Religeous intolerance

Ilovecheese

I am a Catholic who is secure enough not to be offended.

You are indeed fortunate. Have experienced blatant anti Catholic bigotry and sectarianism first hand? I have.

Chewbacca

I'm shocked that there is currently an active thread on this forum that's openly anti Catholic. It's clearly caused huge offense and distress to several posters but the thread remains. If, every time the word "Catholic" had been used, the word "Islam" had been used instead, it would have been removed days ago.

This is true.
I was surprised by some of the comments on it. I had thought that the anti-Catholic feelings had gone away years ago, but apparently not.

suziewoozie

I couldn’t disagree more - all religions are not equal. They are not equal in how they treat women, gay people, disabled, people and poc for one thing. But it’s not even as simple as one religion having better standards than another but about how the values of different religions measure upto the values of the society in which children are being brought up. Beliefs about blasphemy for example need to be examined ( as I think this teacher was doing) in the context of freedom of speech and what that means. It also means examining what type of behaviour is acceptable ( never mind legal) if you believe someone has blasphemed your religion - beheading, shooting?

Excellent post ????

How lovely for you.

I am a Catholic who is secure enough not to be offended.

I am one of those posters who said I thought that there was an anti Catholic tone from some on the aforementioned thread.
Live and let live!

I'm shocked that there is currently an active thread on this forum that's openly anti Catholic. It's clearly caused huge offense and distress to several posters but the thread remains. If, every time the word "Catholic" had been used, the word "Islam" had been used instead, it would have been removed days ago.

I wonder how many on here would accept the ridiculing of the Christian faith practised by many who use his name and his book to promote money making products and ridiculing films.films. Guess that’s acceptable, but ooh no don’t use Islam as the same. Hypocrites comes to mind. As for mob rule, well being allowed to get away with threats against someone’s life, that is despicable and those involved should have been arrested.

Religious fundamentalism has no place in this country, and this is what this was, typical Labour siding with them. You have to diffuse not pander to the mob.

Just to add to my support for teaching about comparative religions, it should include all faiths and none. The three RE teachers I know well include one atheist (with a theology degree). They all start year 9 with the question ‘what is most important’. Of course, they get ‘what’s for dinner’ answers but go on to discuss issues that benefit from wide exploration, they teach in areas with diverse populations, one in a faith school. It isn’t about indoctrination, it should be the opposite

eazybee

*As an atheist, I would not want to take part in lessons that were under the banner of religious education, whether it was comparative or doctrinal. So how do I learn understanding and tolerance?*
By attending the lessons and listening to explanations of the fundamental principles of different religions.
No one is asking you to agree with or share their beliefs, but it might help you understand why faith is important to some people.

But I don't want anything to do with religion. I respect that people want to believe in things I don't believe in but attending any sort of class based on that is just anathema to me. I have friends and family who are strong believers, I understand fine how much their faith means to them, thanks.

I can understand that they have a strong faith without having to have lessons in it. So if I can, so can others. I'm also one of the few on here who seems to understand that we are applying our Western values to the values of Muslim people mortally offended by something we think is harmless.

So who understands other people's faiths better and has a bit more tolerance?

But only the religions that you (I dont mean you personally) consider important. I cant speak for all atheists but for me it is almost impossible for me to understand why you would provide information on say the catholic religion and not say scientology. I respect Suzies point about understanding intolerance and persecution but I still find it troubling.

As an atheist, I would not want to take part in lessons that were under the banner of religious education, whether it was comparative or doctrinal. So how do I learn understanding and tolerance?
By attending the lessons and listening to explanations of the fundamental principles of different religions.
No one is asking you to agree with or share their beliefs, but it might help you understand why faith is important to some people.

sodapop

I understood there was an Imam involved from a very narrow sect who was inflaming things outside the school.
I agree with a previous post from MOnica where she said both sides are unequivocally to blame.

We still don’t know the teachers side though do we? There is a suggestion being made that he was teaching from a prepared pack which included the cartoon and it had been used by other teachers in previous years. I think it’s just not on atm to assign culpability to him when we don’t know the facts. But we do know there was a mob outside the school and we do know that one of the groups involved posted his name on Twitter.

I think there is actually quite a strong inference in some religious teaching within schools that those who have a faith are somehow more worthy or just better people. I hope I taught my children to be strong enough to counter that narrative.

Perhaps he should have shown a clip of Dave Allen doing one of his bishop sketches for balance. Or a clip from the Life of Brian.

If we go to a country with different religions to our own, we generally abide by that country's customs. ie covering up going into some churches, not drinking in Moslem countries. If someone is caught with alcohol in a country where it is forbidden, we tend not to be sympathetic.

We live in a tolerant society and anybody coming to the UK to live should accept that.

I understood there was an Imam involved from a very narrow sect who was inflaming things outside the school.
I agree with a previous post from MOnica where she said both sides are unequivocally to blame.

Nanna58

Let’s hear it for us Atheists - we’re very tolerant. We don’t take offence at any religion, just think - Nah not for us. We never knock on people’s doors to try to persuade them not to believe. We don’t tell impressionable children that someone who died can come back to life, or impose fatwahs , I think the world needs more of us ( ducks behind sofa!)

I’m a humanist. I think that should also be taught as part of the curriculum.

Philosophical question.....

As an atheist, I would not want to take part in lessons that were under the banner of religious education, whether it was comparative or doctrinal. So how do I learn understanding and tolerance?

I agree wholeheartedly with the final paragraph in your post Iam64

Comparative religious education is an important part of helping pupils develop understanding and tolerance. It’s shocking and indefensible that this teacher has been thrown to the wolves. It’s alleged he was teaching the same lesson plan as teachers in previous years.
I don’t understand why any teacher would use the cartoons, especially in a school with a high proportion of Muslim pupils. I’m not excusing the behaviour of those leading the protests. What a disaster for this young teacher and his family

Comparative religious education is intended to give pupils in a multi-cultural society a basic understanding of the tenets of the six main world religions and develop a tolerance of others ' beliefs. Unfortunately it does not always extend both ways.

Let’s hear it for us Atheists - we’re very tolerant. We don’t take offence at any religion, just think - Nah not for us. We never knock on people’s doors to try to persuade them not to believe. We don’t tell impressionable children that someone who died can come back to life, or impose fatwahs , I think the world needs more of us ( ducks behind sofa!)

So the school involved with the caricature of Mohammed is still feeling the anger of the parents.
I hear that the teacher involved is desperate and terrified
that his life is now over in teaching and he will also have to move out of his area. He is afraid for himself and his immediate family and did not realize that the blasphemy lesson would cause all this. I hear that his mother is distraught and also in fear of her life and she has moved out of the family home as she is afraid she too will be targeted.
Meanwhile his father has installed C.C.T.V all around the house, although what is he supposed to do sit in the house and not go outside.
I know the Muslims can be sensitive about religion but in 2021 in the U.K. surely something that was a mistake on the part of the teacher and has been apologized about should
now be put to rest. The school can have meetings with the local iman and others from the Muslim community and sort things out and get it under control when the school returns after Easter.

I'm an atheist. I believe all religions are equal, at least in one respect.

Which is why they have no place in education. Teach Maths, French, Geography, whatever. Teach Philosophy like they do in France (or used to, not sure if they still do).

Allow children to skip lunch if their religion requires it. There doesn't need to be a big discussion about it. Not everything is a teaching moment.

Or even ‘just’ calling for a teacher to be sacked?