UK Census 2011

[t8yman]

They can't, my daughter is doing her options, RE is in the compulsory column.

[Donkey]

In Scotland that's RME. Religious and Moral Education.

Anyway, I just popped in to ask, why do I have to fill this in and what will , realistically, happen if I just bin it?

[harderfaster]

gove has already outlined the irrelevance of RE in the ebac.

[llcoolphil]

because it's already full legitimised in law thru the national curriculum,

[llcoolphil]

And the result - with my kid at least - is that he's ended up accepting it as somehow right (while not believing it himself), because "if there wasn't anything to it then it wouldn't be taught in school". He refuses to consider dismissing it on the same basis that he (and everyone else) dismisses other things in life, precisely because of that legally enshrined basis.

[bunique]

They can't, my daughter is doing her options, RE is in the compulsory column.

[eFestivals]

Legitimised by 37.5 million people stating their religion as christian in the 2001 census. Its hardly controversial to teach something 37.5 million state they are.

If you want to go with numbers over logic then why has there ever been anti-smoking measures taken by the govt? At the point they started with them, the majority of adults were smokers. And the same thing with current anti-drinking measures - after all the majority drink alcohol. And so those get to show that numbers alone get to say very little about the rights and wrongs of anything.

At the end of the day, religions are simply nothing more than any other chosen-to-join club. And on that basis, if religion-clubs have a right in law to taxpayers money, then sporting clubs, drinking clubs, and any other club should have the same right - or none should.

[eFestivals]

There is something in it - 37.5 million chose to identify as christian in 2001. Other religions are taught too, though perhaps we should draw the line somewhere before Jedi. Even Brian Cox acknowledged this week that there is absolutely nothing in science that precludes the existence of god. A massively greater proportion of people identify with a belief in god than no belief in god. Im not at all sure what is controversial about teaching what the vast majority of the population believe because a few of us think they have it all wrong.

There's nothing in science that precludes the existence of the spaghetti monster either, but we don't give that unprovable story the same deference.

We're wasting our time teaching kids about science if we don't apply the same logic and consistency to all things.

[rexclark]

Religious education is ok as long as there's balance. A child should never have religion thrust upon them and told this is what's right. They should be shown all the options and be able to make a responsible choice whether it be Christianity, Buddhist or the fact there is f**k all. A fair balance in the education of religions would at least teach children to be more tolerant of others faiths.

I got religious education at school and we were taught about all faiths and were never informed that one was better than the other and I do believe that this is a good thing.

[feral chile]

Religious education is ok as long as there's balance. A child should never have religion thrust upon them and told this is what's right. They should be shown all the options and be able to make a responsible choice whether it be Christianity, Buddhist or the fact there is f**k all. A fair balance in the education of religions would at least teach children to be more tolerant of others faiths.

I got religious education at school and we were taught about all faiths and were never informed that one was better than the other and I do believe that this is a good thing.

[feral chile]

There is something in it - 37.5 million chose to identify as christian in 2001. Other religions are taught too, though perhaps we should draw the line somewhere before Jedi. Even Brian Cox acknowledged this week that there is absolutely nothing in science that precludes the existence of god. A massively greater proportion of people identify with a belief in god than no belief in god. Im not at all sure what is controversial about teaching what the vast majority of the population believe because a few of us think they have it all wrong.

[llcoolphil]

They can't, my daughter is doing her options, RE is in the compulsory column.

[llcoolphil]

A lot of people believe in ghosts and alien abduction too, but I don't see that on the curriculum.

[llcoolphil]

n increasing number of today's kids compared to the past reject scientific discovery in favour of fairy stories. :angry:

[llcoolphil]

Religious education is ok as long as there's balance. A child should never have religion thrust upon them and told this is what's right. They should be shown all the options and be able to make a responsible choice whether it be Christianity, Buddhist or the fact there is f**k all. A fair balance in the education of religions would at least teach children to be more tolerant of others faiths.

I got religious education at school and we were taught about all faiths and were never informed that one was better than the other and I do believe that this is a good thing.

[feral chile]

Im pretty sure we can manage cultural education without considering either. Im absolutely certain you cant without teaching religion

[llcoolphil]

How many universes are there? Some very eminent scientists believe there is one. Some other very eminent scientists believe there are many. Only one group can be right. Which do we teach? Or do we teach that some people believe this and some people believe that and leave people to decide which they would rather believe?

[feral chile]

monster

Religious education in schools has changed very much since I was there and since your son was there. However, teaching children that christians believe x requires that they understand the crucifixion and what happens if you dont believe.

[t8yman]

I genuinely dont mind that my daughter was TAUGHT about religion, she always moans about it, and it is consistently the lowest grade on her report card. I tell her she should at least be respectful, and that she cannot argue against religion if she doesnt understand it. she is a very intelligent girl - she wants to be a surgeon, and I'm sure if she had the option of using that RE slot in her timetable for something remotely relevant she would jump at the chance.

I am proud of the fact that I have managed to convince both of the kids at a very early age that religion is bollocks, but to respect other peoples choices to believe in a load of bollocks.

[feral chile]

How many universes are there? Some very eminent scientists believe there is one. Some other very eminent scientists believe there are many. Only one group can be right. Which do we teach? Or do we teach that some people believe this and some people believe that and leave people to decide which they would rather believe?

[feral chile]

I genuinely dont mind that my daughter was TAUGHT about religion, she always moans about it, and it is consistently the lowest grade on her report card. I tell her she should at least be respectful, and that she cannot argue against religion if she doesnt understand it. she is a very intelligent girl - she wants to be a surgeon, and I'm sure if she had the option of using that RE slot in her timetable for something remotely relevant she would jump at the chance.

I am proud of the fact that I have managed to convince both of the kids at a very early age that religion is bollocks, but to respect other peoples choices to believe in a load of bollocks.

[llcoolphil]

why? it's the new religion/superstition, and relevant culturally. Superstition based on science, in the case of alien abduction. It's interesting how people have evolved to interpret their unusual experiences in new ways, based on changing culture.

[llcoolphil]

My educationh's woefully inadequate regarding other religions though

[feral chile]

In what way is alien abduction the new religion? I can accept that the existence of life forms outside of earth is very much science based, in that it is a question of mathematical probability. I can also accept that life on earth was seeded and kick started by a meteor crashing into the planet and bringing stuff with it that didnt exist here before that kick started the evolutionary process is a scientific exploration worth making. But alien abduction as a new religion seems to be taking a step further than any evidence I can find to support it as such. What relevance does alien abduction have culturally beyond the virtually insignificant? And given its insignificance, why is it of equal worth as a subject to be taught in school alongside something that the vast, vast majority of the planet claim to believe in? In 20/50/100 years time, when there is a body of research to support it, then it may well become a subject worthy of formal education.

Edited March 19, 2011 by feral chile

[rachbon]

do people actually get fined for not filling in the census form or do they just say that to scare you into doing what you're told?

i'll send the form back if i feel like it but don't like the idea of being forced into it.