Glossary

This glossary has been written to encourage debate and discussion.

It has been written from a Scottish perspective. This means terms used within Scotland may not have equivalent meaning when transferred to another part of the world. It has also to be remembered that terms are evolving and developing all the time and what is offered here reflects the discussions as it stands when this was written in June 2004.

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Glossary of terms
Hate Crime	A crime that is motivated by hate, prejudice, or intolerance of somebody's race or religion. This term is currently (April 2004) undergoing review in Scotland.
Hinduism	Hinduism originated over 3000 years ago. It is not a single unified religion and has no founder, single teacher, nor prophets. Hindus believe in a universal soul or God called Brahman. Hinduism is the world's third most popular religion, with around 900 million followers. Those who follow this faith are known as Hindus. About 80% of the population of India regard themselves as Hindus. Hinduism is the fourth most popular religion in Britain with around 400,000 followers.
Human Rights	Fundamental rights which belong to everyone by virtue of his or her humanity.
Humanism	A doctrine, attitude, or way of life centred on human interests or values; a philosophy that rejects supernaturalism and stresses an individual's dignity and worth and capacity for self-realisation through reason; humanism has come to refer to a philosophy that rejects traditional religious dogmas and usually theism itself. Although it is possible to be both a theist and a humanist, most who consciously use that term are atheists - secular humanists. This modern humanism is a direct outgrowth of the Renaissance Humanism.
Hun	There are three definitions associated with the word. 1. A member of a nomadic pastoralist people who invaded Europe in the fourth and fifth centuries A.D. and were defeated in 455. 2. A barbarous or wantonly destructive person. 3. Offensive Slang. Used as a disparaging term for a German, especially a German soldier in World War I and II. Though the word is often associated with sectarianism, the term Hun when used in a negative and derogatory way connects the term with Attila the Hun and barbarism. There is no religious association with this term.