Humanism Now
Humanise Live
Welcome to Humanism Now, the weekly podcast from Central London Humanists and Humanise Live. Tune in for the latest news, insightful worldwide guest interviews, and lively discussions on the most pressing questions of our time — all from a naturalistic, empathetic, and rationalist world view that marks out humanism. Join us as we explore ethical dilemmas, dissect current events, and engage in thoughtful conversations that matter.
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Top 10 Humanism Now Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Humanism Now episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Humanism Now for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Humanism Now episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
8. Martin Di Maggio on Humanistic Judaism, Cultivating Communities & Confronting Misconceptions
Humanism Now
11/19/23 • 71 min
This week on Humanism Now as we welcome Lola Tinubu, Co-Founder of the Association of Black Humanists and Nicole Shasha, Founder of Leicester Humanists to discuss their experiences creating and cultivating secular communities and challenging misconceptions.
We also discuss the implications of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's recent article Why I am Now a Christian, the critiques of atheism contained within and Hirsi Ali's impact, influence and legacy for global Humanists and freethinkers.
In our guest interview, Martin Di Maggio explains Humanistic Judaism, from its intellectual routes to current practices and differences with other denominations of both Judaism and Humanism.
Finally, we answer this week's mailbag question; What are the taboos associated with being a humanist?
Episode References:
- Why I am Now a Christian, Ayaan Hirsi Ali
- Why I Am Not a Christian - A response to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Michael Shermer
About Martin Di Maggio:
🔗 The Spinoza Havurah
📷 @spinoza_havurah
Martin's References:
- shj.org
- Judaism beyond God by Sherwin Wine
- Humanistic Havdalah by Martin Hasan
- Kiddush: Humanist Liturgy by Machar
Upcoming Events:
- ABH Discussion Group, 21 Nov 2023
- ABH: Ayan Hirsi Ali: Muslim to Atheist to Christian, 25 Nov 2023
- CLH Online Talk:
Support us on Patreon
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics or sponsor the show.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPodX.comYouTubeInstagramTikTok
Follow Central London Humanists @LondonHumanists
Centrallondonhumanists.org.ukMeetupFacebookX.comYouTube
CLH are an official partner group of Humanists UK and an associate member of Humanists International
6. Javan Lev Poblador, Young Humanists Special!
Humanism Now
11/05/23 • 72 min
On this episode of Humanism Now, we're exploring the inspiring world of young humanists. Our co-host AJ and new panellist Nicole, fellow coordinators of Young Humanist UK share what campaigns and activities motivate Humanists in the 18-35 age range.
Nicole also shares her experience of starting a new humanist group in Leicester and the joys of bringing humanist values to life through meaningful Humanists Ceremonies.
AJ & Nicole share how they became engaged with Humanism and offer advice for anyone looking to set up a new group or attract more young members. In discussing events and campaign that encourage greater engagement, we explore the alignment of humanism with climate and social justice activism.
In this week's guest interview , Javan Lev Poblador, International Coordinator for the Young Humanists International Group, provides insights in to the Global Young Humanist movement, describes the state of humanism in the Philippines and highlights some of the lesser known human impacts of the growing climate crisis.
Finally, in our mailbag section we discuss what events and campaign topics appeal most you Young Humanists.
Episode references:
- Leicester Humanists Launch Event, with Andrew Copson, 8 Nov 2023
- Young Humanists UK
- Young Humanists International
- HUK: Setting up a local group
About Javan Lev Poblador:
Support us on Patreon
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics or sponsor the show.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPodX.comYouTubeInstagramTikTok
Follow Central London Humanists @LondonHumanists
Centrallondonhumanists.org.ukMeetupFacebookX.comYouTube
CLH are an official partner group of Humanists UK and an associate member of Humanists International
10/06/23 • 55 min
Mark Agathangelou, CLH Committee Member and active Event Organiser joins this week's panel to discuss finding Humanism through the One Life Course, hosing discussion groups and our recent 'What Humanism Means to Me' live open mic night.
Plus our interview with the multi-talented Alex Williams; a poet, teacher, playwright, and author, who will shed light on the power of community within humanism. With his unique perspective, we'll explore the unique role of arts in creating compelling communities, how Alex defines humanism and what inspires his Secular Verses.
Finally, we tackle our mailbag question this week: Why are there still Bishops in the UK's House of Lords, in what is an increasingly secular country.
Episode references:
CLH Once Life Course
Humanists UK Courses on Humanism
Video: What Humanism Means to Me
Humanists UK Campaign: Bishops in the House of Lords
More on Alex Williams;
Book recommendations from Alex Williams;
Alain de Botton, Religion for Atheists: A non-believer's guide to the uses of religion
Support us on Patreon
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics or sponsor the show.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPodX.comYouTubeInstagramTikTok
Follow Central London Humanists @LondonHumanists
Centrallondonhumanists.org.ukMeetupFacebookX.comYouTube
CLH are an official partner group of Humanists UK and an associate member of Humanists International
12/10/23 • 83 min
"Conscious morality cannot exist in any being except so far as it can look behind, before, and around; and can remember, compare, and reason about right and wrong so as to choose for itself, and for those it can influence, a given course." - Zona Vallance
What does it mean to be a humanist in the modern world? Join James, Mark and new contributor Katia as we test the definition of humanism and assess how the term has evolved and what additions we'd like to see to reflect changing societal needs.
