Free Thinker

Our monthly pub evenings are always a great opportunity to meet interesting people, chat, do a little networking, and enjoy a fun evening out. Whether you’re new to Humanism or already a member, this is a fantastic space for anyone who is non-religious, questioning their beliefs, or open-minded and looking to mingle. **Time: From 6pm** Feel free to join us whenever you’re able to – we’re often there until closing time. **Venue: Somers Town Coffee House** A lovely pub, close to Euston & Kings Cross stations. You’ll find us towards the back of the pub, on the left of the bar – look out for the Humanist signs on the tables. **What we talk about:** The conversations are different every time – from current events to humanism and secularism, with plenty of good laughs in between! If there’s something specific you’d like to talk about, we’d love to hear about it. We kindly request a contribution of £3 for our events to help cover various admin costs - but first-timers are welcome to give us a free trial. If you prefer you can also pay online by [clicking here](https://checkout.square.site/merchant/ML71XMH66FX5E/checkout/ALWCDLQ3S7AVPLFZ62PZGXLU). We encourage dialogue, debate, and sharing of information at our events but ask people to keep their interactions cordial. Any views expressed are those of the individual sharing them and may not reflect those of CLH. More about the venue: All indoor facilities are wheelchair-friendly/accessible. Free Wi-fi is available. It’s easy to reach – close to Euston and Kings Cross stations, and on 18 different bus routes! View a map [here](https://g.page/Somerstowncoffeehouse?share) More about Humanism: https://www.centrallondonhumanists.org.uk/about-humanism/ We look forward to seeing you!

**This House Would Stay Out Of The Iran War** **Why Are We Having This Debate?** With the 2026 USA-Isreali led war on Iran further escelating with more US troops set to arrive in the region shortly, one question is being asked of all UK politicians. Should we support our historic allies in what could be a new Gulf War or focus on British interests and troubles at home. So We Ask - If you were primeminister... What would you do? **Articles** **[Leader of Opposition & Reform U-Turn on War Positions - the Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/11/starmer-attacks-badenoch-and-farage-over-iran-war-support-u-turns-at-raucous-pmqs "https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/11/starmer-attacks-badenoch-and-farage-over-iran-war-support-u-turns-at-raucous-pmqs")** **[Iran War News, Live updates - BBC](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c4gqjyk0vx3t "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c4gqjyk0vx3t")** **[Why The USA Started The War In Iran - BBC](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2dyz6p3weo "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2dyz6p3weo")** Come along and have your vote! **What We Do** 3v3 panel debate where our members explore the strongest arguments for a given topic. A debate should tell the audience what they need to know and not just what the speakers think. If you feel the same way, then we want to meet you. Debate London is the year-round series of free public debates held weekly at venues across the capital. The series is run by Debate London, a social enterprise that helps its members to advance their personal and professional development by teaching them how to debate. All of our speakers are [Debate London members](https://www.debate.london/plans "https://www.debate.london/plans") who have agreed to defend a particular perspective the audience need to hear, rather than just share their own personal opinion. After presenting the point of view assigned to them, the audience are then given the floor to cross-examine them and share their own position. The only time we hear what the speakers really think is at the end of the debate when they tell us where they really stand and whether this changed at all while learning how to defend the perspective assigned to them. **After Debate Social** After all of our debates we have a post debate hang-out. This is a chance for our community to get to know new people, explore new ideas and generally have more fun as a club! Come along and join us for a post-debate social! **Venue** Our venues serve drinks (alcoholic and soft drinks) as well as brilliant food. All can be ordered from the bar **Do not bring external food or drink into our venues you will be asked to throw it away or to finish it outside. - This is a venue rule which we need to follow.**

Want to feel more confident in English? Join our friendly group classes and practise in a relaxed, supportive environment. ✔ Improve your grammar and comprehension ✔ Build your vocabulary and speaking skills ✔ Meet new people while learning ✔ Gain a certificate for good attendance ✔ Classes are completely **free** because the teachers are training with the University of Cambridge accredited CELTA course No cost. No pressure. Just real learning, face-to-face. 📅 Mondays & Wednesdays 🕡 6:30 – 8:30 pm 📍24 Great Chapel St. London W1F 8FS (near Tottenham Court rd) ✅ Everyone welcome!

