Remembrance Day Services & the Non-Religious

Naomi PhillipsHead of Public Affairs

About the BHA

• The national charity working on behalf of non-religious people who seek to live ethical and fulfilling lives on the basis of reason and humanity.

• Founded in 1896• Over 28,000 members and supporters• Over 90 local and special interest affiliates

About UKAFHA

• The UK Armed Forces Humanist Association (UKAFHA) has recently become part of the BHA

• UKAFHA is a growing body of servicemen and women, their Families, Veterans and civilian members of the Ministry of Defence who seek to represent the interests of all those who subscribe to non-religious beliefs

Data on UK Armed Forces & Religion

Number % 1 Number % 1 Number % 1 Number % 1

190 400 p 187 060 p 188 370 p 191 660 p

Buddhist 320 p 0.2 p 350 p 0.2 p 380 p 0.2 p 440 p 0.2 p

Christian 168 930 p 89.7 p 161 070 p 88.5 p 161 030 p 87.1 p 162 140 p 85.8 p

Christian Tradition2 190

p

0.1

p

210

p

0.1

p

220

p

0.1

p

250

p

0.1

p

Hindu 300 p 0.2 p 350 p 0.2 p 540 p 0.3 p 690 p 0.4 p

Jewish 70 p - p 70 p - p 70 p - p 80 p - p

Muslim 360 p 0.2 p 390 p 0.2 p 500 p 0.3 p 600 p 0.3 p

Sikh 90 p - p 90 p 0.1 p 110 p 0.1 p 120 p 0.1 p

Other Religions3 190

p

0.1

p

460

p

0.3

p

630

p

0.3

p

870

p

0.5

p

No Religion 17 980

p

9.5p

19 110p

10.5p

21 470p

11.6p

23 770p

12.6p

Unknown4 1 970

p

* 4 960

p

* 3 400

p

* 2 690

p

*

All Services

2007 2008 2009 2010

Inclusion – But Not Equally• The national remembrance service continues to be highly religious.

• Increasingly, humanists are being permitted to lay wreaths at local commemorations and, for the first time last year, humanist representatives laid wreaths at the official Remembrance Sunday commemorations in Edinburgh and Belfast.

• A request from the BHA for armed forces humanists to be included at the Cenotaph in London was refused. The Government said there was ‘limited space’, and they that they needed permission from the Royal Household!

• The Government also stated that it had invited ‘fourteen faith leaders’ to participate, and was working closely with its ‘Faiths Unit’ to ensure ‘faith representation’ at the ceremony – not very inclusive!

BHA’s Position

• As the nation gathered and gathers together in times of national crisis, it is only appropriate that the remembrance services commemorating those who fought and died for their country should be inclusive of all people.

• We will keep campaigning for inclusion.

UKAFHA’s Alternative Remembrance Service

Contd.