Event Report: Create your own Cult, the Scientology Way

Create your own cult, the Scientology way
Speaker: Martin Poulter (http://infobomb.org/ - @mlpoulter)
October 10, 2013

For our first event of the year, we were lucky enough to have Martin Poulter come and speak to us on Scientology - from a pretty funny and skeptical point of view.

Scientology might have started out as part of the American landscape, but there is no denying that England has not escaped Lafayette Ronald Hubbard's cult. Just think about the Scientology bookshop on Tottenham Court Road, and just think about the fact that the followers of Scientology are pushing for religious recognition in the United Kingdom - Scientology has come to this country, and it is here to stay.

Scientology has achieved media recognition via different means. It has sparkled Internet wars, and it has gained the approval of key A-list Hollywood celebrities, and it has accumulated enormous quantities of money - but how did it all begin?

Poulter, a self-described cult-watcher, knows much about Scientology - and what he had to share with us amused and horrified us in equal measures. He gave us a checklist of key points to keep in mind if we ever decided to create our own successful cult, by analyzing, in a humorous, insightful manner, the beginning and evolution of the cult of Scientology - born from the mind of a man who knew how to create and sustain a myth worth millions of dollars.

The Scientology method is an onion-shaped construction that relies on deception, hard work, layers upon layers of cult beliefs and spiritual undertakings, the preference of the strong over the weak, and the crucial recruitment of new followers through any means necessary - be it preying on victims of disasters or faking being a helpline.

If you wanted to start your own cult, all you'd have to do is follow a number of simple rules: create a myth. Make following your cult a difficult but rewarding job. Interpret the doctrine for your followers. Give your followers layers upon layers of steps to undertake in the workings of your cult. Make your followers work for a productive living.

Poulter sketched out for us an intensely funny vision of Scientology as a cult that should invite not only derision but also a sort of keenly unwanted respect - for all they have managed to achieve, often in underhanded ways, in so few years. And remember - if you ever felt like creating your own cult, do not forget to remember about the power of the Internet - and try not to make the Internet your enemy.

Event Report - An Introduction to Skepticism

Deborah Hyde, editor of The Skeptic Magazine, came to give a fun and informative talk about what skepticism is and its place in the modern world. Hyde first emphasised that skepticism is a diffused and diverse movement. There are many magazines worldwide that specialise in the topic and they communicate with each other. Groups such as the Westminster Skeptics are interested in skeptical issues in law and government, while the Soho skeptics focus more on science. Hyde's online alter ego Jourdemayne specialises in superstition, religion and the supernatural. Hyde explained how she first became interested in skepticism through her research into the supernatural. She realised that there are people that believe as fervently in vampires as in God.

She explained skepticism as denying the possibility of knowledge in a particular sphere. Humans have perceptual and cognitive limits, and these limits must be understood to gain a better understanding of reality. Skeptics believe that knowledge must be supported by evidence, and they are not the same as cynics, as some things can be established as true.

In practise most skeptics tend to be atheists also, but this is not essential as people can hold these two ideas in their minds at the same time.

The issue of the spellings of 'skeptic' vs. 'sceptic' was addressed. The 'skepticism' movement began in the US, meaning that international members of the movement use the American spelling. It began in the 1970s when new age beliefs were in fashion, with figures such as Uri Geller gaining popularity.  There was a motivation to debunk these ways of thinking, with James Randi drawing attention to the flaws in Uri Geller's act. Another reason to use the spelling 'skeptic' is that 'sceptic' can be used more generally such as a '9-11 sceptic', and these opinions are totally separate from the skepticism movement.

Hyde stressed that the movement is not centralised in any way, it's a grass roots movement where people meet like minded others to start projects they're interested in. The movement also doesn't include a body of knowledge - only a dedication to the scientific method.

Common interests of skeptics and subjects covered in The Skeptic magazine were discussed. Cryptozoology, urban legends, conspiracy theories, the paranormal, UFOs and alternative medicine are issues which interest skeptics. Skeptical campaigns which have gained attention include the libel trial of Simon Singh vs. The British Chiropractic Association. The BCA attempted to sue Singh after he labelled some of their claims 'bogus', but the case was eventually dropped. The 10:23 campaign challenged homeopathy, with skeptics taking a mass overdose of homeopathic remedies to draw attention to their complete ineffectiveness. This aimed to inform people who weren't sure of what the remedies really were and bought them casually. The pharmacy Boots has admitted that they sell homeopathic remedies which have 'no evidence' of effectiveness.

Skeptics also challenged the popular psychic Sally Morgan. After rumours of her using earpieces at performances to feed her information she was offered a chance to test her powers under controlled conditions. She obviously refused.

Finally, Hyde stated that she hopes that one day the term 'skeptic' will be redundant, as society will accept the scientific approach as the best way to discover knowledge, and will be better educated against bad arguments.

Event Report - Circumcision Debate

We had two fantastic guests to discuss the issue of male circumcision. Jonathan Arkush, barrister and Vice President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, represented the argument that male circumcision is ethical. Antony Lempert, GP and Chair of the Secular Medical Forum argued against it.

Jonathan Arkush began by stating that he is a proud member of the Jewish faith. He sees Judaism as a way of life with a set of values that go back four thousand years. Circumcision is part of these values due to the bible, when God commanded Abraham to circumcise his son. Arkush emphasised that it is possible to decide which traditions you keep, and that he chose to abide by circumcision. Circumcision (called Brit Milah in the Jewish community) is a covenant, which is a promise between man and god.

Arkush argued that circumcision is a safe and simple procedure with virtually no incidence of complications. As it is such a long tradition it is highly regulated and performed to the best standard and skill possible. In reply to the objection that circumcision is carried out on babies who cannot give consent, Arkush emphasised that there are many things that parents decide for their children. These include medical procedures, vaccines and ear piercings. Also, parents decide to bring up their children in an environment of faith or lack of faith. In addition, the safest and kindest age to circumcise a child is eight days old as in the Jewish tradition, meaning that letting a child decide at eighteen will lead to additional discomfort.

Arkush believes that to ban the practise of circumcision is unwarranted as it is not socially harmful. Instead, it should be regulated, allowing people for whom this is a religious practise to have equal treatment and respect.

