The meetings of DG over the past year since the 2007 AGM have been varied in content and style.  As well as generally maintaining a reasonable level of attendance throughout the year, we have had the pleasure of welcoming several new members and interested visitors to these events.

In March  the group was addressed by David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane, who suggested that Christians and humanists meet on a shared view of humankind that is generally optimistic and inclusive, but he observed that the advances of mankind also demonstrate weaknesses in that inequalities, such as that of world trade, are still not being resolved.  He stated that he was not in opposition to humanists – his ‘enemies’ were conservative fundamentalists of all religious hues, and what he termed ‘the indifferent shrug of secularism’.

In April Shiona Baird, a previous list MSP in the Green Party, presented the aims of the Green Party in Scotland, in particular those concerning their core policy focusing on the concerns of climate change.  They believe that there is an urgent need to alert the world to the actual and potential effects of carbon emissions on the planet, and they see a pressing need to increase awareness and change attitudes, to tackle waste of energy by individuals and organisations.

In May the group were updated by Ron McLaren on developments in the field of spiritual care being provided by humanists within the NHS, in which Tayside was still in advance of many other areas in the country.  There were additional developments in the academic sphere in that an honorary chaplain had been appointed for Glasgow University, and a Centre of Spiritual and Pastoral Care Studies for Glasgow Caledonian University had recently been announced.

In the summer there was a social event in a joint picnic with the Perth Group of HSS, held in Camperdown Park, attended by various members – and some of their families – from both groups.

In September a talk on evolutionary space-time was given by John Wiltshire, a member of Edinburgh Group.  He explained the inheritance input of reproduction, and listed the major evolutionary transitions from the beginning of time, 5000 million years ago, from replicating molecules up to recent times, the development of primate societies to human societies and language.  He also addressed evolutionary psychology, looking at the aesthetic sense in all of us, and also the concept of common humanity, which provided motivation for mutual co-operation.

In October DG was addressed on attachment theory by Andy Williams, an educational psychologist with special interests in infant and child learning.  He pointed out that with regard to parent attachment behaviour, with good care and parenting qualities of the child there should be a positive outcome, with not only improved survival chances but also the development of confidence, empathy, and self-esteem in the child, whereas less effective parenting attachments may be defined as insecure.  Analysis of attachment patterns can provide helpful information for teachers and for foster carers.

In November Mr Jim Christie, a member of the volunteer team with the Woodland Trust, gave an illustrated presentation on the work of the Trust., Stressing the positive role of trees in the environment, he detailed the Trust’s main aims of restoration of natural woodlands, preservation of existing woodlands, and establishment of new woodlands.  He pointed out that agri-forestry had to be self-sufficient, with finance being attracted through tourism, agriculture combining forestry and sheep, the dedication of trees by business and the public.  He concluded his presentation with a stunning series of his own photographs of trees and landscape in his area of Scotland.

The December meeting saw most of those attending volunteering contributions on what had influenced their thinking in relation to humanism.  These very varied and interesting inputs illustrated several members’ journey to humanism, and there were also a number of suggestions of prose and verse for inclusion in the Humanists’ resource of suitable literature for funerals.

In January 2008 the group were addressed by DG member Tony Black, on the findings of his recent book, ‘The West and Islam’, in which he was attempting to compare Western/Christian political thought with that of Islam throughout the centuries, up to the present day.  He pointed out that up to the late 11th century a great deal of political thought of Christendom and the Muslim world was very similar in many ways, although the origins were very different.  In the last 500 years, however, Western political thought and Muslim thought have grown apart and increasingly diverged.

In February Bob Mckay, HSS Education Officer, brought the group up to date with the work in progress on introducing humanism into education in Scotland.  In January this year three groups had been set up by HSS to look at primary materials, secondary materials, and the parental dimension – it is proposed that materials should be produced for parents to have at home, and that a helpline be set up with information about rights and recent equality legislation, and to offer support and advice to those who did not wish their children to be indoctrinated by the current religious environment in many schools.

 

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