Every first Wednesday of the month we meet for a social evening at a central London pub. Drop by if you’re non-religious and you would like to meet like-minded people in a relaxed atmosphere. If you’re just questioning your beliefs and aren’t sure where to turn, or you are non-religious and looking for something less intellectual to do, this could be just right for you. [A voluntary donation of £2 is requested - but first timers are welcome to give us a free trial] You’ll find us at the 4 high tables on the right as you come in

The bar itself can be seen here on Google Streetview.

PLEASE NOTE this talk will take place in the Falkender Room, Commonwealth Hall, 1-11 Cartwright Gardens, WC1H 9EB

Starting from the extraordinarily easy to forget premise that medical practice should focus on patients and not on other people’s religious beliefs Dr Antony Lempert discusses various aspects of health, life and death, and promises lots of talk about sex during his lecture. He may even produce his erotic award at an appropriate moment during the evening.

Dr Lempert’s amiable style easily tackles such subjects as assisted dying, abortion, ritual genital cutting, the pope and sex, chaplaincy, faith healing, sex and relationship education and proselytizing in the GP surgery. He hopes to raise awareness of just how deep and harmful the tentacles of religious interference spread within our healthcare system, from babies having sensitive parts of their bodies removed due to their parents religious beliefs to the elderly denied a dignified death because of religious people’s views on the sanctity of life.

In short, he states it is my body and your religion so keep your religious hands off my genitals and let me die amid peace and dignity rather than pray.

Antony hopes his talk will encourage any complacent members of his audience to realise that tolerating religious practices in medicine can be very harmful to one’s health.

Dr Antony Lempert is a GP principal in a rural Welsh practice and chairman of the Secular Medical Forum (SMF).

Antony has participated in programmes on Channel 4, Radio 4, Radio 2 and Premier Christian Radio challenging religious dogma and harm in healthcare.

In 2010 he spoke in the European Parliament in Brussels during a debate about conscientious objection relating to women’s reproductive rights.

In 2010 Antony also beat off stiff opposition to win the title: ‘Academic of the Year’ in the Annual Erotic Awards. This unusual award recognised his work on behalf of the SMF in the many areas where religious bodies seek to interfere with other people’s bodies.

Away from the SMF, Antony lives with his family in rural Shropshire where he can indulge in some of his other passions, outdoor swimming, cycling, tennis and a quiet family life.

The SMF actively campaigns to limit the harm caused to patients by the imposition of other people’s religious beliefs, focussing on the principles of equality, adult autonomy and child protection where they conflict with traditional religious privileges and prejudices in areas such as sex and relationship education, attitudes to homosexuality, access to abortion services, chaplaincy services, assisted dying and forced genital cutting.

The evening will start at the usual time of 6.30 p.m. in the Falkender Room and after Antony’s lecture there will be a short question and answer session before we retire to a local pub for further debate around 8.00 p.m.

A suggested donation of £2 will be requested on the night towards the cost of room hire.

Our Sunday Lunches at the The Penderel’s Oak are a chance to meet fellow humanists and have a good chat in a quiet environment, contrasting with our noisier evening pub socials. A roast lunch plus a drink is available for £7.59 (vegetarian options are available).

Provisionally, 30 seats will be reserved at the back of the pub on the ground floor. The pub is wheelchair accessible.

We will invite the usual voluntary donations of £2 per head to help cover the costs of our speaker meetings and our annual subscriptions to Meetup, BHA and international humanist federations.

Down House is Grade II on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England for its long association with the life and work of Darwin. 

Charles Darwin used the 7.2ha estate, including the Great House Meadow and greenhouses, surrounding Down House as an inspiration for his work and a test bed for his ideas. Though somewhat run down when acquired by English Heritage, the estate has survived in structure and extent almost unscathed since Darwin’s death in 1882. English Heritage completed a five year restoration of the garden in the spring of 2003, which aimed to re-create the appearance and atmosphere of the garden as it was towards the end of Darwin’s life. 

DIRECTIONS

Address

Luxted Road, Downe, Kent – BR6 7JT

Sat Nav

• Tom Tom Download 
• Garmin Download 

Bus Access

146 from Bromley South railway station (hourly)

R8 from Orpington railway station (not on Sundays).

Road Access

Luxted Rd, Downe; off A21or A233.

Train Access

Travel by train is easy: only 15 minutes from London Victoria to Bromley South, followed by bus 146.

Also trains to Orpington from Charing Cross or Victoria followed by bus R8 (not on Sundays).

COST

Entry is £9.90 per person, but we will get a 15% group discount if 11 people, or more attend, which I am sure they will. Anyone who is a member of English Heritage will get free entry.

ACCESS

Access to house: Disabled access via shop.

All ground floor rooms are level with seats in every room.

First-floor reached by lift and ramp to mount two steps.

