Just in case of misunderstanding; in this sentence: <I'm sure many parents blithely think it "might even do the little buggers some good"> above, I was referring to religion in schools in general and not to the sentence that immediately preceded it.

This ‘open letter’ speaks of Australia as a secular state. I’m not sure if that is an official status or an ideal.

I know some countries call themselves ‘a republic’ and the word itself means many different things or perhaps nothing. If we are a secular state, then we need to carefully define it, and the devil is in the detail.

While I am happy to support this letter in some of its ideals, I think it’s a bit woolly around the edges, especially where people define the word secular slightly differently.

Can I ask someone who supports this letter: is the word ‘secular’ in the Australian Constitution or perhaps any other official documents

Dan Asks: “Can I ask someone who supports this letter: is the word ‘secular’ in the Australian Constitution or perhaps any other official documents”

I don't know if it's in any other official documents, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't appear in the constitution.

I'm also pretty sure that you knew this and that you were waiting for someone to point out Section 116 of Australia's constitution - which mentions freedom of religion - so that you could point out that this is all it mentions.

But what you fail to realise, Dan, is that Freedom OF religion also means freedom FROM religion.

I said what I said, and I meant what I said.

Secular can mean
* separation of state and church(es)
* freedom for religions (to not be suppressed by other religions or beliefs)
* freedom from religion(s)

I support the first two, and would hope the last option might only apply to education in state schools.

Secular is *both* a legal status *and* an ideal.

The mistaken belief that a single religion is correct in the absence of evidence is nonsense.

*first* the religionists submit a "true" one they can all agree on, and *then* it would be worth spending more than a few minutes debunking.

Rusty