[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Jack_

That's just as bad, if not worse though. Children shouldn't be indoctrinated with religion (and, ideally, things like political views too), more encouraged to think critically for themselves and come to their own conclusions either way.

Faith schools should be outlawed completely but I'm always on the fence when it comes to teaching religion as a subject, I can see both pros and cons. I always remember our Sociology class in Sixth Form asking our quite obviously atheist teacher why he taught RE to lower school, and he just responded with something like 'because the more you know about it, the more you realise how much **** it all is, and how to argue against it'. Made me think

I agree with the points which you make in your post Jack and I used to think almost identically to you, but now I believe that ALL Religious Instruction AND Education should be totally banned fro all schools, except for dedicated Faith Schools - and even here it should only be allowed under the most rigorous of 'policing' by the Education Authorities.

I have had my mind changed by the increasing cases of schools 'conditioning' pupils and 'brainwashing' them into Religious Fundamentalism and Anti-Western propaganda - even in once traditional secular schools.

Oldknow Academy in Birmingham springs to mind.