It was then Antony Lempert's turn to put his point across. He first stated that parents have many rights over their child, but these rights are limited by the need to keep the child safe from harm. Parents do not own their children's bodies. Circumcision is not comparable to vaccines which are proven to protect against childhood illnesses and cannot be postponed until adulthood. Lempert used the General Medical Council's guidelines for doctors as the foundation of his argument. Doctors are urged to make the care of their patients their first concern and do no harm to them. In addition, the bases of medical ethics include autonomy; the right of a patient to decide their own fate. Doctors should maximise a child's ability to decide for themselves. Lempert thought it ridiculous that people feel that their religious beliefs are under threat if they can't cut another person's body. Freedom of religious belief is important, but its expression must be limited by its harm to others.

Lempert compared circumcision to tattooing, which if performed on a child is classed as criminal assault. A doctor must sometimes make decisions for a patient who is not able to give consent, but must ask themselves whether their incapacity will be long term. In the case of a child, it is possible to wait until they are old enough to give their consent.

Lempert then confronted the effects of circumcision on health. Historically, the supposed benefits included reduced masturbation as sensitivity in the penis is lessened. In terms of harm, there are instances of scarring, urinary difficulties, and one in five children experience a narrowed urethra. Lempert cited some tragic incidences where children died in the process of circumcision, which were legally treated as an unforeseen accident.

The foreskin is an important sexual organ. It has been theorised that the most sensitive part of the penis is on the foreskin which is unfortunately lost. Circumcised men often report sexual difficulties including their partners having difficulties reaching orgasm. The foreskin also offers protection from infection and is naturally stuck to the glans in early childhood.

Lempert related the experiences that a Jewish person might expect from objecting to the practise of circumcision, including feeling isolated and threatened, and finding it hard to talk about a matter so private. Finally, Lempert asked for consideration of the rights of the child. A child should have freedom of thought and religion and protection from harm. Parents have a right to guide their child, but this must not include acts which cause physical and emotional harm.

Event Report - Prophecy and the Experience of Time

We were excited to welcome Jason Dittmer of UCL Geography, who gave a fascinating and entertaining talk on perceptions of time and prophecies of the end of the world. He began by summarising historical theories on the nature of time. Nietzsche thought of time as cyclical 'the eternal return of the same'. This attitude could be attributed to the closeness of people at the time to the changing of the seasons and how plants come and go with time. In contrast, Einstein described time as a quantitative entity, which could be measured with a number and conformed to our travel through space. Bergson took a more personal approach, emphasising that time goes in one direction only, and memories are the conjuring of the past into the present in a kind of virtual reality. He referenced the subjective nature of time: time seems to travel faster as we grow older, and can seem to go by incredibly slowly if we are experiencing something unpleasant.

Dittmer then moved onto the subject of prophecy. The problem solving technique of 'mythos' can explain how prophecy watchers come to their conclusions. If a person fits the information they receive into a narrative that they are comfortable with, this is mythos. The mythos of a prophecy watching Christian is based on the narrative of the 7 dispensations, taken from the bible. This is a constant pattern of humans making mistakes, being punished and then god's forgiveness. Dittmer postulated that since the bible is a fixed entity that cannot be updated, it becomes increasingly hard to address modern problems with its teachings. This means that confabulations happen, making the narrative more resilient.

Some Christians believe that we are currently living in the 6th dispensation. This period began with the appearance of Christ, and will end with the appearance of an Antichrist. As he rises to political power the earth will suffer natural disasters and he will eventually rule for three and a half years. After this, faithful Christians will defeat the Antichrist and there will be a thousand years of peace and happiness.

This mythos has led to many people watching out for signs of the Antichrist's rise to power, in anticipation of the end times. The internet has enabled them to share their ideas and gain comfort and encouragement (this can be compared to conspiracy theorists). This is especially common in America, as it could be said that its citizens can see the country as having a privileged role in the world, meaning that any important cosmic events will take place there.

Online prophecy watchers collected relevant information and found numerical patterns to justify the theory that Barack Obama was the Antichrist, during his campaign in 2008. Obama's race encouraged these assertions, as well as the belief that he was a Muslim. His seeming appearance from nowhere, his 'otherness' and his charismatic character made him a target.

Dittmer invited us to consider how we would experience time if we believed that the world was soon coming to an end. Would time seem slower as the date approached? He emphasised the bodily impact of this belief by the fact that Harold Camping died of a stroke three days after the 'rapture' he predicted did not happen. Also, people often die after Christmas, as if their bodies felt the significance of this special time.

Dittmer concluded his talk by suggesting that instead of people being divided into 'believers' and 'non-believers', they should be considered as either looking to the future with hope, or looking into the past.

Event Report - Survivor's Voice Europe

Sue Cox began her talk with the moving and inspiring story of her life so far. Born in rural Lincolnshire, she experienced a strict Catholic upbringing. She was taught that practically everything was sinful, and the family household revolved around the church. At the age of 5, she had to take part in praying for her cousin to die, since he was going to marry a divorcee. Cox described the brainwashing of confessions, guilt and ritual, such as sleeping with your arms across your chest, as touching your body was sinful. 

As her parish was poor, there was no vicarage, meaning that the priest lodged at the family’s house. The neighbourhood’s attitude to the clergy was that they could do no wrong: as they were so close to god, their hands were sacred, meaning that they could do no work and should be served by everyone. The local priest was often ill and was replaced temporarily with others, one of which abused Cox from the ages of 10 to 13. 

Cox described her horrendous experiences and the effect they had on her later life. The death of her father, the Catholic environment and the abuse by a priest led to her becoming disturbed: self-harming, suffering from an eating disorder and an alcoholic. After a violent first marriage Cox found herself with six children. Remembering the inaction that followed her rape, she slowly distanced herself from the church, and began her recovery with the help of support from her friends, education and a job in counselling. 

As well as a successful career as an addiction councellor, Cox became involved in telling her story as part of the campaign to expose the damaging actions of the Catholic church. A documentary appearance led to a speech at a rally, and making links with the Italian anti-clerical Radicali Party. At a party meeting, the stories told by fellow survivors inspired Cox to co-found her organisation Survivor's Voice.

Survivor's Voice aims to empower survivors with information and support, rather than being involved in fundraising and campaigning against the church. 

Check out their website for more information: http://survivorsvoice-europe.org/ and thanks to everyone who came!

Event Report - The Young Atheist's Handbook

Alom Shaha gave an interesting and personal talk about his book the Young Atheist's Handbook and his insights on the matter of religion. He wanted to write a book that would be accessible for young teenagers and answer their questions about atheism, but the idea of incorporating his own story and experiences made the book more personal. Shaha stressed that the book is not anti-religious, but that it aims to make people think about what they believe. However, at the heart of belief is a feeling rather than an intellectual argument - even in the case of atheists. Belief may come from a human need to find patterns and meanings in a meaningless universe.

