Atheism to be Taught in School

In a historic move that will cheer Richard Dawkins, atheists in Ireland have secured the right to teach the republic's primary school children that God doesn't exist.

The first ever atheist curriculum for thousands of primary-school pupils in Ireland has been drawn up by Atheist Ireland in an education system that the Catholic church hierarchy has traditionally dominated.

The class of September 2014 will be reading texts such as Dawkins' The Magic of Reality, his book aimed at children, as well as other material at four different primary levels, according to Atheist Ireland.

Up to 16,000 primary schoolchildren who attend the fast-growing multi-denominational Irish school sector will receive direct tuition on atheism as part of their basic introduction course to ethics and belief systems.
Link

Well it was going to happen somewhere but I didn't expect this. I honestly don't have a opinion on the matter but it made me laugh and shake my head when I read it.

Is this good or bad I can't say but I am pretty sure the church doesn't like it.

Mods please move if need be.

reply to post by Grimpachi


So Dawkins wants to be the new god Figures

reply to post by Grimpachi


Maybe I don't actually know exactly what 'Atheism' means nowadays, but whatever it is, I don't believe in it.

Religion should not be taught in schools, and neither should anti-religion.

reply to post by Grimpachi



No man, scientist or preacher has ever found out what we are or where we come from. Nobody yet knows what life, existence or God is, neither the purpose of it all. We have theories, ideas, hypothesis. So this school, equally ignorant about the origins of man or the Universe, think they should tell children which idea is and isn't the truth? How absurd.

reply to post by Grimpachi

In a historic move that will cheer Richard Dawkins, atheists in Ireland have secured the right to teach the republic's primary schoolchildren that God doesn't exist.

I doubt that this means that children will taught that there is no God. Instead they will learn that some people don't believe in God, and that God isn't necessary to explain our reality.

I think it's an important push back to all the religious nonsense that the Irish have had to endure.

Good for them!

reply to post by Grimpachi

Of course, what better place for Dawkins to teach that pedophilia is better than religion for children.

reply to post by Grimpachi


That should be a fairly quick course.
How do you teach people about something that doesn't exist?

Silly if you ask me.

reply to post by Grimpachi


They are not being taught that the atheist view is correct but rather it is part of an attempt to give children a broader understanding of various belief systems and not just the Roman Catholic dogma that has dominated Ireland's education system.

The source article gives a far more detailed explanation of the plans and the reasoning.

www.theguardian.com...

Anything that encourages children to question and think for themselves is a positive in my opinion.

reply to post by rickymouse


I think Dawkins is as narrow minded in his beliefs as many Theists are, but I don't see how this equates to him trying to portray himself as 'God'?

reply to post by Freeborn


Your article has a lot more information in it than mine. Here is a quote from yours which should clear things up for some.

Text• This article was amended on 27 September 2013 to clarify that pupils in multi-denominational schools will learn about atheism as part of the wider curriculum covering ethics, beliefs and religion. Atheists will not be teaching children that God does not exist, as originally stated, rather, children will be educated about atheism, including the atheist belief that God does not exist.

It may work to clear up some misconception about what atheists are and are not. Like how some people think atheists have to believe in evolution or big bang but that isn't a defining point.

I think it all should be taught in school. Everything, including varying opinions, opposition, and what not.
Atheism, book religions, controversy over ideas like abortion, capital punishment. Everything.

We shouldn't be suppressing knowledge in our schools. We should be encouraging our youth to explore and bridge differences. It will really shake up the tree when they go home and hash it out with their parents. Parents complain - tough noogies - home school.

If you aren't arguing viewpoints and ideas with your kids, where will they learn to question and challenge the establishment? They will go along, just to get along their whole life and everything will take much longer to grow and change.


CdT

Hey all, well I was under the impression that Atheism was already being taught in school.
A class called "Science"

In a historic move that will cheer Richard Dawkins, atheists in Ireland have secured the right to teach the republic's primary school children that God doesn't exist.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh Great. they start off the article with gross misrepresentation. And I'm a Christian. The school isn't teaching that god doesn't exist, they are teaching about a group of people who believe that god does not exist - Big Difference!

They do this all the time anyway when they teach of: famous Atheist en.wikipedia.org... - Lists of Famous Atheists - So this is stupid.

