The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > Article Comments > Balanced ‘debate’ about religious education in Victorian Schools is missing in The Age > Comments

Balanced ‘debate’ about religious education in Victorian Schools is missing in The Age : Comments

By Lance Lawton, published 30/5/2011

Media sloganeering and spin is no substitute for public debate about religious education in Victoria’s public schools.

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. All
An interesting foot-note to this topic. While browsing the other day I came across the fact that Ian Harper is a board member of Access Ministries. It was from this site:

http://westerncivilisation.ipa.org.au

As far as I can make out the IPA is either the key outfit behind OLO or certainly a principal supporter of OLO.

The plot thickens!
Posted by Ho Hum, Monday, 30 May 2011 8:51:10 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Lance, this topic is clearly important to you however you have fallen into the same bear trap that you are pointing out.
Face facts religious ministers want converts that the only reason they are doing it. If they didn't then they would support having trained councillors instead of religious people, that anyone could access. Do you have children? would you feel comfortable knowing the only councillor they had access to at school was a wiccan priestess?
you are right about One thing religious people do have their own jargon which can be miss understood. What you're wrong about is who it's misunderstood by.
Posted by Kenny, Monday, 30 May 2011 8:54:47 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Kenny,
Any Chaplin who is serving in the Public School system merely to make converts as you claim is not doing his duty to society. Society functions on social values and not on religious dogma.

If you want to see a criminal rehabilitated you do not give him religious dogma of a denomination, you demonstrate the values of living peacfully in society.
Posted by Philo, Monday, 30 May 2011 12:50:59 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Lance,
The debate is about an unbalanced scenario, so the debate will reflect that.

The scenario is unbalanced in several ways -
* the virtual monopoly one provider has for two services into schools.
* the skewed pronouncements by that provider
* the distress felt by those who seek other services
* the distress felt by those who seek other providers.

To claim the language used negates the pronouncements by the service provider seeks to down-play the complaints. The language is valid in seeking a level playing field.

Throwing in some skewed bald assertions such as 'messianic atheists' or 'atheism is politically naked' only skews the debate that you very nearly channel and focus when you mention secularism they way you do.
Posted by McReal, Monday, 30 May 2011 2:14:51 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Words are important, but even more so definitions of words.

It is said that he who controls the definitions controls the debate.

With a compliant media, atheists feel comfortable they are able to control the debate. However, slogans will only get them so far.

Thanks, Lance, for raising this important subject. There is not enough real debate going around. Although this website is doing its part to try and address this.
Posted by Dan S de Merengue, Monday, 30 May 2011 2:20:24 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
"...it serves none of us well to lift an evocative phrase from a very specific faith context, and broadcast it in the public domain, without the most careful of research."

It would be hard to find a more open admission from a theist that they are, in fact, talking dangerous nonsense among themselves. What does it remind me of? Oh, yes, the Wizard of Oz: "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!"
Posted by Jon J, Monday, 30 May 2011 3:12:26 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy