I am a non church going person of Catholic/christian background and I have some serious concerns with regard to the hostility and violence between some religions (since the time of day).

I do not believe there can ever be peace until each Country choses a religion to be the main administrator and agrees on some basics.

There has to be a religion that leads in each Country otherwise things run-amok and there are continous power struggles. Different religions have always struggled to get on. Everybody should know where they stand!

I think that Chaplains are a good idea provided the schools are already funded and resourced to a level that doesn't create emotional and psychological problems in children.

We have to be very careful with this struggle for power as when the anti-discrimiation laws protect Muslims and not Catholics from discrimination it doesn't take a genius to work out who in the end will win.

Looking back 25 years and more, most public schools had a Catholic religion class and the involvement of the local priest.

In High school, it was done through the Catholic Schools and after hours for public students.

Most babies and children who are christened Catholic is normally followed by Holy Communion and First confirmation, for them to achieve this they must be tutored in passing.

It was attended by the student with parent consent.

Our current situations with teenage suicide rates and crime says that all the other methods are not working.

It is a small sum of money to aide Australians who are at a delicate age of development in world that is radically globalising that people are losing a base that has served the western culture well.

The cost is meagre for organising an intiative that was a part of the education system in the them good old days.

It can only assist the Australian parents of today.

There appears to be people that believe that making children by Catholic or some other christian faith will make people good and strong. These people should look at the people who have gone public about being abused by these churches who to this day, cover up their offending clergy.

I grew up in Catholics school run by Nuns and Christian Brothers. What I witnessed and experienced, was Christian Brothers telling students to hit others. Once while crutches, a handful of kids tried to lift me over the stairwell so I would fall over. I turned around to see Christian Brothers laughing at this act. Another student was hit repeatedly because the Brother did not like him. This was in the 1980's, not the 1950's.

I can not support this. This will only pit religions against one another which Howard wants as part of his theocratic fuedalist regime.

Mr Matheson sounds a timely alarm. PM Howard's actions are also unconstitutional (remember the Constitution?)- section 116 to be exact. But what else would you expect from the Howard who is dismantling our Constitution and sovereignty as commanded by his globalisation masters. His mate Bush has created a police state - are we next?

Spider

We are talking about school students, who will have the choice and access upon parental consent to attend religious classes within and open curriculumn.

I understand your mistrust as there are bad apples in every organisation.

Why did that Christian Brother dislike you?

I am pleased to see so many people writing in are actually focusing on the point here. Governments were not created to supervise our spiritual well being, but rather to create the necessities for our physical ones. Transport, Hospitals & Education....

It is not the business of Government to instruct us on which version of spirtuality works for the individual's "soul". Children have parents for guidance.

Regardless of which path a person chooses in life, only one thing really makes the difference. Treat others the way you like to be treated.
Religions throughout history have an appalling history of intolerance to any one else's views but their own. This is the major reason for keeping religion out of schools, because each faith believes theirs to be the one true faith, starting with the three major ones here in Australia, Christian, Judaism and Islam.
If anyone wants to see Christianity in all its ugliness, go and see Andrew Denton's God of My Side. The method of "pitching" (their words) religion is even spelt out in a workshop and one is encouraged to "get the kids young" with cartoons bible stories and Noah's lollies.

If I was young enough to have to worry about my child's religious instruction at school, I would not choose Christianity as a first choice. Lead by example is my principle in life. People of all faiths contribute with their taxes, why should any be forced to underwrite a system of belief which is totally alien to them personally.

Mary Walsh
www.yourchoiceindying.com