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The Forum > Article Comments > The open secret of religious instruction in state schools > Comments

The open secret of religious instruction in state schools : Comments

By Hugh Harris, published 19/10/2016

It's long been an open secret that educators and politicians turn a blind eye to proselytising in faith classes.

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I hadn't known about this disgraceful behaviour.

Imagine if members of political parties were given access to young children in the name of teaching them about politics, and then presented their beliefs in such a coercive fashion.

This kind of brain-washing is not only morally wrong, it is anti-educational in that it encourages slavish submission rather than open thinking. No responsible education minister should allow it.
Posted by Godo, Wednesday, 19 October 2016 8:02:10 AM
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"It's long been an open secret that educators and politicians turn a blind eye to proselytising in faith classes."

The description 'faith classes' is the key to the problem.

Why attempt to teach faith? Isn't it better sense to teach the principles of logical reasoning?

Faith implies trust and belief in the unprovable, typified in the assumption of the existence of some divine being to which one is trained to owe moral or ethical obedience.

Youngsters would be served better by being able to learn how to sort fact from fiction, not by being herded into some system of spiritual servitude.
Posted by Ponder, Wednesday, 19 October 2016 8:03:51 AM
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Religion has no place in secular education.
Posted by Cobber the hound, Wednesday, 19 October 2016 8:26:11 AM
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Once upon a time, it was correctly called religious instruction. Now it sneaks in under the guise of some other name. As I recall, and it is more than half a century ago, there was a minimal amount of proselytising. There really shouldn't be any of this type of material presented to children until they have reached an age where they fully understand the distinction between faith and reason. That being said, it seems that even some adults (such as Runner) have not yet reached that position. The logical conclusion from that is that there really is no place for religious instruction in non denominational schools.

David
Posted by VK3AUU, Wednesday, 19 October 2016 8:41:46 AM
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There seems to be an opportunity to attract kids to the Christian denomination that usually provides the scripture/SRE.

Where data is available, it shows that about 25-35% of parents of families who attend QLD public schools self-describe as Christian. Yet ~75-78% of kids in those schools attend Christian scripture/SRE.

It seems many attend out of default ie. because there is no other alternative.

About 25% of NSW primary schools have Primary Ethics/SEE but even in many of those schools more kids go to "non-scripture" than attend 'Ethics' (because of a paucity of Ethics 'teachers').
Posted by McReal, Wednesday, 19 October 2016 8:47:37 AM
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Yes,

Evangelising = Proselytising

The Oxford online dictionary defines evangelise as: "convert of seek to convert someone to Christianity", or "Preach the gospel".

To proselytise is to "convert or attempt to convert someone from one religion, belief, or opinion, to another".
Posted by McReal, Wednesday, 19 October 2016 8:57:12 AM
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