Micki McAllen, known online as Apostate Barbie, spent 30 years as a Jehovah's Witness before leaving in 2021. Now based in the UK, she uses social media to raise awareness of high control religious groups, support others navigating life beyond faith, and advocate for an end to mandated shunning.

Topics we cover

✔︎ What life inside a high control group really looks like — and how coercive control works without physical force 

✔︎ The Norway Supreme Court case challenging government funding of the JWs over shunning practices 

✔︎ How to rebuild community, identity, and agency after leaving a high control religion

Connect with Micki

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apostatebarbie/

References and further reading

• JWFacts.com — ex-Witness resource recommended by Micki: https://www.jwfacts.com
• Faith to Faithless — UK support for those leaving high control religion: https://faithtofaithless.com
• Stop Mandated Shunning — organisation Micki volunteers with: https://www.stopmandatedshunning.org/
• BITE Model of authoritarian control — Steven Hassan: https://www.bitemodel.com
• Decult Conference, New Zealand: https://www.decult.nz

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

 “Curiosity leads to fully understanding someone’s situation and being empathetic to that person.”

Steve Ghikadis is a Humanist Officiant, author, and speaker who leads secular weddings, memorials, and other life-affirming ceremonies in Ontario. In this conversation, he explores street epistemology, interfaith family life, raising curious and compassionate children, and why humanism needs to lead with empathy as well as reason.

Connect with Steve 

• steveghikadis.com 
• Humanist Canada Officiant Profile
• facebook.com/steve.ghikadis
•  instagram.com/steve.ghikadis/
•  tiktok.com/@humanismfromtheheart
•  Goodreads – Steve_Ghikadis

Topics we cover

• Street epistemology in practice
• Disagreeing with kindness & curiosity
• Interfaith relationships 
• Raising curious, empathetic kids
• Humanist weddings in Canada
• Morality without religion

Resources & further reading

• Humanism from the Heart: Building Bridges Beyond Belief – Steve Ghikadis (2024)
• Recovering from Religion
• Sunday Assembly
• Evidence and Understanding –The Humanist (2025)
• What the Heck Is That!?!” The Humanist (2024)
• Interfaith Family – Marriage and Parenting with Mutual Respect – Humanist Canada (2024) 

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Things we discuss

• The history of quackery and why charlatans follow the same playbook
• Research abuses that have legitimately fueled mistrust in science
• How to practice healthy, proportional skepticism and spot the difference between real and pseudoscience

References:

• William J. A. Bailey and Radithor: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._A._Bailey
• The Tuskegee Syphilis Study: https://www.history.com/articles/the-infamous-40-year-tuskegee-study
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6493208-the-immortal-life-of-henrietta-lacks
• Andrew Wakefield and the discredited MMR-autism study: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Wakefield
• Paolo Macchiarini trachea implant scandal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paolo_Macchiarini
• Greenwich Skeptics in the Pub: https://www.meetup.com/greenwich-skeptics-in-the-pub/

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Dr Lucy Potter returns to Humanism Now to share the findings of her landmark new report on non-religious asylum claims in the UK, produced in collaboration with Humanists UK. Drawing on three years of in-depth qualitative research, the report is the first study to analyse Home Office decision-making policies for those seeking asylum on the basis of leaving religion or non-religious identity.

Things we discuss

✔︎ Why the Home Office misunderstands apostasy
✔︎ Cultural bias in credibility assessments 
✔︎ How interpretation errors can undermine asylum claims
✔︎ Policy recommendations for fairer decision-making

Read the report

Available from Humanists UK (https://humanists.uk) from 24 March 2026.

Attend the report launch

📍 Online
📆 Tuesday 24 March, 1.00–2.30pm GMT
➡️ Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/report-launch-non-religious-apostasy-asylum-claims-in-the-uk-tickets-1982976511125/

Event Speakers:

• Dr Lucy Potter, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of York
  https://humanismnow.buzzsprout.com/2246305/episodes/14031059/
• Lizzie Collinge MP,  Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group
  https://humanismnow.buzzsprout.com/2246305/episodes/17588288/
• Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, Humanists UK
  https://humanismnow.buzzsprout.com/2246305/episodes/17849032/
• Jamie Bell, Solicitor, Public Law and Immigration, Duncan Lewis

Connect with Dr Lucy Potter

• University of York profile:

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

This is a bonus episode of Humanism Now, recorded as part of Podcasthon 2026: the global initiative uniting podcasters to raise awareness for charitable causes. 

This year, we are supporting Freedom from Torture, a UK charity that has spent more than 40 years providing specialist therapeutic care, rehabilitation, and advocacy to survivors of torture. Their work centres on restoring dignity, safety, and hope to people who have endured unimaginable harm and campaigning to hold perpetrators accountable worldwide.

We are delighted to be joined by Ann Salter, Head of Clinical Services Northwest at Freedom from Torture, who has worked clinically with survivors of torture for over 20 years.

How to support Freedom from Torture

• Donate
• Get involved in their campaigns
• Refer yourself or someone else for support

Things we discuss

• How Freedom from Torture has supported survivors for 40 years 
• The shocking scale of torture globally — and why it still demands our attention 
• The psychological impact of torture and what recovery really looks like 
• Why community belonging is central to rehabilitation 
• Freedom from Torture's role in the Pinochet case and blocking the Rwanda deportation scheme

About Podcasthon

Podcasthon is a global initiative uniting podcasters around the world to shine a light on the charities and causes that matter. If you host a podcast and want to get involved, find out more and register at podcasthon.org.

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Professor Chris French is one of the world's leading researchers in anomalistic psychology and critical thinking. As former head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London, author of The Science of Weird Sh*t, patron of Humanists UK, and former editor of The Skeptic magazine, Chris has spent decades investigating paranormal claims, debunking fraudsters, and exploring the psychology of belief. 

In this conversation, he unpacks why the paranormal is worth taking seriously as a scientific and psychological subject, what his own near-miss with precognition research taught him, why deliberate con artists deserve far more condemnation than sincere believers, and why we urgently need better critical thinking in schools, in public life, and in our politics.

