[url=http://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2012/01/government-takes-action-to-combat-creationism-in-free-schoolsYes![/url

[url=http://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2012/01/opus-dei-to-open-new-catholic-schoolsAnd in other, related news: more schools for the children of the Ruth Kellys of this world.[/url

If money is the root of all evil, is it just a coincidence that religious groups always seem to be awash with the stuff?

It rather amuses me that they do seem to ignore that stuff about camels and eyes of needles.

If only they took such a blase attitude towards homosexuality.

Oh, but [ithat's[/i important!

And what does this mean if not indoctrination?
"[iit is announced that they will be "run with a distinctive Catholic ethos according to the charism of Opus Dei". The organisation will provide the chaplain, RE teachers and "doctrinal spiritual advice[/i".

"Why do secularists feel threatened by religious belief?" © SaintsFan

That certainly offers some hope that Intelligent Design will be kept out of free schools science classes. However, I wouldn't put it beyond creationist pressure groups trying to have the same strengths and weaknesses of evolution arguments inserted in the science curriculum that similar groups in America do.



Quite how the catholic church can be deemed fit and proper to run a school is beyond me. Has it not been clearly shown that when the poop hits the fan, they put their own reputation before all other considerations.

I wouldn't trust them to run a bath.

Indeed. It's but a battle in the greater war.



Indeed.



I like that. I may have to borrow it.

[url=http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-an-establishment-dilemma-6290191.htmlIt seems that the CofE want all the benefits of establishment, but none of the responsibilities.[/url

Frankly, I don't think the CofE knows what it wants.
It seems unable to resolve any issue with anything other than a wobbly fudge.

But I know what I want ... Disestablishment NOW !

For anyone who's interested:

[url=http://www.humanism.org.uk/news/view/965A small victory.[/url

So, church schools are not quite as inclusive as they'd have us believe then?

[url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/mar/05/church-schools-shun-poorest-pupilsChurch schools shun poorest pupils[/url

You're a socialist who lives with a socialist and you DON'T know the answer to this question?

I thought I'd resurect this thread rather than start a new one.

[url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/25/catholic-church-schools-gay-marriageA story about the ****ing Catholic Church trying to indoctrinate children[/url

My girlfriend attended catholic high school, and is still at sixth form there (sixth form is officially completely church free, but isn't really as it's all the same staff and building). She's not Catholic as, I believe, every religious school has to let a few students of different faiths in. The way she was spoken to/treat by the Catholic teachers was atrocious, she was heckled in RE for openly admitting being an atheist, was glared at by students and staff alike when she had to approach the front at the termly mass with a hand across her shoulder to show she wasn't baptised(or something like that). Every science lesson also ended with "scientists say this but we know if they are right, God made it happen" The way they treat kids in general isn't good either, results driven with no regard for a childs happiness. The motto of a catholic school on The Simpsons comes to mind; "Jesus suffered for our sins, now it's your turn".

All in all, I don't agree with religion in the classroom as it usually attempts to blur or blatantly disregard the truth. I haven't read the whole thread but I did read a few of the linked articles on the first page. speaking as a college student studying physics and chemistry, that one by the head of a science department is genuinely scary. Did he buy his degree online?

<REMOVED - Inappropriate language in link.>

Richly deserved it is, too.

Hateful sh¡ts.

So now the police are on to them their looking at different ways to children?

Join the campaign to keep the bishops away from a reformed HoL

[url=http://holyredundant.org.uk/how-you-can-help/Holyredundant[/url

[url=http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/catholic-schools-launch-%2527eurgh%252c-benders%2527-petition-201204265166/The Mash's view of the bender's petition[/url

'Give me a child until he is seven – and I will give you a homophobe.'

But the Catholic Church [iisn't[/i homophobic. They said so. They just think that homosexuals shouldn't be allowed the same rights as 'normal' people. And that their behaviour is perverse and unnatural. And that they're all going to hell. But other than that, not at all homophobic.

I was working with a religious type who said they can be homosexual they just couldn't act of those feelings.

Nice.

That used to be (and probably still is) my mother's approach. At least she pretty much seemed to accept that homosexuals are born, if you will. I really used to hear the 'God made Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve' thing, plus comments about how 'dogs don't do it'.

Both of which (if one believes in a god who is creator) are therefore false.

My father's improved a bit, but as I've said before, it's not that many years ago that I was sitting in my parents' living room when my mother said, pretty much out of the blue and with a slightly nervous titter: "Well we know it's wrong, but at least you know what men do, but what do lesbians do?"

I managed to skate over that. In her seventies, if she couldn't think of just a couple of things, then I wasn't going to start broadening her horizons. It's actually rather sad, really.