'These persecution fantasies are essential in this fight to infiltrate and poison schools. It is the petrol in the tank. Without it, they would have bugger all to work with.'

Sounds a lot like humanism. Where would they be without their persecution fantasies at the hands of those poor old 70 yo Christian volunteers that they beat up on and demonise.

I'm wondering if this guy is a Paul Keating sock puppet but he's probably too busy with Lend Lease.

I like your 'Niceness is overrated' blog. Good work! My cup of tea. It's funny how a guy who has posted 2 posts to my 'established user' 9 million, decides I am a troll and a sock puppet, when he has an agenda (atheist site) and I have none (besides amusing myself at others expense. But as I say, it's not too expensive for them because they always come back for more.)

I think mr Beelzebubba, it is you that lacks sophistication, in that you assume two posters who have vast posting histories you could easily look at are one and the same just because they have a sense of humour.

'Btw, i agree with the sentiments you expressed to TRUTHNOW78 - I have an issue with indoctrination programs.'
Yeah same poirot, if the guy bothered to listen he would know that already. I'm happy for the monopoly to be disbanded. But he's like that Monty Python skit where the guy's looking for an argument. Lucky I'm happy to oblige.

Surely the SRI teachers believe in sky fairies, but their message ain't exactly 'poison'. Comedy and light entertainment perhaps, but why are people so threatened. Maybe they're secretly scared His Noodly Goodness really exists.

PS Beez, it's so 1980s to think you're clever outing 'trolls'. We're all trolls these days. You're the only straight man left. I think you need a shag is all.

Houellebecq, Yes your quite right, I suffer from foot in mouth from time to time. Now! Just some news in, The ABC has just announced gay couples now have the same rights as heterosexuals. Well its about time.

Jewely, with this all concerned attention that anyone can read easily, I feel the wind has changed for a new course, and its great to see equal-opportunity stretch its wings and fly to new boundaries.

I understand the many great commitments one must cover in order to save face when the need arises. SRI in its wisdom has its points to which I don't fully agree, but who can have it all they own way. Well, and part of the many Jewely is a compliment to any intelligent mind with full respects.

LEA

Chrys Stevenson "I'm not going to bore everyone [already done] by refuting every one of your points."

No, please refute them, smartypants.
Or don't bother us with your presence.

The fact that a story made the newspaper indicates just how *unusual* that scenario was.
Note the only reason any child sat in was the lack of available staff.
So your real gripe shouldn't be the SRI classes themselves, but the lack of staff.

Jimmy Jones "You must surely agree that kids ought to be sitting around twiddling their thumbs for 8 hours a day in the library every day if it's beneficial. Are you really suggesting that??"

This is *one* class, smartypants #2.
One class.

McReal responding to: "Explain Joan of Arc.
"Explain the Sistine Chapel.
"Explain the Teutonic Knights.
"Explain Utah."

"None of these have any bearing in explaining civilisation today. "Deal with it.""

The question was explaining *history* without mentioning Christianity, smartypants #3 (why do all think you're so clever?)

"soccer balls .... cook pasta?"

"Irrelevant 'red herring' fallacy."

No it's not smartypants #3.
You guys firstly assert that certain matters are the responsibility of parents *only*, and complain about the *money* spent on religious education, yet find no problem with the government spending millions to teach children how to play musical instruments, do carpentry, cook food, play sports, learn foreign languages.

How on Earth are these subjects any less the responsibility of parents and how do you justify the public cost of these lessons and the equipment needed?

Jimmy Jones (still thinking he's clever):
"Joan of Arc is... what? What does that even mean?? I don't understand who or what this "Joan of Arc" is... the words are complete gibberish to me!"

Open an encyclopedia.
Then EXPLAIN "Joan of Arc" without any reference to, or knowledge of, Christianity.
Do the same for the Sistine Chapel, the Teutonic Knights and Utah.
Remember, explain *without* the C-word.

"Jesus would vomit on you."

Hate to see his response to you then.
I don't have to turn the other cheek or anything else written in the Bible.
I'm not a Christian.

franc hoggle "The one bit I could decipher.. reduced to gibberish through inability to address actual argument."

