What we’re about
Welcome to Central London Humanists!
CLH provides a meeting place for humanists, the secular, and other non-religious people, particularly those who live or work in the central London area of the UK.
Every month we hold a talk/lecture and several social events. Our social activities include group socials, a book group, picnics, walks, museum & cultural visits and theatre trips.
If you're not religious, or doubting your faith or belief and like open-minded communities, and would like to meet like minded people, come along and join us!
As we don't have a membership fee, a donation of £3 is suggested at each meeting. This goes towards our running costs, partnership fees and charitable donations. If it's your first time, we don't expect a donation.
We are a partner group of Humanists UK.
We are an Associate Member of Humanists International.
We're also on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Some of our previous talks are available on YouTube.
Anyone who joins us on Meetup can participate fully in events. They can suggest events, participate in organising events and much more.
As we are such a large group, each year we hold an AGM and elect a committee to help manage the group. To be a voting member of Central London Humanists, or to be a member of the committee, you must be a paid up member of Humanists UK (to join go here).
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Historical Jesus - Man or Myth? ONLINE EVENTNeeds location
Was Jesus a real person? Nobody knows for sure. Leaving aside Christians and other faith based believers, academics are split into two main camps;
1. those who think a person (or people) called Jesus lived
2. those who believe Jesus was a myth,Matthew Britt and Jaaron Wingo, are co-authors of the US Amazon #1 Top New Release book - Christ Before Jesus. In it they use computerised stylometric analysis on the New Testament books, and compared them to Greek texts from 100 BCE - 300 CE. Did this computer analysis produce a definitive answer to the question "Was Jesus a real person?", join us on the 14 May 2024 and decide for yourself. The co-authors of the book "Christ Before Jesus" will make an online presentation and answer questions from the audience.
The co-authors claim there will be no conspiracies, no ancient riddles, no secret knowledge, just logic and investigation. Researchers Matthew Britt and Jaaron Wingo examine the evidence for a historical Jesus, Paul, and other New Testament figures, using computerised stylometric analysis to uncover the second-century origins of the Christian religion.
At the intersection of science, history, and religion is the truth. Join our friends Association of Black Humanists and find out what modern historical and scientific techniques can tell us about early Christianity!
RSVP Yes to receive a Zoom link on 14 May 2024.
Order Christ Before Jesus on Amazon UK here:N.B. you can attend this online meetup if you have not read the book.
- External Event: No One Left Behind: IDAHOBIT 2024 (LGBT Humanists)Conway Hall, London
This is an External Event hosted by LGBT Humanists & the Humanist Heritage programme. Event details can be found here.
Book on the Conway Hall website
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Join us in commemorating IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia) with the pioneering LGBT and civil rights activist, Ted Brown. His talk will welcome us into an evening of reflection on the past and present of intersecting discriminations faced by the LGBT community. He will introduce his pioneering work in combating phobia in religious contexts, ranging from homophobic pastoral support in care homes to transphobia in the media.
Ted will also be recounting his rich memories of LGBT activism since joining the Gay Liberation Front in 1970. He has led a fascinating life, migrating from Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation, leading the black section of Gay London Police Monitoring Group in the 1980s, founding Black Lesbian and Gays Against Media Homophobia in 1990, and receiving the Life Achievement Award from the Black Lesbian and Gays Community Awards.LGBT Humanists have been committed to IDAHOBIT since its inception in 2004. Their former Chair, Derek Lennard was IDAHOBIT’s UK Coordinator for over a decade. This international movement was established to raise awareness of the violence and discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, including all people who have diverse gender identities or gender expressions. This year, they explore the LGBT community’s intersecting struggles, embracing this year’s theme for IDAHOBIT – No One Left Behind.
This event is organised as part of the LGBT strand of the National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported project ‘Humanist Heritage: Doers, Dreamers, Place Makers’, coordinated by Humanists UK in partnership with Conway Hall.####
25 Red Lion Square
London, WC1R 4RL
United Kingdom - CLH Book Group 📚 Sparks by Ian JohnsonRoyal Festival Hall, London
May's book: Sparks: China's Underground Historians and Their Battle for the Future by Ian Johnson
Sparks tells the story of how underground writers, filmmakers, and journalists have been able to bypass China's legendary surveillance state to reveal the truth of Communist Party rule: from famines and purges of years past to ethnic clashes and virus outbreaks of the present. Ian Johnson spent nearly a decade on the ground with these outlaw historians, tracing their history back to the origins of the Communist Party last century and their new, nationwide presence in today's China. Written with verve and humanity, Sparks is a testimony to the power of memory over forgetting.
The meeting starts at 7:15. At 7:30 pm we will break up into small groups. Those familiar with the CLH Book Group meeting know how this works: in each group we take turns introducing ourselves and giving our 1 minute thoughts on the book. It's important not to go over a minute and not to interrupt other people's minute so that everyone gets a chance to participate. After this first round, each group discusses for another 20 minutes or so.
We then shuffle the groups so as to talk to as many different people as possible and in the new groups repeat our introductions and 1 minute thoughts. We'll do this a couple of times before coming all together at the end in one last big group.
While we are very social and welcoming, the book group's primary focus is on discussing books. Feel free to turn up if you haven't managed to finish this month's book but note that the group works best when we have all read at least half of the book and are prepared to share our opinions.
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£3 per person to attend. If it's your first time, come and try us out for free!
If you prefer you can also pay online by clicking here: https://checkout.square.site/merchant/ML71XMH66FX5E/checkout/ALWCDLQ3S7AVPLFZ62PZGXLUWe encourage dialogue, debate and sharing of information on our site but ask people to keep their comments cordial. Any views expressed here are those of the individual posting them and may not reflect those of CLH.