Is there a God?

[Alan Medic]

The problem with 'God' is trying and failing to understand it. The problem with accepting 'God' on that basis is, it's just faith. The good thing about 'God' is it gives you something to aim for if you are so inclined. That probably happens when you realise the 'world' is superficial and/or you are near death. Or......you could experience something that you just can't put into words because there are none to describe it.

[silverfox]

uncleglen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> A friend who teaches in a faith school told me

> that she has been disturbed by recent comments

> made by older teenagers in the sixth form who

> believe that being religious is 'good' and not

> being religious is 'bad'. One student asked her if

> she believed in 'god' and she would not say...

Why wouldn't she say?

The answer is yes, no, maybe

Unless she's a heathen frightened she may lose her job In a faith school.

How can sixth formers have any respect for a teacher Who is too timid to express her views?

Sixth formers are on the cusp - wrestling with ideas. It sounds as if the individuals concerned were a bit fundamentalist. Here was the teacher's chance to stretch them with different ideas/interpretation.

Far from her being 'disturbed' by such comments, she failed in her duty to question and offer alternative views here.

In short, she appears to be Michael Gove fodder and probably isn't up to the job.

[uncleglen]

She has a mortgage for a start.

[Huguenot]

Interesting use of the word 'heathen' there silverfox - it doesn't simply mean 'atheist' of course - it's used as a term to denote a class of subhuman who lacks the basic requirements of civilisation.

Contextually it seems it was related to biology? In that context a teacher would be quite within their rights not to answer a question about religious beliefs simply because it was an irrelevance and a distraction from the lesson at hand.

Education need a structure. Mind you, if this was an experienced teacher she'd have been used to diversionary tactics from precocious students.

[uncleglen]

Exactly. Apparently the students were quite happy to accept the fact that they need to learn the Darwinian stuff in order to pass the exam. Therefore for the time being the examination is god!

[Jeremy]

We had teachers at school who were openly atheist, as well as others who were clearly religious. I don't see why it's a problem. A teacher should still be able to present both sides of the argument without hiding their own beliefs.

[uncleglen]

Same at my school Jeremy, in fact a geography teacher had a slide show disproving all the so-called miracles. By the time we got to the sixth form we had come to the conclusion that 'god' was not going to solve humanity's problems and then we took up protesting at every opportunity.

[silverfox]

Ungleglen,

You have done your best to defend your teacher friend.

What is/are your view/views?

[Huguenot]

Interestingly, my impression is that if this were a private faith school, the school would be required to justify the need for faith for a particular role - i.e. a biology teacher would not require faith and hence would be subject to anti-discrimination law.

If this were a state funded faith school (voluntary aided) they would not be subject to the anti-discrimination law - so the biology teacher may be required to have faith in order to keep their job.

Can anyone clear this one up?

[uncleglen]

I'm an atheist and I abhor the fact that my taxes are used to fund faith schools since it appears that the indoctrination of young people is rife and one would think that in this century religion should be losing adherents.

Is that correct H that a state funded faith school is not subject to the anti-discrimination law? You mean that these types of school are outside of that law? Crikey! It's worse than I thought.

[Huguenot]

I'm not sure, I read it a couple of years ago about legislation at that time.

It would be great if anyone knows?

[right-clicking]

Yes there is a God, Man made Him in His own Image

[uncleglen]

'God' help us all then!

[polla2256]

There is no god, but who am I to tell you otherwise. I made up my own and respect anyone who does the same no matter where their beliefs lie.

[uncleglen]

I have since found out that if you work in a faith school then you could be dismissed if you did anything outside your working hours to undermine that faith. The film 'Franklin' shows the absurdity of religion.

[justsaying2]

We're all just a bunch of wobbly chemicals with reactors giving us sense - common sense. We are all interconnected and not here for any reason other than that we exist. We'll die out as the dinosaurs did and other chemicals will bond and form new species - those stronger, smaller survivors, such as the afforementioned flesh eating worms will survive. Nature will evolve according to the most resilient living things - we are part of a process and our belief that we are more 'rightful' of a place on the planet than any other living thing, will be our downfall, as will our self obsession which is our main downfall and a seemingly inbuilt human defect which will be our end. It will take far more than 100 years however - time goes much quicker than future predictors usually envisage - look at 1984. We'll be here arguing for generations to come - I'd give it 1,000 or more years before the final human eyeball is sucked. Just make the most of it and for God's sake (?)leave some for someone else!

[Alan Medic]

I wish someone was dumbstruck......just the once.

[Huguenot]

Why? Does an inability to express oneself prove the existence of an Almighty? ;)

[Alan Medic]

In your case it probably would....smiley thingy

[uncleglen]

I've just read the thread about St Francesca Cabrini the Catholic school up the hill. It seems that time stands still in the Roman world unfortunately.

[susiq]

Science says, In the beginning there was nothing, then it blew up, and here we are, well if that isent proof?

[uncleglen]

Proof of chaos- that's what it is.

[dulwichtoo]

One of the best analytical deconstructions of Christianity I've read by someone who enrolled on the Alpha Course. A long but riveting read.

http://alphacoursereview.wordpress.com/

?Whenever a man believes that he has the exact truth from God, there is in that man no spirit of compromise. He has not the modesty born of the imperfections of human nature; he has the arrogance of theological certainty and the tyranny born of ignorant assurance.? ? Robert G. Ingersoll

[Dulwichmudlark]

Religion Comedy for the intelligent reality for the ignorant

[uncleglen]

It's too dangerous to be comedy and it's being perpetuated using our taxes!