Funeral celebrant and the director. A celebrant, by this definition, does not come from the standpoint of any doctrinal belief or unbelief. A trained celebrant usually operates professionally on the principle that their own beliefs and values are not relevant. An acknowledged pioneer of civil Celebrancy, Dally Messenger III claims to have officiated at the first funeral celebrant ceremony. This was in the sense that the client sought a service from Messenger, as a government appointed civil celebrant, and as a professional ceremony provider. There had occasionally been secular funeral ceremonies before this date, but they were extremely rare and informal, e.g.
Humanist Counseling in the Dutch Armed Forces a current total of thirty eight humanist counsellors. The counsellors adopt the humanist philosophy in their work, not imposing one’s ideas onto others. In this form of counselling, the person asking for help and his own views and ways of thinking are central. But the counsellors do try to contribute to the humanization of the armed forces, by creating a more dignified, humane atmosphere. Humanism is a life stance in which the human being is central. Humanists want to determine their life-choices themselves, assuming self-responsibility, and living autonomously, but in connection with others and the world around them. Humanist Counseling