Irreligious organizations promote the view that

moral standards Morality () is the differentiation of intentions, decisions and actions between those that are distinguished as proper (right) and those that are improper (wrong). Morality can be a body of standards or principles derived from a code of cond ...

should be based solely on naturalistic considerations, without reference to supernatural concepts (such as

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

or an afterlife), any desire to do good for a reward after death, or any fear of punishment for not believing in life after death.

Background

Individuals and organizations sharing these views, identify themselves by a variety of terms, including,

bright Bright may refer to: Common meanings *Bright, an adjective meaning giving off or reflecting illumination; see Brightness *Bright, an adjective meaning someone with intelligence People * Bright (surname) * Bright (given name) *Bright, the stage na ...

freethinker Freethought (sometimes spelled free thought) is an epistemological viewpoint which holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma, and that beliefs should instead be reached by other metho ...

, naturalist, rationalist, or

skeptic Skepticism, also spelled scepticism, is a questioning attitude or doubt toward knowledge claims that are seen as mere belief or dogma. For example, if a person is skeptical about claims made by their government about an ongoing war then the ...

. Despite the use of these various terms, the organizations listed here have goals in common. Note that, while most of these organizations and their members consider themselves irreligious, there are certain exceptions (

Ethical Culture The Ethical movement, also referred to as the Ethical Culture movement, Ethical Humanism or simply Ethical Culture, is an ethical, educational, and religious movement that is usually traced back to Felix Adler (1851–1933).

, for example). In some jurisdictions, a provincial or national humanist society may confer upon

Humanist officiant A humanist celebrant or humanist officiant is a person who performs humanist celebrancy services, such as non-religious weddings, funerals, child namings, coming of age ceremonies and other rituals. Some humanist celebrants are accredited by humani ...

s the ability to conduct memorial services, child naming ceremonies or officiate marriages — tasks which would be carried out by clergy in most organized religions.

List

Atheist Republic Armin Navabi ( fa, آرمین نوابی; born 25 December 1983) is an Iranian-Canadian ex-Muslim atheist, author and podcaster, currently living in Vancouver, Canada. In 2012, he founded the online freethought community Atheist Republic, a ...

is the world's largest atheist organization with local chapters called consulates all over the world. Their facebook page has over 2.4 million followers. * The Brights' Net is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to "building a constituency" and "constructively address ngthe marginalized situation of persons who have a naturalistic worldview." *

The Clergy Project The Clergy Project (TCP) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that provides peer support to current and former religious leaders who no longer believe in a god or other supernatural elements. The group's focus is to provide priv ...

provides support, community, and hope to religious professionals who no longer hold supernatural beliefs. *

European Humanist Federation The European Humanist Federation (EHF, french: Fédération Humaniste Européenne, FHE), officially abbreviated as EHF-FHE, is an umbrella of more than 60 humanist and secularist organisations from 25 European countries. Founded in Prague in July ...

is a union of "numerous humanist organisations from most European countries" whose purpose is to promote humanism and secularism in Europe. * Humanists International is "the sole world umbrella organisation embracing Humanist, atheist, rationalist, secularist, skeptic, laique, ethical cultural, freethought and similar organisations world-wide." Humanists International is a union of over 100 Humanist or secularist organizations in more than 40 countries. It is an international NGO (

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...

) with special consultative status with the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...

. **

Young Humanists International Young Humanists International, known as the International Humanist and Ethical Youth Organisation or IHEYO from 2002–2019, is the youth wing of Humanists International Humanists International (known as the International Humanist and Ethic ...

, Humanists International's youth wing *

International League of Humanists International League of Humanists (ILH) is a non-profit international association of eminent humanists. Its headquarters are in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and its primary objective is promotion of worldwide peace and human rights. Its curr ...

Rationalist International {{More citations needed, date=September 2007 Rationalist International is an organization with the stated aim to represent a rational view of the world. External linksRationalist International Homepage
Rationalist groups based in India Organi ...

Sunday Assembly Sunday Assembly is a non-religious gathering co-founded by Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans in January 2013 in London, England. The gathering is mostly for non-religious people who want a similar communal experience to a religious church, thoug ...

Australia

* Council of Australian Humanist Societies * National Secular Lobby *

Rationalist Society of Australia The Rationalist Society of Australia (RSA) promotes the interests of rationalists nationally in Australia. Originally formed as the Victorian Rationalist Association, the society originated in a meeting of freethinkers in the University of Melbou ...