Connect with Professor French

• Chris’s website
• Chris’s Guardian column
• Chris’s Skeptic column
• Chris’s profile page at Goldmiths
• Chris on Bluesky
• Chris being interviewed on the Plutopia podcast
• The Science of Weird Shit on Bookshop.org

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Topics we cover

• The evolving purpose of Chaplaincy
• Why the Army’s first non-religious chaplain is such a landmark moment 
• “Presence”, confidentiality, and sitting outside the chain of command
• Stoicism, existentialism, and humanistic psychology as practical frameworks for moral and pastoral support
• How humanist chaplaincy strengthens, not replaces, religious chaplaincy
• Where chaplaincy fits alongside welfare and medical support in a whole-person wellbeing system
• Ceremonies in military life: inclusive funerals, namings, and personal milestones
• What it takes to become a non-religious pastoral carer, and the pathway into the profession

Resources & further reading

• Royal Army Chaplains’ Department: https://www.army.mod.uk/learn-and-explore/about-the-army/corps-regiments-and-units/royal-army-chaplains-department/
• Army Jobs -Chaplain role overview: https://jobs.army.mod.uk/roles/royal-army-chaplains-department/chaplain/
• Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network (NRPSN): https://nrpsn.org.uk/
• Humanists UK - First-ever humanist pastoral carer in the UK Armed Forces:  https://humanists.uk/2025/10/07/first-ever-humanist-pastoral-carer-in-the-uk-armed-forces-2/
• Soldier Magazine - “New kinda padre in town”:  https://soldier.army.mod.uk/issues/november-2025/update/new-padre

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

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Welcome to Freedom of Thought a new podcast series by Humanists International!

In this first episode hosts Gary McLellend and Leon Langdon introduce Humanists International, the global representative body at the heart of the humanist movement, how a global humanist network works inside the UN system, and why universal rights need a louder defence right now. 

We share the member‑led model, lessons from the IRF Summit, and what really happens inside the UN Human Rights Council.

In this first episode we cover:

• The formation and ethos of Humanists International
• Our member‑led structure and global reach
• Lived experience informing advocacy
• Reflections on the 2026 IRF Summit
• Fractures in human rights spaces and how to address them
• What happens inside the Human Rights Council 
• Why start this podcast now and what comes next
• Why attend the World Humanist Congress 2026
• How to shape the conversation, support us and follow

Follow Humanist International

• Support Humanists International
• About - Humanists International
• Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026

Freedom of Thought is produced by Humanise Live

🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

• Personal Website – fishstark.com
• AHA Speakers Bureau
• LinkedIn

Topics we cover

• Why Fish believes the moment is right for a “humanist revival” in America
• Humanism as identity, not just ideas: agency, responsibility, and moral confidence
• What the AHA actually does: community-building, lobbying, legal action, and public narrative
• Why the real arena is online, and how the AHA is backing creators to meet people where they are
• Church-state separation under pressure, and how coercion shows up in schools and public life
• Humanist chaplaincy and “parallel place” legal recognition as a strategic advantage
• The American Empathy Project and why mutual aid is humanism in practice
• What comedy teaches about organising: pacing, attention, clarity, and joy

Resources & further reading

• Humanist Manifesto I – American Humanist Association (1933) – https://americanhumanist.org/what-is-humanism/manifesto1/
• Peace First – https://peacefirst.org/
• Born This Way Foundation  – https://bornthisway.foundation/
• The Good Place – https://www.nbc.com/the-good-place
• Person-centered therapy (Carl Rogers) overview – NCBI Bookshelf / StatPearls (2023) – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK589708/

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

CampQuest UK Programme Director Alistair Lichten (Humanist Dad) and camper-turned-volunteer Katy Pugh join Humanism Now to unpack why a secular camp matters, and how a weekend of outdoor adventure, hands-on science, and Philosophy for Children helps young people practise curiosity, confidence, and respectful disagreement.

Discover CampQuest UK

• 2026 Family Camp – dates, location, pricing, booking– https://campquest.uk/2026-family-camp-pilot/
• More info on Humanists UK Website
• Follow Alistair on the HumanistDad Blog

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Why CampQuest began, and what a secular camp offers that most camps do not
 ✔︎ How outdoor challenge makes speaking up feel less scary
 ✔︎ The 2026 family camp, and what the weekend format looks like
 ✔︎ Philosophy for Children: stimulus, question-voting, and “speaking object” rules
 ✔︎ Encouraging values without dogma: standards of behaviour that protect freedom of thought
 ✔︎ What kids actually take home: reasoning, confidence, and not taking disagreement personally
 ✔︎ Alumni impact, volunteer growth, and rebuilding community year to year
 ✔︎ Practical booking and arrival expectations for the May bank holiday camp

Resources & further reading

• Philosophy for Children (P4C): SAPERE / Thoughtful – training and overview of the method – https://www.sapere.org.uk/
  and “What is P4C?” 
• The Ship of Theseus (identity over time): Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

 In this episode, Wil Jeudy, a secular humanist and political organiser based in Texas, shares how empathy shaped his journey from disengaged voter to coalition-builder, why secular government protects believers and non-believers alike, and how coordinated local action can push back against Christian nationalism.

Topics we cover

•  Humanism as empathy in action and a guide for political engagement
•  Why secular government safeguards freedom for everyone
•  Texas as a frontline in the rise of Christian nationalism
•  Building coalitions across secular and religious communities
•  Turning community into political influence without burnout

Resources & further reading

• Follow Wil on Instagram: @wil_jay3
• Secular Houston – Coordinating local secular groups to amplify political impact:  secularhouston.org
• Houston Oasis – A welcoming, community-focused secular gathering with talks and music: houstonoasis.org
• Secular Coalition for America – Coalition advocating for secular public policy at the federal level:  secular.org
• Secular Texas PAC Announcement  – State-level PAC supporting candidates who defend church–state separation
  • Donate & Support the Secular Houston PAC

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Order now: Energy is Life: Why Environmentalism Went Nuclear, by Zion Lights

• Amazon
• Guardian Bookshop
• Natural History Book Service

Zion Lights is an award-winning science communicator and environmental advocate whose work sits at the intersection of energy, climate, and public understanding of science. In this conversation, Zion shares her journey from prominent renewable-only activism to evidence-led support for a broader clean energy mix, and why energy abundance matters for health, dignity, and human progress.

Connect with Zion 

• Website – zionlights.co.uk
• Newsletter –substack.com/@zionlights1

Topics we cover

• How Zion’s views shifted after revisiting the evidence on nuclear risk, safety, and climate mitigation 
• Why “clean energy” beats “renewables-only,” and what grid reality means for net zero pathways 
• Energy poverty, global fairness, and what reliable power enables for health systems and development
• SMRs, fusion, and what is realistic now versus what is still “next decade” tech

Resources & further reading

• “Could we even ‘just stop oil’?” – The Holyoake Lecture 2023, with Zion Lights (video)
• Global Warming of 1.5°C (SR15) – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2018)
• Death rates per unit of electricity production – Our World in Data
• What are the safest and cleanest sources of energy? – Our World in Data

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

This episode follows Nathan’s first appearance on Humanism Now in November 2024 and offers a timely update on one of the most significant ethical debates in UK politics.

