features Mike, Marsh and Colin chatting about stuff that interests them, often with a skeptical angle.
Website

iTunes
RSS URL

InKredulous

Description - InKredulous is the skeptical, satirical, comedy panel show from the Merseyside Skeptics Society. The smartest, funniest and fastest skeptics around are invited to take part… and decline.

Website

iTunes
RSS URL

Skeptoid

Description - A weekly science podcast dedicated to furthering knowledge by blasting away the widespread pseudosciences that infect popular culture, and replacing them with way cooler reality.

Each weekly episode focuses on a single phenomenon — an urban legend, a paranormal claim, alternative therapy, or something just plain stupid — that you've heard of, and that you probably believe in. Skeptoid attempts to expose the folly of belief in non-evidence based phenomena, and more importantly, explains the factual scientific reality.

From the sublime to the startling, no topic is sacred, politically incorrect though that may be.
Website

iTunes
RSS URL

60-Second Science

Description - Tune in every weekday for quick reports and commentaries on the world of science-- it'll just take a minute.
Website

iTunes
RSS URL

Dr Karl and the Naked Scientist

Description - Dr Chris Smith aka The Naked Scientist with the latest news from the world of science and Dr Karl answers listeners' science questions on Radio 5 live's Up All Night programme.

Website

iTunes
RSS URL

Science Magazine Podcast

Description - Periodic audiocasts from Science Magazine, the world's leading journal of original scientific research, global news and commentary.

Website

iTunes

RSS URL

Rationally Speaking Podcast

Massimo Pigliucci and Julia Galef of New York City Skeptics explore the borderlands between reason and nonsense, likely and unlikely, science and pseudoscience.

Website

iTunes

RSS URL

Inside Science - BBC - Adam Rutherford

Covering everything from the humble test tube to the depths of space, Inside Science is your guide to how science is evolving, transforming our culture, and affecting our lives.

Website

iTunes

RSS URL

Numbers of Non-Religious & Religious in Dorset (by Age, Ethnic Group, Country Group & Occupation)

Census 2011: The 16th May 2013 release of census data drills down to numbers of religious & non-religious in local authority regions of Bournemouth, Poole and county of Dorset (comprising Christchurch, East Dorset, North Dorset, Purbeck, West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland) - see map left.

I have compiled the new religious data into four sections with  examples from the town I was born in, Bournemouth (click image for larger image). Each of my Excel summaries has details of the above 8 Local Authorities in Dorset County.

NB. Sections on National Identity by Religion and  Economic Activity by Religion are not included in my compilation.

1) DC2107EW - Age by Religion in Dorset County (source | download Excel summary by Chris Street)

Note: In Bournemouth, parents state that 29% Primary age children (age 5-9) and 30-36% of Secondary children (age 10-17) have no religion. 50% age 20-24 have no religion.

Census 2011: Was the 'What is your Religion?' question fatally flawed?

Was the 'What is your Religion?' question fatally flawed?
Yes! Say British Humanist Association.
No! Say Office of National Statistics.

Is 'What is your Religion?' a loaded question?

... the data on religion produced by the 2011 Census gives a misleading picture of the religiosity of the UK, despite the rise in the percentage of non-religious. This is because of the flawed nature of the Census question on religion. ‘What is your religion?’, the question which was used in England and Wales in the 2001 and 2011 Censuses, is a loaded question, because it assumes that the respondent has a religion. In addition, many respondents who answer this question by ticking a religion only do so because their family brought them up in that faith, not because they still believe in it or actively practice it. The data on religious belief in the Census should therefore be viewed as indicative of culture rather than of religion. 

The figures were probably also distorted by the fact that the question on religion appeared immediately after a series of questions on ethnicity, which may well have encouraged people to respond more on the basis of culture than actual beliefs or religious affiliation.

... Someone who loosely identifies themselves as Christian in a cultural sense might not necessarily agree with the idea of Christian organisations taking over public services in their area. Read more.

