In Britain there are “faith” schools where children are deprived of the chance to swim, make art, play a musical instrument, own a camera or read Harry Potter; schools where girls are taught that future husbands are entitled to beat them; where pupils don’t know the difference between sharia and English law, and where they learn that a woman’s job is to stay at home and clean and look after the children. In some muslim schools boys and girls are segregated in the playground. One six-year-old boy believed he would “go to hell” if he studied music, according to an Ofsted report.
It is time to scrap taxpayer subsidies to these religion-based schools. I am all in favour of instruction or discussion about morals and ethics to get children focused on a good and honourable life. But taxpayer money should not be spent on medieval tribal beliefs that set men over women and encourage lawbreaking. The British people have been easy-going and tolerant, as they should be, but the huge up-tick in religious extremism is a threat to the national peace of mind and social cohesion, something that applies across Europe. Worship what you like, but don’t ask your fellow citizens to pay for it. Above all, children should be encouraged to think for themselves.
I went to a school where we had chapel every morning and a lot of religion. It did no visible good, even as I went through a teenage religious period that had more to do with loneliness than belief. The level of bullying in that school made Tom Brown’s Schooldays look like a holiday home. Maybe we were all subtly imbibing morals, ethics and how to treat others, but if so I remember nothing of that important psrt of life. And that was liberal and open-minded in comparison with reported goings-on in muslim and extreme orthodox jewish schools.
As someone who went to an Anglican school for 5 years, I can honestly say that religion has absolutely no purpose in education. We were taught that creationism and evolution were nothing more than two competing theories, that atheism was intolerant and that we would go to hell if we didn’t believe in Jesus. We were also taught that ‘faith’ (read belief without evidence) is a good thing. Atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens were slandered. The Christian Union was an official part of the school. It received support from the teachers, and had the right to hold assemblies. There were prayers and a bible reading at every assembly.
If people want to practice their religion at home then that’s fine but please don’t bring it into the school or any governmental organisation. It threatens the principles of secularism that guarantee religious equality.
Brilliantly put. I absolutely agree with you. These people have no right to treat children in this manner. Supporting creationism? Calling atheists, of all people, intolerant? Why are there not more people who subscribe to Epicureanism?
The reason why people don’t identify with Epicureanism (assuming they’ve even heard of it) is because philosophy is seen as a subordinate discipline: too subjective to be scientific yet in too constant a state of flux to command the sanctity of religion. In reality, modern educationalists are confined by their hubris to realise the profound teachings and practical advice that philosophy can provide.
Instead of being taught facts about religions they probably don’t even care about, children should be able to choose to participate in practical philosophy classes. These would be fun, easy-going and accessible. They would not be forced on children to prevent anyone who was genuinely uninterested from partaking. These would be far more interesting than any religious ‘studies’ (indoctrination) class.
Hello. This is my first time commenting on this site, but I definitely know where you guys are coming from. I went to an Evangelical Christian school. It was a very conservative church that viewed all other religions, including other Christian sects, as false churches, and told us that we should not associate with anyone outside our church. We watched Kent Hovind’s videos in science class, and were taught that the Earth is 6-8,000 years old and that evolution is a lie.
Nothing good came of it. It didn’t make me or anyone I knew more moral. In fact, the god I was raised to believe in was hardly a good role model. I recall opening my illustrated Bible book for kids and seeing a picture of Abraham preparing to kill his son on an alter.
But even if they did teach good morals (some churches are better at that than others), it is no excuse to deny children science, or to raise them in almost cult-like exclusion from others.
Thank you for taking time to tell us this. I entirely agree with you and hope you will take part in more discussions. I would like to think this is a rational, common sense blog that reinforces the best instincts of thoughtful people, who want to live a pleadant, fulfilled life, respecting others and being respected in return.