How Neo Sree Found the Humanist Movement

3 October 2026 by

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This is the personal journey of Neo Sree, one of the members of the Humanist Society (Singapore), at the 2026 Virtual Asian Humanist Conference organised by Humanists Malaysia with support from Humanists International. He was one of the featured speakers on Oct 3, the first day of the two-day conference.

Growing up in a small village in Kerala, India, Neo Sree was surrounded by religion.

Rituals, traditions and beliefs formed part of everyday life, reinforced by grandparents, relatives and the wider community. Like many children around him, he was largely expected to follow the practices of his elders without questioning them.

But at home, Sree encountered a different influence.

His father, whom Sree described as a “lone sceptic” in the community, was sceptical of much of the Hindu mythology and religious tradition around them. More importantly, when the young Sree began asking questions about God and the universe, his father did not pretend to have the answers.

Instead, he encouraged his son to find out for himself, telling him to “search for the answers, read books, and learn more about science.”

The search for answers

That freedom to question would eventually shape a journey spanning religion, science, mental health and, ultimately, the international humanist movement.

After moving to Singapore in his twenties to study and later work in technology, Sree continued searching for answers to the questions that had occupied him since childhood.

Although no longer particularly religious, he remained open to spirituality. He wondered whether the world’s religions might each contain fragments of a larger truth, perhaps pointing towards an underlying divine presence.

Without what he now describes as a firm grounding in critical thinking, Sree tried to reconcile contradictory religious ideas and find a common thread between them. “I tried to harmonize all these conflicting dogmas and search for some unifying thread, which was not actually there,” said Sree.

Below: One of the slides shared by Sree during his presentation

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A crisis that changed his worldview

His worldview was dramatically shaken in 2019.

Following a series of stressful events, Sree experienced a psychotic episode and was subsequently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. During the episode, his earlier religious and supernatural ideas became incorporated into elaborate delusions.

He believed he had received a special revelation and, at different points, thought he was a prophet, a messenger of God or God in human form. He also believed he had been given a mission to unite the world’s religions and humanity.

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To Sree, these experiences felt completely real at the time.

His path out of them came not through religious or mystical intervention, he said, but through psychiatric treatment, medical science and the support of people who helped him reconnect with reality.

Among the most important was Maitreya Maitreyan, a rationalist and activist from Kerala whom Sree contacted during his recovery.

Maitreyan listened to him over numerous conversations, challenged his ideas and encouraged him to continue evidence-based medical treatment. Sree later thanked him for spending so much time helping him through the difficult period.

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Maitreyan’s response stayed with him: “Your life makes my life meaningful.”

For Sree, the simple sentence provided an answer to another question that had long troubled him: where could meaning come from without religion?

Meaning, he began to realise, could be found in human relationships and in what people did for one another.

Rebuilding through science and reason

As he rebuilt his worldview, Sree turned increasingly towards science and literature.

Books on cosmology, evolution and biology, including The First Three Minutes, A Brief History of Time, The Blind Watchmaker and Wonderful Life, offered naturalistic explanations for questions he had once approached through religion.

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His experience with psychosis also sparked an interest in neuroscience. Books such as Phantoms in the Brain and The Ego Tunnel helped him explore how the brain constructs perception and our sense of self.

Together, he said, these works gave him a more coherent foundation for understanding the universe, life and the human mind.

Finding the humanist movement

His path towards organised humanism, however, had already begun quietly.

Since around 2017, Sree had been reading international reports on democracy, human rights and civil liberties. Among them was the Freedom of Thought Report, published by Humanists International.

He began following the organisation and became interested in its advocacy for freedom of thought and the rights of non-religious people.

That connection eventually led him to the Humanist Society (Singapore).

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Sree began volunteering at its events and later attended the International Humanist Conference 2024 in Singapore. There, he encountered something that had been largely absent during his earlier journey: a community.

He met people from different countries who shared an emphasis on reason, critical thinking and human welfare without relying on supernatural beliefs. He also met members of the emerging Humanist Malaysia community, including A. Jay Surin, with whom he became friends.