The British Social Attitudes, 2011 asked whether they regarded themselves as belonging to any particular religion, 44% of adults replied in the negative. This was a lower proportion than in 2010 (50%) but much higher than when the question had first been put in 1983 (31%).

However ONS argue (see below) that the word 'belonging' is also a loaded question. 'Belonging' implies a strong affiliation to a religion (ie signing up for a religion or going to church regularly).

Andrew Copson, CEO BHA called the Census 2011 figures 'astounding'. ‘This is a really significant cultural shift. In spite of a biased question that positively encourages religious responses, to see such an increase in the non-religious and such a decrease in those reporting themselves as Christian is astounding. Of course these figures still exaggerate the number of Christians overall – the number of believing, practicing Christians is much lower than this and the number of those leading their lives with no reference to religion much higher. Religious practice, identity, belonging and belief are all in decline in this country, and non-religious identities are on the rise. It is time that public policy caught up with this mass turning away from religious identities and stopped privileging religious bodies with ever increasing numbers of state-funded religious schools and other faith-based initiatives. They are decreasingly relevant to British life and identity and governments should catch up and accept that fact.’

The British Social Attitudes Survey 2010 

Religion - page 173 asked "Do you consider yourself as belonging to a particular religion"

One in three (31%) in 1983 did not belong to a religion, compared with one in two (50%) now.

The largest decline has been in affiliation with the Church of England, which has halved since

1983 (from 40% to 20%). This change – which is likely to continue – can be explained by generational replacement, with older, more religious, generations dying out and being replaced by less religious generations. There is little evidence that substantial numbers find religion as they get older. (source: BSAS 2010)

Why are we less religious than we used to be? 

BSAS 2010 says 'How can we explain this decline in religiosity? Here, we focus on the decline in religious affiliation, which we have seen is strongly influenced by being brought up in a religion, and links to levels of religious attendance. Does the decline in religious affiliation result from a lifecycle effect (with each individual generation’s attitudes following a particular pattern throughout their lifecycle), a period effect (with a particular event or way of thinking affecting all or some of society at a particular point in time) or a generation or cohort effect (with more religious generations dying and being replaced by less religious ones)? source: BSAS 2010, pg 181

To explore these possibilities, we grouped respondents into nine ‘generations’ and considered their levels of religious affiliation at four points in time. This analysis is presented in Table 12.7. source: BSAS 2010, pg 181

The first point to note is that there is no evidence of a lifecycle effect – that is, as people grow older they become more or less religious. Non-affiliation remains relatively stable as each generation ages; for example, 30 per cent of those born between 1936–1945 did not follow a religion in 1983 (when they were aged 38–47 years), compared with 31 per cent in 2010 (when they were 65–74 years). source: BSAS 2010, pg 181

Could the decline in religious affiliation be attributed to a period effect? At a time of plummeting trust in politicians and banks, might public cynicism have extended to religious bodies, perhaps spurred on by scandals within the church, such as the sex abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland? There is some evidence of a decline in religious affiliation between 2000 and 2010, particularly for those generations currently aged in their mid-30s to mid-60s. This trend is likely to be very recent, as it has not been identified in previous work on this topic, and therefore merits further investigation. source: BSAS 2010, pg 181

However, by far the most marked differences occur between cohorts – indicating that the decline in religious affiliation in Britain has primarily been brought about by generational replacement. In 1983, for example, 55 per cent of those born between 1956 and 1965 (then aged 18–27) did not belong to a religion, compared with 12 per cent of those born before 1915 (then aged 68+). By 2010, 65 per cent of the youngest generation (born between 1986 and 1992 and then aged 18–24) did not belong to a religion, compared with 24 per cent of the oldest generation (born between 1926 and 1935 and then aged 75+6). The result of continual generational replacement is that, overall, the proportion of the population who does not belong to a religion continues to rise. source: BSAS 2010, pg 181

Graph by Chris Street

What do our findings mean for the future? We cannot, of course, rule out the possibility that a major event might affect people’s relationship with religion. But on the basis of our findings it seems likely that the ongoing decline in religious affiliation (and consequently religious attendance) will continue. This reflects the fact that each generation is less likely than its predecessor to be born into religious families, and that this lack of religiosity tends to remain with an individual as they get older. source: BSAS 2010, pg 181

Census 2001/2011 v British Social Attitudes - What is the difference in questions?

