questionmark Posted September 26, 2013 #1 Share Posted September 26, 2013 Up to 16,000 primary-school pupils in non-denominational sector will get tuition in atheism, while the rest will be offered courses on the internet and on smartphone apps. 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. 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. Read more This begs the question: What is there to teach? The whole thing is one sentence. Are they going to loaf around the whole semester repeating the same sentence? Or is atheism now a religion in itself with articles of faith that have to be learned? 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drayno Posted September 26, 2013 #2 Share Posted September 26, 2013 (edited) This begs the question: What is there to teach? The whole thing is one sentence. Are they going to loaf around the whole semester repeating the same sentence? Or is atheism now a religion in itself with articles of faith that have to be learned? I'm curious too, questionmark. I didn't know there were any doctrines of atheism to learn other than "God is dead".. Would the curriculum expose the hypocrisy of the church? Or would it center around science? Edited September 26, 2013 by Hatake Kakashi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rlyeh Posted September 26, 2013 #3 Share Posted September 26, 2013 Maybe the history of atheism? Besides that there really isn't much to teach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted September 26, 2013 #4 Share Posted September 26, 2013 I no longer want to be associated with Atheists...I'm officially now just a non-believer. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+HerNibs Posted September 26, 2013 #5 Share Posted September 26, 2013 This begs the question: What is there to teach? The whole thing is one sentence. Are they going to loaf around the whole semester repeating the same sentence? Or is atheism now a religion in itself with articles of faith that have to be learned? I'd rather there were intensive critical thinking courses. EVERYWHERE. Nibs 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetpumper Posted September 26, 2013 #6 Share Posted September 26, 2013 I no longer want to be associated with Atheists...I'm officially now just a non-believer. Ditto. They're almost worse than the religious when it comes to preaching. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. K. Posted September 26, 2013 #7 Share Posted September 26, 2013 My guess would be they will focus on debunking the Bible and creationism. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questionmark Posted September 26, 2013 Author #8 Share Posted September 26, 2013 I'd rather there were intensive critical thinking courses. EVERYWHERE. Nibs If you keep on saying that they will accuse you of trying to torture children 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRYSiiSx2 Posted September 26, 2013 #9 Share Posted September 26, 2013 IMO All religion should not be taught in any school. But growing up we cross our hearts and looked to the American flag every morning. The kids who were taught at home not to participate didn't. It should come back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikko-kun Posted September 26, 2013 #10 Share Posted September 26, 2013 I dont see how this is teaching, unless teaching equates telling someone what to do or how things are. I call it force-feeding 'knowledge'. They should teach philosophy instead, and parallel thinking or symbolism, so they'd see how similiar this is to the way religions put themselves out. I guess the definition of teaching depends on who you ask, but in my mind it's about giving your students something to think about, challenging them, allowing them to understand. And then letting them draw their conclusions. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star of the Sea Posted September 26, 2013 #11 Share Posted September 26, 2013 But but........ 'Atheism, is not a 'belief system' 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odin11 Posted September 26, 2013 #12 Share Posted September 26, 2013 (edited) This begs the question: What is there to teach? The whole thing is one sentence. Are they going to loaf around the whole semester repeating the same sentence? Or is atheism now a religion in itself with articles of faith that have to be learned? From the link "We see our course as a chance for young Irish children to get an alternative view on how the world works." As opposed to creationism. They also say the kids will read Dawkins' The Magic of Reality which is not a book on atheism but on reality. I think they are just using atheism as a broad term for science and reality. Edited September 26, 2013 by Odin11 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaa-Tzik Posted September 26, 2013 #13 Share Posted September 26, 2013 In atheist states, like Soviet Union, "atheism" was not taught, there was no need, there was simply an abscence of religion in school, which is as it should be, imo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted September 26, 2013 #14 Share Posted September 26, 2013 From the link "We see our course as a chance for young Irish children to get an alternative view on how the world works." As opposed to creationism. They also say the kids will read Dawkins' The Magic of Reality which is not a book on atheism but on reality. I think they are just using atheism as a broad term for science and reality. Religion, or the lack thereof, does not belong in the same category as science. Religion and science are not incompatible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted September 26, 2013 #15 Share Posted September 26, 2013 "Richard Dawkins' The Magic of Reality is a key text in the first ever atheist curriculum for Irish schoolchildren." I'm sure this move will cheer Richard Dawkins enormou$ly. As with others here, though, I question what is there to teach? I could understand a curriculum of comparative religion, including atheism as an "alternate belief system", but the study of the natural world (if that is what this is) is not "Religious Education". 