roiboit

hi all,

now that our visa seems to be nearing a reality, I have started checking out all the school sites (sunshine coast) and have noticed that nearly all state schools talk about some sort of weekly religion classes. Some offer many different religion choices or say it is on a rotating basis but most refer to some "as per qld regulation" phrase.

I find this quite odd but maybe it is because I grew up in the States with all the separation of church and state thing?

What's the story?

thanks
roiboit

Marakai

It wasn't that different when I went to school in Germany: while the country is firmly secular, you will find classes in religion, often combines with ethics. My classes, while nominally christian, were mostly comparative religion and no fire&brimstone nonsense.

Even as a hard agnostic I don't see much wrong with that.

That's quite different from the lip service paid to the separation between church and state, with its underhanded promotion of Xianity in the US (especially of the evangelical kind shoved in your face here in Colorado).

Then again, you're going to Queensland, the Texas of Australia. I've heard things.... <runs and hides>

Mike

rudo1ph

At my daughters school they have people come in each week to teach scripture class.......the Protestants go to one room and the Catholics to another. Kids can opt out if they wish to.

Rudi

Marakai

Ah, thanks for bringing back a traumatic childhood flashback...!

I remember the first time, in elementary school when they split us up for such classes. Not having a religious upbringing, I hadn't the slightest idea (at 6 or 7 years of age) what "protestant" and "catholic" meant.

Being nominally protestant in a majorly catholic state meant that I had to file out of the room with the other protestant kids. I remember bursting into tears because I thought I had done something bad to be evicted from the classroom.

Still, that scarring was likely nothing compared to your average catholic guilt trip.

Mike

renth

I used to have to do exactly the same when I was growing up in Peru.

Over in WA in the state primary Schools there is no religious education. Easter is about bunnies and chocolate.

Personally I think that's a shame.

bob and ginnie

The State is separate from any religious denomination in Australia.
In my home State of South Australia, State schools are not allowed to have any religious education.
However, schools are allowed to have people from religious denominations, e.g. Salvation Army, Church of England, Catholic, etc. to come in, as an unpaid person, to teach any child about their religion, in a separate classroom, if the parents consent. Surprisingly, most people don't mind their children learning what Jesus had to say to us.
Since 1995 all State schools in SA have banned the teaching or promotion of any religious issues on the State curriculum. Nowadays, children here do not even get to sing any Christmas carols anymore . . . too "Christian" and offensive to others . . and I feel it's a shame that part of Australian childrens' culture and upbringing for the past 200 years, is being denied to this generation in the name of "political correctness" . . . . . seems we'll have a generation of Australians with NO culture.

Marakai

Not that sure it's surprising. Jesus (or those who spoke in his name and provided he even existed) had some very good things to say. It's his followers that freak me out, especially here in the US.

And, no singing Xmas carols? I thought Australia wasn't as bad with PC as here. Is that just the croweaters who are that bad? My wife and I, heathens to the bone, decorate our house and play Xmas music (until we can't take one more round of Oh Silent Night ). It's a time for togetherness and spirituality. Heck, most if not all is stolen from pagan festivals anyway!

Mike