Humanists have very few buildings of their own in the UK. Two examples are Leicester Secular Society and Conway Hall in Holborn, London; both are large buildings with many rooms of various sizes suitable for meetings and lectures.

Leicester Secular Society’s building is particularly interesting. Built in 1881, partly because of the difficulties atheists and freethinkers had in finding places to meet, its façade features busts of Socrates, Jesus, Voltaire, Thomas Paine and Robert Owen.

Conway Hall was opened in 1929 when the South Place Ethical Society needed a new home. The Society wanted “a dignified and commodious building, which it is hoped may become the Headquarters of the Ethical Movement in the British Isles, and also provide an open platform for speakers from any part of the world.” Conway Hall remains a centre for free speech and progressive ideas. It holds a library of free-thought and hosts the world’s longest running continuous series of chamber music concerts, which began as secular alternatives to church-going on Sundays. Ethical Societies still thrive in many cities in the USA, where there is also an Ethical Union based in New York, with a slogan “Deed before creed”.

There are no sacred places or places of pilgrimage for humanists. Some find inspiration in places of natural beauty or in museums or art galleries or places where inspirational figures lived or concert halls, locations which remind them of humankind’s place in nature or human creativity and culture.

There are few overt signs or demonstrations of humanist belief. Humanists dress like most other secular people of their own societies and there are no obligatory rituals or observances. There is no humanist authority expecting and imposing moral codes or certain kinds of behaviour. On the other hand, to declare oneself a humanist is to commit oneself to a particular ethical worldview, one which demands reflection and a concern for others, as in the humanist maxim: “Think for oneself; act for others”. “Belonging” is an internal and personal matter for humanists, unlikely to be expressed in any obvious external or symbolic way.

Humanists may express their beliefs by, for example, sending their children to an inclusive school (rather than a faith school), and by not participating in prayer or worship. They may choose to celebrate life events with humanist ceremonies such as baby-namings, weddings or funerals. They may simply declare that they are humanists, or they may join a local humanist group or a national organisation like the British Humanist Association, which “supports and represents” humanists and other non-religious people. Or they may simply express their beliefs by trying to live a good life according to their humanist values.

What “belonging” means to a humanist depends very much on time and place. In some societies being a humanist is accepted as perfectly normal, while in others it can lead to discrimination or conflict with the wider community: there are countries where atheism is not accepted at all and where there is no visible humanist or atheist community to belong to, indeed such a thing would be dangerous.

In Britain today, an individual identifying as a humanist and belonging to a humanist family or group or organisation will find reassurance and support of various kinds, philosophical and practical. Joining the humanist community can provide companionship with like minds and help to build the confidence needed in a society that, though very tolerant and in many ways secular, still sometimes expresses negativity or ignorance towards atheism and humanism.

The humanist community will feel it really belongs in society when its organisations are treated in the public sphere with the same consideration and respect as is accorded to faith groups.

Very little is formally expected of a humanist – humanists do not have to join anything, read anything, perform any rites, or go to particular places on particular days. Informally, when people decide they are humanists (and that is all it takes) they are committed to a worldview that is secular, moral and human-centred.

There are no identifying marks or symbols or dress codes for humanists. Some may choose to wear a “Happy Human” badge.

Humanists are, therefore, not easily recognised. Additionally, it is still considered impolite or unduly provocative in some circles to discuss religious or sceptical beliefs and some humanists may, for that or other reasons, choose to treat their beliefs as a private matter. On the other hand, some humanists will be recognised because they have declared themselves humanists (for example when filling in an official form or choosing a school), or because they have chosen to affirm rather than to swear a religious oath or to have a humanist ceremony for a life event or to opt out of a religious ceremony or festival, or by their membership of a local or national humanist organisation.

One of the basic principles of humanism, shared with many religions, is the “Golden Rule”: “Treat other people as you would like to be treated yourself”, and humanists would expect themselves, and others, to live by this principle. They also expect to have to think about the consequences of their actions, for others as well as themselves. That both these guiding principles require thought and adaptation to particular circumstances is not considered a bad thing by most humanists, who, without being moral relativists, distrust absolute codes that demand unquestioning obedience.

Humanists are not usually committed to a group view or identity or a group code of behaviour, and in this sense humanism is probably one of less committing worldviews. This does not mean, however, as some people occasionally imagine, that humanists can do exactly what they please with no thought for others. Humanism places considerable weight on individual judgment and personal responsibility.

Humanists may choose to express their personal worldview in some of the ways suggested. Other ways might include: doing voluntary work; giving to charity; talking about their beliefs; sending their children to inclusive schools rather than faith schools; not joining in public prayers or hymns; saving or investing ethically; being environmentally-friendly. Probably a higher proportion than in the general population are vegetarian, an expression of concern for animal welfare and/or the environment. Neither these expressions of what is valued, or the thoughtfulness about ethics that underpin them, are unique to humanists, of course, but they do seem to be characteristic of them.

Humanists think that every person is unique because they are a unique blend of “nature” and “nurture”, that is, genetic influences (some immediate, from parents and family, and some very ancient, part of the shared human heritage) and environment (upbringing, culture, education – all the external influences on us). Humanists tend not to identify themselves by what they do not believe in, which may be just one element in their lives, and may be more comfortable with the concept of multiple identities, based on nationality, neighbourhood, profession, age, family, race, sex, sexuality, interests, beliefs, political affiliation et al. Humanists also think that we have a great deal in common because we are all human beings, living in human societies, and tend to look to sciences such as psychology, social psychology, anthropology and evolutionary psychologists for explanations of human nature and individual personality.