Is the UK still a christian country?

[woohoo]

It was a minor deflection, the main point was that in NI they had segregated education, with people calling themselves Christian, and the segregation of education is part of why the troubles went on as long as they did.

I understand what you are saying but I think more integration at school is the end result of communities mixing not the solution. I also think it's possible to have schools that are not mixed that still produce people that are able to go out in the world and be productive and nice to each other.

[bulltraderpt]

I understand what you are saying but I think more integration at school is the end result of communities mixing not the solution. I also think it's possible to have schools that are not mixed that still produce people that are able to go out in the world and be productive and nice to each other.

I take it you aren't in favour of purely 'free' religious schools here in the UK.

I am not and feel religion should be taught at home and not in schools, but that's just me.

[woohoo]

I take it you aren't in favour of purely 'free' religious schools here in the UK.

I am not and feel religion should be taught at home and not in schools, but that's just me.

No, don't get me wrong. I don't care for religion at all and for some people I think it's a crutch and for others it's a means of control.

But some types of religious school are pretty harmless, many parents send their kids there because they will get an education rather than find god. And if they do find god then it's not going to change their life much, in a practical sense.

I was trying to say that schools that mix are the product of communities integrating more but not the cause.

[glebe digital]

I don't think faith schools should be allowed, nor any truck be given to 'Faiths' receiving preferential treatment to public services.

Even the relatively mild approach of RME in Scottish schools is too biased, the kids get to hear all about 'mutual respect' (what a joke; Pakistan/India, middle-east, Ireland etc ring any bells?) but they never actually get told about Allah/Yahweh's requirements regarding genital mutilation or the endemic subjugation of women.

[NotAllThere]

I am not and feel religion should be taught at home and not in schools, but that's just me.

My mother (apathetic agnostic) taught religion for many years at an avowedly secular school.

There should be lessons about religion in schools, as it's still an important factor in society. But the indoctrination of religion (religious instruction) has no place in schools.

[woohoo]

My mother (apathetic agnostic) taught religion for many years at an avowedly secular school.

There should be lessons about religion in schools, as it's still an important factor in society. But the indoctrination of religion (religious instruction) has no place in schools.

I'm happy for it to be taught in schools if there is an element of critical thinking with the ability to examine all religions with a critical eye.

I don't think there is a chance of this happening in Muslim and some other communities. Certain religions will not allow their religion to be criticised. Is critical thinking taught at school now?

[woohoo]

I don't think faith schools should be allowed, nor any truck be given to 'Faiths' receiving preferential treatment to public services.

Even the relatively mild approach of RME in Scottish schools is too biased, the kids get to hear all about 'mutual respect' (what a joke; Pakistan/India, middle-east, Ireland etc ring any bells?) but they never actually get told about Allah/Yahweh's requirements regarding genital mutilation or the endemic subjugation of women.

There is an element that some religions are given a free pass. We overlook some of their practices and oppression, even in this country, out of some misplaced guilt or self blaming.

[NotAllThere]

... Is critical thinking taught at school now?

Judging from some of our members' postings, I'm not sure it ever has been!

[original PM]

1) Most funerals take place 3-4 weeks after the death due to availability of ministers/churches/crems etc. Muslim and Jewish funerals take place much quicker because the mosques/synagogues are set up to do exactly that.

2) No one is born believing in any religion - therefore if any group of people of a certain culture displayed certain attributes it is learned behaviour and therefore can be stopped or changed.

One of the problems in NI was stupid bigoted old men insisting on their right to march through down certain parts of town purely designed to incite resentment.

[Eirikur]

In a few billion years the sun will explode and consume the earth.

In in billions and billions of years our universe will just be a sea of photons.

It will take another 10 to the power of 100 years until the last black hole has been evaporated.

but after that not really a sea, if there are many cubic light years between each single photon