We should be moving towards a secular country.

Just noted you liked religion symbols to gang colours (not quite sure what those are) but colours can be likened to flags, are we to ban these too?

@titbumwillypoo you state you want to erase all religion except behind closed doors, which means in essence ban any trace in society but let’s not split hairs.

MI5 have an entire department dedicated to identifying terrorists I believe, so I’d image it’s very much their remit.

I can’t disagree with any compromise in their rule book that benefited the elderly and disabled to fit better into modern Britain, although I can’t see, unless I’ve missed it how this is in direct contraction to the fundamental principles of this religion, so which specific discrimination laws do you want to trump religious beliefs.

Do you too, have specific examples of this, and which religions you feel have too much influence though:

Again I've not said ban any religion, just to lessen the influence they have on our state institutions

Female Catholic priests make no sense in our theology, though. The church is a complex of the Marian and Petrine principles, which are quite difficult to explain here, but in essence the Church is a bride and the priest is a bridegroom.

Their isn't a "rule book" but a way of seeing the world and our place in it.

I’m afraid that’s not true though is it, religions don’t die quickly. Something else comes and takes its place. There is a Christian revival in many Eastern European countries where the teaching of formal religion was previously banned.
Banning by and handing to the state so much power sounds a bit Soviet.

Another ‘I’m sorry..but’. Why bother? You’re not sorry for your position, and neither am I.

I don’t believe in the sky fairy either, but something significantly and immensely more substantial. But again, each to their own.

Dear God! I’m an atheist and think some of your points are ridiculous. I think banning prayer at lunch times is an absolute disgrace and if these kids were praying with bibles, instead of Korans, then a ban would not have been in place.

DD’s friend wasn’t allowed to take part in the exchange activities in a secondary school in France because she wears a Hijab, is that what you want for the UK? There’s supposedly separation between Church and State in the US, with school boards being besieged by book banning fanatics, is that the secularist model you want to copy?

Secularism isn't the utopia you think it is.

We are heading for a very dangerous place indeed if we can not be respectful of different views.

There is no sky fairy. "Si comprehendis non est Deus." Rather than reducing someone else's worldview to such a reductive statement it is usually better to say that you do not understand it.

At the heart of traditional Christianity is a metaphysics that can take many years of study to begin to fully understand and explore. It has a rich intellectual tradition that tackles big questions; meaning, virtue, values.

And do we really want the state deciding what beliefs systems are the "correct" ones? That'll work out I'm sure....
Agree with this.

Some posters on this thread seem to think that other people and families should have their freedom to express their religion and raise their children limited by the state, which is a little worrying.

People of all faiths and no faith should be concerned about a move to suppress different religious and philosophical viewpoints.

Rather than ban all religions, ban all fundamentalists and terrorists is what you mean OP. Also why have you posted a Daily Mail of all links about one specific religion?

Fact is that if you don't indoctrinate children religions die quickly. The state shouldn't be in support of that; let it be for the parents to make choices for their children.

I'm sorry that I don't believe in the sky fairy.

In your opinion. I beg to differ. Dogmatic much? You have that in common, at least, with the more religious fundamentalist brethren

You're atheist so everyone should be or at least look like one?

You're as bad as the rest.

What sort of comment is that?

@Barr77 organised religion is backwards.
Death is final.

I agreed with you and then it all went a bit odd. Definitely a separation between church and state. And yes, churches aren’t charities. “The Church” is a massive landowner. I also would prefer secular schools, or ant least the majority to be; our only option was CofE (where all the staff had to pretend to be devout but I very much doubt they were).
I don’t think children should be banned from worship, but I also don’t think schools should be teaching Christianity as fact.

Condescending, self-righteous and incorrect. I give you that the Church of England is rapidly declining. Catholicism, however, is more than holding its own.
In London the pews are packed.

Easter was a hit this year🐣 Reports flooded social media of packed parishes and rapid increase of Easter baptisms. It was reported as one of the busiest Easter Mass in 25 years. Westminster Cathedral was so packed on Good Friday that security had to turn people away. And it wasn't just the UK; similar stories came from Ireland, the US to Indonesia.

Most of the congregation are multi-national, and immigration has absorbed fuelled the rise in Catholics in London. Just as did in Liverpool after the famine, so nothing new there.

I personally find it incredulous that someone holds have such a nihilistic view that death is final. However, I did not patronise others for thinking differently to me.

“There is more moral beauty in a Dickens novel than in the whole of the Bible. In fact, there is more moral beauty in P. G. Wodehouse”.

Are you joking? While Dickens and P.G. Wodehouse are undoubtedly talented writers, dismissing the beauty, cultural and linguistic importance of the Bible is overlooking its significant impact on literature, language, and culture.

For instance the King James Bible not only influenced English literature but also played a pivotal role in shaping the English language itself. Its language and phrases have become deeply ingrained in every day speech. Many expressions and idioms that we use today originate from the King James Bible, such as "a drop in the bucket," "the powers that be," or the writing on the wall”., “skin of my teeth”, “a labour of love”…countless.

Countless writers, poets, and thinkers have drawn inspiration from the Bible, incorporating its themes, characters, and language into their works. Its stories and teachings have permeated the cultural fabric of this country, influencing art, music, politics, and ethics. Even Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens have admired the linguistic beauty of the King James Bible.

Lots of entertainment venues have charity status, you don't know wtf you are talking about.

If religious people aren't allowed to teach their kids about their beliefs about the world, or educate them accordingly, I would suggest that we also prevent people with non-religious belief systems from doing so. Why should humanists or logical positivists get to pass on what are, in my opinion, non-coherent philosophies to their kids?

And do we really want the state deciding what beliefs systems are the "correct" ones? That'll work out I'm sure....

Correct, people just can't handle the fact that once you're dead.., you're dead. I just find it incredulous that people in this day and age are religious. Christianity is dying in this country but in my personal life experience , in the cities I think islam is taking hold as the dominant religion as others become atheist./ Anti- theism

Not to mention that being culturally Christian there’s plenty of Western literature/music/art that would require at least a background knowledge of Christianity / the Bible to properly understand.

Ds is (by choice) an atheist but he really enjoys RE because although he doesn’t believe he is interested in the faith of other people and from a young age I have encourage him to respect the beliefs of others

I personally don’t agree with state funded faith schools, especially as in the UK it can mean a child having to travel miles for a non-faith school, or being forced to attend a faith school. I did look around our local Sikh primary school, but I think religion at school should be about learning about other beliefs, rather than practicising them in a group setting.

Religious symbols I have no issue with, if a cross, turban etc aren’t okay, then neither is westminster abbey.

I don’t agree with religious leaders being in government, the house of lords etc, religious people fine, not not religious leaders.

Banning childrens access to religion is just stupid, are you going to make sister act or call the midwife an eighteen cerificate? Will children be banned from weddings and funerals? Will adults have to hide their wedding photos if a child is in the house?

I wouldn't support abolishing RE - my DC1 took GCSE RE and it was incredibly well taught - they learned how to debate, construct an argument and take in different points of view. As long as RE isn't about indoctrination into a particular faith, I completely support it because it promotes understanding.