As long as they teach this is someones opinion and not taught as what they want the students to believe is true, i'm o.k. with it. Oh.. and God is o.k. with it too. It's just knowledge.

grey580
reply to post by Grimpachi

 

That should be a fairly quick course.
How do you teach people about something that doesn't exist?

Silly if you ask me.

I only come to this thread to say what you just said.

I think there's a misunderstanding with the word Atheism, I myself fell fowl of it.
I used to say I was Atheist, meaning I had zero belief or interest in religion. However, as pointed out in another thread, the 'A' in atheist means Anti, therefore anti religious.

So, are they really teaching A-theism? or simply telling the kids they dont have to believe?

Atheism should be taught alongside religious studies in schools anyway.

The point of teaching children about religion is so they can understand it, not to follow it.

This is the 1st time I've been happy on this site since that god awful upgrade.

reply to post by VoidHawk


The A in Atheism doesn't stand for Anti at all. Thats hogwash. The word is derived from the greek word 'atheos' which translates to 'without gods'.

Your original interpretation was correct. An Atheist is a man or woman without a belief in at least one deity.

reply to post by CirqueDeTruth

CirqueDeTruth

I think it all should be taught in school. Everything, including varying opinions, opposition, and what not.
Atheism, book religions, controversy over ideas like abortion, capital punishment. Everything.

We shouldn't be suppressing knowledge in our schools.

Regardless of the subject/topic, schoolchildren should be taught facts, not opinions.

Teaching them opinions can lead to unnecessary confusion.

Of course everything should be taught in context...


Religions: Kill any that oppose that religion.
Atheism: Ignore religious folks.

Which would be better for humanity?

Sure Religion has come a long way since the "dark ages" but I still can't see a purpose to it outside of giving people hope that there is life after death.
And you certainly don't need religion for that.

To teach Atheism in school, all they need to do is not teach any religion.

Common Question: But then what do you tell a child when they ask where they came from?
Logical Answer: From their mother, conceived by both their parents.
Illogical Answer: Some Deity decided to take some sperm from your father, mix it with your mother's eggs, implant it in your mother...

Whenever their is a hierarchy in place that puts one person above another and so forth down a chain... There will ALWAYS be abuses; as power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

What we NEED to teach our children is that we are ALL equal to one another... Not one person has any greater purpose on this Earth than another... Not one single life is any more important than another.
If we can succeed in that, then we might have a bright future.

Otherwise, we will be left bickering about whether or not to teach X religion for Y reason.

That should be an easy class.

BrokenCircles
reply to post by CirqueDeTruth

 

CirqueDeTruth

I think it all should be taught in school. Everything, including varying opinions, opposition, and what not.
Atheism, book religions, controversy over ideas like abortion, capital punishment. Everything.

We shouldn't be suppressing knowledge in our schools.

Regardless of the subject/topic, schoolchildren should be taught facts, not opinions.

Teaching them opinions can lead to unnecessary confusion.

I agree. Everything should be taught in context.

But I'm wondering...

Do you think children should just parrot back facts? Or be encourage to formulate opinions and then discuss them with one another, mediated in a classroom setting?

Or should they just learn and parrot the facts at school and told not to discuss opinions until they get home to their parents?

Hmmm. Interesting conundrum to my own mind... Seems to me that children should be taught early on how to discuss differing opinions and ideas, without resorting to fighting, name calling and confusion. We should be teaching kids how to think, not what to think. Critical thinking. We older generations can't figure it all out, so just telling them what to think, the same things we think - doesn't leave much room open for groundbreaking changes and ideas that will lead us to a brighter future.

Kids should be encouraged to think, formulate opinions, and accept not everyone is going to agree with them. That's life. The earlier they learn this about one another, and accept it, the better. To my mind anyways.

CdT

CirqueDeTruth
Seems to me that children should be taught early on how to discuss differing opinions and ideas, without resorting to fighting, name calling and confusion. CdT

Spot on. Without the bull# intervention of 'old school' parents the kids of today would get along just fine. It's the previous generations that insist on #ing it up. Such is the nature of the planet upon which we live.

Apologies for the bad language, but occasionally rude word convey the point better than rational debate...