Many school students have accused Shaha: 'you don't believe in anything!' He counters that he believes in finding your own morality based on justice, equality and empathy. Humans can live as if they have purpose - with the help of love and work they can accept the pointlessness of life.

Shaha stated that he doesn't like debating whether god exists or not, but only has a problem with the concept  of god if it is used to excuse oppression and prejudice.

The fact that he comes from a Muslim background gave Shaha problems when publishing the book. Publishers thought that this combined with atheism would cause controversy and backlash. Shaha believes that this is a reflection of how Muslims are viewed by society - as fundamentalist and all the same. This may be because people don't mix with Muslims enough, as people do not have diverse social circles.

Thanks to everyone who attended! Don't forget to buy society membership to enjoy future events:
http://uclu.org/clubs-societies/atheist-secularist-and-humanist-society

Event Report - Climate Change, Gossip and the Evolution of Our Big Brains

We continued our events this term with a talk from Mark Maslin, UCL climatology professor and researcher. Maslin gave a fascinating and fun exploration of how modern humans have evolved – through processes not quite involving ribs, clay and evil snakes.

Our oldest ancestor is around 6-7 million years old, and our defining characteristic was in fact upright walking rather than a large brain. The importance of this trait can be seen by the fact that it takes a human infant a whole year to learn to walk. Walking is a good travel solution as humans can walk upright all day without tiring too much. Maslin explained how modern humans developed in the East African Rift system, a rift valley with open landscape that helped development. Changes in brain sizes can be charted through the discovery of skulls in this area.

Maslin’s research in East Africa is concerned with finding the explanation for primitive humans’ leap in brain capacity. The solution may be in the frequently appearing and disappearing lakes along the rift. Rapid shifts from wet to arid conditions may stimulate competition and evolution. Other human species developed large jaws to eat more types of food, whereas we developed larger brains.

But how did this help us survive? Larger skull sizes can hugely impede survival as birth is so difficult and dangerous. Maslin postulated that our brains are tools for dealing with the complex social situations arising from a tribe of around 150 individuals. Keeping track of other individuals’ activities (gossip) is an advanced task which allows the creation of valuable affiliations. These alliances can help protection against predators and the accumulation of resources.

This enlightening talk was followed by questions from the audience which prompted whole new areas of discussion, continuing in the pub. Join our facebook page to keep track of further events, we’ve got lots of great things planned for this term! 

Event Report - Three Approaches to Activism

The first lecture event of the term presented not one but three speakers, chosen to represent the three themes of our society. Alex Gabriel, journalist and blogger for The Heresy Club, represented the viewpoint of atheism. Elizabeth O'Casey, a vice-president of the NSS represented secularism and Richard Norman, vice-president of the BHA spoke for humanism.

Each speaker began by introducing their ideas on the definition and purpose of their stance. Richard Norman began by asking the question, if someone is an atheist, where do they go from there? He explained that humanism can be seen as a belief in the possibility of a good life without religion. The values of humanism are grounded in fundamental human values rather than being an imitation of religion. Norman described humans as empathic beings with a shared faculty for reason. From these bases come about respect, justice and the framework for a positive society. Humanists recognise the common ground between non-believers and the religious, as well as challenging the prejudice and oppression which can stem from religious baggage.

Elizabeth O'Casey sought to differentiate secularism as a political aim rather than a philosophical system. Secularism aims to promote equality between citizens through the separation of religion and state. England is not a secular state - however France's model of a disinterest from the state in religion (viewing it as a private matter) is one that the NSS is more eager to follow. Secularism can also get rid of interference from the state in religious matters, as these individuals have a right to freedom of belief. Some of the political system seen as a problem by the NSS include the fact that the queen and church are intertwined, bishops have a moral priority in the house of lords and faith schools constitute one third of schools which are publicly funded.

Representing atheism, Alex Gabriel proposed that problems focused upon by secular activists are the tip of the iceberg in terms of how religion can negatively affect society. He stated that less than half of people in the UK believe in evolution, religion perpetuates a stereotypical view of gender which causes repression, people rely upon prayer for healing and go to the clergy for advice on mental health. In addition, children brought up in religious homes are taught to believe lies and are threatened with divine punishment. Gabriel believes that a secular state is not enough - there should be less religious belief among the population. This means that his activism includes educating the religious and provoking them to defend their position with reason. The fact that non-belief is increasing is proof of the fact that people can change their minds.

After these three speeches, the speakers took questions from the audience and discussed the ways in which their positions were compatible as well as different.

Thanks to everyone who came, we hope you learned something and had a chance to express your opinion!

Post Welcome Week Reflections

We had a busy Welcome Week! We had the first social of the year; an atheist pub crawl, which had a fantastic turnout of both old and prospective members. Thankfully we avoided the Bentham freshers' rush in the Gordon's Cafe. 

It was definitely fun handing out our shiny godless condoms at Welcome Fair - even if every freebie didn't bring a new member at least it made Welcome Week safer for everyone. 

The Grant Museum kindly welcomed us to explore in our Life of Brian film screening, with free wine for everyone. 

Hi to any freshers, post-grads or newly interested people, it's great to have you at our events! Read our newsletters or keep track of our facebook or Twitter for updates on everything that's going on. 

Announcement - Safe Sex Freebies from the ASHS

We've been wanting to give out freebies which convey the message of the society and have an actual use, so we came up with the idea of atheist condoms (if JLS can pull it off, why can't we?) We couldn't decide on a slogan so left it to members of our facebook group to suggest and vote for the final design. They've arrived in time for Welcome Week so we're unveiling them now, come grab one at the Welcome Fair or at one of our weekly pub socials. We hope you like them!

Get ready for Welcome Week!

Hopefully you've had an amazing summer, and as the beginning of term looms, we've been gearing up for another year of events, socials and general secular fun.

The first pub social of the year is essential attending; this year taking the form of a pub crawl meeting at the Bentham and going on to some other favourite drinking establishments. Socials will continue as usual at the Bentham every Tuesday.
http://www.facebook.com/events/389036937836435/





Revisit one of the best with a showing of the Life of Brian at the Grant Museum, which includes a tour and free wine!
http://www.facebook.com/events/430844173628783/





Also find us at the Welcome Fair to grab some interesting freebies.
Check out the event pages for more information, and don't forget to join our facebook group and Twitter page for updates on events as well as secular news and opinions.
Here's to a new year of godlessness!