* The Secular Party of Australia

Belgium

* Willemsfonds

Brazil

* Brazilian Association of Atheists and Agnostics (ATEA) * Secular Humanist League of Brazil

Canada

Centre for Inquiry Canada The Centre for Inquiry Canada (CFIC) is a not-for-profit educational organization with headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The Canadian organization was founded as a member and volunteer driven organization in 2007. It is the Canadian affili ...

* Freethought Association of Canada * Humanist Canada, formerly

Humanist Association of Canada Humanist Canada (also known as the Humanist Association of Canada, or HAC or HC) is a national not-for-profit charitable organization promoting the separation of religion from public policy and fostering the development of reason, compassion and ...

* Mouvement laïque québécois * Toronto Secular Alliance

Finland

* Union of Freethinkers of Finland, founded the Eroakirkosta.fi web service

France

* Fédération nationale de la libre pensée * Union rationaliste

Germany

* Atheist Refugee Relief *

Central Council of Ex-Muslims The Central Council of Ex-Muslims (German: ''Zentralrat der Ex-Muslime'', ''ZdE'') is a German association ( Verein) advocating for the rights and interests of non-religious, secular persons of Muslim heritage who have left Islam. It was found ...

German Freethinkers League The German Freethinkers League ('Deutscher Freidenkerbund') was an organization founded in the late 19th century by German freethinkers and atheists with the main goal to oppose the power of the state churches in Germany. Its aim was to provide a ...

* Giordano Bruno Foundation (''Giordano-Bruno-Stiftung, gbs'') * International League of Non-Religious and Atheists (IBKA) *

Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands The Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands (English: ''Humanist Association of Germany'') is an organisation to promote and spread a secular humanist worldview and an advocate for the rights of nonreligious people. It was founded 1993 in Berlin and co ...

(HVD) * Party of Humanists (''Partei der Humanisten'')

Iceland

* Sidmennt – Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association

India

Indian Rationalist Association The Indian Rationalist Association is a voluntary organisation in India whose 100,000 members Bedi, Rahul." ''The Irish Times.'' 2009-07-13. Retrieved 15 August 2009 promote scientific skepticism and critique supernatural claims. It publishes b ...

* Atheist Center *

Dakshina Kannada Rationalist Association Dakshina Kannada Rationalist Association (DKRA) is a well known rationalist group based in Mangalore, Karnataka, which promotes skepticism. It was formed in 1976 at the initiative of a few individuals led by Narendra Nayak. DKRA, now a member of ...

Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations The Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) is an umbrella body of 83 (as of 2012) rationalist, atheist, skeptic, secularist and scientist organisations in India. As an apex body of rationalist organisations, it is committed to ...

* Indian Humanist Union *

Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham (KYS, ) is a rationalist organization based in Kerala, India. The organization says it stands for rationalism and humanism. It is the initiator of the umbrella organization for rationalism and humanism, Federation of ...

Dravidar Kazhagam Dravidar Kazhagam is a social movement founded by Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, also called Thanthai Periyar. Its original goals were to eradicate the ills of the existing caste system including untouchability and on a grander scale to obtain a " ...

* We The Sapiens *

Essense club esSENSE Club is a club promoting atheism and science based in Kerala, India. Founded in 2016, the club emphasises propagating freethinking and rationalism among the Malayali community all over the world. esSENSE Club Office bearers # Aravind ...

Indonesia

* Indonesian Atheists

Ireland

* Atheist Ireland *

Humanist Association of Ireland The Humanist Association of Ireland (HAI) is a Republic of Ireland secular humanist organisation that was founded in 1993 to promote Humanism, which they describe as: an ethical philosophy of life, based on a concern for humanity in general, and ...

* Humani Irish Freethinkers and Humanists

Italy

* Italian Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics (UAAR)

Kenya

* Atheists In Kenya Society (AIK)

Luxembourg

* Allianz vun Humanisten, Atheisten an Agnostiker (AHA!)

Netherlands

* De Vrije Gedachte (DVG, "The Free Thought") * Humanistisch Verbond (HV, "Humanist Association")

New Zealand

Humanist Society of New Zealand The Humanist Society of New Zealand (Inc.) is a New Zealand organisation that promotes secular humanist philosophy and ideals. The Society meets in Wellington with members throughout New Zealand. It is affiliated internationally to the Internat ...

