First let me make my position crystal clear I am an Atheist, I do not believe in God. This does not mean that I have no moral compass or spiritual leanings I just don't believe in one almighty, supreme being. I also have a deep mistrust of "organised" religion particularly when they are seemingly based on fear and superstition. However I have no argument with anyone who holds a different point of view, I guess the crux of my argument is that I feel religious belief should be a personal matter and not "sold" to the masses on the basis that ( whatever the denomination ) it is the only true path to enlightenment and fullfilment.
Now here's the hipocrite in me, for years I was uncomfortabe with the Churches role within our state schools, this being a throw back to the times when there was no state provided education and it was the Church that provided them. A few years back over dinner with some very good fiends ( who hold a different point of view to me ) we where discussing this very issue and the point was made that if the Church or other religious body was absent from our eductaion system, the only doctrine input into the system would come from the Government of the day. So having the Church involved, provides an alternative view point to the Government run Department for Education. I am now of the opinion that in the absence of any other non political institutions the church and therefor religion has aplace within the education system. I would add that this holds true whatever the religious denomination and also vice a versa in that the government should then be providing the checks and balances within religious schools who would perhaps seek to promote their own point of view above all else.
Rich, I'm not sure why you felt the need to enquire about the teachers nationality, surely this is immaterial, what is important is their qualification to teach the subject in question. Religious education (RE) is just that not Christian education or whatever. We should be teaching our childeren tolerance and understanding of other people beliefs and ways of life. Whatever our own feelings the country has changed and will continue to do so, our children like it or not are going to have to live in a multi cultural, multi racial society and they need to be equipped to do that.
Interestingly for a family that has no particular religious eanings all three of my boys did exceptionally well in RE.
Any way I'm off the soap box.
Richard