References & further reading

• Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – Publications  
  – UK Parliament, bill text, amendments, and parliamentary documents
• Ask the House of Lords to support assisted dying
  – Humanists UK campaign tool for contacting peers
• 26. Nathan Stilwell on the Need for Compassionate Assisted Dying Legislation & End of Life Care
  – Humanism Now, November 2024.
• MPs back proposals to legalise assisted dying
  – BBC News, 29 November 2024.
• What has happened to the assisted dying bill?
  – BBC News, 12 December 2025.
• Assisted dying bill ‘near impossible’ to pass House of Lords, say supporters
  – The Guardian, 22 January 2026.

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Dr. Ray's Organisations & Projects

• Recovering from Religion – international nonprofit supporting people leaving religion
• Secular Therapy Project – connects secular clients with vetted secular therapists
• Institute for Secular Leadership – newly launched leadership training for secular organisations 

Books by Dr. Ray

• The God Virus: How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture – Darrel Ray (2009) 
• Sex and God: How Religion Distorts Sexuality – Darrel Ray (2012)
• Teaming Up: Making the Transition to a Self-Directed, Team-Based Organization – Darrel W. Ray & Howard Bronstein
• The Performance Culture: Maximizing the Power of Teams – Darrel W. Ray & Howard Bronstein

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Astrophysicist and science communicator Dr Alfredo Carpineti (IFLScience, The Big Questions; creator of The Astroholic Explains; founder and chair of Pride in STEM) joins Humanism Now  to explore why the cosmos still sparks childlike wonder, how great science communication balances accuracy with storytelling, and why his upcoming book Invisible Rainbows pairs “unseen light” with the human stories too often left out. 

Connect with Alfredo Carpineti

• Website – https://www.theastroholic.co.uk/
• X (Twitter) – @DrCarpineti 
• LinkedIn – Alfredo-Carpineti

Resources & Further Reading

• Book (Invisible Rainbows) – https://www.rarewaves.com/products/9781806770441-Invisible-Rainbows
  Facebook
• Pride in STEM – https://prideinstem.org/
• The Astroholic Explains Podcast – https://open.spotify.com/show/6dbgVUYZDYQ95Uci2RlCFN
• IFLScience: The Big Questions Podcast – https://iflsciencethebigquestions.podbean.com/

Meet Alfredo in London!

• Space and Humanism in Fiction and Reality, with Dr Alfredo Carpineti
  London Humanists | Wednesday, 28 Jan 2026 | 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM GMT | Old Diorama Arts Centre, NW1, London

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Guests & Links

Lola Tinubu – Association of Black Humanists (ABH)

• Association of Black Humanists – https://www.meetup.com/association-of-black-humanists/
• Festival of Freethinking 2025 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/festival-of-freethinking-2025-tickets-1755211267149/
• Secular Sankofa podcast – https://secularsankofa.buzzsprout.com/2532796/follow
• ABH on TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@assoc_of_black_humanists

Mark Agathangelou – Central London Humanists (CLH)

• Central London Humanists – https://www.centrallondonhumanists.org.uk/
• CLH on Meetup – https://www.meetup.com/central-london-humanists/
• What Humanism Means To Me Event - https://www.meetup.com/central-london-humanists/events/310597525/

Nicole Shashar – Leicester Humanists & Young Humanists

• Leicester Humanists – https://humanists.uk/local-group/leicester/
• Young Humanists – https://humanists.uk/community/young-humanists

Looking Ahead: Major 2026 Events

Humanists UK Convention & Festival 2026 – https://humanists.uk/events/festival2026/

World Humanist Congress 2026 – https://humanists.international/event/world-humanist-congress-2026/

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

For our festive special, Dr. Lois Lee, Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Kent and one of the world’s leading scholars of non-belief, joins Humanism Now to explore why atheism spreads culturally and what Christmas reveals about humanist meaning in everyday life.

Connect with Dr. Lee

• University of Kent profile
• Explaining Atheism Profile
• Explaining Atheism Project

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Why atheism still needs explaining in the 21st century
 ✔︎ Why socialisation and cultural visibility matter more than intelligence or education
 ✔︎ What children’s belief in Santa reveals about evidence, reason, and doubt
 ✔︎ Magical belief as a bridge between childhood and adult worldviews
 ✔︎ Christmas as a modern, child-centred ritual with humanist ethics
 ✔︎ Ritual, meaning, and non-religious culture
 ✔︎ Humanist privilege, school Christmas, and questions of inclusion

Resources & further reading

• Becoming Non-Believers (childhood research) – Dr. Lee & Dr. Anna Strhan
• Towards a Sociology of Irreligion – Colin Campbell (1971)
• A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
• A Visit from St. Nicholas (“’Twas the Night Before Christmas”) 
• The Snowman –  Raymond Briggs
• “Father Christmas Executed” – Claude Lévi-Strauss

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Dr Will M. Gervais, psychologist and author of Disbelief, joins Humanism Now to examine one of the most persistent puzzles in the study of religion: why a species capable of deep religiosity also produces millions of convinced non-believers. Drawing on cultural evolution, cognitive science, and cross-cultural data, Will shows why belief and disbelief are shaped less by raw rationality than by social signals, security, and learning environments.

Contact & resources;

• Website – http://willgervais.com/
• University profile – https://www.brunel.ac.uk/people/will-gervais
• ResearchGate – https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Will-M-Gervais-16312567
• Disbelief – Gervais (2023) – https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Disbelief-by-Will-M-Gervais/9781633889248
  
  

Topics we cover

• Why humans evolved a capacity for religion, not a destiny to believe
• The twin puzzles of belief and disbelief explained scientifically
• Why comfort-based and “God-spot” theories fall short
• Cultural signals, credible displays, and how communities transmit belief
• Why atheism often emerges where signals are mixed or muted
• Weak and fragile links between analytic thinking and non-belief
• Moral distrust of atheists — and what behavioural data actually show
• Differences in moral style rather than moral behaviour
• Agnosticism as a distinct epistemic position, not a midpoint
• Existential security and why stable societies secularise
• Cultural evolution and the “big gods” hypothesis
• Why scientific self-correction matters more than tribal loyalty

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

AJ  board member of Humanists International, founding trustee of the National Multifaith Youth Centre, and National Coordinator of Young Humanists UK — returns to Humanism Now to explore a humanism shaped by South Indian pluralism, UK youth organising, and a lifelong commitment to duty, solidarity, and awe. This conversation traces India’s rationalist heritage, the case for humanistic spirituality, and why resistance must be global, hopeful, and rooted in material realities.

