[...religious belief is rational to those who hold by those beliefs.]

Of course it is, but is it actually rational? And it's very hard to determine which beliefs are rational and which ones aren't until we actually get specific about those beliefs.

[Where humanism falls short is in its non-acceptance of a God who can intervene in the 'logical' laws of nature. Without wishing to engage in intelligent conversation about such, they would rather focus on Sunday School-level arguments about bombs and war in the name of God as if it somehow proves that God is a nonsense.]

I'm not sure anyone has said "Religious people can be violent, and this proves there is no god". People generally don't believe in gods because no evidence has been presented to support such a belief. People cite religious violence to illustrate that religious belief can be dangerous.

[In that sense, theists are on a higher level of intellectual thought because they are able to think through those issues unemotionally and still manage to reconcile the idea of a Good God in the presence of (hypocritical) evil. This sort of 'critical thinking' is exactly what our students need to be trained in.]

That's not critical thinking. That's cognitive dissonance.

It is noteworthy that in the 1920s the Brits permitted religion based schools at government expense, in Cyprus. Well, we can all see the results of that little master stroke...

Poor old Tim, seems his shocktroops have yet to learn how to use the evil and ungodly Internet, or are they all just too scared to mix with the world outside the closed shop of the SU 'chappie' pages and General Jimbo's ACL forums for self-congratulation and Xtian backslapping?

But let's take a trip to Youtube, to see how the Godly in Noosa are shaping the lives of the young girls there shall we?

I've just watched a very informative video that confirms all the worst fears people have raised in this pair of articles.

Go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W-CnTcdFzQ

A woman calling herself 'Sunshine' speaks openly about the good fortune God has showered upon Christians by allowing them to get 'a foot in the door' in an ever expanding number of state schools in Queensland.

How? Via Hillsong's Shine program for teenage girls. This is really sad stuff, but underneath it is not as innocent as people like to make it.

This is what the other Wilson was writing about when he met with the Minister for Education to ask if our state schools could once again carry the mantle of secularity and drop the overt support for one religion over others.

This is serious recruiting material 'Sunshine' is talking about, done with Anna Bligh and Geoff Wilson's full knowledge and vigorous support.

Best if all dogma were left at the gate, and extremists were kept out of at least our state schools, if it is impossible to prevent them from running their own Christian madrassahs.

It's time for Geoff Wilson to send in 1000 words on why he supports Hillsong-in-state-schools, and explains why he believes Queensland should not enjoy a secular public education system.

And don't forget the disclaimer Geoff, your own Faith has no bearing on your ability to think straight as the Education Minister, advised by a DG who boasts her own religious beliefs on a state government webpage.

pericles, of course you're right. i don't for a minute expect Captain Preachy to actually return to defend any of his nonsense.

blue cross, that was a hell of a video.

WTF?

Just another case of the children
and parents of children in QLD
state schools being treated with contempt.

Indeed bushbasher and WTF, it is indeed.

But why do otherwise intelligent people like Anna Bligh and Geoff Wilson pretend there is nothing wrong with all this in our state schools?

Why is the Courier Mail only interested in beating-up stories about suspension levels in state schools and not investigating what actually goes on under the cloak of secrecy within the schools?

How come even the ABC radio and TV in Queensland is in-on-the-joke and keeping very silent about it?

Where is the Queensland Teachers Union, who have a very clear policy on supporting secular public schools still 'missing in action'?

And what about the P&Cs in all these schools? Do they consult with all the parents and students or are they all captive to a handful of evangelical extremists?

What does the president of the QCPCA have to say about all of this on behalf of those parents who are not happy to have their child/rens schools full of wide eyed evangelists?

The QCPCA also supports secular public schooling, although one could be forgiven for thinking the QCPCA was a breakaway extremist xtian cult with their track record so far.