11/11

Although there were representatives of other faiths at the Cenotaph this morning, the religious part of the remembrance ceremony was Christian, as usual. Today and on Tuesday (Armistice Day, 11th November), Christian ceremonial will predominate, regardless of the fact that services personnel are of all faiths and none, and that those who join them on Remembrance Day are also a diverse cross-section of society. To be wholly inclusive, such ceremonial should be completely secular, allowing those who are religious to have separate ceremonies afterwards.

Not many people will know that there is now a UK Armed Forces Humanist Association, which welcomes new members. Those who serve in the armed forces should not be expected to participate in religious ceremonial that has no relevance to them.