Ethics Trial a Rees Throwback: Catholics
A telling headline if I've ever seen one, as a representative of the local Catholic lobby attempts to tie the NSW Secular Ethics education trial, which has just begun, to Nathan Rees's premiership. The implication is of course that since Rees was forced out by a secret ballot orchestrated by the current party faithful, that obviously this is somehow a "bad" policy of a "failed' premiership that's only snuck through by the skin of its teeth.
The truth, of course, is far from the fantasy promoted by Mr Robert Haddad and the church generally*. The ethics trial has enthusiastic backing from parents, teachers, community groups and parliamentarians. A far more telling piece of nonsense follows later in the article:
Mr Haddad said Baulkham Hills North, where all parents were told about the ethics classes, not just those whose children had opted out of scripture, was ''an example of the abuse that will inevitably follow. There was a 47 per cent uptake [of the ethics class] and that eroded into the number of students who are going to SRE, so our case is borne out,'' he said.
I don't see how this can possibly be an example of "abuse". Honestly, I'm trying to wrap my head around this. 47% of students have opted for secular ethics rather than middle-ages dogma, and somehow that's abuse?
Mr Haddad, let me just try and explain something to you. Forcing children into Special Religious Education, or forcing those who opt out to forgo productive activity is an unethical, counterproductive and outmoded policy better suited to a madrassah culture, which itself belongs to a bygone age. Time to wake up and smell the secularism.
Here's a fact, Mr Haddad. As of the 2006 census, religious affiliations in Australia were as follows
|
 |
| MAIN RESPONSES FOR AUSTRALIA |
Australia
2006 Census
|
% of total persons
2006 Census
|
Australia
2001 Census
|
% of total persons
2001 Census
|
|
| Catholic |
5,126,882
|
25.8%
|
5,001,624
|
26.6%
|
| Anglican |
3,718,248
|
18.7%
|
3,881,162
|
20.7%
|
| No Religion |
3,706,557
|
18.7%
|
2,905,993
|
15.5%
|
| Uniting Church |
1,135,422
|
5.7%
|
1,248,674
|
6.7%
|
| Presbyterian and Reformed |
596,668
|
3.0%
|
637,530
|
3.4%
|
That's right, Mr Haddad. Not everyone in Australia is a cathoholic, and in fact the market share of religions is eroding. It is frankly unfair to compromise the education of the non-christian proportion of public school children in favour of sectarian, narrow and poorly-regulated SRE classes. The statistics suggest that religion is on the wane, and that the next generation will be even less likely to believe the fairy tales told to them by the men in dresses, turbans or shiny suits.
With the introduction of secular ethics classes, there is now a more equitable landscape in NSW schools, and while it's hardly perfect it's certainly a large stride in the right direction.
So, in short, Mr Haddad: Cry more. Every one of your bitter tears is a confirmation that what the secular lobby is doing is right.
*there's a generally applicable sentence if ever I've written one
posted @ Tuesday, April 20, 2010 4:08 PM