BSAS says in Note 1 'What is the difference between the proportions of the population identified as belonging to a religion by the 2001 census and British Social Attitudes can be partly explained by question wording: the census asks respondents “What is your religion?” – implying that the respondent has one – while the British Social Attitudes survey asks “Do you regard yourself as belonging to any particular religion?” The difference may also be due to the response options offered; with the census listing the major world religions, and British Social Attitudes listing specific denominations; respondents answering the former would be most likely to see this as a question concerned with ‘cultural classification’ rather than religion (Voas and Bruce, 2004). 

Finally, the context of the questions is significant, with the census question following one on ethnicity, arguably causing ‘contamination’ of responses (ibid.).' (source: BSAS 2010, note 1, pg 183)

Census 2011

NoelPlum99 

explains results of the Census 2011 and BSAS 2010 in his Youtube video (13m) which I recommend as a summary of Census 2011 and why the Census 2001 and 2011 question 'What is your religion', only looks at Religious Affiliation and NOT whether people believe in God.

I posted this in reply to his video:-

'@ 4.47
- Census 2011 'What is your religion?".What is it trying to find out? 59% Christians does NOT mean they believe in God!
@ 5.11
ONS say in their Youtube video 0-18secs "This is a short video looking at religion in England and Wales. Using these people we will look at the breakdown of Religious Affiliation; how we connect or identify with a religion, irrespective of actual practise or belief". On the ONS site they also say "Religion is a many sided concept and there are other aspects of religion such as religious belief, religious practice or belonging which are not covered in this analysis" (source: ONS)

Social connection is what interests them NOT whether you believe in god(s), or not.

@6.44
BNAS 2010 Religious Affiliation table 12.1 "Do you regard yourself as belonging to a particular religion? Result: 50% Irreligiosity.
@10.55s
Table 12.7 explains cohort reason. viz. as new generations come along, fewer of the cohort believe in God'

What options for the Religion question did ONS consider?

ONS published a 'Final recommended questions 2011 - Religion' a comprehensive 57 page pdf listed here.

ONS say there are a number of dimensions to the concept of religion, the key ones for survey and census questions being affiliation, practice and belief. Based on the evidence of a lengthy programme of research and consultation, ONS believes that the most appropriate question for the 2011 Census, that best meets user needs, is one that asks about religious affiliation.

Several different question wordings have been tested, including:
• What is your religion?
• What is your religion or belief?
• What is your religion, even if not currently practising?
• Do you regard yourself as belonging to a religion?
• Which of these best describes you?

Testing found that the question ‘what is your religion?’ best meets the requirement of collecting good quality data on religious affiliation within the space constraints of the census questionnaire. The question will also provide comparability between the 2001 and 2011 Censuses.

The question did not attempt to collect detailed information about the nature of their belief or the extent to which people practice their religion. Although questions on belief are asked in the British Social Attitudes Survey and the British Household Panel Survey, they are not seen as appropriate or acceptable for a census and nor would they meet the needs of most users of census data. (source: 'Final recommended questions 2011 - Religion', pg 9)

Do you regard yourself as belonging to a religion?

ONS chose not to use the BSAS question ('Final recommended questions 2011 - Religion', pg 25-27):- Do you regard yourself as belonging to a religion? The term ‘belonging’ is used in the literature to refer to both strong affiliation and regular churchgoing. It may be that this conflation occurs in the minds of respondents too. Differences in the proportion of religious affiliates between the census (‘what is your religion?’) and the BSA (‘Do you regard yourself as belonging to a particular religion?’) may be partly explained if people are more likely to understand the latter in terms of active belonging – that is, as requiring membership of a church or other practising religious group, reducing the number identifying as such (Voas and Bruce 2004).