Sree subsequently attended more international humanist gatherings, deepening his involvement in a movement he had first discovered through an online report.

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Finding meaning and community without religion

Looking back, he sees a journey that began with the freedom his father gave him to question inherited beliefs and eventually led to a global community built around many of the same questions.

Speaking at the Asian Humanist Conference hosted by Humanist Malaysia, Sree said his experience had convinced him that abandoning religious belief did not require abandoning purpose or belonging.

“Leaving religion behind does not mean losing meaning and community. We do not need divine or supernatural beliefs to live a meaningful and fulfilling life,” he said.

For Sree, ethics and purpose are instead things human beings create collectively — ideas that can be questioned, improved and passed on.

“They are open-source human projects,” he said, “that we have been continuously building, testing and refining together.”

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Space for Spirituality in Secular Singapore? – Research Findings and Shared Reflections

22 July 2026 by

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This gathering by Robin Weber, PhD Candidate and Psychological Researcher at James Cook University (Singapore Campus) was an open and collaborative exploration into non-religious spirituality in Singapore, examine the data and results of his ongoing doctoral research studying how spirituality is understood and practised in an increasingly secular society.

Spirituality is defined as “the personal quest for understanding answers to ultimate questions about life,” distinguishing it from organised religion. The study responds to a global increase in nonreligion but lack of research conducted in the Asia-Pacific region – where almost one-quarter of the world’s nonreligious population lives. This risks overlooking spiritual diversity, for example, compared with Europe, a much larger proportion of Singapore’s non-religious population identifies as “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR) and holds implicit spiritual beliefs.

Photo below: Robin speaking to a large crowd.

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The presentation was centered on the speaker’s qualitative study in Singapore involving participants from diverse walks of life. After outlining the analysis’ six major themes, the room discussed each of them in groups to interpret, reflect and personally apply the implications of the findings. Guiding interview questions and excerpts from the interviews were shared with the groups to facilitate their conversations. Some of the topics participants talked about involved:

  • Connection with oneself, others, nature, and the wider world.
  • Belief in realities beyond the physical world, including higher powers, cosmic principles, an afterlife, etc.
  • Personalised spiritual practices that promote calmness and self-control.
  • Linking happiness with helping others, and community engagement.
  • Searching for meaning and purpose with spiritual guidance.
  • Freedom to choose one’s own path, emphasising autonomy, rationality, and individual agency.

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An overarching finding is that identity underpins all six themes. Spirituality appears to be an important source of identity for many nonreligious people, yet Singapore’s blend of secularism is often perceived as an obstacle for spiritual expressions outside of religion. Robin reflected the interactions made him think whether dedicated spiritual spaces were desired to offer safe environments for people to explore otherwise often stigmatised beliefs. The presentation concluded with an  outlook on Robin’s future quantitative research.

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Reflections on Singapore’s move towards non-religiosity

6 July 2026 by

This is a commentary by the Executive Committee, Humanist Society (Singapore). The key driver of non-religiosity is diversity of information. However, misconceptions about non-religiosity persist and for some who left their faith, the social cost is real.

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The latest General Household Survey 2025 showed that 23.9% of residents had no religious affiliation in 2025, up from 20% in 2020 and 18.5% in 2015.

This indicates an accelerating uptick in Singapore’s non-religious population, as 3.9% is more than double that of the previous 5 year intervals. Back in 1980, 13% were non-religious, showing that non-religiosity is not new. In fact, this demographic likely predates independence and has always been part of Singapore.

While there are many non-religious people/residents in Singapore from all walks of life, few organisations are dedicated to studying and building communities for the non-religious. The Humanist Society (Singapore) is one such organisation.

Over the years, we have engaged more than 7,000 non-religious individuals through our 300+ events, documenting many personal stories and perspectives. Based on this experience, we offer the following observations:

1) The key driver of non-religiosity is diversity of information

(Above) Asian Humanism Conference 2015, held in Singapore.