Take a pause from your busy day and join us for a 20-minute guided meditation to breathe your stress away, decompress your body and mind, centre yourself and restore your wellbeing. Leave feeling refreshed, recharged and refocused, ready to tackle the rest of your day. No experience is necessary – this free in-person meditation is open to everyone. **This is a free in-person meditation.** **If you would like to make a voluntary donation, please click** [here.](https://www.innerspace.org.uk/donations/ "https://www.innerspace.org.uk/donations/") \* I consent to my submitted data being collected and stored. We will process your personal data in line with the GDPR requirements and always store it securely and use it only for the purpose for which it has been collected. We will not pass on your details to any third parties without your consent.

**Hello there!** Are you learning English as a second language and looking for an opportunity to practise your English? Interested in **free, in-person lessons**? We’ve got you covered! Here at **Stafford House London**, our teachers-in-training are gaining hands-on experience by teaching enthusiastic English learners. Each lesson is interactive and fun, with plenty of opportunities to practise speaking, meet other learners, and improve your English along the way. We also offer **free online English classes**. For more information, please email us at \*\*[teachertraining@staffordhouse.com**.](http://teachertraining@staffordhouse.com%2A%2A./) Please see the **updated** details below! 🕑 **When:** From **26th Jan** \- 1st April \(new end date\) ➡️Mondays and Wednesdays 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm 📍 **Where:** Stafford House London, 2 Southampton Place, WC1A 2DA (just 2 minutes from Holborn Station) 📚 **Level:** **\- Pre\-Intermediate \(A2\) \- Ending Monday\, 30th March\.** **\- Upper\-Intermediate \(B2\) \- Ending Wednesday\, 1st April\.** Spaces are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Please arrive **15- 30 minutes early** to secure your spot. We will ask for your name and email upon arrival. *Please note: confirming attendance on Meetup does not guarantee a place in the classroom.* We look forward to seeing you all very soon!

**Unleash Your Voice at Society Speakers** > **Next Session: Wed 1st Apr \| 7PM \| Oxford St\, London** Whether you're pitching investors, cracking jokes at open mics, or giving a toast that doesn’t tank—**public speaking is your secret weapon**. And the only way to master it? Practice. (And ideally, not alone.) At **Society Speakers**, we give you the mic—and the *confidence* to own it. **Here’s what goes down:** * 3 prepared speeches (5–7 mins) * Lightning-round impromptu speeches (1–2 mins) * Constructive, empowering feedback * Laughs, insights, and mic-drop moments **As a guest:** You can chill and observe—or jump in with a mini speech if you're feeling spicy. **When & Where** Every 1st and 3rd Wednesday 7PM (doors), 7:10PM (kick-off) 📍 Speak Up London, 139 Oxford St, London W1D 2JA 🍻 **Afterglow** We wrap at 9PM and head to the pub for drinks and debriefs. Great convos, zero pressure.

Join us this Wednesday from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM for **"The Breakdown: Why is Christianity True? Hard Evidences for Faith."** Skeptics are completely welcome! We will be diving into tough topics such as why Christianity stands out among thousands of religions, science in the bible, bible predictions, archeology, the paradox of free will, divine hiddenness and the problem of evil and suffering. For Christians: Can you handle these questions? * How do i know the Bible hasn't been changed? * How do I know Jesus Christ was real? And then how do I know what's written in that book is real versus just some guys thousands of years ago made a book? * Are these people saying that they saw him walk out? Are they saying that they just saw it empty? What is the claims being made about his resurrection from these witnesses? * Who decided that there should be 39 books in the Old Testament? * Should there be more books in the Bible? **Agenda** * **7:00 PM:** The Evidence (Examining the evidences) * **7:35 PM:** Open Q&A **What to Bring** Bring your hardest questions! Any thing we can't answer initially will become a fun research topic! There are no limits for the open Q&A session.

