I was very happy to read in both SvD and Dn that the Swedish government is to tighten the rules for teaching religious ideas in schools so that it will no longer be allowed to teach Creationalism as an alternative to the scientific theory of evolution.
I have written at length on the subject in an earlier blogg and I am very satisfied with this new ruling. I would like to see all religious teaching banned from schools. Schools are places where young people get some of their most important views on the world and if this is tainted by religious dogma then they can end up carrying this through their entire lives. Religion only pretends to teach tolerance and understanding and in reality teaches that one idea is superior to another on a moral and spiritual level and so people not sharing this view are therefore morally or spiritually inferior by definition.
How can you integrate foreigners from other faiths if they are allowed to be taught in religious schools only surrounded by others of that faith learning that their religious teaching is right and others are wrong? Only by having multicultural schools, where faith is not an issue, can you forge integration. The first generations of immigrants are always the hardest to integrate and need the most help. By the second and third generation though they can't help but become more influenced by the larger society around them. This is what happened with Muslims, Sikhs etc.. in Britain and I hope it will be true in Sweden too. Young British Muslims still go to the mosques but also wear the modern British clothes, listen to British music and talk about popular culture and British TV.
A sign of life
6 months ago
4 comments:
I'm not sure I totally agree with you. I hate the idea of having religion taught in schools, but I also have a hard time when certain things are completely outlawed from schools. Schools should be a place to discuss, and argue, and learn about everything from science to ideas (religion) and prohibiting it is a bit too big brothery for me.
Maybe I did not make myself clear. I have nothing against students learning about religions from a philosophical point of view, it is when a specific religion is taught as a moral, scientific or spiritual truth that I disagree with. This is best left to the churches, mosques, temples etc..
That makes sense. I misunderstood then. Learning about religions is key, but you're right. When reigion is taught as the end all be all there are just problems.
Forgot to add this in, it seems though that this ruling is aimed at the religious schools and that in the religious schools both evolution and creationism are taught. I think that if that is the case then students should be encouraged to discuss why creationism is taught and see it as part of the philosophical point of religion.
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