Connect with AJ

• Website – alavari.info
• Instagram – @alavarij
• Facebook – @alavari
• X (Twitter) – @alavarij
• LinkedIn – in/alavari/
• TikTok – @alavarij
• Young Humanists UK
• National Multifaith Youth Centre 

Resources & further reading

• Disenchanting India: Rationalist Criticism and Cultural Politics – Quack (2012) 
• Humanist Society Scotland  Statement on Palestine & Israel (2023) 
• AJ's events & talks
  • Humanists UK Event: “India’s Rationalist Heritage” 
  • CLH Discussions | Gaza: genocide, ceasefire, and future prospects
  • CLH Talk:  Roots of Rationalism in India - Origins of Humanism Series
• Humanists International World Humanist Congress 2026 

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Sarah M. Levin - strategist, lobbyist, founder of Secular Strategies and co-founder of The Secular Vote, joins us to explore how secular voters are reshaping U.S. politics. She breaks down the real demographics behind the “nones,” why neutrality protects both believers and non-believers, and how church–state separation is at the heart of today’s fights over rights, democracy, and pluralism.

Connect with Sarah:

• Website: sarahmlevin.com
• Secular Strategies: secularstrategies.com
• The Secular Vote: hesecularvote.com
• X (Twitter): @SarahMLevin
• LinkedIn: sarahmlevin

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Why Secular Strategies exists
 ✔︎ “Unaffiliated” vs “atheist”: what the data really shows
 ✔︎ Secularism in law and public life
 ✔︎ Media myths about religious “revivals”
 ✔︎ Connecting secular voters with messages that resonate (one life, one world)
 ✔︎ How Christian nationalism drives today’s policy rollbacks
 ✔︎ Relationship-led coalition building across deep differences
 ✔︎ Inside The Secular Vote: correcting media blind spots
 ✔︎ Debunking the “anti-Christian bias” narrative
 ✔︎ State-level wins: transparency for healthcare sharing ministries
 ✔︎ Practical ways to get involved for the long term

Resources & further reading

• “Religious ‘Nones’ in America: Who They Are and What They Believe,” Pew Research Center (2024) – https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2024/01/24/religious-nones-in-america-who-they-are-and-what-they-believe/
• Presidential Action on “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias” – The White House (2025) – https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/eradicating-anti-christian-bias/
• Religious Liberty Commission – U.S. Department of Justice – https://www.justice.go

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

 “Nurses have 24/7 eyes on the human experience — we see how policy shows up in real people’s lives.” — Melissa Anne DuBois

Jamie Bourgeois and Melissa Anne DuBois are the co-hosts of Nursing the Nation — a podcast giving nurses a national voice in debates that shape health, policy, and our daily lives. Together they explore how an ethic of evidence and empathy can challenge wellness hype, inform better policy, and centre human dignity in every decision that touches a patient’s life.

In this episode Melissa & Jamie discuss the historical erasure of women healers to today’s media blind spots — and what happens when they’re finally heard. They reveal how nursing science quietly powers trauma-informed practice, safer hospitals, and better education. 

Join us to hear how nurses bridge the gap between policy and people and why the world’s most trusted profession must lead public conversations.

Connect with Jamie Bourgeois & Melissa Anne Dubois

• Blog – nursingthenation.substack.com
• Podcast Links – Nursing the Nation
• Instagram – @nursing.the.nation
• LinkedIn – Melissa Anne Dubois
  • Research – ORCID | ResearchGate
  • Writing – Writers Camp

Resources & further reading

• Witches, Midwives & Nurses: A History of Women Healers – Barbara Ehrenreich (1973)
• Ann Burgess – pioneer of forensic nursing, Wikipedia
• Clara Barton & the Geneva Convention – Library of Congress Blog
• Florence Nightingale and Data Visualisation

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Follow Sentientism

• Sentientism.info
• Apple
• Spotify
• YouTube

“You cannot go wrong with compassion” – primatologist Frans de Waal – Sentientist Conversations

Frans (fransdewaal.com) is a primatologist & ethologist. He is Professor of Primate Behavior at Emory University, director of the Living Links Center at Emory & the author of many books including “Chimpanzee Politics”, “Our Inner Ape” & “The Bonobo & the Atheist”. He has featured in TV/radio productions & TED talks viewed by tens of millions of people. His research centers on primate social behavior, including conflict resolution, cooperation, inequity aversion, & food-sharing. He is a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences & the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts & Sciences.

In Sentientist Conversations we talk about the two most important questions: “what’s real?” & “what matters?” Sentientism is “evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings.” The audio is on our Podcast here on Apple and here on the other platforms. ​​​​ You can watch the video here.

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Subscribe to The Secular Sankofa wherever you get your podcasts!

• Apple Podcasts
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• All other directories & RSS Feed

If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate, and review. 

*****

"We believe in people, not prophets, we believe in freedom, not fear, and we believe in integrity, not doctrine" - Audrey Simmons, Podcast Host

The Secular Sankofa podcast is a platform for Black humanists to reconnect with African identity and heritage through a secular lens. The hosts introduce the Association of Black Humanists, its mission, and vision for creating a space where Black people can explore humanism without religious dogma.

Stay connected with the Association of Black Humanists:

• Meetup: association-of-black-humanist
• Facebook: @AssociationBlackHumanists
• Instagram: @abhumanists
• X / Twitter: @abhumanists
• YouTube: Association of Black Humanists
• TikTok: @assoc_of_black_humanists

Learn more about our work and community at abhumanists.org

Music: Icy by Jeff Kaale

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

David B. McLaughlin, leadership coach and author of Humanism: Five Values for Living Well, joins us to map a practical, hopeful framework for meaning without dogma. From life in the U.S. Bible Belt to boardrooms wrestling with equity, we explore how meaning, dignity, reason, compassion, and justice work together to guide everyday choices and systemic change.

Connect with David B. McLaughlin

• Website – pendulumcoaching.com
• Newsletter – exploringhumanism.substack.com
• LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/davidbmc

Topics we cover

• Dignity as a moral floor you can’t earn or revoke
• Spotting dehumanisation and resisting it
• The Pillar Model of meaning
• Rituals beyond religion: building habits that anchor values
• Reason + compassion: escaping autopilot and widening concern
• Justice at work: equity, fair policies, and psychological safety
• Seeing hidden power: systemic awareness for better decisions
• The “reverse wager of humanism”: urgency to do tangible good now

Resources & further reading

• Humanism: Five Values for Living Well – David B. McLaughlin  – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Humanism-Five-Values-Living-Well/dp/B0FNRP5GKR
• Pendulum Coaching Podcast – Conversations on modern leadership – https://www.pendulumcoaching.com/podcast
• “Pale Blue Dot,” Voyager 1 image & essay – background on Sagan’s perspective – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_Blue_Dot

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Michael Marshall has spent more than 15 years investigating pseudoscience, conspiracy theories and the psychology that sustains them. As Project Director of the Good Thinking Society, President of the Merseyside Skeptics Society and Editor of The Skeptic, Marsh has gone undercover at flat-earth conventions, exposed fake psychics, and campaigned successfully to end NHS funding for homeopathy. In this conversation, he explores how “compassionate skepticism”, leading with empathy and curiosity rather than confrontation can help us counter misinformation and connect more deeply with one another.