New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists (or NZARH) is an organisation, established in 1927 in New Zealand for the promotion of rationalism and secular humanism. The principal aims are stated as: * To advocate a rational, humane, an ...

* NZ Skeptics

Northern Ireland

* Humani

Norway

* Human-Etisk Forbund HEF has over 78,000 members, making it "the largest group n Norwayoutside the State Church" * Norwegian Heathen Society

Philippines

* Filipino Freethinkers

Romania

Romanian Secular-Humanist Association The Romanian Secular-Humanist Association (Romanian: Asociația Secular-Umanistă din România, abbreviated as ASUR) is a non-governmental organization established in March 2010 to promote secular humanist values in Romania. The organization's a ...

Scotland

Humanist Society Scotland Humanist Society Scotland is a Scottish registered charity that promotes humanist views and offers humanist wedding, funeral, and baby-naming ceremonies. It is a member of the European Humanist Federation and Humanists International. In the ...

* Scottish Secular Society, founded in 2012, identifies itself as Scotland's largest secular group.

Singapore

Humanist Society of Singapore Humanist Society (Singapore) is registered in 2010 as a society in Singapore for humanists, freethinkers, atheists, agnostics and other like-minded people. The non-religious make up 17% of the Singapore population as of last available Census in ...

Sweden

* Humanists Sweden

Switzerland

* Freethinkers Association of Switzerland

Turkey

* Association of Atheism

United Kingdom

National organisations

* Humanists UK, founded 1896, is the largest such group. **Groups like Wales Humanists, Northern Ireland Humanists, Young Humanists, LGBT Humanists UK, Defence Humanists, and

Humanist Students Humanist Students is the national umbrella organisation for free-thinking, atheist, humanist and secular student societies in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to provide a national voice for non-religious student societies in the UK and help co ...

are all part of Humanists UK. *

Conway Hall Ethical Society The Conway Hall Ethical Society, formerly the South Place Ethical Society, based in London at Conway Hall, is thought to be the oldest surviving freethought organisation in the world and is the only remaining ethical society in the United Kin ...

, founded in 1793, identifies itself as "the oldest freethought community in the world" *

* Scottish Secular Society *

National Secular Society The National Secular Society (NSS) is a British campaigning organisation that promotes secularism and the separation of church and state. It holds that no one should gain advantage or disadvantage because of their religion or lack of it. It was ...

Rationalist Association The Rationalist Association, originally the Rationalist Press Association, is an organization in the United Kingdom, founded in 1885 by a group of freethinkers who were unhappy with the increasingly political and decreasingly intellectual tenor ...

, which publishes ''

New Humanist ''New Humanist'' is a quarterly magazine, published by the Rationalist Association in the UK, that focuses on culture, news, philosophy, and science from a sceptical perspective. History The ''New Humanist'' has been in print for more than 13 ...

'' * Camp Quest UK

Local groups

There are many local humanist groups around the United Kingdom, most being affiliates of Humanists UK and the National Secular Society. Of these, Leicester Secular Society has particular claim to fame in being the world's oldest secular society, founded in 1851.Leicester Secular Society website
(Accessed 5 April 2008) Others include North East Humanists.

United States

* American Atheists – dedicated to

separation of church and state The separation of church and state is a philosophical and jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the state. Conceptually, the term refers to the creation of a secular sta ...

issues * American Ethical Union – a federation of about 25 Ethical Societies representing the

movement founded in 1876 by Felix Adler * American Humanist Association, organization promoting secular humanism in the US * American Secular Union * Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to preserving church-state separation to ensure religious freedom for all Americans * The Atheist Agenda *

Atheist Alliance International Atheist Alliance International (AAI) is a non-profit advocacy organization committed to raising awareness and educating the public about atheism. It does this by supporting atheist and freethought organizations around the world through promotin ...

* Atheist Community of Austin * Atheists of Florida founded in 1992 to ensure the separation of state and church * Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, represents multiple Baptist groups (but not the Southern Baptist Convention) in supporting religious liberty and the separation of church and state * Camp Inquiry, a summer camp run by the Center for Inquiry * Camp Quest, "The Secular Summer Camp", is a residential summer camp in the United States for the children of those who hold a naturalistic world view * Center for Inquiry **

Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (RDFRS or RDF) is a division of Center for Inquiry (CFI) founded by British biologist Richard Dawkins in 2006 to promote scientific literacy and secularism. Originally a non-profit based in ...

