Secularism...agnostic or atheist?

Question

In order to completely separate state from religion, is it neccessary to pursue more anti-religious, athiest policies, or would a more free thinking, agnostic approach be acceptable?

The practical application as I see it, is that true secularism requires that education of young people be made uniform, requiring the abolition of faith schools.

The more liberal, agnostic approach allows for cultural/religious differences to be engendered in young people through education. However, this would appear to inhibit those whose culture or religion predisposes them to reject knowledge that is accepted in the wider community.

What do you think is the best way to fully implement secularism, whilst maintaining respect for the individual's religious/spiritual (or lack of,) beliefs and opinions?

Answer 1

I think the key is to teach people how to think critically, and to separate belief and rhetoric from an empirical approach to things, and to understand when to apply each. For instance, if you are seeking enlightenment, you're not going to get it by setting up a double-blind study with control groups of enlightened and unenlightened people given two regimens of reading "faith" books (Bibles, etc.) and a placebo. That's just the wrong approach for that kind of learning. Similarly, you're not going to understand anything about how to copperplate a spoon by thinking about Jesus. Most folks recognize this as common sense.

We can't abolish spiritual thinking entirely, nor (according to the constitution) should be be trying to enforce a state religion (Sorry, my fundamentalist friends, this nation was created so we could practice our OWN religions, not the one YOU pick). The problem with allowing spiritual thinking is that the moment you let the camel's nose in the tent, you get the whole camel, and some folks are not happy with allowing this sort of thing UNLESS you DO IT THEIR WAY.

I think we need to not focus so much on implementing a purely secular approach in public teaching, but on respecting that secularism plays a necessary role as does faith, and that you don't use one where the other is called for.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

stop saying whilst and you're halfway there.....

the other half is made up by getting rid of all faith schools, allowing all people to have their religions, stop shoving them down everyone else's throats, and educate an entire generation of people willing to accept what everyone else believes without believing that all they're all damned for not agreeing with what their belief system is.

Answer 3

i support, as you said, a more free thinking, agnostic approach. personally I believe that there is only one god, and different religions are basically different interpretations of fundamental human beliefs such as a creator and an after-life.