Live webchat with Richard Dawkins, Wed 23 June, 10am-11am

[GeraldineMumsnet]

We're pleased to welcome Richard Dawkins for a webchat on Wednesday 23 June from 10am-11am. Richard is a celebrated evolutionary biologist and atheist, and author of the best-selling God Delusion.

He has presented programmes on Channel Four that range from enthusing about the Genius of Charles Darwin to arguing against religion in Root of All Evil?

His latest project is taking a long hard look at education and the role religion continues to play in it.

He wants to hear first-hand from Mumsnetters what faith and church schools are really like. How successful are they? Are they selection by another means? Are they divisive? And are they making hypocrites out of non-believing parents who go to church just to send their children to them?

If you can't make the discussion but want to contribute, please post your views here.

Thanks and hope you can join us.

Faith schools get better results purely because they are selective.

If I am asked my child's religion (which sadly happens a fair bit) I always reply that the asker should ask him. The results are usually hillarious (he is three).

exactly Lenin. Who uses those phrases Prof Dawkins?

Try explaining Agnosticism to your child Joebauwens? My ds outraged I don't know the answer.

In fact all children are naturally agnostic, no?

"Do people use those phrases? I don't and have never heard anyone else."

Are you serious? You just don't hear them because it is so normal! Many of the posters on this very thread used such phrases. Read any newspaper article about the disruption in Northern Ireland schools during the troubles, and you will constantly come across references to 'Catholic children' being attacked on their way to school, or '"Protestant children' having stones thrown at them

I believe that people use those phrases, as religion is given a higher level of respect than other more secular philosophies. Also, people are often using it for a shorthand for culture and/or race.

Just my opinion!

Yes totally agree with labelling of children. That point is very strongly made in God delusion.

That used to get on my nerves when I was a kid - watching those poor kids who went to protestant schools in Northern Ireland being traipsed through catholic streets, with abuse and all sorts hurled at them. Used to feel outraged at the newsreaders saying 'catholic children' 'protestant children'. Even when I was about 15 i knew this was a load of old rot - the religious choices were NOTHING to do with those poor kids, it was their bloody parents forcing them to live through that. Shame on them.

By sending your child to church/faith school you make them a child of which ever faith you choose.
The child is not making the choice for themselves.
And so becomes a Muslim/Catholic/Protestant child.
That is what RD means, I think.

"If I am asked my child's religion (which sadly happens a fair bit) I always reply that the asker should ask him." Spot on, JoeBauwens!

x posts re the protestant/catholic attacks on children.

the newsapapers use it as shorthand. Will search thread now for any such phrases Prof Dawkins. Have read whole thread and not seen one use of it. Straw man argument methinks.

GOML I used to think the same when watching the TV.
I wanted to throw stones at the idiot parents.
Poor children.

Interesting point about labels, but have not really seen it here...(except ironically in faith schools, as these are rarities). NZ does not have the religious diversity that the UK does though, so here children are labelled based on ethnicity rather than religion.
Grear idea for a webchat MN and thanks Richard!

"That used to get on my nerves when I was a kid - watching those poor kids who went to protestant schools in Northern Ireland being traipsed through catholic streets, with abuse and all sorts hurled at them. Used to feel outraged at the newsreaders saying 'catholic children' 'protestant children'. Even when I was about 15 i knew this was a load of old rot - the religious choices were NOTHING to do with those poor kids, it was their bloody parents forcing them to live through that. Shame on them."

YES! thank you for putting it so well, GetOrfMoiLand.

Asked my religion by an american work colleague years ago.

Me: 'I'm an atheist'

Colleague 'is that a catholic or protestant atheist?'

This is probably the most interesting webchat yet!

applauds

I'm a bit late, but am outraged that my son would be required to pledge allegiance to a deity as part of joining Scouts - absolutely no atheist/agnostic option at all.

And in my small town you have a choice of a superb catholic school or mediocre CofE school - no even vaguely secular option

ronshar I am looking for a chocolate suggestive...

To those who doubt that people use labelling phrases of children. Here's one from down this thread. "There are no muslim girls in my daughters school."

What that poster meant was, "There are no daughters of muslim parents . . ."

My favourite.

And, the those kids, the news reporter would ask the parents 'why would you not just walk the long way round and not go through Catholic streets'

response 'why should we, we have as much right blah de blah de blah'.

At no point thinking that it would prevent utter terror and risk of injury for their kids.

And so another generation is indoctrinated in the hatred.

I can't see that it is so unreasonable to talk about Muslim or Christian children. Religious affiliation is every bit as much to do with cultural identity as belief.

Why would I try to explain angnosticim to a three year old? The point is the question is silly, but we get asked it.

For example we had to visit a hospital in Portsmouth about six weeks ago, after my son was bitten by a dog (no ill effects, but it broke the skin & we like to be sure about these things). Since we were from out of town, the hospital had to fill out a form with things like our address, doctor's details etc. The last question was about religion; when asked I replied that I was a humanist atheist, but the receptionist demanded to know what religion my son was, so I directed the question to him. Since she did not feel able to admit that asking the religion of a three-year old was silly, the receptionist then spent about five minutes trying to coax a sensible answer out of him.

You're still here? Now that's commitment. Enjoy the biccies!

Oh Gawd this is ridiculous. The Irish thing was NOT about religion - it was about territory and hatred of the English. STRAW MAN.