Kōrero: Atheism and secularism

The Lao family arrived at Wellington airport on 1 July 1983 as refugees sponsored by the Humanist Society's Wellington branch. They are, from left, Ratha, Chea, Phin, Prida, Sor Tho, Visith, Song Taing Muy, Chunn, Chunn's baby Satya, and Viseth. The family, who left a refugee camp in Thailand 10 months before, had had a four-year struggle to escape the Khmer Rouge and get to New Zealand. Humanists differed from rationalists in that they were more involved in humanitarian issues such as assisting refugees.