Help and general support for atheist students attending religious studies courses in secondary schools in the United Kingdom
| Atheism
Central for Secondary Schools Help and general support for atheist students attending religious studies courses in secondary schools in the United Kingdom |
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Where religious power comes from The celibacy of priests and nuns Atheist parent - church school A secular Jew and a former Moslem Tricks
of the trade
Links
page "Where knowledge begins, religion ends."
"So
for scientists and others who worry about the grip of religious faith,
I say continue to light a brighter candle and chase back the darkness." Edward O.
Wilson "To
be an athiest requires an infinitely greater measure of faith than to
receive all the great truths which athiesm would deny." Joseph Addison
1672-1719 "Men create gods after their own image,
not only with regard to their form but with regard to their mode of
life." The unbelievers among the people of the Book
(i.e. Christians and Jews) and the pagans shall bum for ever in the
fire of Hell. They are the vilest of all creatures. Koran, Surah 98: ayat 6
"Everybody who has undertaken
in the last 300 years to stand against the growth of scientific knowledge
has lost." Looking for Paul Gross the Canadian Mountie? Try here.
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Introduction 40% of the 16-25 age-group in the United Kingdom are either atheist or agnostic (Gallup - Telegraph, Nov 1999). Despite this, the needs and concerns of atheist and agnostic students are being ignored by religious education in the UK. Worse, they are often the subject of active religious discrimination. Religious leaders commonly abhor the decline in
religious observance on the basis that this leads to immoral behaviour.
In fact, Atheism Central maintains that there is no link between
moral behaviour and religious behaviour. It is certainly wrong to
teach children about religions and moral behaviour without also informing
them of sources of moral guidance outside religion. For those who reject
religion religious belief is contrary to common sense. They need to
think through a common sense path to the reasons for behaving morally.
Religious education classes should make it easier for them by looking
closely for reasons for moral behaviour that do not rely on a religious
foundation. Do not throw out the moral baby with the religious bathwater. The site has a twofold objective and has been under continuous development from its initial launch in February 1999. This is to demonstrate the following: FALSE: God(s) exist(s) TRUE: There is/are no god(s) TRUE: Atheists are as moral as anyone else,
atheistic morality is both possible and the norm and life is not absurd
or meaningless or worthless if atheism is true.
Please take the poll below - the reason for the poll will be explained when the tally reaches about 1000. I can't explain it now or the explanation may affect the outcome. Parents' support is also available at Atheist Parenting which is a discussion board. Although most correspondents are American the topics covered seem equally appropriate for atheist parents worldwide.
Newsletter - just send an e-mail to think@writeme.com with the word 'newsletter' in the subject line. You will receive up to 6 newsletters per year. If you would like to contact other atheists of school age please write giving your name, age and country of residence. Guest book opened 6th June 1999 Sign
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decribes Atheism Central as a 'Key Resource'.
Atheism Central
for Secondary Schools
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The Ancient Egyptian Goddess Bast was a female black cat. In early Christian times the Egyptian religion was alive and well - certain elements of it being well-known throughout the Roman Empire - so church leaders claimed that black cats were demons. This simple form of propaganda and misinformation is paralleled in the Moslem religion which spent much of its history in direct confrontation with Zoroastrianism. Dogs play an important part in the Zoroastrian religion and are treated almost as if they were human. Islam reacted against this by teaching that dogs were unclean animals. Although Zoroastrianism has ceased being a threat to Islam the teaching continues to the present day. Of course, there is nothing demonic about black cats, and nothing especially unclean about dogs. Meanwhile, superstitions persist about black cats and Moslem countries are deprived of guide dogs for the blind, drugs sniffer dogs and the like. Eclipses are famously associated with superstition and evil portents. What we do not understand can often frighten us. |
Last modified 22nd April 2001
Title: 'Atheism Central for Secondary
Schools' Copyright © 1999, Alan Urdaibay
Apologies for the title - I couldn't think of anything better.
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