These fortnightly sessions are dedicated to the discussion and exploration of an idea that I, as the organiser, have planned. No prior reading or knowledge is required. For more information, please visit https://www.think-philosophy.group/about/

Philosophy in the Park is a philosophical discussion group. Open to all. No previous philosophical experience necessary. We will meet outside St Giles Cripplegate. Here's how it works: * At the start of each hour vote on which questions to discuss. You can vote for more than one question if you'd like. The questions with the most votes are the questions we discuss. * We then break up into groups and each group does a different question. The question is just a starting point and it's cool if you go on tangents and up end talking about different things. You're welcome to join in and participate or if you'd prefer you're welcome to sit back and enjoy the conversation. After an hour we all come back together, take a quick break and then repeat all over again. So in 3 hours we go around 3 times. The aim is to have fun, meet new people, generate interesting and thought-provoking conversations, have your horizons expanded, challenge your preconceptions and who knows - you might even learn something? In order to make the conversations as fun, interesting and productive for everyone as possible please follow these simple guidelines: 1. Keep it Philosophical (No Science, no History, no Evolutionary Psychology, no contestable facts, personal anecdotes etc). 2. Think for Yourself (No phones, no looking up definitions, no name dropping Philosophers / books you've read). 3. Tangents are Cool (Don't worry too much if the subject drifts and you don't answer the question). 4. Keep it Succinct (Like this). 5. Be Excellent to Each Other (But of course). Philosophy is about conceptual analysis. It's thinking about thinking. It's not about empiricism or the real world. It's about abstractions, concepts and ideas. To terms of the right attitude: It's not about debating and trying to win - it's about listening to people and working collaboratively to increase our collective understanding. No homework or prior knowledge or reading is necessary - simply come and enjoy the discussions. After the event finishes we have an area reserved in The Shakespeare pub which is just around the corner from the Barbican. You are very welcome to join us if you'd like. If you would like to submit a question please join the Whatsapp group. Question submissions take place on the Thursday before the meeting. We hope to see you there. Nice one. ... To join the Philosophy in the Park WhatsApp Group please click here: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/CdFaxJHbeOw9UOfuk7spiK](https://chat.whatsapp.com/CdFaxJHbeOw9UOfuk7spiK) (in order to stop spam bots this will take you to a Waiting Room. Once in please write your name and we will join you to the main chat). If the link doesn't work then please send me a message with your phone number and I can add you directly. Meetup charges subscription fees. If you would like to make a donation please click here: [https://paypal.me/philosophycollective](https://paypal.me/philosophycollective)

Getting angry might feel justified but, what’s the price we pay for getting angry or when we bottle it up? And how does it affect not just us, but the people and environments around us? This two-week course dives into: * both the visible and hidden layers of anger, how it works and its effects * tools for turning anger into constructive, empowered responses * strategies for staying cool and calm **This is the beginning of a free, two-session, in-person seminar, with each session lasting 60 minutes.** **If you would like to make a voluntary donation, please click** [here.](https://www.innerspace.org.uk/donations/ "https://www.innerspace.org.uk/donations/") \* I consent to my submitted data being collected and stored. We will process your personal data in line with the GDPR requirements and always store it securely and use it only for the purpose for which it has been collected. We will not pass on your details to any third parties without your consent.

