Islam Is A Mouse Compared To The Atheist Threat!

[Ravenstar]

* reposted in its entirety for critical purposes. Phrases that I consider problematic are in blue.

 

Trojan Horse: Forget Islam, the real threat is secularists who want faith removed from schools

Published 11 June 2014  |   David Robertson

 

I hope everyone is suitably shocked at the dreadful goings on in five of Birmingham's schools as revealed in the Ofsted report. "Equality of opportunity is not promoted well". "Students are not taught citizenship well enough or prepared properly for life in a diverse and multi-cultural society." "Too little is done to keep students safe from the risks associated with extremist views." "The equalities policy is not fit for purpose." "Governors do not meet their statutory responsibilities to safeguard pupils because they have not taken steps to protect them from the risks of radicalisation and extremism." "Pupils have limited knowledge of religious beliefs other than Islam". You get the picture. This is about a Muslim takeover through a 'Trojan horse' (you know the story of the wooden horse that was left outside Troy by a 'defeated' enemy, which was then taken inside the city, only to discover that the Hellenic SAS were hidden inside). What can be done about it?

 

The government is clear. We must ensure that all pupils are taught 'British values'? What an interesting phrase! What does it mean? Respect, tolerance, British laws etc. But where do these come from? As I have pointed out in previous articles on Christian Today, Britain is a nation founded largely on Christian principles. 

 

Our values are Christian values. Is the government now advocating that all schools must teach Christian values? Or are they suggesting that these values are somehow inherently British and can be taught without Christianity? It is a real dilemma for our government. How do you promote British values when you reject the source of those values? Can we have the fruits without the roots?

 

But there is another problem. I do not want to minimise the problem that may exist in some schools where Islam is the predominant influence. The trouble is that Islam does not make the distinction between politics and religion that Christianity in general does (there is no doctrine of the two kingdoms in Islam). However I don't want to maximise it either. I would suggest that the Islamic problem is more like a Trojan mouse. There is a real Trojan horse threatening the whole of British society, and those responsible for it, can hardly contain their excitement at the opportunity the Birmingham Ofsted report gives them.  (wait for it…)

 

I am talking of course about the more fundamentalist atheists and secularists who are desperate to ensure that religion in general, and Christianity in particular, is removed from education. Hardly was the ink dry on the Ofsted report before the cries went up throughout the liberal intelligentsia, "See we told you, the problem is religion".

 

"Ban state funded religious schools". Hugh Reilly writing in The Scotsmanpontificated, "Instead of venting hot air about a Trojan Horse, perhaps Westminster should be discussing the elephant in the room, that is, the teaching of religion in schools. If education in publicly funded education establishments were to be devoid of all superstitious input, the problem would disappear overnight". In other words, it's a simple problem, religion in schools, and there is a simple solution, get religion out of the education system. In an increasingly secular society that simplistic view will resonate with many. But, like most simplistic views, it is dangerous.

 

One third of the 20,000 state schools in England and Wales are either Church of England or Catholic. In Scotland there are 370 state funded state schools out of 2,659 – 266 Catholic, one Jewish and three Episcopalian. The remaining schools are meant to be non-denominational, not non-Christian. Scotland's state education system is still, at least in name, a Christian education system. Secular humanists would love to remove all faith schools from the State system but they know that politically it would be impossible because the faith schools are very popular with parents. So what is needed is a Trojan horse. Something that gets into the education system and from within undermines the Christian ethos. And they have found it. Using the guise of 'secular' values of 'equality, diversity and tolerance' (although these in fact stem from the root of Christianity) they are seeking to exclude all except their 'neutral' secularism. I wrote about the ideology behind this in an earlier Christian Today article.

 

*(so secularists, humanists and atheists are now those nasty Greeks and Christianity is a besieged Troy)

 

The problem is that once secularists get control of all the state schools they will ensure that nothing that does not fit in with their philosophy and doctrines will be allowed. This is done through two insidious methods. Firstly there is the myth of the obvious. It is obvious that only science can give facts and that science and religion are opposites.

 

* (science and religion are NOT opposites - apples and oranges.)