Pictures: 'How to Get a Head: A Hands-On History of the Skull'

Time: 21 February, 18:30 - 21:30
Place: The Grant Museum

What better way to recommence the term after Reading Week, than to examine skulls! Zoologists Jack Ashby and Mark Carnall opened the Grant Museum to UCLU ASHS members for a session on the evolution of the animal skull.

With a series of exercises they had prepared for us, they introduced us to and led us through examinations and studies of specimens of, among others,  alligator, turtle and macaque skulls.

We were explained how to identify species by their skull structure, as well as their position in evolutionary history.

Following the skull 'workshop', there was a drink reception, during which we were free to explore the museum.

Event report: Prof Volker Sommer - 'Apes Like Us: Confessions of a Primatologist'

Time: 2 February 2012, 19:00 - 21:00
Place: Gavin de Beer LT, Anatomy Building, University College London

UCLU ASHS welcomed Volker Sommer, Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at UCL, to give us a talk on our tendency to distinguish ourselves from animals, and what he believes is the true relationship between human beings and non-human primates. His research revolves around the behavioural ecology of apes in the wild, much of which is covered in his upcoming book, Apes Like Us. 

Prof Sommer began his talk outlining the deep-rooted folk view of defining a dichotomy between humans and animals. As we like to construct our knowledge of the world using heuristics, or rules of thumb, we like to perceive the world in dichotomous terms, i.e. black vs. white, human vs. animal, and enlightened vs. primitive. This is echoed in the Cartesian dual-mind hypothesis, namely that body and soul, or matter and mind, are separate entities. This separation of ourselves from animals started falling apart, however, with Darwinian theory and a paradigm shift towards the notion of human and other animals having a shared common history. Thus, 'longitudinally', Prof Sommer explained, 'dichotomy disappeared.'


What followed was the view of naturalism, which posited that not only are other animals mechanistic or machine-like governed by nothing but natural laws, but that humans are merely machines as well. Humans are the result of nature and evolution - like other things including plants and bacteria, 'we also consist of stuff'.

Hence, we should advocate the view of materialism and monism, rather than dualism. Nevertheless, there is a human tendency to want dualism: Prof Sommer refer to the German word Sonderstellung, i.e. 'special place', as a way to describe our desire to be unique and establish that there are qualitative differences between humans and other animals. With the sentiment of 'of course evolution took place, but humans are very, very special!', people increasingly substitute the lack of body-soul dualism by reinventing a divide between humans and animals. This concept of Essentialism, i.e. that humanity is essentially something different and special, Prof Sommer argued, is even shared by 'enlightened people who want to feel connected to the cabbages and the chimpanzees and the cockroaches and so on.' This is further reflected in Humanism, in which humans are perceived have individual value and inherent human rights, setting us apart from animals.

Prof Sommer then went on to advance his own view, Gradualism, which is the paradigm of contemporary evolutionary anthropology. The gradualist view is that we are all unique, both humans and other animals, yet there is a similarity in hardware between the two that you cannot discuss away with Essentialism. He argued for this view by providing several examples of studies with apes and monkeys, both in the wild and with domesticated animals. Chimpanzees in the wild intentionally make brush ends of sticks from trees in order to create a spoon-like tool to get honey out of nests of bees. They are also able to use tools in succession, e.g. using a large stick to try and find a spot where they can insert a smaller stick in tree trunks and on the ground to look for termites.

Prof Sommer also showed several videos of non-human primates displaying tool use, intent, and high cognitive abilities.




Prof Sommer's take home points were that, in nature, there is gradualism, and thus we should be against the notion of specism in the same manner we are against sexism and racism. He advocates an enlargement of the community of equals and that great apes should be entitled to legal rights under legal bodies, similarly to humans. 

Following a Q&A session covering topics such as social constructivism and whether non-human primates can exhibit suicidal tendencies, Prof Sommer joined us at the Bentham for further enlightening discussions.

Event report: Philip Satherley - 'The Case for Assisted Dying'

Time: 19 January 2012, 19:00-21:00
Place: Ramsay LT, Christopher Ingold Building, University College London

We invited Philip Satherley, the Research and Policy Officer of Dignity in Dying (DiD), to give a talk on assisted dying.



DiD is a UK organisation campaigning for the legislation of assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults. They work alongside Compassion in Dying, a partner organisation focused on informing and supporting terminally ill individuals concerning their current choices and rights at the end of life.

To introduce the topic, Satherley sought to clarify what is meant by assisted dying, and its definition relative to similar concepts:

• Assisted dying applies to terminally ill, mentally competent adults who are medically deemed to have less than 6 months to live; and who have met strict criteria and safeguards, including psychological tests. This involves the patient receiving life-ending medication, which they will self-administer at their own will - quite often this is done at a very advanced stage in their terminal illness. Assisted dying is practiced legally in Oregon and Washington. 
• Assisted suicide applies to not only terminally ill individuals, but also chronically ill and disabled individuals who wish to receive assistance to terminate their life. This is legalised in Switzerland. 
• Voluntary euthanasia allows a medical doctor to administer life-terminating medication - usually injection - directly to the patient. Strict safeguards and tests are still undergone. Voluntary euthanasia is practiced in the Netherlands and Belgium. 
• Non-voluntary euthanasia applies to cases where the patient has lost all mental capacity, yet a third-party administers life-ending medication without the explicit consent of the patient. This is not to be confused with involuntary euthanasia, which is when euthanasia is performed against the will of the patient. While illegal all across the world, non-voluntary euthanasia is practiced in the Netherlands under the Groningen Protocol.

Satherley stressed that DiD campaigns for assisted dying only, specifically addressing critical safeguards such as appropriate mental capacity, 18 years of age, the patient having a terminal illness and voluntarily and repeatedly having requested assisted dying.



Two examples of personal stories illustrate the types of cases DiD works with:

• Waltraud Coles: Waltraud's husband wrote to DiD telling them about his wife's struggle with advanced secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Due to excessive fatigue and severely limited mobility, severe side effects from partially effective pain relief, and an onset of pneumonia, she self-terminated her life by refusing all foods and water for 19 days. Her last words were: "Society is making me die in this abysmally cruel way. Society is anybody who cannot be bothered to lift one single finger to change this (current) inhumane law, and thus give completely helpless people like myself, in the very advanced phase of a degenerative illness, no other legal option (than starvation) when we want to end the unbearable daily ordeal which is all that is left of our 'life'."
• Geraldine McClelland: A member of DiD, Geraldine contacted the organisation when she was informed of her terminal illness - lung and liver cancer metastasised from breast cancer. On the day of her death, she wrote a letter to DiD, detailing her actions and what she believed needed to be changed in UK legislation regarding assisted dying. Her condition, which involved serious breathing problems, had confined her to her home. She wanted the option to take life-ending medication to terminate her life surrounded by friends and family. However, as UK laws prevent this, she travelled to Dignitas, an assisted dying organisation in Switzerland. As she could not die in her own country, she pleaded for the UK laws to be changed such that other people would not need to travel abroad in order to die. 

