Children Should Learn More About Atheism, Cults, and Less About Jesus Says Govn't Think-Tank

Raider News ^ | February 15, 2004 | Melissa Kite

[NYer]

The teaching of religious education in schools should be renamed spiritual education, with children being taught more about atheism and less about the life of Jesus and the 10 Commandments, according to the Government's favourite think-tank.

The lessons should be widened to include "non-religious belief systems", a report by the Institute For Public Policy Research says. It calls for equal weight to be given to agnosticism and humanism as is given to Christianity. Children should also be taught about cults such as the Baha'i, made famous by the government scientist Dr David Kelly, paganism and even environmentalism.

The report, What Is Religious Education For?, is being considered by education ministers as they draw up the first national curriculum guidelines on religious instruction.

Some of the report's conclusions will provoke controversy. Instead of accepting the 10 Commandments, children should be taught to question the plausibility of events and teachings in the bible, it says. Rather than referring to God, they should be taught that there is a "divine being whose moral judgments are significantly more reliable than ours".

"From the age of five, children should learn that there are people who do not believe in God, the afterlife or the power of prayer or that the Universe was created," the report says. They should also be told from an early age of the alternatives to marriage and that there are non-religious ways of marking momentous experiences. A heavy emphasis would also be given to educating children about Islam to guard against what the think-tank regards as a growing phobia in schools towards Muslims.

Children with strong religious beliefs would be encouraged to question them and to ask what grounds there are for holding them. "Pupils would be actively encouraged to question the religious beliefs they bring with them into the classroom, not so they are better able to defend or rationalise them, but so they are genuinely free to adopt whatever position on religious matters they judge to be best supported by the evidence."

It is understood that the report is being considered by ministers at the Department for Education and Skills as they draw up the first national curriculum guidelines for what should be taught during RE. The department intends to consult teachers and academics during the summer. But the IPPR's ideas are likely to be among the most influential of the contributions received by ministers as they draw up the new guidelines with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

The New Labour think-tank has a history of producing schemes that have become official Labour Party policy. Its former director, Matthew Taylor, is head of policy planning at the Number 10 policy directorate.

Its advice on RE, however, was criticised yesterday. Gary Streeter, a leading light of the Conservative Christian Fellowship, said it was a step in the wrong direction to jettison Christianity at a time when 75 per cent of British people described themselves as Christian.

"What is there to learn about atheism?," he said. "If there is anything, it could be learnt in five minutes, whereas Judeo-Christianity has sustained us for 2,000 years. We need Christianity in more detail not less."

[Corin Stormhands]

Children Should Learn More About Atheism, Cults, and Less About Jesus Says Govn't Think-Tank

Government Think Tanks should learn more about me.
- Jesus

[Salvation]

The Bible has lots of stories about unbelievers. Why would anyone need anything else?

[SandRat]

Our British Cousins should insist at the polls that the Magna Carta and the charter for Parliament be followed. The Twits from the left, be they pale pink of crimson red, can go bugger off!

[NCC-1701]

"...Children Should Learn More About Atheism, Cults, and Less About Jesus Says Govn't Think-Tank..."

By all means teach them about cults. JIm Jones, the Branch Davidians, the cult that committed suicide to go ride a spaceship a few years back, Charles Manson. The list con go on forever. Let them be taught the utter failures of the cult lifestyles. What are the "think tank" members drinking or taking? For them, a nice cool glass of Kool-aid would be nice.

[Unam Sanctam]

Perhaps the American way is better -- no religious education at all in public schools.

[Triple Word Score]

Stunningly scary. I thought this had to be parody....

[hocndoc]

Children should learn the religious lessons their parents want them to know. In my house, we learn about Jesus and Christianity.

[Lady Eileen]

bttt

[searchandrecovery]

A heavy emphasis would also be given to educating children about Islam to guard against what the think-tank regards as a growing phobia in schools towards Muslims.

A heavy emphasis should be given to educating think-tank employees about Christianity to guard against what I regard as a growing phobia in schools (and the courts, the media, and government) towards Christians.

[kenth]

The fine folks in government are trying to give you a couple of choices. Either let them teach your kids about Islam, "humanism", etc. as an alternative to Christianity or forget about anything remotely resembling Christianity allowed anywhere near a school, even if practiced in private by the children.

[lafroste]

Fine. It's about time the secular humanists were called on their beliefs. Lumping their philosophy into the ~spiritual~ realm could be the first step in fighting the intrusion into the public pulpit.

My initial reaction was similar. It may be viewed as progress that secular humanism and enviromentalism are at least being acknowledged as belief systems instead of fact.

You are exactly correct that if once defined as religious beliefs based on (some wierd perversion of) faith, then they can be fought with the same weapons used to attack Christianity. The good news is that God is a lot more enduring than these bozos, and the truth will out. The bad news is that, usually, before the truth wins many, many people die.

[Buggman]

It calls for equal weight to be given to agnosticism and humanism as is given to Christianity.

They get state-imposed humanism the other five periods a day . . . if anything, the faithful of all religions should be demanding equal time from that, not the other way around.

Children should also be taught about cults such as the Baha'i, made famous by the government scientist Dr David Kelly, paganism and even environmentalism.

It's nice to see that they're finally admitting that enviromentalism is a religion, not a science. Can we get it banned from our schools now?

[Aquinasfan]

Children with strong religious beliefs would be encouraged to question them ...

This has always been one of the objectives of compulsory schooling, going all the way back to Fichte's Prussia.

[Aquinasfan]

You might want to check into Seton.

[Vic3O3]

Bad News ping...

[Deo volente]

"A heavy emphasis would also be given to educating children about Islam to guard against what the think-tank regards as a growing phobia in schools towards Muslims."




Suggested lesson plan:

"Children, today we will begin our lessons on Islam. The radical Islamofascists want to kill you, your parents, and everybody else in this country. I know you're afraid, and that's good, but don't be too afraid. We are fighting back, and they are on the run. Someday, they will be defeated, and we will again be able to live without fear."

"Tomorrow, we will look at what happens in a typical mosque, and listen to a few sermons preached there."

[martian_22]

Sounds like another transplanted Soviet-style think tank. This certainly doesn't work for the public good, IMHO.

[ican'tbelieveit]

"The New Labour think-tank"

Says it all

[XEHRpa]

> Children Should Learn More About Atheism, Cults...

Sure... I'm all for this... as long as what they're learning about atheism and cults is how they're in for eternal damnation.

[MasonGal]

add me to your list - thanks!!