"Apostasy in the UK: on leaving a high-control religion"
This talk explores the personal and social challenges of leaving religion behind in contemporary Britain. Despite an increasingly secular society, walking away from faith especially from fundamentalist or high-control religious communities can carry serious consequences. Apostasy isnt just a private decision; it can lead to fractured families, lost friendships and, in some cases, total ostracism. Drawing on lived experiences, including her own journey as a former Jehovahs Witness, Dr Locke examines what it really means to stop believing in a world where religion still shapes identity, culture, and community.
Dr George Locke is a member of Peterborough Humanists, and previously ran Sheffields Caf Scientifique. She now works at Trinity College, Cambridge as an administrator. She is an active volunteer with Faith to Faithless, a Humanists UK programme that supports individuals leaving high-control religions. George is part of the programmes research team, and also organises peer-led support groups both online and in person. Drawing on her own lived experience of apostasy as a former Jehovahs Witness, she regularly speaks about the personal impact of leaving religion and the challenges faced by others on similar journeys.
This talk explores the personal and social challenges of leaving religion behind in contemporary Britain. Despite an increasingly secular society, walking away from faith especially from fundamentalist or high-control religious communities can carry serious consequences. Apostasy isnt just a private decision; it can lead to fractured families, lost friendships and, in some cases, total ostracism. Drawing on lived experiences, including her own journey as a former Jehovahs Witness, Dr Locke examines what it really means to stop believing in a world where religion still shapes identity, culture, and community.
Dr George Locke is a member of Peterborough Humanists, and previously ran Sheffields Caf Scientifique. She now works at Trinity College, Cambridge as an administrator. She is an active volunteer with Faith to Faithless, a Humanists UK programme that supports individuals leaving high-control religions. George is part of the programmes research team, and also organises peer-led support groups both online and in person. Drawing on her own lived experience of apostasy as a former Jehovahs Witness, she regularly speaks about the personal impact of leaving religion and the challenges faced by others on similar journeys.
Event Dates
| Date | Available Ticket Types | Ticket Price | Book Tickets |
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4th December 2025, 7:30pm |
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