Importantly, and also expressed by Waltraud Coles, Geraldine believed loved ones should not be in a position of breaking the law in such situations. Debbie Purdy, suffering from multiple sclerosis, won a significant case through the House of Lords where she succeeded in arguing that the partner of a terminally ill patient should not be prosecuted when accompanying them abroad for assisted dying.

Satherley proceeded to summarise why DiD strongly believes laws should be changed to allow assisted dying in the UK:

• Personal autonomy: as Sir Patrick Stewart, one of the patrons of DiD, put it - "We have no control over how we arrive in the world, but at the end of a life we should have legal control over how we leave it."
• Research from Oregon: approximately 40% of patients receiving life-terminating medication choose not to use it, but consider the option a great comfort or an 'insurance policy'; most patients are well-educated, medically insured (i.e. no financial difficulty), had no prior disabilities or mental illness, and had cancer as the underlying cause of illness; and while some had symptoms of depression, all patients receiving assisted death had full mental capacity and were able to make rational decisions. 
• Opinions of the general public: the 2010 British Attitude Survey (BAS) found that 82% of the general public supported assisted suicide, and the 2008 BAS found that 80% supported assisted dying. 
• Opinions of religious people: breaking down the survey between religious and non-religious people, the 2010 BAS found that 92% of non-religious people supported assisted dying and assisted suicide, while 72% of religious people did the same.

One important question that was raised during the following Q&A session was why DiD campaigns for assisted dying, specifically, and not the other forms of euthanasia. Satherley stressed the importance of having safeguards in place, e.g. ensuring that the patient has a terminal illness, and not a chronic illness or disability which may be open for improvement of life quality. Moreover, DiD believes it is essential that physicians are involved as there are problems with taking the procedures out of the medical system; and that voluntary euthanasia ultimately takes the final decision out of the hands of the patient by - to an extent - forcing the practitioner to end an individual's life. 

DiD campagins for what the UCLU ASHS believes is a very important cause, and they are always looking for people to get involved. If you want to join the campaign, they can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Event report: Keith Porteous Wood - 'Religious Threats to Equalities'

Time: 12 January 2012, 19:00-21:00
Place: Harry Massey LT, 25 Gordon Street, University College London

UCLU ASHS welcomed Keith Porteous Wood, Executive Director of the National Secular Society (NSS) to give a talk on the special privileges and exemption from laws given to religious people in society. Having been in his current position since 1996, Wood leads the NSS in lobbying the UK government and Parliament, focusing on universal equalities and human rights. While his job description is to promote equalities and human rights, Wood began his talk saying he is actually fighting religion all of the time, 'so often it's religion that's the problem.'

Wood gave several examples of cases he had dealt with in his work throughout his talk, to illustrate the manner in which religious bodies claim exemption from various codes of conduct. These include the disadvantages faced by teachers in faith schools, the vast majority of whom are not religious, yet work in schools whose authorities can legally employ and dismiss qualified teachers on the basis of their religious beliefs. Similarly, the NSS has been involved in cases of individuals being discharged from job positions on the basis of their sexual orientation. While such instances angered Parliament, the Blair government at the time (2003) let these cases pass  - which 'gives an idea of exactly how much influence religion has in government.' The cumulative effect of having had religious Prime Ministers almost exclusively for the past 30 years is huge.

To further illustrate the kind of fights and their scope the NSS has to encounter, Wood described a case under the Brown government, whereby it was stated there should not be any concessions in VAT for religious places of worship. Wood and the NSS wanted this to be generalised to all public places - however, this request was rejected. It was not until Wood wrote an appeal to Brussels, that the UK government finally gave in. The work of the NSS spans broad horizons, then, as there interventions at a European level and occasionally in the UN. Although the Fundamental Rights Agency has been set up under the EU to look into human rights issues around Europe, tied to e.g. immigration and homophobia, Wood argued that a fundamental problem is the immense power of churches: their historical roots coupled with well-developed and well-funded networks of people part of a large hierarchical organisation, make the fight for human rights and equalities particularly challenging. To illustrate this, he described an episode during one of his visits to the headquarters of the European Commission - purposed to be a secular organisation - where he witnessed a male secretary greet a visiting bishop by kissing his ring.

Another fundamental problem, is the heterogeneity of the religious population: as many religious people are rather liberal and secular, there is a huge mismatch of democracy that religious representatives have so much power. This illustrates a worrying misrepresentation of the religious population. Indeed, in his conclusion of his talk, Wood argued that the entire religious make-up of the country is changing. Roughly 7% of the population go to church on a regular Sunday, at a rate that is constantly dropping, while the average age of church-goers increase at a meteoric rate. Considering this, it is 'absolutely bloody terrifying what they [religious bodies] can do because of their noddy religious status.'

Event report: 'Sharia Law Negates Human Rights' - a debate co-hosted with One Law For All

Time: 8 December 2011, 18:00-21:00
Place: Bedford Way LG04, 26 Bedford Way, University College London


Alongside One Law For All, a human rights campaign opposing Sharia Law in Britain with the view that it violates the principles of equality grounded in UK law, UCLU ASHS hosted a debate on the motion 'Sharia Law Negates Human Rights.' Debaters in proposition were Maryam Namazie, human rights campaigner and spokesperson for One Law For All; and Anne-Marie Waters, human rights lawyer and also a spokesperson for the campaign. Debaters in opposition were Ayazz Mahmood, representative from the UK Ahmadiyya Muslim University of Theology and Languages; and Jonathan Butterworth, UCL Law Faculty lecturer and member of the human rights charity Just Fair. 



Moderator of the debate, 4th year medical student Jacob Ressa, introduced the topic by referring to the recent media attention dedicated to the prospects of implementing Sharia Law into the Western legal systems. He clarified that this was not to be a debate on the existence of Sharia, but its nature and whether it is compatible with human rights.

Each debater was given 20 minutes to put forth their argument, before the floor opened up for Q&A.

