Uk, London - Metro today

[digital goldfish]

Two excellent responses to a someone's comments that teaching Atheism in schools in this country was pointless..

I love this country - I can't imagine a paper with a circulation of 900'000 printing this kind of stuff in the States...

Ok, so i wrote one of them, but still..

Emma Steer gives a traditionally blinkered view on atheism with her letter opposing its inclusion in the school curriculum.

There is no more proof for the existence of God than there is for Father Christmas or the Tooth Fairy, and children are entitled to be taught both sides of any argument, especially when there is an unbelievable bias towards a fictional bearded man.

I think schools do have a duty to morally educate, but a quick look at world news will show you that religious belief (of any creed) does not guarantee moral righteousness.

Denying children the ability to make up their own mind by refusing them half the subject is tantamount to brainwashing, and should be avoided at all costs

and

There are many reasons why people choose not to believe in God, and reducing Atheism to such a simple definition does not do the intellectual argument justice. Atheism has labels, just like the major religions, and includes, humanist, secular, and rationalist. These deserve an airing in schools, if not only for the reason that kids should be taught that not everyone believes in a God, and that an atheist position is entirely reasonable, as well as quite rational.

 

[iain]

Nice letters. Are you James or Ed?

Also in today's Metro

Gay Jesus could halt Jerry switch
Christian groups are threatening to derail plans to bring British musical "Jerry Springer: The Opera" to Broadway next year. They are unhappy about a Jesus Christ character who wears a nappy and says "Actually, I'm a bit gay." The show was a sell-out hit at the Cambridge Theatre in London.

 

[digital goldfish]

Thanks; Ed - i actually think James' was better than mine - I was trying no to be too contentious. The nice thing about the Metro is they really don't mind!