Some see non-religiosity as “another religion”, attributing its rise to active promotion. Others blame Westernisation, materialism, moral relativism, or even speculate about devil worship.

Our experience suggests otherwise. People leave religion—or remain non-religious—for many reasons. Some gradually find religious rituals less relevant. Others leave because certain teachings no longer align with their values.

One key factor in this shift is access to diversity of information. The internet exposes people to different religions, philosophies and worldviews. Humanity’s search for meaning is now accessible with a tap on the phone.

Increasingly, people evaluate beliefs critically instead of accepting them at face value. They build their principles from ideas they find most convincing, regardless of culture or religion. Over time, identifying with a particular religion becomes less meaningful, and many simply consider themselves non-religious.

2) Misconceptions about non-religiosity persist

For many, religion is the foundation of morality. This belief is often reinforced through lifelong teachings, while some religious texts portray non-believers negatively.

As a result, some continue to believe that non-religious people lack morality because, without God, nothing restrains immoral behaviour. They may even attribute crime, war and other social problems to godlessness, despite correlation not implying causation.

There is, however, no definitive evidence that being non-religious or atheist makes a person immoral. Multiple studies show that countries with high proportions of non-religious people also perform well on measures such as low crime, prosperity, equality, freedom, democracy, women’s rights, human rights, education and life expectancy. Examples include Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Uruguay, Japan, Britain, France, the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia.

This is not to suggest that non-religiosity itself reduces crime. Strong education, effective law enforcement and many other factors also play essential roles. This is something that Singapore as a secular state has achieved since independence because of our strong rule of law and efforts to foster social cohesion. 

3) For some who left their faith, the social cost is real  

From our engagement with the non-religious, those from highly devout or conservative families often face strong opposition after leaving their faith, frequently because of the misconceptions described above in 2).

For those who left their faith, even if they remain kind and well-intentioned, their decision may be seen as rejecting their family’s or community’s identity. In some cases, these relationships never recover.

It is therefore important for those who left their faith, especially those who become non-religious, to have social support networks such as the Humanist Society. It is equally important that their experiences are acknowledged and represented, including in interfaith dialogue. Their pain should not be ignored out of fear of offending others.

(Above) One of the numerous support sessions organised by the Humanist Society (Singapore).

4) Most non-religious people genuinely do not believe in God or consider themselves spiritual

A common response to the growing non-religious population is that they are “still religious”, “culturally religious”, “spiritual”, or simply “temporarily lost”. We sometimes get the sense that people wish to keep them within their religious fold.

While some non-religious people continue to hold supernatural, theistic or spiritual beliefs, our experience is that most do not.

This is supported by this Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) working paper, which found that among non-religious respondents, 65% neither followed a religion nor considered themselves spiritual, while 68.1% did not believe in God.

Source: Pg 28, IPS Working Papers No.33, “Religion in Singapore: The Private and Public Spheres”, published in 2019.

Source: Pg 34, IPS Working Papers No.33, “Religion in Singapore: The Private and Public Spheres”, published in 2019. 

5) The non-religious contribute positively to interfaith dialogue and religious harmony

The Humanist Society (Singapore) supports and has taken part in interfaith dialogues to strengthen understanding among religious communities as well as between religious and non-religious people. We support Singapore’s model of secularism, which provides space for diverse belief systems while ensuring public policy benefits all Singaporeans regardless of race or religion.

Our longstanding positions include:

  • Disagreements over beliefs should be resolved through dialogue rather than police reports or legal action.
  • Every individual has the right to hold and express their beliefs. At the same time, no belief should be beyond scrutiny or discussion. In the pursuit of truth and a better world, all ideas should be examined for logical soundness and tested against the best available evidence.

(Above) An interfaith visit to a mosque, organised by the Humanist Society (Singapore) in 2024.

Concluding thoughts 

Freedom from religion should also be part of freedom of religion.

