Should the state fund faith-based schools for children? Ignoring questions of law, is it a good idea for the government to provide financial support to schools that are then free to discriminate on the arbitrary basis of what imaginary friends their parents happen to (profess to) believe in?By the tone of my introduction, you can probably already surmise my position on the issue...
In the following eye-opening documentary, Richard Dawkins courageously explores the philosophical, social and practical implications of the religious indoctrination of children, challenging the long unquestioned faith in faith, and demonstrating that, while presumably attempting to induce a sense of social identity and community, religious education can just as easily foster an egregious and dangerous sense of us-vs-them mentality, and a complete abandonment of reality.More troubling perhaps is the fact that religious education very deliberately permeates and distorts other disciplines (like science, health and sex education, for instance) that ought to remain purely secular subjects of study. The simple and serendipitous example shown in the documentary ought to give everyone pause.
When a "science" teacher doesn't know how to answer such a basic scientific question, she should tell her students she doesn't know what the hell she's talking about... and either she should learn the science or stop being an 'educator.'
Ignorance shouldn't constitute license to indoctrinate and brainwash minds that are too young to question the bullshit ideas presented to them by irresponsible adults... yeah, I'm pissed off!
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