To blame Islam even for this??

[durezz]

I have just heard about a maniac axeman who has injured more than 20 people going on a rampage on a train. It's horrific and doesn't bear thinking about.
But is it fair that without any details people automatically assume it has something to do with the religion of Islam?

Of all the atrocities happening these days I feel so sad that after every such incident 1.8 billion Muslims are somehow held responsible. Fair?

Just after a general consensus to pick your brains and see is that really how people think?

No I'm very negative about all religion hotdiggety. I don't single out Islam. They've only got another year left of being taught this nonsense. I'm sure they will form their own opinions as they mature.

mathsmum I couldn't agree more.

Nonsense as in being taught anything about religion at all Grady?

I don't think they need to learn about it for 12 whole years - No.

And if they're going to be taught about what "some people believe" I think they should at least cover more than 2 religions to be honest. It''s not exactly balanced. Plus they don't teach it fully. For example they don't learn what both the Bible and Koran have to say about homosexuality. They don't learn about Mary Magdelene or how old Aisha was. It's a very slanted view.

So I imagine you have asked the school about their teachings since you feel so strongly about it?

Also, even in England in the 1800s girls could get married at 12 so I dont know why everyone gets so hung up on the Aisha story so much.

No because it's on the national curriculum. I don't agree with the way it's taught but as no one asks me what I think should form part of it then that's the way it is isn't it?

And come on -if fucking a 9 year old was perfectly fine in those days there shouldn't be a problem including this fact in one of the numerous RE lessons should there?

And to be clear I don't think this nonsense should be taught in ANY school - not just my own kids school. Not unless they're going to teach it fully. Warts and all.

RE in junior schools is as dire as it ever was. Trying to cover anything meaningful in an hour a week is pointless. They'd do better to drop it & spend the hour doing something else. The children are from varying religions, quite a melting pot, but they're not interested, they care not who is what religion - they're far more interested in who has a hamster, rabbit or dog, not what religion you are. Nice I think.

I imagine it cant be taught properly in schools because there will be too many biased people teaching it (such as yourself).

Don't teach it then! Problem solved.

Of course I'm biased. I'm an atheist (as previously stated). But anyone is going to be biased aren't they as they will either believe in it or not believe in it.

MistressMia. I don't disagree with your post @ 9:16, but I can't see it happening for two reasons. I don't see what we can drop from the curriculum to enable enough time to do this justice and the impracticality of ensuring this is done properly. I just don't see that it's possible to find enough well informed (of all religions) , yet impartial, teachers to do this well. We have many intelligent, well read, informed posters on this thread - but who could possibly teach about Islam in a fair & balanced way? None of us.

Every child should have MANDATORY (no opt outs allowed under any circumstances) lessons in discussing the ethics of the edicts contained within the religions, contradictions should be highlighted and discussed, the claims regarding their truthfulness and origins examined, the historical evidence or lack of for the stories peddled, scrutiny of the impact of them, both adverse and good, on individual lives etc etc

I agree.

I know all schools are different however but I went to three catholic schools and one with nuns. I know little of the bible most stuff in RE was about morals. Less of the - this is real but more of ' what does the story of the good smaratin tell us'

MY dd is 8 and in catholic school, with mass etc and she asks me about whether god exists and what is real and not real.
So brainwashing is failing there.

What is religious teaching like in Islam? A couple of hours a week? when do dc start going>?

I just don't see that it's possible to find enough well informed (of all religions) , yet impartial, teachers to do this well
teach classics, learn that humans have always needed to create a god, that in greek and roman times there were many!

It evolved to Christianity and Islam. Teach philospohy and history and the power of control, the power of thought and looking from the situation from afar, teach the history of thought.

Also, even in England in the 1800s girls could get married at 12 so I dont know why everyone gets so hung up on the Aisha story so much.

is religion context dependent, or not? if so, then really what use is it today? if not and it is so wise, eternal and given to us by an all wise creator, how can they (bible and quran) get things like slavery and marrying children wrong?

The trouble is that people who say the latter have a lot of explaining to do, since I don't see how it can be eternal wisdom and get slavery wrong. People who think the former (like ISIS) might be more logically consistent, but of course they commit all kinds of evil.

Religious education in Islam (like most other religions I would imagine) depends upon how much the parents want to give them. There are some Saturday schools that last the morning teaching religion and Arabic and sometimes the children can go somewhere after school but it will vary wildly from family to family.

Religion should be taught in schools, but only if it is taught warts and all. I suspect you get a whitewashed version of it in school.

hot

that is heartening to hear. I know it was more a tribal thing when my mum was growing up, you were frowned upon for not attending church. The whole family knew it was a community thing.

Now a days no one asks or knows or cares if we go to church or not. If I fancy going, I go but there is no family or community pressure at all.

Its great to hear among st the Muslim community there is now this freedom too.

MrsGradyOldLady - I agree with everything you have said.