Latest news with #HumanistSocietyScotland
STV News
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- STV News
First Scottish couple married in humanist ceremony celebrates 20th anniversary
Two decades ago, a Scottish couple became the first in the country to marry in a humanist ceremony. Karen Watts and Martin Reijns said 'I do' at Edinburgh Zoo on June 18, 2005, and made history as the first couple to have a legally recognised humanist wedding. The couple, who are still going strong after 20 years of marriage, said family and friends were 'bemused' when the couple told them their ceremony plans. STV News Karen Watts and Martin Reijns have been married for 20 years. 'They were quite curious, but they loved it. Our guests said it was such a memorable experience for them to see a humanist wedding,' Karen said. 'They still talk about it, it was a really special day,' Martin added. Karen and Martin said the secret to their happy marriage is 'compromise, acceptance, and of course, love'. They were the first of 82 couples to tie the knot in humanist ceremonies that year after they were legally recognised. Since then, the ceremonies have exploded in popularity, with over 50,000 couples opting for a non-religious ceremony. Supplied Karen Watts and Martin Reijns said 'I do' at Edinburgh Zoo in June 2005. Humanist celebrant Ivan Middleton, who also served as Secretary of Humanist Society Scotland during the campaign for legal recognition, said: 'Our case was simple: under European human rights law, humanists with a non-religious belief system deserved the same rights as religious believers to legally marry.' In 2019, humanist marriages overtook Christian weddings for the first time. By 2022, there were more humanist weddings (9,140) than all other faith and belief-based weddings in Scotland combined. Mandy Evans Ewing, one of the original twelve celebrants who is still conducting ceremonies today, said the beauty of humanist ceremonies is that every one is different. 'Humanist weddings are very personal, and that's a really important thing because we need to have rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations that are meaningful to us, and resonate with us, and that's why they are so popular.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The National
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
MPs put forward proposals to decriminalise abortion in England
Amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill which aim to ensure women cannot be prosecuted for terminating a pregnancy at any stage are likely to be debated by MPs on Tuesday. UK Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has come out against the two amendments, put forward by members of her party, saying they are ''unnecessary' and 'dangerous'. Abortion remains a criminal offence in England and Wales but is legal with an authorised provider up to 24 weeks with very limited circumstances allowing one after this time, such as when the mother's life is at risk or the child would be born with a severe disability. READ MORE: UK 'feeding Scotland poison pills', John Swinney says There is no specific piece of legislation criminalising abortion in Scotland, according to the Humanist Society Scotland, with the practice being criminalised in common law. This reflects a historically 'more lenient approach' to the crime of abortion in Scotland, the group added. Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi's amendment, which has wide support from MPs, would result in 'removing the threat of investigation, arrest, prosecution, or imprisonment' of any woman who acts in relation to her own pregnancy. She said she had been moved to advocate for a change in the law having seen women investigated by police over suspected illegal abortions. The issue has come to the fore in recent times with prominent cases such as those of Nicola Packer (below) and Carla Foster. Packer was cleared by a jury last month after taking prescribed abortion medicine when she was around 26 weeks pregnant, beyond the legal limit of 10 weeks for taking such medication at home. Foster was jailed in 2023 for illegally obtaining abortion tablets to end her pregnancy when she was between 32 and 34 weeks pregnant though eventually saw her sentence reduced and suspended. READ MORE: Scottish council rejects plans for huge 1000-home development with pub and park Antoniazzi said police had investigated more than 100 women for suspected illegal abortion in the past five years 'including women who've suffered natural miscarriages and stillbirths'. She added: 'This is just wrong. It's a waste of taxpayers' money, it's a waste of the judiciary's time, and it's not in the public interest.' A separate amendment has also been put forward by Labour MP Stella Creasy and goes further by not only decriminalising abortion, but also seeks to 'lock in' the right of someone to have one and protect those who help them. (Image: Danny Lawson/ PA) Mahmood (above) set out her objections to changing the law in a letter to her constituents in Birmingham Ladywood. The UK Government has previously said it is officially neutral on decriminalising abortion and that it is up to Parliament to decide. Mahmood, who will not be present for Tuesday's vote because she is away on Government business, said: 'It is hard to see these measures as anything other than extreme. 'I can unequivocally state that I would have voted against both amendments were I able to be there, and I will vote against them if given the opportunity in the future. 'I oppose extending abortions up until the point of birth beyond the exemptions that currently exist, as doing so would not only be unnecessary but dangerous. 'I am deeply concerned to see these measures being progressed in the name of women's rights, when the potential physical and mental impacts on women would be so devastating.'