Plus our interview with the brilliant Maddy Goodall, co-ordinator of the Humanist Heritage project, which documents and preserves more than 125 years of rich humanist history.
Episode references:
- Life and Fate - Vasily Grossman
- The Social Instinct, What Nature Can Teach Us About Working Together - Nichola Raihani
- Humanism Now Episode 4 with Jamie Woodhouse on Sentientism
- René Descartes
- Peter Thatchell
About Maddy Goodall
🔗 Heritage humanists
📧 [email protected]
🐦 @maddyogoodall
Maddy's references:
- Zona Vallance (1860-1904)
- Lillie Boileau (1869-1930)
- Nellie Freeman (1863-1943)
- May Seaton-Tiedeman (1862-1948)
- The Humanist Movement in Modern Britain, Callum Brown, David Nash, Charlie Lynch
Upcoming events:
Support us on Patreon
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics or sponsor the show.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPodX.comYouTubeInstagramTikTok
Follow Central London Humanists @LondonHumanists
Centrallondonhumanists.org.ukMeetupFacebookX.comYouTube
CLH are an official partner group of Humanists UK and an associate member of Humanists International
04/02/24 • 59 min
“The irony of man's condition is that the deepest need is to be free of the anxiety of death and annihilation; but it is life itself which awakens it, and so we must shrink from being fully alive.” ― Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death
Episode References:
- BBC News: New extremism definition unveiled by government
- Humanists UK: Extremists ‘negate the fundamental rights and freedoms of others’ – humanists analyse new definition
- ‘Resisting extremism means defending a tolerant society’, Andrew Copson
- Atheist Bus Campaign
- Radio 5: Elis James and John Robins Show
About Valerie Jack;
- Living with Life without God
- Twitter @ValerieJack
- Instagram/Facebook: @valeriejackwrites
Valerie's References:
- How religious and spiritual beliefs explain prolonged grief disorder symptoms, Kim M. Christian, Samar M. Aoun & Lauren J. Breen
- The Denial of Death, Ernest Becker
- Why Death is Nothing to Fear: Lucretius and Epicureanism, Jack Maden, PhilosophyBreak
- Snoopy Carto
Support us on Patreon
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics or sponsor the show.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPodX.comYouTubeInstagramTikTok
Follow Central London Humanists @LondonHumanists
Centrallondonhumanists.org.ukMeetupFacebookX.comYouTube
CLH are an official partner group of Humanists UK and an associate member of Humanists International
03/12/24 • 54 min
Welcome to Humanism Now's International Women's Day Special hosted by Audrey Simmons (Association of Black Humanists & CLH) and featuring Lola Tinubu (Assoc. Black Humanists & CLH), Katia Urquiza (Central London Humanists) & Nicole Shasha (Leicester Humanists and Young Humanists) who discuss;
- The importance of IWD today
- Does being humanist imply being a feminist?
- Highlighting influential women's voices
- Talking more about women's health
Episode references:
- Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See
- Humanists UK: Human rights and equality
- Humanist Life: Why Humanism and feminism go hand in hand (2015)
- Minna Salami: The difference between feminism and humanism (2014)
- The Guardian: Margaret Atwood on feminism, culture wars and speaking her mind
- Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale
- Omolara Ogundipe-Leslie
- Wiki: Stiwanism
- Claudia Roden
- WHO: Women's Health Fact Sheet
Upcoming events:
Support us on Patreon
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics or sponsor the show.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPodX.comYouTubeInstagramTikTok
Follow Central London Humanists @LondonHumanists
Centrallondonhumanists.org.ukMeetupFacebookX.comYouTube
CLH are an official partner group of Humanists UK and an associate member of Humanists International
03/03/24 • 91 min
"We should acknowledge that humanism is something that beats in the heart of every human being" Dr Leo Igwe
This week James, Lola & AJ are joined by legendary human rights activist, Leo Igwe. We discuss the merits of Darwin Day, Leo's decades of campaigning for freethought and against superstition and Leo's vision for a new future for atheism and humanism in Africa.
Episode references
- Guardian; How should we address Charles Darwin's complicated legacy?