Namazie stated that the two terms, Sharia Law and human rights, are 'antiethical, contradictory, and oppositional', highlighting features of Sharia Law's criminal code, which includes stoning individuals to death for adultery and executions for homosexuality. Drawing a parallel between Sharia Law and the history of Christianity, she emphasised that Sharia Law is 'brutal, it's medieval, it's barbaric.'

Further, Namazie stressed that Sharia Law not only negates human rights, but also women's rights, referring to how a woman's testimony is worth half the that of man as, supposedly, 'women are governed by emotion, men are governed by the mind', and that men have unilateral right to divorce while women do not. To further illustrate the subjection of women by Sharia Law, she strongly questioned the Sharia Law argument that 'marital rape is not an aggression, because sexual intercourse is a part of the marriage; calling it 'rape' is an aggression.' A qualifying argument that is often raised, is that individuals subscribing to Islam are free to attend Sharia courts or UK courts as they see fit. Namazie countered this, however, by noting that Muslim women often do not have a choice, but are driven into these courts by their husbands to renegotiate decisions already made in a UK court.



The danger of human rights proponents not speaking up against Sharia Law, Namazie argued, is that it would leave an open space for far-right movement to take on that role. While right-wing extremists have unfavourably hijacked the view of opposing Islam and Sharia Law, she considers right-wing extremism and Sharia Law to be equally anti-human rights and racist.

Finally, Namazie emphasised that while she is of the perspective that 'religions are equal and equally bad', her attack on Sharia Law is not an attack on the religion of Islam, but rather an attack on how Sharia Law 'violates rights left, right and center.'

In opposition, Mahmood stated that Namazie and other human rights activists have a gross misunderstanding of the nature of true Sharia. The Law as presented by Namazie and as acted out in countries such as Iran and Afghanistan, he argued, is not representative of Islam and Sharia. He emphasised that Islamic jurisprudence consists of different schools of thought, each with their own interpretation of Sharia Law. The only authentic source of Sharia is The Holy Koran, according to which Sharia Law does not negate human rights, as it is fundamentally based on principles of humanity.

Mahmood then proceeded to address each of Namazie's and other Sharia Law opponents' criticism of the Law's criminal code with the argument that none of the human rights-violating codes practiced are prescribed in the Koran. For instance, forced marriages are not condoned - rather, the Koran states that the consent of the bride is necessary for marriage.  Moreover, on the violation of women's rights, Mahmood pointed out that Islam afforded rights to women 14 centuries ahead of Western countries. He attributed Sharia opponents' objections to their lack of detailed study of the Koran and misunderstanding of facts; and noted that misuse of Sharia Law is not representative of the true Sharia as originated in the Koran. To draw a parallel, he argued that secular laws have been equally misused in history, e.g. in the world wars and the USSR - but that these are not representative of Western secular values in general.


Nevertheless, Mahmood highlighted that an Islamic government is a secular government, based on equal justice and adherence to human rights, and with no religious compulsion: 'religion does not need to be the predominant legislatory power in a state.' He then emphasised the necessity to join forces and reach a common ground against violations of human rights, by promoting the true Sharia.

Waters countered Mahmood's argument that Sharia Law cannot negate human rights as it is originated in the Koran, by stating, 'Sharia is what Sharia does', i.e. 1400-year-old philosophical origins are not an argument against what is actually happening under Sharia Law in the UK today. While Namazie gave a passionate and moral argument against Sharia Law, Waters set out to provide a legal point of view, to prove that the motion is a matter of fact. Referring to paragraphs in the European Convention on Human Rights and the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights as the UK adheres to, she demonstrated how Sharia Law - as it is practiced today - violates these. Examples of violated articles from the UN Declaration include:

1. Article 4 'No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms': Waters noted that children are still allowed to be married in Yemen, with the argument 'because this happened to the Prophet, we cannot prohibit children to be married'
2. Article 5 'No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment': in Afghanistan, thousands of women are imprisoned because they have been raped. 

Aware of the counterargument from Sharia proponents that such practices do not represent true Sharia, Waters repeatedly stated, 'Is this not true Sharia? The Sharia councils seem to think so - if you don't like it, then take it up with them.' To emphasise the importance of protecting human rights and its relevance to Sharia Law, her concluding statement was, 'Human rights are all we've got and human beings are all we've got. If human rights apply to women, then we need to get rid of Sharia, because they trample on the rights of women, and that is a fact.'

Finally, Butterworth brought forth the view that both opponents and proponents of the motion arguing for the same case; however, kept talking past each other as they were referring to different notions of Sharia Law. As a recent converted Muslim, he believes that the acts performed in the name of Sharia is 'disgusting' - 'But is it true Sharia? No.'

Echoing Mahmood's closing statements, Butterworth stated that freedom is the basis of both human rights and Islam, and that Islam thus guarantees universal human rights. Referring to J.S. Mill's harm principle as an essential component of freedom, Butterworth acknowledged that Islam is often criticised for violating this principle by advocating religious compulsion. He countered this by quoting the Koran: 'there is no compulsion in religion', i.e. Islam advocates choice and secularism. He further referred to the Koran to demonstrate its promotion of universal human rights - for example, the Prophet Muhammed famously declared that all people are sacred and inviolable.



Butterworth then set out to argue for Sharia's protection of economic and social rights, children's rights, and women's rights. For instance, 2.5% of every Muslim's wealth goes to promote social and economic rights for the most vulnerable members of the population - thus, Sharia takes an explicit human rights approach by acknowledging the rights of those who ask for help and need it. With regards to women's rights, the Koran states that women and men are in equity, but that men are above women in responsibility: 'If Sharia was applied properly, it would be the men who would be complaining.' Finally, the Koran deals with children's rights by stating that those dealing with minors should care for them equally as if they were their own. Thus, Butterworth argued, true Islam and Sharia seek to protect human rights - if it does not, it means it is not true Islam. He concluded by commending the One Law For All campaign for working against the human-rights violating acts that are practiced in the name of Sharia Law today.

Much debate was sparked by issues raised by audience members during the Q&A session. For example, a proponent of the motion sought to provide a source correction by pointing out that there is a verse in the Koran that does condone wife-beating. In response, Mahmood stated that the Koran advocates for married couples that the first step to communicate, the second step is to separate, and only if those two actions do not work, the third step is for the husband to arbitrate when the wife is being severely impossible. Importantly, however, it is stated that the husband is not to inflict any physical pain upon the wife. Namazie and Waters both argued that the Koran allows the husband to get away with domestic abuse by hiding behind a verse. Moreover, Waters questioned the status such a verse gives to women: 'You can be hit, but without a mark?' Another issue raised, was that of citizens explicitly wanting a Sharia government: during the Arab Spring, the niqab was banned under Gaddafi - while the first thing Liberian women did following liberation was to reinstate it. In response, Namazie noted that there is never a case where an entire population is Muslim, nor is every Muslim the same: 'Secularism is not every religion doing what they want in public space'.



