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In fact, a rich inner life of emotional fulfilment, connectedness to other people and the rest of the natural world, an appreciation of awe and wonder, and enjoyment of the good things in life, are not the preserve of religious people and never have been.

Some humanists in fact argue that to imagine a god or gods to account for these wonderful phenomena actually diminishes them and may itself be a shallow response to human existence and the wonder of the universe. They argue that a better appreciation of the human ‘spirit’ can come from a non-religious approach to life.

Humanists gain what some people might call a ‘spiritual’ dimension through fellow feeling for other humans and, indeed, non-human animals; they gain a ‘spiritual’ dimension through glorious music, roaring oceans and the intimacies of love.

The word ‘spiritual’ is a difficult one for many people because it has so many different uses today but if it refers to the inner life which enriches our existence, then those who do not believe in the supernatural have it as much as anyone else.