Sadly, being non-religious, particularly atheist, is illegal or dangerous in many countries. The fact that 23.9% of Singapore residents can openly identify as non-religious reflects Singapore’s success in building a forward-looking, multiracial and multireligious society. Freedom from religion is something to be proud of, not feared or viewed with disdain. 

The Humanist Society (Singapore) will continue to monitor developments in this area and serve as a voice and refuge for the non-religious.

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Response to the New Committee on Strengthening the Singapore Indian Community

26 April 2026 by

We refer to the Straits Times article, “New committee starts work to strengthen Indian community’s identity, youth and vulnerable groups” (Apr 25, 2026) where it was reported that one of the early areas of work for a new committee to strengthen the Singapore Indian community includes partnering religious organisations to support inmates and their families, as part of broader efforts to uplift vulnerable groups.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-committee-on-strengthening-indian-community-begins-work-to-support-inmates-families

We acknowledge and appreciate efforts by the government to bring the Indian community closer together and move forward.

However, we are concerned that religion is being prioritized as the means to help reduce reoffending among Indian inmates.

While religion can play an important role in motivating people who are already religious, not everyone in the country is religious. As of the 2020 census, one in five Singaporeans are non-religious. There is a diverse range of beliefs in Singapore, including within the Indian community. And the non-religious are present everywhere.

There is also a diversity of interpretations within each religious community.

Inmate rehabilitation should prioritize evidence-based, secular methods that can be generically applied to people from any background. This will help avoid any indirect proselytization and any perceived coercion, a prudent approach to maintain religious and racial harmony in secular Singapore. At the same time, religious inmates who specifically request and agree to religious rehabilitation should be given the freedom to receive them.

We urge the government to adjust this approach in inmate rehabilitation. The Humanist Society remains open to dialogue on better, evidence-based and secular solutions.

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Secular Assembly (28 February 2026) – The Evolution of the Darwin–Wallace Story: From History to Pop Science Mythology

6 March 2026 by

The Evolution of the Darwin–Wallace Story: From History to Pop Science Mythology

Our guest speaker on this topic was Dr John van Wyhe, a British historian of science at the National University of Singapore, specialising in Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.

At this Secular Assembly, he spoke about an ongoing debate among historians concerning two different interpretations of Wallace’s historical role. One group of historians believes that Wallace was an underestimated scholar who was overshadowed by other scientists of his time because he came from a poor background. In contrast to Darwin, who came from a wealthy family and had many opportunities, Wallace is often portrayed as someone who lacked similar advantages.

Dr John explained very convincingly that he supports the opposing view: namely, that this interpretation is not supported by the historical evidence. Based on extensive research, he came to the conclusion that Wallace published only a fraction of what Darwin published during their lifetimes. Using this example, he demonstrated how modern science — and in this case parts of the historical community — sometimes tend to promote certain narratives even when there is little evidence to support them. According to him, there is often a tendency to favour underdog stories rather than focus strictly on documented facts.

He also presented other examples showing that this tendency to elevate underdog narratives has appeared repeatedly in the past, for instance in comparisons between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison.

In summary, it was a delightful afternoon, and everyone especially appreciated the strong message behind the talk. We hope to welcome Dr John again soon. Read more about Dr John’s works at: https://darwin-online.org.uk/people/van_wyhe.html and https://wallace-online.org/

Other highlights of the programme:

Before the main Assembly, a group of attendees enjoyed a guided tour of the Harmony in Diversity Gallery, kindly made possible by our gallery partners.

Dan, the presenter of the Assembly, invited participants to join him in a guided imaginary journey to reflect on things we are grateful for.

We also enjoyed a lively singalong and had the opportunity to ask questions about the topic, which Dr John answered in great detail.

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Secular Assembly – 27 December 2025

5 January 2026 by

If life were a game, what kind of main character would you be? At our last Secular Assembly of 2025, this question was explored by our guest speaker amid a festive and reflective atmosphere.

In a presentation titled “Embracing Your Protagonism”, guest speaker Melvin Lim, President of HSS, discussed how one might use the lenses of storytelling and games to navigate a complex world.

