Religious teaching

Press, 21 November 1979, Page 18

Religious teaching

Sir. — Churches and homes are the places where religious teaching should take place. The weekly halfhour scripture lesson in

State schools is worthless. Since 1877 the Education Act has said that State education shall be free, secular, and compulsory. . Now the Roman Catholic schools, finding costs too great, are clamouring for integration with the State system. They could go the way other schools have gone — secular. But a solution to secularism could be an Act of Parliament making it compulsorv for every healthy adult and child to attend a church, synagogue, or mosque for an hour or two on Sunday or Saturday, and another "hour during the week. Homework will be set from the textbooks — Bible, prayer book, or Koran. Failure to attend will be punishable by fines or hours of community work. This system worked in Elizabethan England. (Read the Preface to the Anglican Prayer Book.) Freedom of worship and belief? Yes, but not freedom to stay away. — Yours, etc., R. BURNS, Lyttelton. November 19, 1979. Sir. — I am sorry to disappoint A. Delhanty (November 19), but as well as being a non-believer, 1 also have the audacity to class myself as a caring parent. Religion is, and always hasbeen a matter of personal choice regardless of denomination, and it is my personal right to choose whether I remove my child from this “lesson” or “enlighten” her. To be taught that everything she has ever had, will have or is ever likely to have is due to God alone, without any due regard for anyone else’s action, care or involvement, to me is a ludicrous sense of values, and one which I am sure she will be far more “enlightened” doing without. To learn honesty, respect and have consideration for the thoughts and actions of others can all be translated without the need of religious involvement, or is this being too realistic? — Yours, etc., MRS JOAN M. THOMAS. November 19, 1979.

Sir. — Many a fool has not the brains to realise that he is a fool. It takes one fool to recognise another fool. Jesus of Nazareth is not "mythical” but satisfies every test applicable to past personages. Authoritatively he revealed: “Whosoever say, you fool, shall be in danger of the hell (Gehenna, not Hades) of fire.” Napoleon I said he built his empire on force, but Christ on love, and' many would gladly die for him. Pouring over telescopes we do not even know that our total observed cosmos is even one trillionth (English notation) of the universe (meaning?) “Astronomical science” does not help us to love our enemies; do good to those who use us. Both Galileo and his fellow religionists erred, and astronomers still boob. Earth-wide, age-long, religion is always a powerful force in man’s affairs. — Yours, etc., STAN WOOD. November 19, 1979.

Sir, —- I accept the religious instruction my children receive at school. They seem to enjoy it. My acceptance received a blow a few weeks ago when the older children were agog with the news that my youngest had gone into the Catholic class. Apparently, at many schools Roman Catholic children have separate instruction from Protestant children. My children obviously felt that the Catholic religion was.

something to be in awe of. My son had simply gone in to find out what the Catholic children did that the others were not allowed to see. Is this 1 ally Christianity to divide one group from another when all they need to be taught are the basics of Christianity? This pracshould be abolished. — Yours, etc., H. GILES, Rar.giora. November 15, 1979. Sir, — New Zealand may consider itself multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, according to Sandra M. Legge (November 16) but such expressions are meaningless unless based on the teaching of scripture, which adequately covers all aspects of the moral and social behaviour of man. Without such a foundation installed in the lives of adolescents the high crime rate will continue and marriages will break down. The laws of this country are sound because they have this sure foundation. Christianity is pre-eminent because the author is God. The children should not be deterred from this trustworthy foundation for living. In the bookshops are a good variety of children’s Bibles. beautifully illustrated. — Yours, etc.. A. DELHANTY. November 18, 1979. [This correspondence is now closed. — Editor.]