Access to grounds:

Most areas can be reached via gravel paths, including Darwin’s ‘thinking path’ and greenhouses. The gravel can be slippery when wet. The rest of the area is lawn.

FOOD & DRINK

Tea room on ground floor. Sorry no picnics allowed in house or grounds.

Once we have an idea of who is going, and from where, we can arrange to meet in groups at Victoria or Bromley South railway stations.

Every first Wednesday of the month we meet for a social evening at a central London pub. Drop by if you’re non-religious and you would like to meet like-minded people in a relaxed atmosphere. If you’re just questioning your beliefs and aren’t sure where to turn, or you are non-religious and looking for something less intellectual to do, this could be just right for you. [A voluntary donation of £2 is requested - but first timers are welcome to give us a free trial] You’ll find us at the 4 high tables on the right as you come in

The bar itself can be seen here on Google Streetview.

This regular bi-monthly social is aimed at those who have recently joined the Central London Humanists, or have never met us before.

Some of our members will be on hand to answer questions about humanism, explain why we are humanists and what we believe, what we do as a group, and why we are affiliated to and support the work of the British Humanist Association (BHA).

There is no voluntary donation requested from new members for this meetup, please just come along with your interest in humanism for an introduction to our friendly group. For our existing members a voluntary donation of £2 is please requested as per the main social.

Our Sunday Lunches at the The Penderel’s Oak are a chance to meet fellow humanists and have a good chat in a quiet environment, contrasting with our noisier evening pub socials. A roast lunch plus a drink is available for £7.59 (vegetarian options are available).

Provisionally, 30 seats will be reserved at the back of the pub on the ground floor. The pub is wheelchair accessible.

We will invite the usual voluntary donations of £2 per head to help cover the costs of our speaker meetings and our annual subscriptions to Meetup, BHA and international humanist federations.

Dr Edward Presswood discusses whether it is wise for the NHS to pander to triskaidekaphobia and other irrational beliefs. The practice of supporting such beliefs in the NHS is well intentioned but Edward suggests that doing so undermines the foundations upon which medicine stands. Edward will present a witty lecture that will amaze you as to how far superstitions influence our public life.

The evening will start at the usual time of 6.30 p.m. in the Bloomsbury Room, and after Edward’s lecture there will be a short question and answer session before we retire to a local pub for further debate around 8.00 p.m.

A suggested donation of £2 will be requested on the night towards the cost of room hire.

Follow Edward on the following sites:

Webite

Twitter

You are invited to join us at the historic Inner Temple on Thursday, 15th March at 6.30pm

‘a defamation lawsuit is always an emotional and financial nightmare for one party, and as often as not for both’ Sir Stephen Sedley

A drinks reception to launch the Alternative Libel Project final report

On 15 March, the Alternative Libel Project will launch its final report into how procedure can be refined and improved to extend access to justice. The project will be a significant contribution to the debate on costs in defamation actions in the context of the LASPO Bill and the government’s draft defamation bill.

The project’s conclusion coincides with the Government’s response to the joint select committee’s report on the draft defamation bill.  The Libel Reform Campaign has welcomed the Government’s commitment to the bill, but believes there is more to be done particularly in strengthening the public interest defence and removing the liability of internet service providers.

Join us as we launch the Alternative Libel Project’s final report and call for a truly reforming defamation bill to be included in the Queen’s speech.

Where:  Great Hall, Inner Temple, London EC4Y 7HL

When: Thursday 15th March, 6.30pm – 8.30pm

What: A drinks reception, with speakers including Nick Cohen (Observer), Simon Singh, Tracey Brown (Sense About Science),

Jonathan Heawood (English PEN) and Jo Glanville (Index on Censorship).

RSVP with the names of those attending to: helen@englishpen.org

Travel details: Map attached. Nearest stations Blackfriars, City Thameslink and Temple.  Free parking after 6.30pm.  It is recommended you use the Tudor Street entrance.

Hi All,

This month the book is “The End Of Faith” by Sam Harris.

There are many videos on Youtube of Harris talking about the book.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+end+of+faith

You can find it on Amazon as usual.

Don’t forget to use the link from the BHA website.

http://www.humanism.org.uk/home

The link is at the bottom right of the page. By using this link you are helping the BHA.

Just like the previous meetings we will meet at 19h and start talking and debating.

It can be difficult to find each other in the Festival Hall.

Here is a map of where we usually meet.

• Being creatures of habit, we meet in front of the bar before the start of the event

• Meeting area 1 is used when there is no event in the pit

• Meeting area 2 is used when there is an event in the pit

• There is a chance that neither area is available.  If this is the case, someone will wait in the pre-meet area for stragglers until the official start time.

http://tinyurl.com/7snwmco

If you have any questions please feel free to contact myself or Ben.

Baptiste: 07540399918

Ben: 07875508780