Christianity is Outclassed

**Loki** · Monday, February 16th, 2004

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/m...requestid=2903

Christianity is outclassed
(Filed: 16/02/2004)

'Let the little children come to me," said Jesus. He did not add: "... but only after they have been encouraged to question their faith and made aware of the arguments for atheism." That is the proposal from the Institute for Public Policy Research, the New Labour think tank that is attempting to refashion RE lessons along progressive lines. Depressingly, it may succeed.

Education ministers are currently reading the IPPR report, entitled What is Religious Education For?, as they draw up national curriculum guidelines on religious teaching. The document wants children to be "actively encouraged to question the religious beliefs they bring with them into the classroom", and taught about fashionable alternatives such as paganism and environmentalism.

Its supporters argue that updating religious education in this way is a very different proposition from the militant secularism currently being imposed on French classrooms. But that is disingenuous. In reality, the report's proposals and the headscarf ban are both coloured by the bossy prejudices of the European intelligentsia.

This is, admittedly, a delicate area for liberals. How do they reconcile the desire to talk children out of their religious beliefs with their policy of genuflecting towards the cultural traditions of ethnic minorities, most of which are explicitly religious? It would be interesting to watch a right-on primary school teacher attempting to explain to a devout Muslim father why his child should investigate atheism. But that is unlikely to happen. The proposals are not directed at Islam: the impulse behind them - like the decision to ban prayers from graduation ceremonies at Edinburgh university, which we report today - is anti-Christian rather than anti-religious.

It is also authoritarian. It reflects the belief that parents who pass on the Christian faith are guilty of indoctrinating their children, and that it is the role of the state to stop them. The IPPR and its allies in the Government are not so much interested in promoting diversity as in replacing one set of orthodoxies by another: the joyless ideology of cultural relativism.

**gorgeousgal2k2** · Monday, February 16th, 2004

Most kids aren't religious anyway. i dont think there's any need for this.

I don't think any religion should be forced down people's throats though, including athiesm.

Kids definitely need to learn more about religions though and not just one. I think that Christianity being forced down people's throats is a reason why people become non-religious and hate Christians, which is kinda sad really.

**Milesian** · Monday, February 16th, 2004

Originally Posted by gorgeousgal2k2

Most kids aren't religious anyway. i dont think there's any need for this.

I don't think any religion should be forced down people's throats though, including athiesm.

Kids definitely need to learn more about religions though and not just one. I think that Christianity being forced down people's throats is a reason why people become non-religious and hate Christians, which is kinda sad really.

I wouldn't mind having went to a school were Christianity was rammed down my throat. Instead, my Catholic education consisted of learning about our RE teachers Jewish, Buddhist, Moslem and Hindu friends.

I don't think we learned a single thing about Catholicism. I only heard the word "Catechism" last week!

**Scáthach** · Monday, February 16th, 2004

I went to a Catholic school, and look how well I've turned out

**gorgeousgal2k2** · Monday, February 16th, 2004

lol we only ever learnt about christianity apart from a term in year 9 when we did hinduism, buddhism, sikhism etc and in year 7 when we did the jewish passover cos it was in the bible, and a few parts of the "old testament"...a few kids were very antisemitic. hmm I guess we should ave done a swap.

My RE teacher is very nice though, if a bit weird. I'm the only one doing RE in my year, and i'm enjoying doing christianity now for GCSEs.

I've hardly ever learnt about any other religion apart from christianity in my life, which didn't really do me much good cos my family aren't religious...

**sciath** · Monday, February 16th, 2004

Originally Posted by An Dearg Doom

I went to a Catholic school, and look how well I've turned out

Sure, you have become a spiritual daughter of Mahatmah Gandhi and Martin Luther King !

**Milesian** · Monday, February 16th, 2004

Originally Posted by An Dearg Doom

I went to a Catholic school, and look how well I've turned out

I think the best reply that could be given in this situation is as follows -

Originally Posted by Irish Nationalist

"...."

**sciath** · Monday, February 16th, 2004

Originally Posted by Milesian

I wouldn't mind having went to a school were Christianity was rammed down my throat. Instead, my Catholic education consisted of learning about our RE teachers Jewish, Buddhist, Moslem and Hindu friends.

I don't think we learned a single thing about Catholicism. I only heard the word "Catechism" last week!

Another victim of 70s/80s modern catechism ? :

**gorgeousgal2k2** · Monday, February 16th, 2004

My school is a catholic school milesian!

**Louky** · Monday, February 16th, 2004

I was in Catholic school when The Changes took effect and we went from learning Catechism and Church history to being taught, "Let your conscience be your guide," and listening to Simon and Garfunkel songs: "Hello darkness my old friend..."

I took them at their word. If my conscience is my guide, what do I need them for? My conscience turned out to be ammenable and there was plenty of encouragement to make a virtue out of vice out there.