Latest Articles
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OBITUARY for NZARH Member and Supporter JOYCE PATON
Margaret ‘Joyce’ Paton was born in February 1930 in Langley, in sight of WindsorCastle. Joyce’s father died soon after her birth, but as he was a Mason she was sent tothe Royal Masonic School For Girls as a boarder at age seven. She then trained as asecretary, working mainly in the law and criminology fields. […]
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Echoes of Resilience
Cyrus came to New Zealand as a Quota Refugee. Humanist NZ supported Cyrus and his wife Ahoo as they settled into life in Porirua, and later in Auckland. He has now written his and Ahoo’s story in a book titled Echoes of Resilience. Cyrus has set up a GoFundMe fundraiser to fund the publication of […]
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In Memory of Michael Gousmett
Charity law expert Michael Gousmett dies Written by Jake Kenny, May 21, 2025 A well-known researcher who often criticised New Zealand’s outdated charity and tax laws has died. Michael Gousmett, with his decades of experience in the charity sector, was the expert voice most regularly heard when organisations were accused of gaming the system. He […]
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Together We Can End Witch hunts and Ritual Attacks
Witch hunting persists because many countries and groups of countries like the Commonwealth have refused to speak out against these atrocities. The Commonwealth should break its silence on witch hunts and ritual attacks in member countries. It should join the UN in condemning these horrific abuses. The Commonwealth should add its voice to this campaign. […]
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An extract from the January 2025 End-of-Life Choice Society Newsletter
Greetings. Welcome to the New Year of 2025 and to another step forward in our campaign for the right to die with dignity. Forty-Six Years Of History The End-of-Life Choice Society NZ Inc was incorporated in May 1979, originally as the Voluntary Euthanasia Society of NZ Inc. May 2025 therefore marks 46 years of struggle […]
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Jonathan Ayling – a wolf in sheep’s clothing
I’m sure many of you will have heard of the Free Speech Union (FSU), which formed in 2021 by registering as a Trade Union. They’re a successor to the Free Speech Coalition, which formed in 2018 in response to problems Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux had with finding a venue in Auckland in which to […]
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Is Julian Assange a hero of humanism?
It’s unlikely we have heard the end of Julian Assange, to some a hero and martyr for a free press, and to others an unprincipled narcissist. Following a lengthy campaign to prevent him being extradited to the United States, Assange agreed in June 2024 to a deal whereby he pleaded guilty to unlawfully obtaining and […]
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Christian Chaplains in Our Hospitals
It is a beautiful sunny autumn day near the picturesque Avon River. The punts are still out. I am just outside Christchurch Hospital, speaking with patients about chaplains. Many of these patients are seriously ill, although some are outpatients. Once they understand the reason for my approach, these people are eager to share their stories […]
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What does the Census tell us about New Zealanders’ Religion?
On 3 October 2024, StatsNZ released the results from Question 18 of the Personal form for Census 2023 – Religious Affiliation. The media widely reported that, for the first time, the majority of New Zealanders reported that they had no religion. In this article I will be discussing this result, but also looking at some […]
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Post Conference Thoughts
From November 16th to 17th this year (2024, for those reading way in the future) we held our annual NZ Skeptics conference, and for the first time the conference was a joint effort with the New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists (NZARH). Joining with the NZARH for a conference, it turns out, was a […]
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Bigotry, Cant, Hypocrisy & General Nastiness
The Bible Research Society and the Dunedin Rationalist Society On the 29th of August 1909, an agitated crowd shuffled into the Dunedin Chess Club Rooms for a raucous meeting of the Bible Research Society. Two Police constables stood watch in case things turned violent and Rev. Chodowski, the local rabbi and member of the Chess […]
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Spiritual beliefs – a person’s Private Universe
When in hospital people are often asked if they would like to be referred to chaplaincy and see a chaplain. So, what is the usual interpretation of the meaning of the word chaplain? Most people think a chaplain is an ordained Christian minister. In addition to providing religious support, chaplains are supposed to offer spiritual […]