 

It is obvious what equality and diversity mean. It is obvious that all religions are the same and must all be treated the same. Christianity, Islam, the Westboro Cult – what's the difference? That's why the secularists can hardly contain their joy at the Birmingham situation. 'Look at the harm some forms of Islam do', quickly morphes into 'in the interests of fairness and to avoid Islamaphobia let's just blame all religions'. It is obvious that secularism is neutral and that secular values are the best ones. It is obvious that wise humans outgrow 'primitive' religion.

 

*(Over-generalizations abound)

 

Secondly there is the all-knowing mockery. The aforesaid Mr Reilly again: "Choosing to believe in chatterbox serpents and resurrectionism should be a private matter, not something force fed to youngsters". I find it astonishing that in our 'neutral' education system children are more likely to know about the slaughter of the Amalekites than they are to know about the Good Samaritan! My daughter was asked by her biology teacher about the 'genocide' in the Old Testament. I still haven't worked out what that had to do with biology! Thankfully she has parents who are able to set things in the context of the whole Bible. But what chance do most children have when they are faced with that kind of accusation (because let's not pretend it was a question)? Any attempt to answer that question within school will immediately bring down cries of 'evangelism, proselytism, religious bigotry'. Its not that we can't answer such questions. It's more that we are not allowed to answer.

 

* (Persecution!  and… I can not imagine a better example of blind irony)

 

In general atheists don't build schools. Churches and Christians do. All Britain's ancient universities were started by churches. John Knox stated that where there was a church there should be a school and out of that principle one of the greatest education systems in the world was established. Atheists, cuckoo like, want to take over schools which were founded on Christian principles. We need, for the sake of our children, to preserve what remains of Britain's Christian education system. And the Church needs to step up to the mark very quickly and provide suitable material and teaching to counter the simplistic but emotionally effective propaganda of the atheists. And we need to be able to answer the questions/accusations put to us. Next week in part two we will look at one of the key ones on this subject – "Are children born atheists? "

 

David Robertson is the director of the Solas Centre for Public Christianity. You can follow him on Twitter @theweeflea

 

 

 

Thoughts? I think it would be helpful for our lurkers if we could deconstruct this kind of 'argument' and expose the fallacies.  I personally find this article a vicious and disingenuous attempt to misinform, inflame and create an enemy where there really isn't one.

[xtify]

"...Thankfully she has parents who are able to set things in the context of the whole Bible... Its not that we can't answer such questions. It's more that we are not allowed to answer..."

 

Not allowed to answer?  Since when?  The old testament is full of horrible stories of god ordained slaughter, and church leadership has been asked over and over again how Yahweh's commands to commit genoncides were justifiable.  They flat out can't answer these questions!  The best of the apologists have tried and failed.  The author makes it seem like atheists are holding back these secret, mind blowing answers because we fear the children will find out the truth.  The reality is that the Christian leadership fears honest examination of their bloody book of horrors.  They insist the bible can't be read without special instruction.  It has to be interpreted within the "context" of a loving creator god.  So put your context goggles on and stop asking questions about the Amalekites, kids!    

[Vigile]

From an xian perspective, this is true. What are your kids most likely to convert to? Islam or become atheists?

[mymistake]

From an xian perspective, this is true. What are your kids most likely to convert to? Islam or become atheists?

 

 

Yes.  Those evil atheist are trying to get our children.  Those atheists want to send out children to hell.  You know, that place of eternal torture that was created by our all loving and completely blameless God.

 

 

(I think a real fundie would have used all caps and excessive exclamation points but you get the idea.)

[florduh]

I agree that atheism is a greater threat to Christianity. Atheism is a conclusion that many thoughtful people arrive at after taking a critical look. Islam is just another unfounded batshit crazy Abrahamic clusterfuck. People do infrequently leave Christianity for other religions such as Islam, Judaism, Paganism or Scientology, but I think most who leave the religion simply have dropped theistic belief. I could be wrong, but that's my guess anyway!

[Ellinas]

This is utter nonsense.

 

"Or are they suggesting that these values are somehow inherently British and can be taught without Christianity? It is a real dilemma for our government. How do you promote British values when you reject the source of those values?"

 

I am British.  I have no idea what "British values" might be, but, given that the phrase was coined by the Conservative P.M, I have considerable misgivings that it relates to a general, nationalist, fuzzy concept of middle England Christianised village life and the social conservatism that goes with it.

 

I would like those values to be tolerance of everything except intolerance and bigotry  Therefore, Christianity should be taught as a historical fact, nothing else.

