"'I wouldn't go attend the funeral mass.' she blurted. 'I mean, I wouldn't take Communion at it. I won't, anymore, I should never have been confirmed. I've decided I'm of the Old Religion.'"
-SM Stirling, The Given Sacrifice (New York, 2014), Chapter Nineteen, p. 411.
I think that "decided" is the wrong word. We find that we believe as we do. Some parents tell their children what they, the children, believe, then get upset when the children say that they do not believe it. I think that this is entirely the wrong approach. Can a religion not survive by adult conversions? A Jesuit is said to have boasted that, given the child from the age of seven, he would answer for the beliefs of the man. No, sir! Or rather: No, Father!
I think that all children should receive a common education, adapted to the needs of individuals, and that any who want religious instruction should receive it in Sunday School or equivalent at the weekend. However, if religious groups continue to insist on running their own schools, then it would be both wrong and counterproductive to try to prevent them:
near us, in Lancaster, there is a Muslim girls' boarding school;
near my sister-in-law in Northern Ireland, there is a Free Presbyterian (Paisleyite) school;
near my sisters in Leicester, there is a Krishna Consciousness school.
I welcome diversity - and I prefer Krishna teaching karma yoga on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (see image) to the Evengelical Christ damning unbelievers. (By Vishnu, we are back to battlefields again!)
9 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I am suspicious and distrustful of any notions of a "common education" if that means government controlled schools and a curriculum imposed by the state. Far too often, in the US, public schools (in the American sense of the term) are ghastly. I prefer the "diversity" you listed, even if that means putting up with people you disagree with (as I would with Paisleyite Presbyterians and Muslims).
And I disagree with the choice made by Princess Orlaith. I simply can't take the so called "Old Religion" very seriously. Moreover, since I get the impression most of the people of Montival are Christians, wouldn't there be political REPERCUSSIONS from the heiress to the crown publicly renouncing the faith of most of her people? I would have expected some anger and alarm, including fears of a persecution of Christians by the pagans (however unlikely that was).
Sean
Paul and Sean:
I'm reminded of something one of the main characters in a certain webcomic said when his mother-in-law wanted to take her grandchildren to a religious service. For the record, I mostly disagree with the values of this particular character, because he's into Ayn Rand's Objectivism. But in this instance:
"I'm not really comfortable with that....
"I'm thinking about the kids.
"If they want to explore something as huge as religion on their own, that's fine.
"But I *don't* want them taken somewhere like that by an *adult* in authority, for the same reason I wouldn't take them to a political rally or something. They're just *kids*.
"I can't think of a kid belonging to a *religion* any more than I can think of them as belonging to a political party. They aren't grown enough to know better.
"Except maybe Abigail, who disproved the existence of *Santa Claus* when she was *five*."
Kaor, DAVID!
Very amusing, and all too typical of how muddleheaded and intellectually incoherent many people are these days when it comes to religion! How ELSE are children to find out anything about any religion if not from adults? In both good and bad ways. If we do it the way this webcomic character wished then children are more likely to grow up believing in nothing, not even knowing enough about any faith to rebel against it.
Sean
I suppose my position is that children should get a comparative religion course.
A basic description of the beliefs of a broad sample of religions. When possible bring in a believer in the given religion to explain his/her beliefs.
Right.
In school, pupils should be educated and informed about religion as a phenomenon.
Any specific religious instruction should be in Sunday School or equivalent.
Kaor, Jim!
I disagree. Far better for children to be raised by parents who believe in something. Preferably, of course, gently and with some stress on the fact that not everyone will agree with Catholics, Jews, Buddhists, etc.
Otherwise the most likely result will be the kind of muddleheaded incoherence David Birr discussed.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
But the parents can send their children to Sunday School or equivalent. Their right to do that has to be protected.
Paul.
Certainly the parents should tell their children what they believe and *why*. Including atheist or agnostic parents saying why they don't believe any gods exist. Preventing your children from learning about other beliefs would be wrong.
Kaor, Jim!
Of course! I've read works like the ANALECTS of Confucius or Mohammed's Koran. Frankly, the ANALECTS was far superior to the Koran.
Ad astra! Sean
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