Time is precious. Here we value non-boring valuable chats and interactions that are fully engaging, soulfully enriching, inspiring, and leave you a bit wiser than when you arrived. In that spirit (mind the pun!), today’s fully hosted laid back social coffee chat will offer a perfect haven for the inquisitive & curious - those drawn to the mysteries of the universe, life and everything in between. A tasty caffeine infused fun afternoon of thought-provoking causal chats exploring spirituality/consciousness and related interconnected topics spanning **philosophy,** **neuroscience**, **parapsychology,** **paranormal.** **cosmology** and **noetic sciences** over a mug of sweet coffee (or amazin value Chardonnay!) Chaired by me - a former Reuters journalist & published empirical researcher exploring spirituality topics in pursuant of the "truth" since a teenager, there'll be no strict structure - a relaxed friendly space to openly chat, exchange ideas & experiences without judgement, but I'll preside to promote inclusivity and zone in on specifics to avoid people digressing onto unrelated tangents to ensure like all of our events - particpants derive maximum utlity and engagement from attending. We’ll touch on everything from the limits of scientific understanding to exploring the unexplained using practical fun exploratory divination practices drawing on elements of **psychology, metaphysics, epistemology** and **statistical** **probability** of rare events as we do so. Whether you're a practicing "spiritualist", a curious skeptic, or just someone who loves deep conversation on **life’s big questions**, you’ll hopefully walk away more enlightened with some practical tips you can start applying and inspired to explore more! As well as illuminating chats to guide self-reflection, obviously no sprituality event woul be complete without practical tools so there'll be FREE Tarot & I-Ching readings, demonstrations of meditation method to activate super powerful gamma brain waves, and pyschic tests for a bit of fun, laughter & intrigue! **Sample of conversational threads** might include: Are we mere organisms pursuing biological survival or does consciousness exist beyond neurons firing in our brains? What explains peoples' paranormal experiences? What would reality look like If our brains were limitless? Declassified CIA files show that as as well as mind control experiments, the US govt employed mediums and remote viewers. If all mumbo jumbo then why? Is Nirvana just a fantasy of deluded people? Does everything happen for a reason? To clarify - we define spirituality here as an exploration of consciousness, Donald Rumsfeld's unknown unknowns and undiscovered aspects of reality, NOT religion. After all, as my philosophy professor once rightly postulated to me: "If God created Adam, who created God Lucas?" Yep - that inconvenient flaw **debunks every fairytale religion** out there including the oldest religion of them all - paganism - so why is witchcraft still practised outside of **Hogwarts** today? I may also share the latest peer reviewed empirical evidence surrounding **paranormal** and **consciousness** phenomena. **=== POTENTIAL CONVERSATION STARTERS ===** 1. Does consciousness survive death or is Cambridge Astrophysics Professor Brian Cox right in asserting if **ghosts** existed then particle accelerators at CERN would have already detected ghost molecules making Ouija boards kids play? Are Poltergiests 100% hoax? Brain scans indicate thalamocortical circuits in our brain (pathways in the parietal cortex & central lateral thalamus) drive **consciousness -** so how can spirit/mind live on after **brain death**? 2. Is **synchronicity/coincidence** simply randomness disguised in the eye of the beholder or can what Einstein called “spooky action at a distance" (quantum entanglement) explain it? Molecular Biologists have shown that just like plants - our cells give off resonant frequencies between 10 & 180 kilohertz - could this be a source of non-verbal communication like telepathy? 3. Given **neuroscience**'s infancy with much yet undiscovered - could mediation help access functions outside of our BAU alpha & beta brain wave states? Can **Kundalini yoga** boost **DMT** (dimethyltryptamine) naturally vs drugs like ayahuasca, mushrooms, LSDand if so by what mechanism? Do the artifically created neural signatures using magnetic stimulation observed during mystical experiences debunk them? Is the Maharishi Effect real? 4. Are clairvoyants and mediums just good people readers or are they really able to access time and space in non-linear ways? Is Tyler Henry the real deal or just faking it? Was **Abraham Lincolm** precognizant when he dreamt his own fatal assignation? 5. The laws of statistical probability, Drake Equation & common sense tells us there is other non-microbial life out there. So what explains the Fermi Paradox? Was that 1976 WOW signal aliens? How about the recent strange bahaviour of Boyajian's star or Oumuamua/Atlas interstella object that has just entered our solar system? 6. Could metaverse explain deja vu & reincarnation vs theories from the **psychology** literature (Mandela Effect?) or do we just live in a **simulation** as **Elon Musk** proposes? 7. **Stephen Hawking** once said: "The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities" If matter only manifests when observed as the double slit experiments shows, does that mean everything is consciousness? Does the discovery of *quantum superposition /* disappearing neutrons imply **parallel universes**? 8. Do NDEs suggest something beyond physicality? Were Steve Jobs final words "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow" before he died (New York Times) visions of an afterlife or just neurochemical changes / drugs playing tricks? 9. Can photons omitted by our bodies explain auras that people see? 10. Could limits in our understanding of quantum physics, space and time explain paranormal experiences? 11. What existed before the **big bang** \- how do you get something from "nothing"? I believe our reality is the product of a black hole\. What you reckon? ***So how do we get to the "truth"?*** Both in my journalism days and applying the most advanced empirical research techniques in my client consulting work - it becomes clear the truth is often elusive. No matter how much we triangulate evidence - we can only provide part answers. "All models are wrong, but some are useful" George Box What we think we know and reality diverge leading to that great **paradox of knowledge.** And as the boundary between knowns and unknown converge, we end up with cognitive dissonance and more questions. In that spirit - every credible philosopher & scientist acknowledges - we'll never get to the complete truth but could **experimental methods** get us closer to it? A balanced approach guided by Immanuel Kant's pragmatism and Aristotle's deductive reasoning seems the most rationale framework here but are there any other methodologies? How about the **"spirituality"** toolkit? **=== RENDEZVOUS POINT ===** We will meet in the Penderel's Oak. *283–288 High Holborn, Holborn WC1V 7HP* zone 1 central london so very easy to get to. I'll be wearing a **Starwars identifier** and will share mobile hotline just before event start and table number/location Lucas - The Unenlightened Desperately Seeking Answers

