Humanist Society Scotland

"During my career I have nursed many people towards and through their death. For the vast majority of those people palliative care was very effective....But there are some patients who die in physical or mental distress, regardless of the medication, support, or care provided." This morning, the Scottish government's health committee will take evidence on #AssistedDying from healthcare professionals and palliative care providers. We're sharing a new guest article from Humanist Society Scotland celebrant Susan Macleod. She tells us how her 25 years' experience as a nurse, including work in palliative care settings, along with her own cancer diagnosis, shaped her belief in assisted dying. https://buff.ly/48YdW5W

We have been banging the drum on this issue for a long time. It's the same in Scotland: groups presenting as neutral palliative care experts that turn out to have links to some really unsavoury, reactionary religious groups

"We fail to see how the bill will address our concerns. The final decision on attending religious worship would still ultimately rest with parents and teachers. As is the case today, the bill would give young people a voice, but they would remain without a choice." The Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has announced plans for a new bill on religious worship in Scottish schools. This could have been good news, but there is no indication that the bill will include measures to allow pupils to opt themselves out of religious worship. The current system is incompatible with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It has been challenged by the Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland and children's rights charities such as Together. We have been campaigning against compulsory religious observance for years and will continue to call out this obvious inequality against our children and young people.

We're proud members of the #StopClimateChaos Scotland coalition. Join them and Scottish Communities Climate Action Network for three online workshops exploring the current state of climate action in Scotland. 1. What's Next for Climate Action in Scotland - Tuesday 5th November 12 - 1 pm 2. Climate Action in Scotland: What you can do - Wednesday 20th November 12 - 1 pm 3. How to Speak to your MSP about Climate - Wednesday 27th November 12 - 1 pm https://buff.ly/48OGsH6

Like to read? Want to increase your enjoyment of reading by sharing your reflections with others? Join Humanist Society Scotland's book club on 28 November from the comfort of your own home. We'll be discussing Christopher Brookmyre's first novel, Quite Ugly One Morning. 7.30pm on Zoom. Participation is free but you do need to register. https://buff.ly/3UR6Ud9

There's currently a bill under discussion at the Scottish parliament to legalise #AssistedDying for the terminally ill. Humanists passionately believe in assisted dying as a natural extension of our rights over our own body. If you agree, use our letter template to write to your local MSP

Yesterday we joined members of #StopClimateChaos Scotland outside the Scottish Parliament to mark the passage of the Emissions Reduction Targets Bill. We joined a diverse coalition staging an action and photoshoot with poetry, songs, speeches, and more. The call? Time to say AYE to a Fossil Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty, first minister John Swinney! #ClimateCrisis #FossilFuelTreaty

Last call for this great event with Glasgow Humanists at 7pm this evening. Join philosopher Julian Baggini for a great talk on his book *How the World Eats*, on global food cultures. Julian Baggini has for two decades demystified the role of philosophy in public life, discussing in clear and easy-to-understand terms the principles behind some of our modern dilemmas. In How The World Eats: A Global Food Philosophy, he examines how the choices we make about what to eat influence the way we live, with most of us now relying on a global web of food production, distribution, consumption and disposal.

Our CEO Fraser Sutherland is in The National over connections between anti #AssistedDying figures and the radical religious right. Dr. Gillian Wright presents herself as a "medical ethics researcher" but represents Our Duty of Care, an evangelical Christian group funded by Section 28 supporter Brian Souter. She is likely to be called by the health committee to give evidence on Liam McArthur MSP's assisted dying bill, but in previous public appearances Dr. Wright has not disclosed the nature of her objections. Wright was pictured earlier this year at a "Culture of Life" event in Dunkeld, flanked by Richard Lucas, leader of the radical right Scottish Family Party, and Bishop John Keenan. Bishop Keenan went viral in the spring when giving evidence against the abortion clinic safe access zone bill, passing round a leaflet full of disinformation to MSPs. He has also organised now-illegal anti-abortion protests outside abortion clinics. We also raise concerns about Dr. Ramona Coelho, who gave evidence this week on the provision of Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada in spite of being a Christian conscientious objector to MAiD, with zero input into its delivery. And we talked about the level of near-identical, spam-style responses to the Scottish government's consultation on assisted dying. Read more: https://buff.ly/4hNwSIf

Success! After our protests, Holyrood's health committee will set aside time to hear from terminally ill people on the assisted dying bill. We've received a reply from the committee to our letter of October 17 in which we called out their decision not to set aside time to hear from terminally ill people. This was a baffling omission, as terminally ill people are the only group who would be eligible to use assisted dying under the terms of Liam McArthur's bill. In their reply, the committee guarantees that the voices of the terminally ill will be sought out. Read more: https://buff.ly/3Z09HDs