I express myself in perfectly clear English.
And you wonder why I call you a troll.

"To use a rugby analogy, you are too slow to play the ball so you play the man."

Look who's talking.

Jimmy Jones (still thinking he's smart)
"I've rethought my glib response to you before"

And propose another glib response.
"Given that you think library and playground time to study is beneficial, surely you must agree that offering playground study time to only some students disadvantages those children who choose to attent SRI?"

If they feel so, they can opt out too.

Dug (smartypants #4)
"What indeed has Islam given us Well the first thing that comes to mind is "Zero"'

And can you point me to the page of the Koran where any numeric system is proposed?
A hadith?
I asked what *Muslims* have done, not *Arabs*.
You understand the difference, right?

"Many of the teachings of Jesus were predated by similar ideas written in Eastern philosophy and religions like Buddhism and Hindu mysticism."

Irrelevant.
Jesus and his followers had no knowledge of this.
Nor does one need to today.
Christianity replaces Judaism, so only a perfunctory knowledge of that redundancy is necessary, and the Bible contains plenty of information about it.

Zoroastrians? What does it matter who invented monotheism first?
Each religion is a self-contained system.

"How irresponsible would it be if we let our children leave a modern education system as ignorant and ill equipped as you obviously are to deal with these cultures."

If people want to travel or interact with other cultures, it is *their* responsibility to learn what they need to know.
Our education system is supposed to prepare students for life HERE, in OUR society.
Our society is not Muslim, Buddhist or Zoroastrian.
It has been, and still is, very much Christian, whether you like it or not.

"Civilization"?
I didn't realize [sic] we were living in America.
No need to criticize [sic] my correct spelling.

pelican "You are the one advocating the forcing of SRI into the public school system'

I'm not 'forcing' anything.
It's already been there for a century.

"Do we have Islamic lunchtime classes, Bhuddist retreats for the weekends, Jewish teachings of the Talmud at recess."

Students can do anything they want in their *free* time.

And you're conveniently forgetting: this class isn't just for Christians.
*Any* religious group can have a class.

"There is already criticism of the failure of schools to raise the standards of literacy and numeracy"

So let's cut the sports, carpentry, cooking, music...

"I would be arguing the same if there were any 'actual' militant atheists pushing for anti-religion classes or Atheist classes."

What do you do in Atheist class? Sit quietly and not believe stuff?
Oh, you can do that right now!
By opting out of SRI!

"Christians disagree about many aspects of the Bible and interpretations. Whose Christianity do we teach?"

The same can be said of any other religion. Or indeed of subjects like history, science, art, music.

King Hazza: "On the note of what makes religious education different from sex education, metal work, PE and science"

Nobody is questioning the value of these subjects.
The question was, why are these considered appropriate for the state school system, and *not* the parent's responsibility, and both time and money.

Jewely "I want religion out of schools... I don’t want tax dollars going to specific religions for any reason in any public sector. I do want children to be taught generally about religions."

It doesn't matter what you want.
You want personalised schooling, then homeschool your children.

You live in a *SOCIETY*.
You have to put up with lots of things you don't like or want, because other people do like and want those things.
The majority of Australians (who are Christian) PAY TAXES.
But I guess it doesn't matter what they want.

@Shockadelic

JJ wrote: "Joan of Arc is... what? What does that even mean?? I don't understand who or what this "Joan of Arc" is... the words are complete gibberish to me!"

Shockadelic replied: "Open an encyclopedia. Then EXPLAIN "Joan of Arc" without any reference to, or knowledge of, Christianity."

Don't grasp sarcasm, do we sweetie? Anyway, your request is bizarre. Tell you what...

YOU EXPLAIN TO ME why you think children need to be groomed to praise God and fear Hell in order to refer to, have knowledge of or mention Christianity.

I don't think they do, but according to you it's essential! You're not a Christian though are you, so I guess Joan of Arc is "utterly indecipherable" to you too, huh?

"utterly indecipherable" my arse!! hahaha