Scotsman
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
SNP ministers accused of creating 'bizarre inequality' on religious worship in schools
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scottish ministers are being accused of creating 'bizarre inequality' ahead of John Swinney's programme for government. The First Minister is due to set out his priorities for the next 12 months later this afternoon, which he says will focus on his priorities of improving public services and eradicating child poverty. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, the Humanist Society Scotland says it is expecting Mr Swinney to 'renege' on promises to allow children to opt out of religious worship in school. While the Church of Ireland, Irish Presbyterian Church and Methodist Church in Ireland have marked religious theological differences with the Roman Catholic church in doctrine and worship practice, the main Protestant churches have expressed their sympathies this week in a tangible way Up until now, parents can remove their children from religious school assemblies, but pupils themselves have no similar rights. Campaigners, including SNP backbenchers, say children should be given this right as it aligns with the Scottish Government's commitment to UN children's rights. Mr Swinney is expected to confirm the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill will be passed by spring 2026. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However it is understood pupils would still need parental permission to opt out of religious worship in schools - however, children would be allowed to opt in to religious worship if their parents have chosen to withdraw them. Fraser Sutherland, CEO of the Humanist Society Scotland, says ministers are suggesting the views of religious pupils are 'worthy of more respect' than those of non-religious pupils. Fraser Sutherland | Scottish Humanist Society Speaking to The Scotsman, he said: 'The government has fudged this issue in a way that is discriminatory towards non-religious pupils and reneges on their only recently established commitment to UN regulations on the rights of the child. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We are extremely disappointed that they have not listened to the voices of school pupils, children's charities, the Children's Commissioner for Scotland, or successive UN committees, all of whom have called for children and young people to have the right to opt themselves out of religious observance.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lockdown ban on wedding kisses ‘bizarre'
A lockdown restriction banning couples kissing at weddings was 'bizarre', the Scottish Covid-19 inquiry heard. The long-term impact of Covid meant that weddings included more outdoor ceremonies and shorter timescales for planning, a humanist leader told the inquiry. The inquiry's worship and life events impact hearings began on Tuesday, with evidence from faith leaders from different religions including the Catholic Church, the Jewish Council of Scotland, the Free Church of Scotland as well as from the Humanist Society Scotland and the . Fraser Sutherland, of the Humanist Society Scotland, said as recently as 2024 weddings were going ahead which had been postponed during the pandemic, and branded some restrictions 'bizarre'. Mr Sutherland said: 'We did also see a significant increase in small weddings. There were quite a lot of people who were relieved they didn't have to have a big wedding. 'The restrictions for masks for couples was removed. There was a bizarre circumstance where there was no kissing allowed. 'In humanist tradition, most of those couples would be already living together.' All the faith leaders said they were dedicated to sticking to the restrictions. However, Mr Sutherland said that some venues were desperate to generate income and would allow people to break the rules. Mr Sutherland said: 'There was a lot of push-back particularly as the pandemic pressed on, from couples, from wedding venues, who were keen to get as many people in as possible. 'We had a lot of difficult situations where couples were being told one thing by venues, our celebrant turns up and there's 50 people when there should be 20. We had couples saying 'everyone here is exempt, around mask wearing'.' The Rev Donald MacDonald ,of the Free Church of Scotland, based in the Isle of Skye, said: 'We tend to get a number of elopement weddings every year – they came to an end when lockdown was announced. All these arrangements in place for a year to 18 months had to be cancelled. 'Others delayed planning of their weddings. We did schedule a meeting with government representatives to try to argue for permission of having weddings – within our tradition a number of folk moving in together is not an option before marriage.' Ephraim Borowski, of the Jewish Council of Scotland, said: 'It might have been useful to have a hotline, or some kind of exception-granting mechanism, completely general, which would give us a definite answer, I think that would have helped.' The Rt Rev Brian McGee, of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, said that NHS workers were deprived of pastoral care in hospitals, along with sick or dying people, owing to restrictions. He said that mass could only be celebrated in a church, and that faith leaders were not consulted about the decision to close places of worship in the second lockdown. Mr McGee said: 'We've talked about ceremonies but when people were in hospital, they were looked after by NHS staff who were in fear for their own lives. 