Dear SteeleRedux,

I see what you mean and agree with you.

My husband was taught by the Christian Brothers
and it turned him off religion for life.

Whereas I who ended up in State Schools ended up
with a strong belief (- which I prefer to keep as a
private matter). I don't have a missionary complex
of any kind.

Actually, I don't believe religion of any type should be permitted to be taught in state schools. Naturally, schools that have been structured and financed by particular religious groups may teach what they like.

What I'd like to see introduced to all schools, both private and public, is a compulsory strand, embracing those areas, espousing non- sectarian, ethics and morality. And pigs may well fly before we ever see a government with the courage to introduce such an academic study ?

I wonder who the god deniers would like teaching ethics. Gillard on right choices, Thompson on the use of public finances, SInger on bestiality, Henson on child porn (sorry art). Maybe we would reap the society we have now. They could teach on how saintly humanity is in their own eyes except for conservatives of course. Then we could have Flannery teaching the evils of flying except for those on warmist junkets.

Sorry folks, a small bit of unpleasantness to attend to, please take no heed.

Dear runner,

Or perhaps George Pell might teach about 'taking care of our most vulnerable'. He might also be a smash on 'just outcomes', 'accepting blame', and 'responsibility'.

Whatever sins you see Hanson as doing they are just a pinprick to protecting child rapists so that they could go and commit their evil on other innocents.

Or do you regard the actions of Gillard, Thompson, Flannery and Singer as being more grave than the Christian child abusers?

Actually no need to reply, the answer is self evident.

Shame.

Apropos my somewhat feeble idea of teaching ethical and morality lessons in schools - naturally, no politician, nor members of any clergy would ever qualify to teach such subjects, they would first need to demonstrate that they themselves have a sense of ethical and moral behaviour, which prima facie, would prove to be a far too tortuous task, I'm afraid.

No religious body, nor any government of any political colour, would qualify to instruct these two vitally important subjects. Because without them, mankind is doomed to self-destruct within a century or two. So who exactly would qualify to impart these vitally important topics, who...?

Religion has very little to say about the beginnings except that God was behind it all, including He giving the sea power to produce sea creatures and birds "Let the sea produce" Genesis 1: 20, and giving the earth power to produce plants Genesis 1: 11 and animals "let the Earth produce" Genesis 1; 24. The only things produced out of nothing were the universe, including our solar system and the higher moral and creative intelligence of man.

Most of what is taught in religion is life examples and moral responsibilities, and a relationship to a higher moral intelligence.