Starting with an overview of folklore around the world related to winter, Melvin helped situate Christmas traditions within a vibrant tapestry of cultures with origins ranging from Japan to Europe.

Like folklore that can convey important moral and practical knowledge, narrative games, Melvin posited, is one lens we could use to navigate our lives. Some questions raised by his presentation:

  • Do you prefer a ‘restricted’ environment (where there is a specific condition to ‘win’, such as in chess) or a ‘free’ one (where the success criterion is self-defined, such as in Minecraft)?
  • Are you more ‘autotelic’ (motivated by intrinsic factors such as curiosity) or ‘exotelic’ (motivated by external factors such as prestige)?
  • How are you nurturing your talent, and improving your luck (which can be thought of as a combination of opportunity and preparedness)?

Other highlights of the programme:

  • Before the main Assembly, a group of attendees enjoyed a guided tour of the Harmony in Diversity gallery, kindly made possible by our gallery partners. Read more about the gallery here.
  • Lit by (electronic) candlelight, participants were guided to share reflections on things that they were grateful for over the past year.
  • The jolliest fellow of the season dropped by! Santa Claus surprised attendees with presents and led us in a medley of classic Christmas songs.

Join us at the next Secular Assembly, where we’ll continue to build the Humanist community!

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Non-religiosity and mental health

24 December 2025 by

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There has been a lot of debate over the relationship between religion and mental health.

One common misconception that the non-religious face, is that without religion, the non-religious individual will not have sufficient psychological and emotional support in life, leading to increased risk of mental health issues.

The 2021 IMH Study

In 2021, a local study done by a team from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, set out to build upon research on the mental health benefits of religion, especially in the context of multicultural Asian populations like Singapore’s. Their findings were reported in the Straits Times – “Religion linked to better mental health, says study done in Singapore”, published on Aug 03, 2021.

Published in the International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health in March, the study assessed the positive mental health (PMH) of 2,270 adults in Singapore and identified trends relating to their religious affiliations. The data was collected from August 2016 to April 2018 as part of the larger Singapore Mental Health Study 2016, which aimed to find out the state of mental health in Singapore’s adult population.

In this study, PMH was measured using six markers: General coping, emotional support, spirituality, interpersonal skills, personal growth and autonomy, and global affect, which is the experience of being calm, happy, peaceful, relaxed or enthusiastic. In an interview with The Straits Times, lead researcher Janhavi Vaingankar described PMH as “a person’s attitudes towards themselves, ability to handle life’s surprises and ability to reach their true potential and resist stress”.

Zeroing in on predominant religions in Singapore, the study evaluated respondents affiliated to Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism and Sikhism, which made up about 78% of those surveyed. Participants with these religions scored significantly higher in total PMH compared to those without a religion, the study found. The total PMH score did not vary much between people of different religions.

The picture is more nuanced

The Humanist Society argues that the picture is more nuanced, and there are other papers with a different conclusion. 

For example, there is a paper titled “Is religion beneficial for mental health? A 9-year longitudinal study” published in the International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology (Volume 24, Issue 3, July–September 2024)

The abstract from the paper:

“Using a large sample of adults residing in Germany from the GESIS Panel study (N = 8146), the random intercept cross-lagged panel model was used. Data on six dimensions of religion (i.e., membership in a religious community; attendance at a place of worship; frequency of prayers; importance of religion in life; and participation in a religious organization) and three indicators of mental health (i.e., depression symptoms, happiness, and life satisfaction) were collected.

The findings revealed that there is almost no evidence of lagged effects of religion on mental health and limited evidence regarding the role of mental health in influencing the dimensions of religion. Moreover, at the between-person level, there was some evidence of significant covariance between the trait-like components, indicating stable, trait-like differences between persons on religion and mental health.

The beneficial effect of religion on mental health may have been exaggerated in previous research.”

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There is also another study published in 2025, and it studies the relationship between religious service attendance (not just having a religion) and mental health.