'When people are sick and they're nervous they would want the comfort of a visit, some pastoral care and prayers being said for them. 'I know the difficulty for that and infection control but could there have been more consideration given.' The impact of restrictions on funeral rites was compared to 'physical pain' by other religious leaders, the inquiry heard. Omar Afzal, from the Scottish Association of Mosques, said: 'I would describe the effect of not being able to fulfil religious rites as almost like physical pain in the effect it had.' Ravi Ladva, from the Scottish Hindu Foundation, said: 'We didn't question why only six members are allowed in the crematorium. A lot of our community members are on the front line of the NHS and public services. As much as I would like to mourn, my duty to my community and the rest of Scotland comes first. 'Through the pandemic we were fortunate to scramble together online services where it still maintained some semblance of community. 'It does require review and has not been forgotten how we were treated and our practises and rituals were portrayed.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Lockdown ban on wedding kisses ‘bizarre'
A lockdown restriction banning couples kissing at weddings was 'bizarre', the Scottish Covid-19 inquiry heard. The long-term impact of Covid meant that weddings included more outdoor ceremonies and shorter timescales for planning, a humanist leader told the inquiry. The inquiry's worship and life events impact hearings began on Tuesday, with evidence from faith leaders from different religions including the Catholic Church, the Jewish Council of Scotland, the Free Church of Scotland as well as from the Humanist Society Scotland and the . Fraser Sutherland, of the Humanist Society Scotland, said as recently as 2024 weddings were going ahead which had been postponed during the pandemic, and branded some restrictions 'bizarre'. Mr Sutherland said: 'We did also see a significant increase in small weddings. There were quite a lot of people who were relieved they didn't have to have a big wedding. 'The restrictions for masks for couples was removed. There was a bizarre circumstance where there was no kissing allowed. 'In humanist tradition, most of those couples would be already living together.' All the faith leaders said they were dedicated to sticking to the restrictions. However, Mr Sutherland said that some venues were desperate to generate income and would allow people to break the rules. Mr Sutherland said: 'There was a lot of push-back particularly as the pandemic pressed on, from couples, from wedding venues, who were keen to get as many people in as possible. 'We had a lot of difficult situations where couples were being told one thing by venues, our celebrant turns up and there's 50 people when there should be 20. We had couples saying 'everyone here is exempt, around mask wearing'.' The Rev Donald MacDonald ,of the Free Church of Scotland, based in the Isle of Skye, said: 'We tend to get a number of elopement weddings every year – they came to an end when lockdown was announced. All these arrangements in place for a year to 18 months had to be cancelled. 'Others delayed planning of their weddings. We did schedule a meeting with government representatives to try to argue for permission of having weddings – within our tradition a number of folk moving in together is not an option before marriage.' Ephraim Borowski, of the Jewish Council of Scotland, said: 'It might have been useful to have a hotline, or some kind of exception-granting mechanism, completely general, which would give us a definite answer, I think that would have helped.' The Rt Rev Brian McGee, of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, said that NHS workers were deprived of pastoral care in hospitals, along with sick or dying people, owing to restrictions. He said that mass could only be celebrated in a church, and that faith leaders were not consulted about the decision to close places of worship in the second lockdown. Mr McGee said: 'We've talked about ceremonies but when people were in hospital, they were looked after by NHS staff who were in fear for their own lives. 'When people are sick and they're nervous they would want the comfort of a visit, some pastoral care and prayers being said for them. 'I know the difficulty for that and infection control but could there have been more consideration given.' The impact of restrictions on funeral rites was compared to 'physical pain' by other religious leaders, the inquiry heard. Omar Afzal, from the Scottish Association of Mosques, said: 'I would describe the effect of not being able to fulfil religious rites as almost like physical pain in the effect it had.' Ravi Ladva, from the Scottish Hindu Foundation, said: 'We didn't question why only six members are allowed in the crematorium. A lot of our community members are on the front line of the NHS and public services. As much as I would like to mourn, my duty to my community and the rest of Scotland comes first. 'Through the pandemic we were fortunate to scramble together online services where it still maintained some semblance of community. 'It does require review and has not been forgotten how we were treated and our practises and rituals were portrayed.'
