Tom McGurk: Confused about religious education

Letter in today’s Sunday Business Post (Sub. reqd).

Most of the letters page (7 out of 10) was taken up with reaction to McGurk’s article (Teaching religion is of primary importance, SBP April 15) . Only one agreed with his ill informed views.

This strong anti- religious, anti-Catholilc response seems to be the norm in recent years – long may it last.

Sir,

The underlying message to be taken from Tom McGurk’s article on religious education in schools is that any withdrawal of Christian religious teaching will damage the moral and ethical formation of children.

This narrow view suggests that the moral and ethical standards of billions of non-Christians and non-believers are, at best, inferior, and, at worst, irrelevant.

Human morality is a natural, evolutionary aspect of all humanity, not the invention of any one particular god.

If parents want to indoctrinate their children into a particular religion, they should do so themselves with the support of their particular church.
The State should play no part in religious indoctrination.

Your etc.,
Anthony Sheridan
Cobh