It became apparent that the two sides of the motion maintained different concepts of 'Sharia Law', i.e. as it is practiced versus as it is truly described - which concept is the most relevant today is a question to brought forward.

Many thanks to One Law For All and the debate panel for partaking in this successful event on such an important topic.

For those of you who were unable to attend, here is a video of the debate:

Event report: Winterval Quiz & Social 2011

Time: 2 December 2011, 18:00-2200
Place: The Old Refectory, Wilkins Building, University College London

As the second academic term is commencing (and I've finally submitted my 10 000 words of coursework), it's time for a recap of our last two main events of the first term.

Joining forces for the first time with Central London Humanist Group (CLHG) and London Skeptics in the Pub (SitP), UCLU ASHS co-organised Winterval 2011, a fun night of quiz rounds, snacks and socialising to collect money for the Uganda Humanist Schools Trust, a charity organisation working towards offering liberal, humanist education to children in need.

Maneuvering the show was comedian and writer Helen Keen, winner of the first Channel 4 New Comedy Writing Initiative Award. The event attracted around roughly 100 attendees, immersing themselves in questions on atheism, science, skepticism, and humanism; as well as general topics including music, history, geography and film.

7 rounds of questions - with bonus rounds in between - and several drinks later, the victory went to the team 'The Skeptics in the Pub', with 'The British Homeopathic Association', 'Nation of Quizlam', and 'Quizlamic Extremists as close runners-up.


With the combined sales from snacks and drinks throughout the night, donations at the entrance, and a generous contribution from an anonymous donator, we ended up sending off £2437.20 to the Uganda Humanist Schools Trust! This big accomplishment could not have been attained without the hard work of the co-organisers, Alice Fuller and Alex Gilbert, and Helen for running the event so smoothly; nor without all who decided to come for the night. Special thanks to those who volunteered to help out collecting donations and cleaning up afterwards. We hope you enjoyed the night and look forwards to similar events in the future!

 The quiz winners: The London Skeptics in the Pub

Happy London atheists 

Event report: Interfaith panel discussion - 'Should Britain be a Secular State?'

Time: 17 November 2011, 18:30 - 21:00
Place: Ricardo LT, Drayton House, University College London


For our first panel discussion, UCLU ASHS invited the university's faith societies to explore the topic of secularism. The panel consisted of representatives from UCLU AMSA (Tahir Nasser) and UCLU Catholic Society (Kajtek Skowronski), as well Treasurer Kieran on our behalf, while President Robbie chaired the discussion.

Each of the panelists were first given 3 minutes to express their views on secularism in the UK. AMSA, highlighting citations from the Koran, advocated a view of 'You for your religion and me for my religion': the ruling religion in a non-secular state would impose restrictions on the minority religions. This would conflict with the Islamic principle of justice, as 'secularism is justice.' Hence, the role of religion in society should be to guide, but not dictate, legislature. Echoing this sentiment, CatholicSoc expressed that theocracy will not work in society - highlighting that Jesus believed the church and state were distinct -, but that religion should still maintain an active role of positive moral guidance in a system grounded by secular reason. A note was also made on how UCL's secular roots was the first university in England to admit Catholic students. Finally, ASHS brought up the issue that although the UK policy is to treat all religions as equal, this does not necessarily prevent the conflicts we would wish for secularism to prevent. Moreover, the Judeo-Christian foundations of the UK still has its influences in this society, as evidenced by e.g. the Queen being Head of State and Bishops in the House of Lords.

As each of the three societies represented were in favour of a secular Britain, then, the Q&A session of the discussion revolved around the more fine-grained differences in their approaches to a secular state. A question from the audience led to reflections from each of the panelists on their stance on government-funded faith schools in the UK. AMSA conceded that allowing for private faith schools will uphold the principle of free will, whereas public schools should teach morality common to all religions, rather than promote any one religion over others. Conflicts within religions are too many and too complex to avoid implicitly favouring one religious view. Contrastingly, CatholicSoc argued in favour of public faith schools by pointing out that the free choice of schools is still maintained, and that government funding is not significantly drained by maintaining faith schools. Moreover, it was stressed that faith schools do not necessarily limit diversity in the student population, as many Catholic schools are attended by a wide variety of non-Catholic ethnic minorities. Countering this, Kieran representing the ASHS reflected on his own experience in Catholic schools, noting that despite being in one of the most multicultural areas in the UK, the vast majority of his peers were Catholic. Nevertheless, faith schools should be upheld, he argued, as this would allow for 'atheist academies', i.e. 'you have to play along to get along.'

The topic of faith schools was further explored in detail between the panelists and the audience members: to what extent is admitting a child to a faith school an act of labelling or priming an individual without self-awareness? Here, CatholicSoc pointed out that regardless of admission to faith school, children cannot be brought up with blank slates, and that as long as faith schools teach the national curriculum, religious supplementary input is not a negative influence if this is what the parents wish for their child. Another issue raised by the audience, was that while public funding of faith schools may not necessarily be financially detrimental, it is also a question of morals, as individuals would not want their tax money to contribute towards values they do not support.

Following continued discussion of other less strictly relevant (but inevitable) issues including human versus religious morality and whether there is such a distinction, as well as abortion and ethics, each of the panelists summarised their views. CatholicSoc asserted that a secular state should not undermine the role of religion, but value well-reasoned religious beliefs; ASHS cast reflection on how religion will still inevitably influence a secular state, in particular discussions regarding abortion and LGBT - an influence which must be accepted for democratic reasons; while AMSA expressed surprise at the knowledge of Britain's non-secular influences during the discussion, and stressed that although a secular state free of any ruling religion would be the only just form of government, non-secular influences such as the monarchy should not be removed as this would demonstrate injustice to the country's heritage.

Event report: Paolo Viscardi - "Myths, Memes, & Misidentifications"

Time: 03 November 2011, 19:00 - 20:30
Place: Ramsay LT, Christopher Ingold Building, University College London

UCLU ASHS gathered on this rainy Thursday night for a talk on mermaids, the Montauk Monster, and Japanese Monkeyfish, amongst other dubiously existing creatures introduced to us by Paolo Viscardi. As a natural history curator at the Horniman Museum in South London, co-founder of London Science in the Pub, and administrator of askabiologist.co.uk, Viscardi presented numerous examples from both history and his own experiences of the evolution of myths, memes, and misidentifications in society, demonstrating how "members of the public are freaks."