Connect with Michael

• X – @MrMMarsh
• Skeptics with a K Podcast
• The Know Rogan podcast
• QED Conference

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Skepticism as practice, not a badge of superiority
 ✔︎ The ethics of “compassionate skepticism”
 ✔︎ How pseudoscience harms—and why empathy works better than ridicule
 ✔︎ What Flat Earth believers reveal about human psychology
 ✔︎ The legacy of QED and building communities grounded in reason

Resources & further reading

• The Skeptic – Marshall’s author archive: skeptic.org.uk/author/michael
• Wikipedia – Michael Marshall (skeptic)
• Skeptical Inquirer interview: “Marsh Interview”
• BBC News – “NHS homeopathy funding to end”: bbc.co.uk/news/health-43373817
• The Guardian – “The Universe is an Egg and the Moon Isn’t Real”: Read article
• PBS Independent Lens –

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Maggie Ardiente, newly elected President of Humanists International, joins Humanism Now to share how humanism grounded in curiosity, compassion, and community can meet today’s rising threats to democracy and science. From a Catholic upbringing to global leadership, Maggie lays out a practical, joyful vision: build resilient humanist networks and live our values in the one life we know we have.

Connect with Maggie:

• Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/maggieardiente/
• LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggieardiente/

Topics we cover

• Building humanist community: from campus groups to a global movement
• Why labels and groups matter for the non-religious
• Humanism in public life: defending democracy, science, and human rights
• Joy as resistance: living well as a humanist practice
• Practical ways to start or grow a local humanist group
• Misconceptions about “humanism” in the United States
• Leadership skills for secular nonprofits (fundraising, empathy, voice)
• Supporting humanists at risk—especially across the Global South

Resources & further reading

• Humanists International – Global federation advancing humanist values – https://humanists.international
• American Humanist Association – US national org for humanists – https://americanhumanist.org
• Secular Coalition for America – Policy advocacy for secular Americans – https://secular.org
• Physicians for Social Responsibility – Health professionals for climate solutions & a nuclear-free world – https://www.psr.org

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Andrew Copson OBE, Chief Executive of Humanists UK and former President of Humanists International, joins us for our 50th episode to reflect on two decades of humanist leadership. From growing up in a secular working-class community to championing global human rights, Andrew explains why humanism remains vital in a time of rising extremism, technological disruption, and political uncertainty.

Connect with Andrew

• Website – Humanists UK
• X (Twitter) – @andrewcopson
• LinkedIn – Andrew Copson
• Facebook - @mrandrewcopson

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Growing up secular in working-class Britain
 ✔︎ Why humanist organizations matter: advocacy, representarion and care
 ✔︎ Misconceptions about humanism today – “too anti-religious” vs. “too pro-human”
 ✔︎ The challenge of technology and the meaning of mortality
 ✔︎ Strategic engagement: when to dialogue, and when not to
 ✔︎ Transforming Humanists International into a diverse, global movement
 ✔︎ The campaign to free Mubarak Bala
 ✔︎ UK priorities ahead: assisted dying, curriculum reform, defending equality
 ✔︎ Why embracing the identity of “humanist” still matters

Resources & further reading

• Secularism: Politics, Religion and Freedom – Copson (2017)
• The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Humanism – Copson & Grayling (2015)
• The Little Book of Humanism Series – Copson & Roberts
• What I Believe – Copson (2025)
• What I Believe Podcast
• Andrew Copson’s Farewell Speech to the General Assembly, Humanists International 2025
• Mubarak

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

What if true strength lies not in certainty, but in listening with respect? In this episode, Morgan DeNicola, Executive Director of the DeNicola Family Foundation, shares how dialogue across divides, cultural diplomacy and everyday acts of humanity redefine what philanthropy can mean. From working with to fostering cross-cultural understanding worldwide, Morgan shows how compassion, curiosity and calm self-control can build bridges in even the most polarized spaces.

Connect with Morgan

• Facebook – Morgan DeNicola
• Instagram – @morgan.slikerdenicola
• LinkedIn – Morgan DeNicola
• TikTok – @morganslikerdenicola

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ The 360-degree value of diverse viewpoints
 ✔︎ Philanthropy as “love of humanity” beyond financial giving
 ✔︎ Finding common ground across ideological divides
 ✔︎ Diplomacy as an everyday superpower of relationship-building
 ✔︎ Practical mental health strategies for service-driven work
 ✔︎ Why self-control and calm are ultimate strengths in dialogue
 ✔︎ The four pillars of the DeNicola Family Foundation: conservation, world health, humanitarian recognition, cultural diplomacy

Resources & further reading

• Humpty Dumpty Institute – Fostering dialogue with Congress, UN and global partners
• DeNicola Family Foundation – Supporting world health, conservation, diplomacy and recognition initiatives
• Amitofo Care Centre – Orphan and education programmes in Africa
• American Thoracic Society – Global conference supporting medical research in lung health
• Elmwood Park Zoo - Inspiring appreciation for wildlife, the environment & active participation in conservation
• Morgan's "Six or Nine" Cartoon T-Shirt

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

In this bonus episode of Humanism Now, we’re sharing the live recording of Professor James Ogude’s talk from the online event Understanding Ubuntu Traditions part of the Global Origins of Humanism series (co-hosted by Central London Humanists and the Association of Black Humanists). 

Prof. Ogude is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship, University of Pretoria, and a leading authority on Ubuntu—the African ethical tradition of community, compassion and shared humanity.

About the series

The Global Origins of Humanism series is a new programme of online talks and discussions exploring philosophical traditions from around the world that have influenced modern humanist thought. At each event CLH & ABH welcome a leading scholar to introduce their area of expertise, followed by audience discussion.

These events are free to attend online and open to everyone. 

Upcoming events (RSVP on Meetup to join live)

• Roots of Rationalism in India with Alavari “AJ” Jeevathol — Wed 17 Sept 2025, 7pm UK 
• In Search of Zera Yacob with Dr Jonathan Egid — Wed 15 Oct 2025, 7pm UK

Prof. Ogude covers;

• How personhood is earned through relationships and community
• How Ubuntu differs from Western individualism
• Co-agency: interconnectedness of human and non-human life
• Ubuntu as an ecological ethic for climate and sustainability challenges
• The material dimension of dignity: why justice must include economic needs
• Archbishop Tutu’s role in elevating Ubuntu to a universal framework for reconciliation
• Ubuntu as a process of becoming, not a fixed identity

Selected Books by James Ogude

• Ubuntu and Personhood
• Ubuntu and the Everyday
• Ubuntu and the Reconstitution of Community 

More about the organisers

• Central London Humanist

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

David Livingstone-Smith, Ph.D.,  award-winning author, Professor of Philosophy at the University of New England and a leading authority on dehumanization joins us to unpack how ordinary people come to see others as “less than human,” why that shift makes atrocities feel morally necessary, and what practical tools can help us resist it. 