What do BHA think about the 'What is your religion' question?

BHA - New survey evidence: census religion question ‘fatally flawed’.

click for large image

2011 Census Results: Dramatic Rise in Dorset’s Non-religious

According to results from the 2011 Census released today there was a big fall in those self-identifying as ‘Christian’ across England and Wales, and the proportion of people who reported they have no religion has now reached a quarter of the population.

Figures for our region are split by local authority and are as follows:
Bournemouth: 71% ‘Christian’ in 2001 dropped to 57% ‘Christian’ in 2011, and 18% ‘No Religion’ in 2001 rose to 30% No Religion’ in 2011.
Poole: 74% ‘Christian’ in 2001 dropped to 60% ‘Christian’ in 2011, and 16% ‘No Religion’ in 2001 rose to 30% No Religion’ in 2011.
Dorset (includes Christchurch, East Dorset, North Dorset, Purbeck, West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland): 78% ‘Christian’ in 2001 dropped to 65% ‘Christian’ in 2011, and 14% ‘No Religion’ in 2001 rose to 25% No Religion’ in 2011.
Detailed ONS 2011 Census religion statistics can be downloaded from: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-qs210ew.xls

It’s worth noting once again that the optional religion question in the 2011 Census was framed to identify religious affiliation which doesn’t necessarily indicate belief or practice. For comparison, the results of the 29th British Social Attitudes Survey (BSA), published in September 2012, found 45.7 per cent of respondents claimed not to belong to a religion.

The British Humanist Association’s CEO Andrew Copson had this to say about the results:
‘This is a really significant cultural shift. In spite of a biased question that positively encourages religious responses, to see such an increase in the non-religious and such a decrease in those reporting themselves as Christian is astounding. Of course these figures still exaggerate the number of Christians overall – the number of believing, practicing Christians is much lower than this and the number of those leading their lives with no reference to religion much higher.
 ‘Religious practice, identity, belonging and belief are all in decline in this country, and non-religious identities are on the rise. It is time that public policy caught up with this mass turning away from religious identities and stopped privileging religious bodies with ever increasing numbers of state-funded religious schools and other faith-based initiatives. They are decreasingly relevant to British life and identity and governments should catch up and accept that fact.’ (Read more here).

The ONS has a useful summary page on the religion results, including an animated video, here:
The 2011 Census results are summarised below (Other religions and ‘not stated’ not shown).

Area name	Local Authority	Area	Christian	Christian	No religion	No religion
			Percentage	Percentage	Percentage	Percentage
			2001	2011	2001	2011
ENGLAND AND WALES			71.75	59.3	14.81	25.1
ENGLAND			71.74	59.4	14.59	24.7
SOUTH WEST			73.99	60.4	16.75	29.3
	Bournemouth UA		70.91	57.1	17.94	30.5
	Poole UA		74.34	60.4	16.23	29.7
	Dorset		77.88	65.3	13.74	25.2
		Christchurch	79.06	67.1	13.18	23.6
		East Dorset	79.90	66.8	12.61	24.2
		North Dorset	77.75	66.5	13.61	23.8
		Purbeck	78.36	65.0	13.81	25.9
		West Dorset	77.55	65.3	13.61	25.0
		Weymouth & Portland	74.67	61.0	15.89	29.3

Richard Green - Atheism - Challenging Religious Faith

Richard Green, a member of HASSNERS and AtheismUK led a discussion on Atheism in an evening meeting of Dorset Humanists on 24th November 2010.

Richard Green's 50 slide presentation is available for download here.

Here are the papers, by Santos et al, “Stern-Judging: A Simple, Successful Norm Which Promotes Cooperation under Indirect Reciprocity”  and by Ohtsuki et al, entitled “How should we define goodness?—reputation dynamics in indirect reciprocity” along similar lines.

Blackmore’s “epiphany” was in the Guardian in September in “Why I no longer believe religion is a virus of the mind”.