With an educational background in biology and geology, Viscardi applies his knowledge of fossils and bones in his work at the Horniman Museum. As such, he frequently receives inquiries from laymen finding ambigious-looking objects around the country requesting their identification (or confirmation of wacky suspicions, rather), of which he listed several examples: a concreted sea urchin believed to be a dinosaur egg; the all so familiar random toast burns believed to be the manifestation of Jesus and its Muslim equivalent; the Pope in a fire; and the 'polar bear' washed up on the beach in Cornwall. These are all examples of pareidolia, people's tendency to assume things are 'super freaky' because it looks different or has certain features, reflecting the intrinsic human ability to search for and attribute meaning to ambiguous stimuli. When taken to the extreme, pareidolia can also reflect human idiocy, as it were, exemplified by the case of the man who was so convinced the piece of rock he had found was a dinosaur egg containing an embryo, that he kept it for over 20 years and staked his entire retirement on it.

The Montauk Monster, in particular, is a case of mistaken identity which received widespread attention. A 'weird alien monster creature with a beak' washed up on the shore of Montauk, spawning a cult movement including Montauk Monster artwork, websites, origami and Montauk Monster on toast, before the truth was finally revealed as retold in this video. Instead of indulging in this the hysteria of pareidolia, Viscardi urged us to look at the Monster's teeth, as teeth are very good indicators of the species. Showing us images of the Montauk Monster's skull next to four comparable skulls of North American mammals, the audience unanimously correctly identified the Monster's skull as that belonging to a raccoon. Its carcass had been in water for such a long time that it had lost all its fur, thus giving it its otherwordly appearance.

Viscardi described further examples of such mistaken identities and manufactured monsters. Travellers, including Christopher Columbus, encountering the then unfamiliar species of manatees and dugongs, would often think they were mermaids. Stories of mermaids have been around for thousands of years, and there is a large body of folklore and myths surrounding these mythological creatures. Naturally, then, sailors knew much more about mermaids than manatees and dugongs. This, coupled with likely mental disturbances, such as hallucinations, caused by long travels, would lead the sailors to believe these squishy creatures were mermaids.

It goes without saying that the phenomenon of pareidolia can easily be exploited for personal gain. Mermen, or Japanese Monkeyfish, were believed to be manufactured by sewing the upper half of a monkey to the lower half of a fish. P.T. Barnum was a notable scam artist who in the mid-1800s misrepresented the so-called 'Fejee Mermaid' with a rich 'background story', 'verification' of authenticity by a 'Dr Griffith' and clever manipulation of newspaper journalists. This caused great uproar among the public, generating substantial sums of money for Barnum. Years later, a Japanese Monkeyfish arrived at the Horniman Museum. CAT scans, x-rays and other examinations revealed the 'part fish, part monkey' to be constructed by a piece of wire, some pieces of wood, a bundle of fiber, some fabric, clay, papiermaché and some fish bones.

In conclusion, then, 'always check your facts, otherwise you'll end up looking like an arse.' Also, there are lots of weirdos out there.

Check out Viscardi's blog for Friday mystery objects or visit the Horniman Museum (supposedly wonderful in the summer for picnic with mates!).

Reasonable Faith? - A Review from ULU

Recently, as part of his much publicized “Reasonable Faith Tour”, William Lane Craig graced the University of London Union. His talk, entitled “Can we be good without God?”, was brought to us, so his banners gleefully informed, by BeThinking.org and the University and Colleges Christian Fellowship (U.C.C.F). Professor Craig has certainly received a high praise over the past year, with Sam Harris describing him as “the one Christian apologist who seems to have put the fear of God into many of my fellow atheists”, and has been described by various people as the foremost christian apologist in the world.

From the offset, Professor Craig was careful to state exactly what he meant to establish over the course of the talk. It was not, he was quick to state, about whether those without religion could lead moral lives, which he made certain to emphasise they could. It was about whether the entire idea of “good” has any basis without a God. He stated that there are three answers to the question of morality; Theism, which grounds morality in God; Humanism, which grounds good in humanity; and Nihilism, which claims that there is no grounding for morality, and that morality is illusory.

From here, he turned to the question of whether morality is objective, or subjective. If God exists, he claimed, there is an objective morality, decided by God. If He does not exist, there is only a subjective “moral fashion”. Addressing the Euthyphro Dilemma (that is, the question of “Is what is morally good commanded by God because it is morally good, or is it morally good because it is commanded by God?”), the Professor asserts that the dilemma is a false dichotomy, and that God is the very definition for good. God, he claimed, underwrites moral responsibility, because it is His expression of His character and goodness. The choices of mankind, he observed, are acted out in a manner that appears to be infused with objective morality. He ignored the fact that this appearance does not mean that it is the case that the choices of mankind in fact are infused with objective morality.

He proceeded to address the idea of morality as a product of evolution. This, he said, would make morality simply a survival aid, and nothing more. He elaborated that “If men were reared as hive bees, our females would find it moral to kill their brothers, and mothers their daughters”. This, he then said, would create “objective worthlessness”, without really providing a justification for such claims. In a sudden leap, we were looking at dualism, which, Craig claimed, if untrue would mean that determinism would reign and morality as a concept would break down. He doesn't give any argument for dualism other than that it is preferable to not find ourselves in a deterministic universe. This plea to the more philosophically pleasing option would become an undertone in his arguments from this point in. If morality were subjective, rapists would simply be akin to a moral “Lady Gaga...out of step with 'moral fashion'”, claimed the Professor, and then again return to reinforce the idea that atheists may live moral lives, but only if God exists, as God defines what is moral.

Now came an incredible claim on behalf of the Professor. Subjective ethics, he claimed, led us previously, and could lead us again, to the Holocaust. If naturalism is correct, the world is effectively equitable to Aushwitz, and there could be no moral objections to such actions, if there was no God to underwrite the objections. “If there is no immortality, everything is permitted” he asserted, without giving an justification for such a claim. Morality would purely exist out of self interest.

In conclusion, Professor Craig boiled down his argument as follows; if there is a God, objective morality exists; if there is no God, we are left to nihilism. He felt he had dispelled humanism sufficiently, it seems, to have wiped it from his final consideration. A disappointing performance for a man who it is said is the foremost Christian apologist in the world, and certainly not up to the high praise of Sam Harris.

Jacob Tierney
University College London