On Scripture

From Bolt Report Supporter's Group
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Steffen Pedersen shared The official DAILY RANT.'s post.

Another Daily Rant.
This one is of a religious nature so keep it civil.
I accept that Admin may remove if deemed inappropriate.

The official DAILY RANT.

Yesterday, while travelling home from work just after 5pm, I was listening to 2GB (the regular programming is still not back to normal after the Xmas break).

The discussion was about the introduction of ethics classes into our schools. These classes would not be compulsory but an alternative to scripture classes. It would be the parents choice. The ethic classes would apparently be discussions around ethical situations and dilemmas. Students would be given different situations to a single problem and discuss what would be the best choice to make. It has to be understood that it can not always be said which choice is right or wrong. It is purely an open discussion.

The phone lines were opened up for public comment on the matter. 2GB is the leading radio broadcaster that wins it's ratings on a regular basis. It's listeners are a majority conservative audience with mostly right wing views. In other words, Liberal voters. A great majority of the listeners are older and have strong Christian beliefs.

The overwhelming response from the callers were that these classes should be banned. The basic opinion was that all kids should attend scripture (Christian) or be made to study one of their compulsory classes.

Some callers said their was an ulterior motive behind these classes. They could not say what it was. Ironically. The ulterior motive of the callers was to push Christianity on the kids.

In my opinion, these callers have failed ethics 101 for having these views. I'm not against scripture in schools but NO scripture class should be dedicated to one faith or taught as a subject of fact. All scripture classes should be opened to all religions to be discussed and considered. Kids should be taught that religion is a choice and here are the choices. Kids should be taught to keep an open mind on the subject but it must be emphasised that each religion comes down to faith and nothing else.

On this matter, some Christians annoy me with their holier than though attitude. They make stupid claims that Australia is a Christian country. IT IS NOT!!! It is a country with Christians in it. Yes, they may be a majority but this does not make them right. Teaching one religion to our students while dismissing all others makes us no better than other religions that are trying to force their brand upon the world. That is why all these callers, and anyone that agrees with them, fail in their ethics.

(Steffen)===

David Daniel Ball I appreciate the effort Steffen, but respectfully disagree too. Putting aside the rhetoric, and putting aside the fact that scripture is voluntary while the ethics classes inflate the value to alternative compulsory, what the ethics classes are is age inappropriate. Children attending those classes are not being taught how to ethically live their lives by informing them of choice, instead they are first being asked to make the statement that they are not religious and then presented with a set of tools that give pat answers to issues they are not yet equipped to deal with.

David Daniel Ball Some points I want to highlight. 2GB is not a far right radio station. Australia does not have one. I've known lefties who have listened to 2GB from the US and they tell me it is balanced and is not like the far right stations of the US. I also know on hot button issues of Abortion, gay marriage, racial diversity, sexual equality etc 2GB takes middle ground. Sometimes they are too balanced and soft left.

David Daniel Ball 2GB is not a majority Christian network .. 2CH is .. the arguments presented on 2GB are political and relate to politics. There are talk back callers asserting their Christian status .. but then they don't sound it .. basing much of their understanding on comfort and hate. Often referring to Judaeo Christian values suggesting they are neither.

David Daniel Ball Australia is not a Christian nation and its' constitution is secular, but that is how Christ told his disciples to address administration .. there is no theocracy making rules. I dispute the assertion that scripture classes do that. Scripture classes are designed to inform students about what Christianity is .. not something that is part of the curriculum. Opponents assert that scripture is about indoctrinating to a faith, but in reality the classes are some times secular too and discuss all religions. But the ethics classes are coercive, unlike scripture, and do prescribe behaviour, unlike scripture.