Hatch, Match and Dispatch: Ceremonies for Humanists (FUNERALS, part 1)

Hatch, Match and Dispatch: Ceremonies for Humanists

FUNERALS, part 1

London, 17th November 2010 - 6.30pm
Chancellor's Room of University of London's Hughes Parry Hall.

Rupert Morris, humanist celebrant accredited by the British Humanist Association, talked to the Central London Humanist Group about Humanist Ceremonies.

From his 10 years' experience, Rupert talked about these ceremonies and what makes them special. Among the issues and scenarios he explored:

* Namings -- why do people want naming ceremonies? What happens? Who gets involved, and what do they get out of it?

* Weddings -- the amazing variety of different ceremonies, in very different places from Richmond Hill in December to a palazzo in Ravello, from small gatherings with home-made furniture and entertainment, to big showbiz occasions involving wedding planners and Hello! Magazine; also the difficulties of working with registrars.

* Funerals -- from the tragic (suicides and drug victims) to the triumphant or anarchic; working with vicars and other curiosities.

The event, Chaired by Alan Palmer, started at 6.30pm.
Discussion inevitably followed in "The Lord John Russell", a pub down the road from the venue.

You can read more about humanist ceremonies here: http://www.humanism.org.uk/ceremonies

Rupert Morris was a staff journalist on The Times (1981-6) and The Daily Telegraph (1976-9) before writing his first book, Tories (Mainstream 1991). From 1995 to 2004, he was Associate Editor of The Week.

He is now Chairman of Clarity, the company he set up in 1998 to provide writing and training services for corporate and public-sector clients. The same year he wrote The Right Way to Write (Piatkus 1998).

Since 2001, he has been accredited by the British Humanist Association to conduct funerals, weddings and baby namings. He is also a qualified mediator.

Rupert is a good cook, a poor cricketer, and an incurable optimist. He can be contacted at rupert@claritywritingexperts.com

NAMINGS:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU3gzg3wwWU
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGvXATObLps

WEDDINGS:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tn2zmNKvqY
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivOUaj18d9k

FUNERALS:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2ByCl7hcQE
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEI00yxdBFs

Rupert Morris on Humanist weddings on The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/dec/16/humanist-weddings-...

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Rupert Morris
• Humanist Ceremonies
• humanist
• naming
• wedding
• funeral
• British Humanist Association
• Alan Palmer

[robby2k]

The Humanist movement is organised religion for athiests/secularists, with all of the zeal, but none of the nice clothes/trappings of the Church. The overwhelming majority of funerals in Brtiain are still conducted by Christian clergy. Long may that continue. Jesus Christ, the Resurrection and the Life!

[benthejrporter]

Mogcat, do you mean the above comment? It's not bullshit at all, it's a good question. I'm still wondering what kind of funeral I might want. I'm not religious and would hate the idea of having a church event, but I disagree with the fundamental belief of Humanism: That there is no afterlife. So I'm in a "third position". What could I do? (If you reply with a rude comment then you'll prove right what the other commenter says about bigotry and zealotry.)

[dollypantry]

what worries me about humanists is that they can be as bigoted as religious zealots in their anti-religion stance. There are plenty of independent funeral celebrants who are there to provide what the family wants - a hymn? of course!, a religious reading? - if that's what they believe in... a mix? fine, no religion - also fine. So many people think humanist means Independent Celebrant - there are all kinds of options in between.

[mogcat221]

absolute bullshit