His books include Less Than Human (Anisfield-Wolf Award), On Inhumanity (OUP), and Making Monsters (HUP; Joseph B. Gittler Award; Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize shortlist).

Connect with David Livingstone-Smith

• Website – https://www.davidlivingstonesmith.com
• Newsletter – https://davidlivingstonesmith.substack.com/
• University profile – https://www.une.edu/people/david-livingstone-smith
• Media – https://www.davidlivingstonesmith.com/media

Topics we cover

• What dehumanization is: conceiving others as subhuman creatures or monsters
• How we hold contradictory beliefs (human and subhuman) at the same time
• The role of epistemic authority, leaders, “experts” and propaganda, in spreading dehumanization
• Why racialization often precedes full dehumanization
• Moral framing of mass violence as “self-defence” against monsters
• Economic insecurity and social fear as fertile ground for dehumanizing narratives
• Psychological self-defense: recognizing our manipulability
• What actually helps: honest historical education, dismantling racial thinking, and a robust press

Resources & further reading

• Less Than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave, and Exterminate Others (2011) – https://www.davidlivingstonesmith.com/project-09
• On Inhumanity: Dehumanization and How to Resist It (2020) – https://www.davidlivingstonesmith.com/on-inhumanity
• Making Monsters: The Uncanny Power of Dehumanization (2021) – https://www.davidlivingstonesm

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Dr. Victoria Mattingly (Dr. V)—industrial-organizational psychologist, CEO & founder of Mattingly Solutions, and co-author of Inclusalytics—joins us to show how rigorous data and deeply human connection can coexist. We unpack practical, measurable ways to build cultures of belonging—at work and in communities—where people can thrive as their authentic selves.

Connect with Dr. Victoria Mattingly

• Website – mattinglysolutions.com
• Instagram – @drvictoriamattingly
• LinkedIn – /in/vpmattingly/
• Dr V.s Udemy Course: Ally Up: How to Build and Activate Ally Partnerships
• Dr V. on Google Scholar – https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=L9cutXEAAAA

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Defining inclusion with outcomes: behaviours that make others feel valued, respected, seen, and heard
 ✔︎ “Inclusalytics”: merging workplace inclusion with analytics to measure belonging
 ✔︎ Why the platinum rule (treat others as they want to be treated) surpasses the golden rule
 ✔︎ The difference between mentorship and sponsorship—and why sponsors accelerate equity
 ✔︎ How executive sponsors can empower ERGs without overstepping
 ✔︎ Allyship as active behavior, not identity
 ✔︎ Three characteristics of effective partners in allyship: self-awareness, trust, and action orientation
 ✔︎ Capturing positive behaviors—why we should measure allyship, not just discrimination
 ✔︎ Using AI and language data ethically to advance inclusion

Resources & further reading

• Pre order: Act Like an Ally, Work With an Ally – Victoria Mattingly – Mattingly Solutions | Kindle
• Inclusalytics: How DEI Leaders Use Data to Drive Their Work – Victoria Mattingly & Sertrice Grice – Amazon |

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Dr Bill Angus takes us on a provocative journey through his transition from devout evangelical Christian to secular humanist in this candid, thought-provoking conversation. After 30 years of committed faith, Angus found himself re-examining the foundations of Christianity, leading to what he calls a “divorce” from Jesus. With humour and clarity, he challenges us to rethink what religion offers – and what humanism makes possible instead.

Connect with Bill & Resources:

• Divorcing Jesus: Atheism for Absolute Beginners – Bill Angus (2024) – Amazon
• Website – billangus.com
• Bluesky – @billangus.bsky.social
• Humanists New Zealand – humanist.nz

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Why Bill felt “divorcing Jesus” was the right metaphor for leaving faith
 ✔︎ Jesus as historical figure vs. fictionalised character of modern Christianity
 ✔︎ How religion can stunt personal growth through “instant salvation”
 ✔︎ Humanism as a practice of continuous learning and self-education
 ✔︎ Rethinking forgiveness, love, and moral values outside divine command
 ✔︎ Finding authentic community beyond the church
 ✔︎ Building strength and integrity through secular humanism
 ✔︎ The wide horizons of life after religion

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Professor Richard Norman, philosopher and author of What Is Humanism For?, joins us to explore the enduring question at the heart of secular ethics. From his journey out of Christianity to his role shaping humanist thought in the UK, Richard shares why humanism matters, how it offers a coherent framework for living well, and why it must evolve to address urgent global challenges like climate change and artificial intelligence.

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Defining humanism in plain language for all ages
 ✔︎ Why naturalism underpins humanist philosophy
 ✔︎ Core values, cooperation, compassion, justice, as products of our social nature
 ✔︎ Erich Fromm’s “frame of orientation and devotion” and its relevance today
 ✔︎ How shared values are replacing religion as social glue
 ✔︎ Climate change and AI as defining issues for future humanist engagement
 ✔︎ The role of dialogue with religious communities in building understanding
 ✔︎ Avoiding stereotypes while strengthening humanist identity
 ✔︎ Inspiring curiosity and critical thinking through school talks

Resources & references

• What Is Humanism For? – Richard Norman (2025) 
• On Humanism – Richard Norman (2nd ed., 2012) 
• Understanding Humanism – Andrew Copson, Luke Donnellan & Richard Norman (2022) 
• Humanist Climate Action – https://humanists.uk/climate-action
• Humanists UK School Speakers Programme – Humanists UK  https://humanists.uk/community/school-speakers
• The Sane Society  – Erich Fromm (1955)
• “Values are the New Religion” – Linda Woodhead  (Cadbury Lectures, University of Birmingham, 2021) 

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Lizzi Collinge—Labour MP for Morecambe & Lunesdale and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group—shares how openly declaring “I am a humanist” now shapes her work on championing freedom, autonomy and human rights through cross-party collaboration at Westminster.