- JC Candnedo; Tai Solarin Day
- HUK: Humanists highlight Rwanda bill flaws
- HUK: MPs raise Mubarak Bala case
- HI: Free Mubarak Bala Campaign
Leo Igwe
- @LeoIgwe
- Humanist Association of Nigeria
- Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW)
- critTHINK.africa
- TED; Why I Choose Humanism Over Faith
- FOTR: Nigeria
Upcoming events:
Support us on Patreon
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics or sponsor the show.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPodX.comYouTubeInstagramTikTok
Follow Central London Humanists @LondonHumanists
Centrallondonhumanists.org.ukMeetupFacebookX.comYouTube
CLH are an official partner group of Humanists UK and an associate member of Humanists International
24. Lori Marriott on Humanist Climate Action
Humanism Now
06/02/24 • 72 min
"A key tenet of humanism is empathy. Whether that's empathy for those around us or to all humans, but also we should extend that to all life of exists, and then forward in time, to future generations." - Lori Marriott
This week, Katia & Mark join the panel to discuss the merits of identifying with the humanist label. Plus we hear from Lori Marriott, Coordinator of Humanist Climate Action.
References:
- Humanists UK: Defining Humanism
- Humanists International: What is Humanism?
- Humanists UK: How Humanist are you Quiz?
- UnderstandingHumanism.org.uk: Five Core Features
- Follow Lori on X
- HCA Homepage
- Sign up for newsletter
- Read past newsletters
- Email HCA: [email protected]
- Follow HCA on Facebook, Instagram, and X
- Green your pension: how you can help the environment
- Not the End of the World, How to be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet, Hannah Ritchie
- Climate Disinformation, European Commission
Support us on Patreon
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics or sponsor the show.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPodX.comYouTubeInstagramTikTok
Follow Central London Humanists @LondonHumanists
Centrallondonhumanists.org.ukMeetupFacebookX.comYouTube
CLH are an official partner group of Humanists UK and an associate member of Humanists International
02/04/24 • 78 min
This week on Humanism Now, Audrey & AJ join the panel to discuss personal and group activism and support for Social Justice campaigns. The panel discuss; How do humanist vales align with these causes? How do we prioritise issues to best influence changes? and what role should Humanist groups play in leading or supporting campaigns?
We delve deeper into these topics with this week's guest Anya Overmann. Anya is a writer, consultant, speaker and digital nomad driven by her values as a progressive humanist activist. As former President of Young Humanists International, Anya shared her evolving views on the movement, frustrations with organised non-profits and optimism for the next generation of activists.
About Anya Overmann:
🔗 anyaovermann.com
M️ Follow Anya on Medium
📷 @Anyaovermann
🐦@AnyaLOvermann
🎙️ The Nomadic Humanist Podcast
Anya's References:
- The Revolution Will Not Be Funded, Beyond the Non-Profit Industrial Complex, INCITE!
- Intersectional feminism: what it means and why it matters right now
- Party for Socialism and Liberation
Upcoming events:
Support us on Patreon
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics or sponsor the show.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPodX.comYouTubeInstagramTikTok
Follow Central London Humanists @LondonHumanists
Centrallondonhumanists.org.ukMeetupFacebookX.comYouTube
CLH are an official partner group of Humanists UK and an associate member of Humanists International
09/17/23 • 69 min
Audrey Simmons, co-lead of the Association of Black Humanists joins James & AJ this week to discuss her personal journey and the unique challenges for the Black community in the UK when it comes to embracing humanism.
AJ provides an update on the proposed ban of conversion therapy in the UK. Despite the government's commitment to a ban, delays, and recent news of the draft bill's cancellation have sparked a wave of demonstrations. Together, we stand in allyship with the campaign to ban conversion therapy and discuss how you, our listeners, can join the movement.
Plus, Prof. Christopher Cameron, author of Black Freethinkers, A History of African American Secularism joins the podcast to discuss his personal journey and the figures who inspired his seminal book, as well as the future of freethought in America.
Here more from Chris Cameron, live in Conversation with S.I. Martin on 22 September 2023 in Central London.
Finally, our mailbag question this week: Just what does it mean to be spiritual but not religious?
Refences:
Association of Black Humanists
Humanists International - Amsterdam Declaration 2022
Humanists UK - Banning Conversion Therapy Campaign
Book recommendations from Prof. Cameron;
- Sikivu Hutchinson
- Michael Lackey, African American Atheists and Political Liberation
- Anthony Pinn, By These Hands & The End of God-Talk
Support us on Patreon
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics or sponsor the show.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPodX.comYouTubeInstagramTikTok
Follow Central London Humanists @LondonHumanists
Centrallondonhumanists.org.ukMeetupFacebookX.comYouTube
CLH are an official partner group of Humanists UK and an associate member of Humanists International
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FAQ
How many episodes does Humanism Now have?
Humanism Now currently has 26 episodes available.
What topics does Humanism Now cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Atheism, Religion & Spirituality, Podcasts, Science, Philosophy and Ethics.
What is the most popular episode on Humanism Now?
The episode title '9. Lucy Potter on Non-Religious Asylum Claims plus Tackling Misconceptions about Humanists' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Humanism Now?
The average episode length on Humanism Now is 71 minutes.
How often are episodes of Humanism Now released?
Episodes of Humanism Now are typically released every 9 days, 7 hours.
When was the first episode of Humanism Now?
The first episode of Humanism Now was released on Sep 12, 2023.
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