Happy Atheist Forum

In New South Wales the Government is trialling a new ethics class which "would let children who did not take scripture class examine ethical issues, but without an overarching theology" - and the Christians are fuming:

THE Bishop of North Sydney has urged Anglican priests to collect information from principals of public schools to stop the spread of the secular ethics classes the Sydney Anglicans believe may threaten religious education.

Dr Jensen, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, said ethics should not be offered as an alternative to the Bible. He said the trial had been "rushed through" and complained that it was not easy to be heard in the debate about the trial, because of "countervailing forces that may be less scrupulous in putting their case".

http://www.smh.com.au/national/educatio ... -s7pp.html (http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/bishop-enters-battle-against-secular-ethics-classes-20100413-s7pp.html)


The Christians are trying to stop the spread of ethics because it is a threat to religious education, The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney says "ethics should not be offered as an alternative to the Bible" and implies than anyone who disagrees with him is "unscrupulous". Does this attitude tell us anything about whether or not Christianity promotes ethical behavior?

People thinking for themselves? No over arching structure of control and oppression making up their minds for them? MADNESS THAT WAY LIES!

Everything threatening religious education is very fine in my book. Over here in Germany, ethics classes are a national law, by the way - if you opt out of religious lessons in school, you get to join ethics classes instead. The system works very well.

That would be unethical of them.

Ethics classes should be compulsory, regardless of whether one takes religious classes. Probably more so if one does. That and critical thinking (http://www.freeinquiry.com/critical-thinking.html) and scientific method.

Wow, the Anglican Church in Australia is shameless! I hope Australian parents don't allow the narrow interests of one particular religious group to deny children the chance of secular Ethics classes.

The way I see it, it's our (by "our" I mean the free thinkers who are promoting these non-theological ethics classes) responsibility to turn it around. If theists start fuming, as is apparent, we say, "If you believe that our system of morals and ethics stems directly from God, then what's the harm? By all rights, learning about how to be a good person should bring these children to God one way or another, shouldn't it? Do you have that little faith?" It's necessary for us to switch to, quoting Busta Rhymes, "flipmode."  

Theists win

Complaints put brakes on ethics class trial

VERITY FIRTH is refusing to guarantee a 10-week trial for secular ethics classes will start next week in state primary schools as expected, after a flurry of complaints from religious leaders.

A spokeswoman for the NSW Minister for Education yesterday said getting the curriculum right was ''more important than the timing of the trial''.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/educatio ... -skfy.html (http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/complaints-put-brakes-on-ethics-class-trial-20100416-skfy.html)

Quote from: "Albino_Raptor"Everything threatening religious education is very fine in my book. Over here in Germany, ethics classes are a national law, by the way - if you opt out of religious lessons in school, you get to join ethics classes instead. The system works very well.

I like the sound of this structure. Is opting out of religious classes a common occurrence?

Quote from: "Dretlin"Is opting out of religious classes a common occurrence?

I doubt it; they're sooooo much easier.  


/interjection

Quote from: "elliebean"

Quote from: "Dretlin"Is opting out of religious classes a common occurrence?

I doubt it; they're sooooo much easier.  


/interjection

ha