from Keith – Chair of Lancashire Humanists

When involved in discussions about my humanism, I am often asked about how long I have been a humanist.  The answer essentially is, probably longer than I actually realised it.  Whilst I decided to become an atheist in my early teens, it took many years and experiences in life that led to my evolution into a humanist (as I see myself now).

Along the way several things contributed to my humanist views developing.  A major one of these was several years volunteering with Samaritans and this is something I hope to go back to when I have the necessary time to devote.  It taught me a lot about accepting others and trying to see life through their eyes.  This is something that I try to do in every encounter and steers my approach to many situations.

I firmly believe there is no after life or another life in eternity, but I do enjoy interacting with those who do have religious beliefs which they follow.  We can respect each other as human beings and look to what we have in common.  We are looking to how we can make the lives of others better and care for those who need support. Whilst individuals may already choose to volunteer in organisations that help others, my ambition is to see our humanist group actively involved alongside other groups to facilitate a project to help a vulnerable group and thereby help foster a positive image of Humanism.