>>might not be taught by the god deniers however it is a thousand times more rational than evolution (whichever version they are up to).<<

And right on cue we have runner, always happy to don his bit for the tiresome and pointless debate between science and religion.

Thanks, runner. What would the forum do without you?

Cheers,

Tony

sorry, that 'don' should have read 'do'

Cheers,

Tony

I would suggest we would be far more likely to see creationism taught in public schools before we are ever likely to see aliens anywhere, but both threads will generate plenty of discussion.

And isn't that what this forum is about...discussion?
I would hate to see any discussion thwarted on a religious basis.

Tony,

<<I'm not convinced it matter so much what they teach, as how they teach it>>

It's probably both --but it is more to do with what is taught.

Here are some recent examples:
1)"The Boat" by Nam Le is a collection of short stories from various locations around the globe. The lecturer zeroed in on one story which included the murder of a Chinese woman in a country town in Oz --the murder is only mentioned in about six lines of the story & in no way could be said to be even a major theme, even of that one story-- yet the lectures and discussions around the book centred on this one story which was held up as exposing white Australians racism and xenophobia.(Abbott's refugee policy also got a mention)

2) The film "Japanese Story" a Japanese executive/tourist visits Oz and drowns in the outback. Four critiques were endorsed --every one of those critics presented the film as an espose of white Australians racism and xenophobia (Abbott's refugee policy got a mention here too)

3) Another lecturer talking about the novel "Robinson Crusoe"saw great significance in the fact that Man Friday was portrayed as brown rather than African-black. According to her it was some sort of attempt to whiten things up. She was apparently unaware that the natives of the south Pacific were not African.

4)Another lecturer who had the name "doctor" as part of her title.Bemoaned the fact that Americans were still going on about the twin towers attack "It was outrageous". Yet she just loved to spruik American slavery, set Toni Morrison novels which usually include reference to slavery and cite W.E.B. Du Bois. She also professed that the British conquest of India was more destructive than any other--she obviously had no knowledge of the Mulsim conquests. (she also commented on Abbotts refugee policy)

And I could add more...

Now admittedly my examples are all from tertiary level, but with novels like "Rabbit Proof Fence" hot favourites, and multicultural days and sorry days being pushed I shouldn't think secondary would be any better.

As an old lefty, I have no trouble with considering Marx to be a product of the Enlightenment, and the Enlightenment a progressive product of a long and violent Judeo-Christian tradition.

While I'm a bit wary about teaching religious studies in schools, there certainly should be room for basic philosophy, ethics and morality, notions of justice and human rights, the nature of the universe, etc., from the earliest years, tailored appropriately for the age of children of course. As those important principles relate to the evolution of related religious ideas, then - good and bad - religion should be explained to children.

That would include, on the one hand, 'turning the other cheek', the good Samaritan story, 'love the sinner', attitudes to war and peace; and on the other, slavery in the Old Testament, and in the Koran, as it was practiced over the last few hundred years by ostensibly Christians and Muslims, and currently in much of North Africa by Muslims. Perhaps the notion of 'jihad' should be explained to children, the idea that non-believers (such as myself) should be put to the sword - perhaps children in higher years should be encouraged to ask themselves if lying and brutality are permissible in order to conquer the world and bring about one world under a god, the divine brought down to Earth, etc.

And for balance, yes, something should be taught about the massacres of out-groups in fascist AND 'socialist' societies, with parallels drawn about conquest-strategies between those 'Utopian' ideologies and more contemporary ones such as Salafism.

Just suggesting :)

Joe
www.firstsources.info

The common quite true statement
Do not pray in our schools and we will not think on your churches.
Is quite true and a good rule to abide by.