, former independent project created by Richard Dawkins, now a subdivision of CFI * City Congregation for Humanistic Judaism * Committee for Skeptical Inquiry * Ex-Muslims of North America is a non-profit based in the US, according to its website stands "for the rights and dignities of those who leave Islam" *

Fellowship of Humanity The Fellowship of Humanity is a humanist church in Oakland, California, founded in 1935 by Reverend A. D. Faupell as part of the American Religious Humanism movement. It was an offshoot of the First Unitarian Church of Oakland, where A. D. Faupell ...

First Humanist Society of New York In 1929 Charles Francis Potter founded the First Humanist Society of New York whose advisory board included Julian Huxley, John Dewey, Albert Einstein, and Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German n ...

Foundation Beyond Belief GO Humanity (Giving and Organizing for Humanity) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 in Georgia by Dale McGowan, originally under the name Foundation Beyond Belief. As of 2022, the organization's mission is to "end poverty an ...

Freedom From Religion Foundation The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is an American nonprofit organization, which advocates for atheists, agnostics, and nontheists. Formed in 1976, FFRF promotes the separation of church and state, and challenges the legitimacy of many ...

, according to its website, is the "largest group of atheists and agnostics in North America" *

The Humanist Institute The Humanist Institute is a training program for leaders within the humanist, and secular humanist movement. Purpose and organization The Humanist Institute offers several kinds of educational programs to the humanist community. These program ...

Institute for Humanist Studies The Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) is a think tank based in Washington, DC, USA, that says it is "committed to information and practices meant to address the sociopolitical, economic and cultural challenges facing communities within the Uni ...

Internet Infidels Internet Infidels, Inc. is a Colorado Springs, Colorado-based nonprofit educational organization founded in 1995 by Jeffery Jay Lowder and Brett Lemoine. Its mission is to use the Internet to promote a view that supernatural forces or entities do n ...

is "a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to defending and promoting a naturalistic worldview on the Internet" *

Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers The Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (MAAF) is a community for atheists and freethinkers in the military, both within the United States and from around the world. The MAAF can assist U.S. military members to respond to illegal ...

Military Religious Freedom Foundation The Military Religious Freedom Foundation'' (MRFF) is a watchdog group and advocacy organization founded in 2005 by Michael L. "Mikey" Weinstein. The group's goal states it will, "Ensure that members of the United States Armed Forces receive the ...

* North Texas Church of Freethought *

Practice What You Preach Foundation Practice What You Preach Foundation was a non-profit organization in the United States that worked to bridge religious communities and secular organizations, particularly in the Greater Los Angeles Area Greater Los Angeles is the second-lar ...

is a "non-profit organization that builds bridges between faith communities and secular organizations in the Greater Los Angeles Area" *

Rational Response Squad The Rational Response Squad, or RRS, is an atheist activist group that confronts what it considers to be irrational claims made by theists, particularly Christians. The most visible member of RRS is co-founder Brian Sapient. The Rational Respons ...

Secular Coalition for America The Secular Coalition for America is an advocacy group located in Washington D.C. It describes itself as "representing the interests of atheists, humanists, freethinkers, agnostics, and other nontheistic Americans." The Secular Coalition has ch ...

Secular Student Alliance The Secular Student Alliance (SSA) is an American educational nonprofit organization whose purpose is to educate high school and college students about the value of scientific reason and the intellectual basis of secularism in its atheistic an ...

Society for Humanistic Judaism The Society for Humanistic Judaism (SHJ), founded by Rabbi Sherwin Wine in 1969, is an American 501(c)(3) organization and the central body of Humanistic Judaism, a philosophy that combines a non-theistic and humanistic outlook with the celebrat ...

offers cultural and secular Jews a non-theistic alternative in contemporary Jewish life * United Coalition of Reason

Notes and references

External links

Atheists Helping the Homeless, DCOrganizations
lists at the Secular Web. {{Portal bar, Religion

Secularist Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on secular, naturalistic considerations. Secularism is most commonly defined as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state, and may be broadened to a sim ...

Secularist organizations Irreligious organizations promote the view that moral standards should be based solely on naturalistic considerations, without reference to supernatural concepts (such as God or an afterlife), any desire to do good for a reward after death, or ...