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted September 26, 2013 #16 Share Posted September 26, 2013 Religion, or the lack thereof, does not belong in the same category as science. Religion and science are not incompatible. This is a good point, Michelle. The Irish curriculum appears to be equating atheism with science. But atheism isn't 'pro-science' just as theism isn't 'anti-science', they are just two different positions regarding the existence of divinity. Teaching this to young kids as it appears to be will cement prejudices in their minds regarding what atheism and theism are. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questionmark Posted September 26, 2013 Author #17 Share Posted September 26, 2013 This is a good point, Michelle. The Irish curriculum appears to be equating atheism with science. But atheism isn't 'pro-science' just as theism isn't 'anti-science', they are just two different positions regarding the existence of divinity. Teaching this to young kids as it appears to be will cement prejudices in their minds regarding what atheism and theism are. Well, you have to give the Irish that as good Catholics they have just learned to think for themselves since Vatican II.... before that the Bishop used to do it for them... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaa-Tzik Posted September 26, 2013 #18 Share Posted September 26, 2013 Well, you have to give the Irish that as good Catholics they have just learned to think for themselves since Vatican II.... before that the Bishop used to do it for them... Did you make an error in your post?, I'm thinking should the second "for" be a "to" .... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonardo Posted September 26, 2013 #19 Share Posted September 26, 2013 Now, now Kaa-Tzik - that was a bit naughty.... ...what makes you think they've stopped? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreatFenris Posted September 27, 2013 #20 Share Posted September 27, 2013 "Schools tach that God exists, Jesus was totally real and all that"-No one cares. "Schools teach that maybe there's other views"-HERESY! OHmygaaaawd, they're like...totally worse than the guys persecuting others with violence. *chuckles*Yep, the Internet is it usual ol' self. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questionmark Posted September 27, 2013 Author #21 Share Posted September 27, 2013 "Schools tach that God exists, Jesus was totally real and all that"-No one cares. "Schools teach that maybe there's other views"-HERESY! OHmygaaaawd, they're like...totally worse than the guys persecuting others with violence. *chuckles*Yep, the Internet is it usual ol' self. There is nothing to teach there except one sentence: "There is no God". They are going to keep repeating that all semester? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+HerNibs Posted September 27, 2013 #22 Share Posted September 27, 2013 If you keep on saying that they will accuse you of trying to torture children eh, my children already accused me. Nothing stuck. but they ARE critical thinkers. Nibs 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted September 27, 2013 #23 Share Posted September 27, 2013 There is nothing to teach there except one sentence: "There is no God". They are going to keep repeating that all semester? If they go any farther than that they will inadvertently be teaching about religion anyway, because I have a feeling they will be teaching ways to debunk religious beliefs. In order to debunk something you have to study it. I'm constantly amazed at how much time some Atheists spend studying religion just so they can argue against it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questionmark Posted September 27, 2013 Author #24 Share Posted September 27, 2013 If they go any farther than that they will inadvertently be teaching about religion anyway, because I have a feeling they will be teaching ways to debunk religious beliefs. In order to debunk something you have to study it. I'm constantly amazed at how much time some Atheists spend studying religion just so they can argue against it. Well, I guess they already have something like the "gospel of the atheist"... whatever good that might be... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+HerNibs Posted September 27, 2013 #25 Share Posted September 27, 2013 Don't know if it would be a "gospel"...maybe more like a one page flyer. "There is no god/s." Probably in a large font... Nibs 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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