 

 

"The trouble is that Islam does not make the distinction between politics and religion that Christianity in general does"

 

That is probably more of an issue in the U.S. than here, so I'll leave it to others to comment.  Open Christianity is not generally good for one's public life in this country.

 

 

"I am talking of course about the more fundamentalist atheists and secularists who are desperate to ensure that religion in general, and Christianity in particular, is removed from education"

 

I return to the concept of religion as a historical social fact relevant to history and social studies.  That's a far cry from indoctrination.  Christians here have bemoaned the secular nature of society for a long time.  If faith schools were banned, that would at least guarantee the end of indoctrination - in line with a sensible view of "values".

 

 

"... undermines the Christian ethos....  Using the guise of 'secular' values of 'equality, diversity and tolerance' (although these in fact stem from the root of Christianity) they are seeking to exclude all except their 'neutral' secularism. I wrote about the ideology behind this in an earlier Christian Today article."

 

I do not accept that the "Christian ethos" is general in the U.K. system - save in faith schools.  My son goes to a state school.  He certainly has not been indoctrinated on behalf of any religion.  This is scaremongering as an attempt to gain influence for the faith agenda

 

 

Afraid I've run out of time to continue - but you get the general drift...

[RipVanWinkle]

This shit is no worse than what is being broadcast in many Xtian churches and schools all over the US.

Xtianity has been the biggest continuous negative influence on free society since Constantine. It is

still the major danger to the freedoms we enjoy in the US. I have felt for some time that we have a

real problem in public and private schools where history of freedom of religion, freedom of speech and press, and other civil rights are not taught adequately, if at all. My impression is that the vast

majority of citizens of the US could not tell you why freedom of religion is important or why Xtianity should not be promoted in our public schools. They don't know how religion (Xtianity) adversely

affected Western Europe in the Dark Ages and in the Middle Ages and its impact on the U.S.

 

They don't know that we have advanced as far as we have in the last 300 years, despite Xtianity,

not because of it. If the Xtian churches had had their way we would still be stuck in the Middle Ages.

Because of that negative history, the Enlightenment was born and scientific knowledge exploded.

The happened when the Catholic Church and the protestants were fighting each other. That's when science was able to do its thing.

 

The question is whether the need for education of the reasons for and history of our freedoms will

continue to be interfered with at an increased rate by the Religious Right. Ignorance is our enemy.

 

bill

[Ravenstar]

This kind of article (mindset) is one of the reasons why we get visitors who deny that christianity was spread by the sword. 

 

I really liked the "fundamentalist atheist philosophy and doctrines" he refers to… news to me  

 

All good points above… 

[Neverlandrut]

What a hypocritical, double-standard load of shit!!!

 

This guy does not know his history, that much of the advances in education and society began with the secularization of state institutions like education going back to the enlightenment.

[Neverlandrut]

This shit is no worse than what is being broadcast in many Xtian churches and schools all over the US.

Xtianity has been the biggest continuous negative influence on free society since Constantine. It is

still the major danger to the freedoms we enjoy in the US. I have felt for some time that we have a

real problem in public and private schools where history of freedom of religion, freedom of speech and press, and other civil rights are not taught adequately, if at all. My impression is that the vast

majority of citizens of the US could not tell you why freedom of religion is important or why Xtianity should not be promoted in our public schools. They don't know how religion (Xtianity) adversely

affected Western Europe in the Dark Ages and in the Middle Ages and its impact on the U.S.

 

They don't know that we have advanced as far as we have in the last 300 years, despite Xtianity,

not because of it. If the Xtian churches had had their way we would still be stuck in the Middle Ages.

Because of that negative history, the Enlightenment was born and scientific knowledge exploded.

The happened when the Catholic Church and the protestants were fighting each other. That's when science was able to do its thing.

 

The question is whether the need for education of the reasons for and history of our freedoms will

continue to be interfered with at an increased rate by the Religious Right. Ignorance is our enemy.

 

bill

Absolutely agree Bill! As an armature history buff, I see clearly how all of our major advances came about despite Christian influence. The church has been dragged kicking and screaming into the modern world. The push for creationism to be taught in schools is a modern example of this fight. It's a crock of mythological shit that they want taught as equal to evolution. Nothing could be farther from the truth.