Lizzi Collinge MP

• 🏛️ Parliament contact –Lizzi Collinge MP
•  𝕏 Twitter – @LizziCollinge
• 📸 Instagram – @lizzicollinge
• 👍 Facebook – @LizziCollinge

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Owning a humanist identity in Parliament
 ✔︎ Lizzi’s life experiences, values & advice for future politicians
 ✔︎ Putting values into action: autonomy, freedom, less suffering
 ✔︎ Why transparency about values builds better policy
 ✔︎ Assisted Dying Bill process & progress
 ✔︎ APPGs as engines for cross-party problem-solving
 ✔︎ Confronting illegal schools and protecting children’s education
 ✔︎ Standing up for persecuted people worldwide

References

• Highest number of MPs ever take secular affirmation – Humanists UK 
• Lizzi Collinge’s maiden speech (“I am a humanist”) - Hansard
• Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – UK Parliament
• All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group – Humanists UK
• Illegal Faith Schools – Humanists UK  
• Mubarak Bala Update – Humanists International

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Katherine Lacefield—founder of Just Be Cause Consulting—shares why swapping confrontational animal-rights tactics for compassion-first community building creates deeper, lasting change for animals, people and the planet.

Connect with Katherine

• Website – justbecause.consulting
• Facebook – @JustBeCauseConsulting
• Instagram – @just.because.consulting
• TikTok – @justbecauseconsulting
• Threads – @just.because.consulting
• LinkedIn – /in/katherine-mac-donald

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ From “I hate people” to human-centred advocacy
 ✔︎ Closing the values–action gap
 ✔︎ Why confrontation backfires—and what works instead
 ✔︎ One Health: linking human, animal & environmental wellbeing
 ✔︎ Letting go of perfectionism in activism

Resources & further reading

• Just Be Cause Consulting – Fundraising & strategy for mission-driven orgs – www.justbecause.consulting
• Just Be Cause Podcast
  • Podcast (Apple) – https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-just-be-cause-podcast/id1743692401
  • Podcast (Spotify) – https://open.spotify.com/show/3IKpckZtQIwrUrXL8i0IY0
• WHO “One Health”- an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems.

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Topics we cover

 ✔︎ Founding APERAT and its legal battles for recognition
 ✔︎ Why “the atheist closet” remains so deep in Peru
 ✔︎ Lessons from the Humanist Ceremonies Accelerator
 ✔︎ Designing inclusive, inter-faith-friendly ceremonies
 ✔︎ Building a social enterprise to fund legal and social aid
 ✔︎ Partnering with wedding planners and funeral homes
 ✔︎ Strategies for nurturing a visible humanist community

The Peruvian Atheist Association (APERAT) continues to work toward a freer, more rational, and truly secular Peru. In a context of growing authoritarianism, censorship, and setbacks in fundamental rights, secular activism is more urgent than ever. APERAT invite individuals, collectives, and organizations who share these values to get in touch and, if possible, offer financial support to sustain public campaigns, events, and advocacy efforts in defence of freedom of conscience and the separation of church and state.

Connect with APERAT

• Website – aperat.org.pe
• Ceremonies – ceremoniaslaicas.lat
• Email – contacto@aperat.org.pe
• Adrián Núñez, Instagram – @sobranmagufos
• Iván Antezana Quiroz, Instagram – @iaq66

Episode References & Resources

📘Les Couleurs de l’Humanisme – Cloutier (2009) 

📺 Humanist Ceremonies Accelerator Finale – from Happy Human (Lithuania), Humanists International & Humanise Live

📺 What is a Humanist Ceremony?  –Stephen Fry & Humanists UK

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Journalist and climate-communicator Bridget Shirvell joins Humanism Now to share a four-part roadmap—feel, love, build, act—for raising climate-resilient kids. Drawing on her new book Parenting in a Climate Crisis, she explains how families can turn eco-anxiety into everyday action, nurture curiosity, and help children transform concern into hope.
Hachette Book Group

Connect with Bridget

• Website – https://breeshirvell.com 
• Newsletter – Raising Climate Resilient Kids -Substack 
• Instagram– @breeshirvell
• LinkedIn – /in/breeshirvell 

Topics we cover

✔︎ Bridget’s feel-love-build-act framework for climate-conscious parenting
✔︎ Turning daily habits—into social tipping points
✔︎ Teaching stewardship through family pets without gender stereotypes
✔︎ Countering the curiosity slump that formal schooling often creates
✔︎ Balancing individual choices with systemic change & local activism
✔︎ Practical ways to ease eco-anxiety while fostering genuine hope
✔︎ Food, waste-reduction and other low-lift actions kids can lead

Resources & further reading

• Parenting in a Climate Crisis – Bridget Shirvell (2025) 
• Tipping point for large-scale social change  – Science (2018) 
• Parenting and the climate crisis –The Ecologist (2025)

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Nick Cooney is a social entrepreneur, alternative‑protein investor, and author. He joins Humanism Now to discuss to unpack the hidden moral cost of doing nothing. Drawing on insights from his new book What We Don’t Do, Nick explains why inaction outweighs mis‑action, how to count the suffering we can prevent, and why business, capital and compassion must pull in the same direction.

Topics we cover

✔︎ The four‑quadrant framework of action vs inaction
✔︎ Measuring impact: turning empathy into numbers
✔︎ Beating overwhelm with data‑driven altruism
✔︎ Alternative proteins and the end of factory farming
✔︎ Lever VC’s investment thesis & the business case for good
✔︎ Animal suffering as a neglected moral emergency
✔︎ Effective altruism, long‑termism and their critiques
✔︎ Habits that keep the “do‑more” muscle strong

Connect with Nick

• Website – nickcooney.com
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Medium
• ResearchGate

Resources

• What We Don’t Do – Nick Cooney (2025)
• Nick Cooney Books
  • Change of Heart
  • Veganomics
  • How to Be Great at Doing Good
• Lever VC – global VC fund for sustainable food innovation
• Lever Foundation – non‑profit accelerating humane food systems
• The Humane League – farm‑animal advocacy organisation
• Good Food Institute – think‑tank for alt‑protein R&D and policy

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

With outrage-bait, memes and “gotcha” clips swarming every feed, being able to think about our thinking is no longer optional. Social psychologist, entrepreneur and Positive Humanism author Dr Bo Bennett joins host James Hodgson to show why critical thinking is a life skill for everyone, not a luxury for academics. Drawing on decades spent dissecting logical fallacies (plus a generous dose of humour), Bo maps out how we can swap combativeness for curiosity—and outrage for evidence—in our daily conversations.

In this episode

• System 1 vs System 2: knowing when to hit the cognitive brakes
• 25 “greatest-hits” fallacies—from appeal to authority to the straw man
• Aristotle’s trio of logic, emotion & character (and why emotion is only fallacious when it replaces reason)
• The Socratic method for lowering defences and dodging the back-fire effect
• “You need to care more about believing what is true than being right and being proved right.” —Bo
• Expertise-transfer traps: why even humanists can slip up on politics or science
• Handling contrarian takes on settled research: focus on the scientific process
• A practical habit: run emotional posts through AI for a fast, source-linked fact-check before you hit share

Follow Dr Bo Bennett

• Website & books: bobennett.com
• Logical fallacy database: https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertsbennett/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bobennett7750

Resources

• Logically Fallacious — Dr Bo Bennett
• Thinking, Fast and Slow — Daniel Kahneman

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

In this episode of Humanism Now, we explore curiosity as a practice. Dr. Julie Pham — social scientist, community builder, and author of the bestselling 7 Forms of Respect® — joins us to unpack how curiosity, respect, and communication transform not just workplaces, but our relationships and communities.

