Strelnieks

I read an editorial in a German daily earlier this week about the Aznar government moving to make Catholic religion classes in Spanish schools mandatory again (like they were under Franco's clerico-fascist regime) but I can't find any more about it in back issues of the same paper or anywhere on the net. Anybody know anything about this?

Strelnieks

Harpy

I read about it this week on the National Secular Society's site National Secular Society Scroll down to Spain's church-state separation under attack as forced religion is reintroduced into schools

It sounds bloody awful. Apparently children will need to pass examinations in the suject in order to progress to higher education.

"The Education Ministry insists that the "religious fact" course is "non-confessional"; it will include the history of religions and "prayer, the religious attitude, the individual in the face of mystery, and the fascination of religious faith.

A pass in one or the other religious courses will be essential to qualify for higher education - putting it on a par with subjects such as maths or science"

DMB

It's disgraceful, of course. I suppose it will hang around until there is a change of government and then it will be repealed. I'm really surprised, however, that this has gone through. Spain had seemed to turn its back on religiosity in recent years.

But then, most people think that the UK is very secular. But as well as the established church, the activities of the Rev A. Blair's government have been hugely in favour of state support for sectarian schools.

Carol Massey

Well I think it's a step in the right direction! Perhaps then children can learn that Mystery is a part of our beautiful life, and that religions are man's attempts to explain the mystery. How much more authentic is that then being taught by the church that religion is "TRUTH"!

Kintaro

To the P.P. : Remember, these are FAILED attempts we are talking about here.

Jayjay

I don't think it's such a big problem, if the law recognizes equal rights to all religions, including "none-of-the-aboveism". That's pretty much the system we have in Finland... in Junior highschool I attended "secularism" classes (or whatever you can call it) when others did religion, and got graded for it. That was one of the most eye-opening school subjects.

Toto

I sounds like there is some doubt that the "none of the above" would be a factual comparative religion class.

But perhaps it's all for the better. Many of the strong atheists I know are the product of Catholic education.

Philosoft

I don't see the connection. Why do we need to teach comparative religion to engender children with sufficient reverence for the "mystery" of life? Instead, maybe teach logic and critical thinking, which is orders of magnitude more useful in 99% of one's daily activities.

tensorproduct

Heck, in Ireland where nuns or Christian Brothers founded most schools, and still run many, classes in religion are mandatory for all of primary and secondary education. Of course when I say religion classes I actually mean Catholicism classes, because until the last decade or so, many schools would not allow children from non-practising Catolic families attend.

Carol Massey

I don't think I implied 'with sufficient reverence'. Those are your words there Philosoft.

Neither do I see LIFE as an either/or choice. I don't understand "instead". To engage the brain in its wholeness requires a communication pathway be established between the hemispheres, or perhaps a three-way 'polka' aka the Triune brain.