Well here you go Lexi. No sweeping sweeping generalizations. Just one question.

Do you agree with teaching the quran to Australian school children?

Jayb,

As an atheist with a Marxist upbringing, not only do I not support the teaching of the Koran in state-funded schools in Australia, but I don't support the teaching of ANY strictly religious notions, as if they were gospel truth so to speak, in any such school - Christian, Jewish, Muslim or Callathumpian.

Or - in my advanced years - the religion of Marxism.

Yes, ethics and moral principles most certainly should be included in all school curricula - how people should treat each other as equals, what are the limits of state involvement in people's lives on the one hand, and the limits of our freedoms on the other.

Perhaps as well, children should, in their 12 or 13 years of schooling, gain some appeciation of how difficult it has been, over the centuries, to achieve some of those freedoms, and painfully place limits on sovereign, church and state power, so that children can get some idea of how precious the rights that they enjoy, actually are.

And absolutely, certainly, No. 1, all children should learn from a very early age that all people, male and female, of all ethnic backgrounds - or 'race', if Lexi likes that word better - have equal rights - no group has in any way any ascendancy over any other group.

Can we agree on that ? Lexi ? Poirot ? Uncle Tom Cobbley and all ?

Cheers,

Joe

loudmouth: And absolutely, certainly, No. 1, all children should learn from a very early age that all people, male and female, of all , if Lexi likes that word better - have equal rights - no group has in any way any ascendancy over any other group.

I would have added to "All people" "class & as in India, castes", as well. With "equal rights" I would have added "& responsibilities", but that's just me.

Does sit OK with you, csteel, poirot & Lexi?

Jayb,

I think "Silence was the stern reply."

But wait for it ! One or other will do their wounded goose routine :)

"Divert ! At all costs, divert !"

Cheers,

Joe

Loudmouth,

"Divert ! At all costs, divert !"

Did you loose your way around OLO, because you seem to have left a diverting mound of unrelated blather in another thread in another galaxy......

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=14784&page=0#256262

Good try, Poirot :)

Okay, back to topic - should religious rubbish be taught in state-funded schools, Christian, Muslim, Judaist, Buddhist, whatever ?

I'm suggesting that it is completely unnecessary in a modern, post-Enlightenment society. Secular values are adequate. Waddaya reckon ?

Cheers,

Joe