Faith or indoctrination?

Quite!
Is blind belief good?
Or, are the 'Doubting Thomases ' right?
Does it matter so long as moral principles are adhered to
Or is belief in The Son of God essential for salvation?
If that exists?

I'm not sure if everyone who says the UK is a Christian country has the same perception of what a Christian country is but I think there is quite a lot of evidence that it is. We have a Christian state religion of which the Queen is head. The majority of people who identify themselves as members of a religion claim to be Christian. There are substantial numbers of members of other religions living in the UK but each of them is a minority. Christianity and Christian ideas permeate our culture, traditions and public and private rituals. This may not be acceptable to some people who object to the prominence of Christianity in our formal public life but saying it isn't so doesn't prove it isn't.

Ok! Was getting bored. Heads/brick walls etc!
Interesting point, Galen, I expect many of us would have to say the same if we approach the subject with an open mind.
Thatbags, your comment says it all and succinctly.

I would if I were you let it stand, we are not back in the classroom, where we have to explain to "MISS".
<LE SIGH>

If one has good ethics and morals, one's sorted for life, isn't one? As sorted as one can be anyhow.

Xpost, atqui. I was replying to galen.

Beyond that, does it matter?

Well at least I'm not the only one who has not 'sorted it out' at this stage of life!

I am a christened, confirmed, communicant! But the older I get, the more I question and doubt!
The ethics and morality of Christianity cannot be faulted.
But beyond that?

Whitewave made some very valid points about history and culture with which I'd largely agree. But Nonu I still don't know where you're coming from.
Repeating a simple remark doesn't actually expand or explain your point.
The comment was made earlier that indoctrination accounts for some pronouncements. Is that the case here? I'd hope that young people who've had a wider view of world religions might just be able to put forward a point of view of their own.

In the school where I spent the last 17 years of my teaching career, muslim children made up approx 15 % of the roll. In all that time the only child who was not allowed to take part in RME lessons ( or sex ed/ PSHE ) was a Jehovah's witness. However we invited mum to sit in on some lessons and assemblies and she admitted there was nothing that offended her beliefs. She agreed that her daughter could take part in some activities but drew the line at celebrations - including birthdays and St Andrews day as well as Christmas and Easter. They were scots born and bred. We didn't have this problem with muslim families.
One little girl -a muslim - was afraid to enter the local Christian church on a fact-finding visit. Granny had plied her with various scary stories. Mum and Dad were most annoyed when they heard and went home to put Granny straight.

I do believe we are a Christian country ! I do hope so anyway !

I think that when we say that this is a Christian country, it is because our laws have grown largely out of the Christian faith and our culture has historically based on a Christian outlook. I think that we like to think that this is changing with the input of other faiths, but not nearly so much as we imagine. After all. those of other faiths make for quite a small minority.

Nonu you've said that twice now. Could you please explain why / how my point about discussing the views of our neighbours in some way contradicts that? It's a fairly cliched remark so perhaps you'd expand on that in the present context. No comment about the 2-way process whereby non-christian kids learn a bit about Christianity?

Rather a result of indoctrination

Nonu thanks for your hugs earlier.
I'm not sure that multi faith teaching works both ways, although I agree with it, because other faiths do not hold a universal view and probably ask for their children to be excluded from RE. I remember a small Jehovah's Witness once inadvertently staying in class for carol singing saying "Jehovah wouldn't like it". now if that isn't indoctrination.......

Of course it doesn't do any harm. And they do learn it.

But it wouldn't do our children any harm to learn that there are actually other religions in the world - even in their own street!

We are a Christian Country, basically.

I agree with you, mcem. Throughout my 'vaguely Christian' education, no mention was ever made of any other religion or belief - there was just one Jewish girl in our class at Grammar School who was excused from Assembly and RE lessons and I don't think one of us actually thought to wonder why!

It wasn't until after I'd left school that I began to investigate other faiths, and I'm glad that my own GC will be given the information that was so lacking in my own school curriculum.

and here

one example

There has been a lot of talk in the media recently about whether we should stay a Christian country.

Who's talking about backing down? Is it utterly unpatriotic to be inclusive? Again I say, including facts about your classmates' beliefs and customs is not inflammatory. Works both ways maybe, in that muslim/sikh/jewish kids find out that Christmas isn't all about presents and Easter isn't all about chocolate!

We are still a Christian country, and I hope we stay that way. If the Christians back down, then we leave the door open for the muslims to take over. And I don't want that. And that is not meant to be racist. I am not racist.