Knowledge of Religion
May 13, 2011
Dear Editor,
We teach our students about religion - Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism. Religion is a powerful factor in the lives of most humans. To know nothing about it is to be ignorant indeed - a poor basis for future understanding and co-existence.
But we've got the teacher unions wanting to ban religious education, and others wanting to use it for conversion to a particular faith. What is needed is a recognition of the phenomenon of religious belief, an overview of the beliefs, a display of respect and tolerance for others' beliefs, and also an acknowledgement of atheism as a world view.
The teacher should leave it open as to what the student or his or her family believes.
Philip O'Carroll