[Blue_Nose]

hurley_108 wrote:

it doesn't mean you're allowed to try and stop them from being heard.

...but they are allowed. The same way teachers decided To Kill a Mockingbird should be taken off the public school reading list.

Should they? No. Children are quick to pick up on things grownups don't want them to see, and want to know why.

I never read a fantasy book as a child and felt like becoming a witch or anything of the sort - if their faith is shaken that badly, it's a sad reflection of the state of the church.

[2Cdo]

hurley_108 wrote:

It's censorship. As far as I'm concerned, the only things that should ever be withheld from minors are pornography and hate literature. Just because you don't like what someone says doesn't mean they're not allowed to say it, and it doesn't mean you're allowed to try and stop them from being heard.

Just to play devils advocate here but withholding ANY information can be construed as censorship.

As a parent I have performed countless acts of censorship in the years of bringing up my two boys, as I am sure countless others have as well.

[themasta]

I don't believe the book should be pulled, allowing your children to grow up in an "ideological germ-free" environment will only make later attacks on their faith more effective. Children need to learn about their faith and how to defend it as soon as they can. That way, when people like DerbyX come by, they can at least debate knowledgeably, though I doubt that either would ever change the other's mind.
As for attacking atheism in a Catholic school, I fail to see how that is wrong. Atheism is the antithesis of all deistic religions (and depending on who you talk to, they think it is more anti-religious than anti-God, screw you Buddha!). Public schools are already a bastion of secular education (and one might assume atheist education), would I expect Christian theology to be taught in a public school? No. An atheist should expect reciprocal treatment at a school for those of faith. Though why feel the need to attack those of other belief systems, atheist or otherwise?

[romanP]

DerbyX wrote:

Oh no. "Promoting Atheism" to children is wrong eh?

Of course promoting religion isn't?

Atheism has as much a right to be promoted as their religion.

Why are you surprised that a Catholic school board would remove from one of its school libraries a book that questions the existence of god? Christians aren't in the business of questioning god, because their religion is centred around believing in god. Anyone who has a problem with this should not send their children to Catholic school.

[romanP]

DerbyX wrote:

ridenrain wrote:

What a hassle...

First, I'm happy being an atheist,
Then we go see The Chronicles of Narnia, and I switch to christianity
Now I'll go see this and switch back.

It's a private school, isn't it?
If it is, they can choose what books they want.

Are you going to the other private religious schools and bitch at their choose in books?

Is this about the library list of private schools in general or just one christian school?

My main focus was the accusation about "promoting Atheism" as somehow wrong.

The idea that it is wrong must be fought tooth and nail.

It's wrong in the sense that that is not what Catholic schools exist to teach. They aren't trying to have this book pulled off all library shelves, just the shelves of the Catholic schools' library. If Catholic schoolchildren want to read books that their school board has banned from their school, I'm sure they could easily find any book store or public library that carries them.

[romanP]

DerbyX wrote:

ridenrain wrote:

Are you equal opportunity or is this just Christians.
I want to see you're letters promoting atheism to the muslim schools.

What muslim schools are you referring to and are there any in the GTA?

Since you claim to be an Atheist but are rarely involved in any of the threads concerning that subject I find your criticism unfounded.

I haven't once withered from promoting Atheism at any muslim posting any different then any religion.

I don't exactly see you as a staunch defender of Atheism.

Maybe he doesn't participate in most of your atheist threads because he isn't interested in your fanatical, overbearing style of atheism.

[DerbyX]

romanP wrote:

DerbyX wrote:

Oh no. "Promoting Atheism" to children is wrong eh?

Of course promoting religion isn't?

Atheism has as much a right to be promoted as their religion.

Why are you surprised that a Catholic school board would remove from one of its school libraries a book that questions the existence of god? Christians aren't in the business of questioning god, because their religion is centred around believing in god. Anyone who has a problem with this should not send their children to Catholic school.

Then why exactly do people freak out when muslims teach their children that anyone who insults islam must die? Thats their religion right?

In fact anything they do "in the name of their religion" shouldn't bother anybody either.

The fact is they are putting forth the idea that teaching children the idea of Atheism is wrong.

Imagine we were teaching the children that christianity was wrong?

Hmmmm, perhaps we should.

[romanP]

DerbyX wrote:

Atheism means "I believe in no gods". Any actions I take to defend/promote that belief don't contradict it.

To you it means "you believe in no gods", and it shows. Most atheists do not believe in god. Try to understand the difference.

[romanP]

DerbyX wrote:

romanP wrote:

DerbyX wrote:

Oh no. "Promoting Atheism" to children is wrong eh?

Of course promoting religion isn't?

Atheism has as much a right to be promoted as their religion.

Why are you surprised that a Catholic school board would remove from one of its school libraries a book that questions the existence of god? Christians aren't in the business of questioning god, because their religion is centred around believing in god. Anyone who has a problem with this should not send their children to Catholic school.

Then why exactly do people freak out when muslims teach their children that anyone who insults islam must die? Thats their religion right?

There is a pretty large difference between pulling a book from a semi-private library and threatening to kill people.

Quote:

The fact is they are putting forth the idea that teaching children the idea of Atheism is wrong.

Christians are not interested in atheism. I would hope you could understand at least that much.

Quote:

Imagine we were teaching the children that christianity was wrong?

Hmmmm, perhaps we should.

If you want to open your own school and teach that, go right ahead.

[DerbyX]

romanP wrote:

DerbyX wrote:

Atheism means "I believe in no gods". Any actions I take to defend/promote that belief don't contradict it.

To you it means "you believe in no gods", and it shows. Most atheists do not believe in god. Try to understand the difference.

Same thing.

[DerbyX]

romanP wrote:

DerbyX wrote:

ridenrain wrote:

Are you equal opportunity or is this just Christians.
I want to see you're letters promoting atheism to the muslim schools.

What muslim schools are you referring to and are there any in the GTA?

Since you claim to be an Atheist but are rarely involved in any of the threads concerning that subject I find your criticism unfounded.

I haven't once withered from promoting Atheism at any muslim posting any different then any religion.

I don't exactly see you as a staunch defender of Atheism.

Maybe he doesn't participate in most of your atheist threads because he isn't interested in your fanatical, overbearing style of atheism.

Coming from a radical religious zealot thats quite the laugh. Unlike you I'm not shoving my beliefs down someones throat.

[DerbyX]

Quote:

There is a pretty large difference between pulling a book from a semi-private library and threatening to kill people.

If its their religious belief then who are you to judge?

Quote:

Christians are not interested in atheism. I would hope you could understand at least that much.

Considering the time and energy they spend attacking it your statement is in error.

Quote:

If you want to open your own school and teach that, go right ahead.

They freaked out everytime we tried to even the score by pulling prayer out of public schools.

[RUEZ]

DerbyX wrote:

Imagine we were teaching the children that christianity was wrong?

Hmmmm, perhaps we should.

Isn't that what you've been doing?

[DerbyX]

RUEZ wrote:

DerbyX wrote:

Imagine we were teaching the children that christianity was wrong?

Hmmmm, perhaps we should.

Isn't that what you've been doing?

So you are equating my personal opinion with that of school ciriculum?

[romanP]

DerbyX wrote:

romanP wrote:

DerbyX wrote:

Atheism means "I believe in no gods". Any actions I take to defend/promote that belief don't contradict it.

To you it means "you believe in no gods", and it shows. Most atheists do not believe in god. Try to understand the difference.

Same thing.

They are not the same thing.

One suggests that you believe in the absence of god.

The other suggests that you do not believe in god, so there can be neither absence nor presence.