Using modeling techniques that tracked relationships over time within individuals in the joint relationships between religious attendance and mental health outcome measures, the Italian researcher came to one surprising conclusion. In contrast to the prior literature suggesting mental health would benefit from religious attendance, the effects simply weren’t there.

The actual study can be found here.

Photo above: The Humanist Society organises events every month. The picture above is a hike along the southern coast of Singapore.

We need to exercise caution

Mental health issues can be very complex and have multiple root causes.

Some mental health issues are genetic and clinical, and simply cannot be attributed to having a religion or not. Some mental health issues are caused by circumstances in life, which also cannot be attributed neatly to religiosity or non-religiousity. 

There is no doubt that supporting communities can be helpful in providing support to people who have poor mental health. And it is widely acknowledged that religious communities are often the most organised and consistently available in many countries.

Nonetheless, attributing better mental health to simply having a religion causes the following risks:

  1. If widely believed, this attribution contributes to stigma for non-religious individuals, especially faith-leavers pressured by their family and community to return to religious communities they were born into.
  • If a person’s mental health is affected by religious trauma, then more religious exposure might actually worsen the situation, rather than help. (Note: Religious trauma can be defined as a psychological condition that occurs when religious teachings and practices become sources of emotional distress.)
  • A non-religious person facing mental health issues might be pressured — even by those who are well-meaning — to join a religious community because they feel that non-religiosity is the root cause of their mental health issues.
  • A person facing mental health issues could see religion as a solution, bypassing professional diagnosis and help. While religious communities can provide a supporting community, they are ultimately not the best place to get evidence-based diagnosis and treatment.

Photo above: The Humanist Society organises the Humanist Cafe which provides peer support to people at different stages of life.

Our experience on the ground

Over the years, the Humanist Society (Singapore) has organised events for many non-religious participants, and met people from all walks of life. Like any community, we have also engaged individuals with underlying mental health conditions.

We do have small numbers of participants who come from conservative religious family backgrounds and had a challenging experience growing up. They can come with religious trauma and take many years to recover.

The Humanist Society strives to build communities to support these people, although it can be challenging given that we are an all-volunteer organisation. But from our experience, attributing better mental health to simply having a religion is most harmful to those with religious trauma.

Future studies on the relationship between religion and mental health should take into account this group, to provide a fuller picture.

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Secular Assembly and 15th Anniversary

30 October 2025 by

On October 25, HSS celebrated 15 years since the Society’s founding and held a Secular Assembly that encouraged attendees to infuse life with meaning. 

 

Secular Assembly: Finding Meaning

The afternoon began with a lively Secular Assembly that offered approaches for finding meaning in life when one feels unable to progress. 

Leading an interactive workshop and sharing session on the topic of “Finding Meaning When You Feel Stuck in Life”, Registered Counsellor Deborah Koh guided attendees to discover and reconnect with their personal values as the fundamental building blocks of a fulfilling life. 

Participants taking part in “Values Exchange” activity

The session showed us that while the instinctive reaction to feeling stuck may be to withdraw from challenges, this reaction can be addressed with various strategies. These include:

  • accepting that uncertainty and failure are part of a meaningful life;
  • detaching yourself from thoughts that are unhelpful;
  • and self-reflection to achieve clarity on your core values.

15th Anniversary Gathering: A Look Back and Forward

With attendees energised by the workshop, the mood swiftly shifted to one of celebration for the Society’s 15th Anniversary Gathering!

A major highlight was an intimate fireside chat featuring past and present HSS leadership. Moderated by current HSS Vice-President Xiang Hong, the speakers comprised the Society’s founding and early Executive Committee (Exco) members (Eugene, Jianyue and Huifen) alongside current HSS President (Melvin). This intergenerational conversation brought to light memorable moments from the past and shared aspirations for the Society’s next chapter.