Ah, *il Gattopordo.* Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's 1958 psychoanalysis-inspired novel, one of the greatest in Italian and world literatures, became one of the auteur Luchio Visconti's greatest cinematic achievements - which is saying a lot, given the rest of his work. *The Leopoard* inspired the coinage of the term ["Lampedusa strategy"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Di_Lampedusa_strategy) to describe the principle, so often observed in liberal-democratic politics (although not so much lately) of giving the opposition just enough of what they demand that they fail to notice the system and its powers remain unchanged. "If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change." Never have the wars of liberal nationalism and the rise of the modern bourgeoisie - off the backs but often with the blessings of the old nobility - have been rendered so gorgeously or with such style, on page or on screen. In Sicily in the year 1860, Don Fabrizio Corbera, Prince of Salina, enjoys the customary comforts and privileges of his ancestry. War has broken out between the armies of Francis II of the Two Sicilies and the insurgent volunteer redshirts of Giuseppe Garibaldi. Among the rebels is the Prince's nephew, Tancredi Falconeri, whose romantic politics the Prince hesitantly accepts with some whimsical sympathy. Upset by the uprising, the Prince departs to Palermo. Garibaldi's army subjugates the city and expropriates Sicily from the Bourbons. The Prince muses upon the inevitability of change, with the middle class displacing the ruling class while on the surface everything remains the same. Or does it? This visual feast, starring Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale and the young soon-to-be-fascist Alain Delon, marks the return of LCC's free films series for 2026! We'll be collecting donations to help support our generous hosts for this week at the London Action Resource Centre, Whitechapel - so bring a few quid if you can! Doors will open from 7:00PM for a prompt 7:30PM start. Bring your own beverages and snacks, though we'll try to provide a few nibbles.

The Humanist Monthly Program is our longest running event and still a community favorite. In the old days it used to be called "Going to HCCO" and we still like to think of it as our flagship event. We will be hearing from Becca Powell, Director of Advocacy and Outreach at Unchained At Last, an organization whose mission is dedication to ending forced and child marriage in the United States through direct services and systems change. Unchained At Last's mission clearly meshes and addresses several of our Humanist Ten Commitments. Becca will educate us about an issue many of us may not be familiar with--but should be. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

Main Library, Meeting Room 2B Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen). Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. All backgrounds are welcome.

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!

...and speaking of breakthrough roles: who can forget the first time we saw Tom Cruise singing Bob Seeger in his underwear? Often considered an updated 1983 version of The Graduate, the movie sparkles with memorable lines and original music. I only regret that I was never told that "Princeton could use someone like Bob..." See the movie first and join us for some "Cruisin'"

We may pick a specific topic and post in advance or may discuss current events and various ad hoc topics . We would love to spend time hanging out and getting to know one another. Atheist, agnostics, other non-theists, and atheist-friendly people are welcome to join us. Note: COUNT operates a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions (http://www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions/) to promote discussions among members and visitors.