As the founder and CEO of CuriosityBased, Dr. Pham teaches leaders and teams how to embed curiosity into daily practice — through self-awareness, relationship-building, and clear communication. Drawing from her personal story and professional insight, Julie shares how our assumptions about listening, respect, and disagreement shape the way we connect and collaborate.

In this episode:

• Why curiosity is a skill, not a trait — and how to develop it
• How to approach difficult conversations using the CAFA method (Context, Action, Feeling, Ask)
• The difference between hearing and believing — and why it matters
• Respect is relative: how upbringing and culture shape our communication
• How curiosity bridges differences — even across generational, cultural, and political divides
• When not to have the conversation: the two questions to ask before engaging

Featured Resources:

• 📕 7 Forms of Respect: www.formsofrespect.com
• 🧠 CuriosityBased: www.curiositybased.com
• 🎥 TEDx TalkCuriosity as a Practice: Watch here
• 🎧 Curiosity at Work podcast: Listen here

Follow Dr. Julie Pham:

• 📸 @juliephamphd on Instagram
• 🎵 @juliephamphd on TikTok
• 📸 @curiositybased on Instagram
• 💼 @curiositybased on TikTok
• 📘 CuriosityBased Facebook

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

In this powerful episode of Humanism Now, Rachael Reign, survivor and founder of Surviving Universal UK, shares her deeply personal story of escaping spiritual abuse and coercive control and her ongoing campaign to protect others.

As founder of Surviving Universal UK, Rachael supports other survivors of high-control groups and leads a growing campaign to amend Section 76 of the UK Serious Crime Act.

In this episode

• Rachael's journey into, and out of, UCKG
• What draws vulnerable young people into high-control groups
• How unpaid labour and spiritual obedience become normalised
• What led Rachael to walk away and how she supports other survivors
• The warning signs of cultic or coercively controlling groups
• Where UK law falls short in protecting against coercive control outside domestic settings
• How we can hold abusive systems accountable
• The role the public  and policymakers can play in driving survivor-led legal reform

Surviving Universal UK

🔗Surviving Universal UK
📧 info@survivinguniversaluk.org
📸 @survivinguniversaluk
🎵 @survivinguniversaluk

Contact Rachael

🌳linktr.ee
🎤Speaker bookings - Rachael Reign
📸 @Msrachaelreign

Resources

• BBC Panorama
• The Guardian
• The Londoner

Need support?
If you or someone you know has been affected by the topics discussed in this episode, Faith to Faithless are here to help.

Faith to Faithless Helpline (UK): 0800 448 0748
Email:

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

In this epsiode, JC reflects on growing up atheist in a deeply religious culture, navigating migration and marginalisation, and why the arts are one of the most powerful tools we have for social transformation. JC shares the challenges of creating welcoming spaces within the humanist community, and how diversity and solidarity must be more than just aspirations—they must be action.

Key Topics Covered

• How JC’s atheist upbringing in Catholic Panama shaped his identity and activism
• Art as language: using creativity to open space for difficult but vital conversations
• Why Latin American and Arab/North African diasporas are "invisibilized" in UK systems
• The work of the Noria Collective in building solidarity among Global Majority communities
• How JC discovered humanism later in life—and how it changed his view of religion
• Practical advice for humanist groups on inclusion, outreach, and community care

Follow JC

• 🔗 JC’s Work: jccandanedo.com
• 🔗 Noria Collective: wearenoria.com / 📷 @we.are.noria
• 🔗 Axis: axisweb.org
• 📣 Campaign: banconversiontherapy.com
• 📷 Instagram: @jccandanedo
• 💼 LinkedIn: jccandanedo

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

When Dr Lindsay De Wal became the first non-religious head of chaplaincy in the NHS, she redefined what spiritual support can look like in modern healthcare. From sceptical colleagues to international media headlines, her appointment marked a turning point for inclusive pastoral care. 

In this powerful and personal conversation, Lindsay shares how she built a humanist framework for care grounded in deep listening, horizontal transcendence and unwavering compassion.

In This Episode

• Why only 4% of hospital chaplaincy visits serve non-religious patients
• How the Netherlands became a global leader in humanist pastoral care
  What “horizontal transcendence” means—and why it matters in non-religious care
• The art of active listening and the power of silence in emotional support
• How to become a humanist pastoral carer—and why demand is growing fast
• The rise of the Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network across the NHS

Follow Dr. Lindsay de Wal

• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Dr.LdW
• UK Non‑religious Pastoral Support Network

Episode References: 

• Become a Pastoral Carer, UK Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network
• The Development of Non-Religious Pastoral Support in the UK, Dr David Savage 
• History of The Netherlands Humanists Association, Humanistisch Verbond
• Interview with Lindsay de Wal: UK’s First Humanist NHS Chaplain on Non-Religious Pastoral Care, The Humanist 

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

“The highest value, the most precious value we have is not peace—it’s freedom.”  — Michael Bauer 

This week on Humanism Now, we’re joined by Michael Bauer, CEO of Germany’s Humanistische Vereinigung—a 175-year-old humanist organisation offering professional community services without religion, grounded in ethics, dignity, and freedom.

From ceremony to solidarity, Bauer shows how organised humanism is more than a philosophy—it’s a movement of services, institutions, and action. Discover how practical humanism is creating a visible, inclusive, and values-driven future.

We discuss:

• How the Humanist Association of Germany began in the 1848 and how it survived twice being banned
• The importance of physical infrastructure and visible presence for secular communities
• How humanism serves as an ethical alternative providing meaning, guidance, and community—without supernatural belief
• Why inclusive, values-led services matter in a plural society, and how secular support systems can serve everyone
• The Humanists Shelter Program and the three-year diplomatic effort to bring humanist Mubarak Bala to safety
• The need for political engagement, funding, and infrastructure to build influence and lasting change
• A powerful personal reflection on defending humanist values in times of crisis

About Michael Bauer 

 🔗  michaelbauer.info

📰 Interview with In-sight Publishing

Connect with Humanistische Vereinigung  
 🔗 humanistische-vereinigung.de

📷  @humanistischevereinigung
🐦  @HV_Presse
🌳 Linktree: humanistischevereinigung

References:

• Humanists Shelter Program, Humanistische Vereinigung
• Cause for celebration: Mubarak Bala arrives in Germany, Humanists International

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Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.