Speakers candidly shared insights on topics that included:

  • HSS’ notable achievements. As examples of major achievements by the Society, speakers cited the international Humanist conferences hosted by HSS and its various collaborations with government statutory boards over the years. These events have helped HSS make its mark and reflect that it has a level of trust from local authorities.
  • Vision for the Society’s public image. President Melvin spoke on his hope for the Society to be better connected to Humanist communities in the region, and to be seen as a bastion of critical thinking. 
  • How to keep HSS going. Speakers suggested:
    • An Exco that is willing to learn and experiment and that keeps the trust of attendees and volunteers
    • Continually holding events to bring in new members
    • Looking to other long-running groups for applicable lessons

The Exco also honoured a number of HSS members for their contributions to the Society with awards for Best Member, Best Volunteer, Community Builder and Best Newcomer. Our sincere congratulations to all the worthy recipients! Your gifts of time and effort—along with those of every volunteer—are the driving force of our Humanist community, and we are profoundly grateful for your service.

The gathering wrapped up with a spread of finger food, including homemade dishes contributed by members, and a special birthday cake. The cake celebrated both recent birthdays (in line with our Secular Assembly tradition) and the landmark achievement of 15 years of serving as a voice for the non-religious in Singapore.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special day. Your presence, participation, and stories are what make our Humanist community vibrant. Here’s to many more years of promoting reason, compassion, and meaningful living!

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Secular Assembly – 27 September 2025

6 October 2025 by

Burnout from work stress is a common problem in our fast-paced city. How can individuals prevent burnout and what role can non-religious organisations play? At our eighth Secular Assembly of the year, held on 27 September, these topics were explored by our guest speaker Kit Koh, a career coach and mental health counsellor.

First, a definition of burnout. For this, Kit cited the World Health Organisation (WHO), which defines burnout as a condition “resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”.  It comprises three aspects: “feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy”. When burnout sets in, Kit noted that it could lead to more problems such as depression, weakened immunity and strained relationships.

Regarding strategies an individual could use to prevent burnout, Kit shared that these include minimising sources of stress (e.g., by setting physical and digital boundaries), addressing deeper dysfunctional cognitive patterns, and engaging in activities that produce “happy hormones”. These hormones – dopamine, endorphins, oxytocin and serotonin – are known to be powerful contributors to positive emotions.

Oxytocin facilitates feelings of trust and connection, and is often produced during activities that involve interpersonal bonding. Thus, to promote oxytocin and the positive emotions associated with it, Kit suggested that a secular society like HSS could hold group activities that are “psychologically safe, emotionally positive [and] mentally restful” – such as group singalongs and events for appreciating people (e.g., celebrating good deeds). Not so coincidentally, these suggested activities are typically part of the Secular Assembly.

On the flip side, Kit also suggested what NOT to do: namely, if social bonding is the goal, we should avoid turning every space into one for critical discussion and debate – a frequent temptation for opinionated humanists!

Other highlights of the programme:

  • Before the main Assembly, a group of attendees went on a guided tour of the Harmony in Diversity Gallery (HDG), kindly made possible by our HDG partners. Read more about the Gallery here.
  • For the first time at the Secular Assembly, live singing AND music! James, an HSS volunteer, provided skilful vocals and guitar to lead us in singalongs of Imagine and other classic songs.
  • A gratitude exercise led by Dan, Secular Assembly programme director, encouraged thankfulness and reflections on our interconnectedness.

Join us at the next HSS event, where we’ll continue to build the humanist community!

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Humanist society Singapore’s official statement on the pork meat parcel sent to Al-Istiqamah and a few other mosques Singapore

29 September 2025 by

1. The Humanist Society encourages a rational approach to human problems via informed and reasoned discussion of issues, backed by evidence and guided by compassion.

2. Reasoned discussion of issues is not possible when tensions are high between racial and religious communities due to deliberate inflammatory actions aimed at sowing discord in the country.

3. Recent actions by a Singaporean man to send an envelope containing a piece of pork with an offensive note to a mosque is deplorable. There is no value in such an action.

4. We support efforts to ensure a safe, stable and secular Singapore where freedom of religion is guaranteed and no person should be harassed just because of his/her beliefs.

Written by JY

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