Posts by The Nihilist:

    Abbott wants bible classes taught in Australian schools

    December 19th, 2009

    So, our little was-going-to-be-a-priest opposition leader, Tony Abbott, has lived up to expectations. It didn’t take him long before he started hawking his mythical wears in the role. He wants bible classes taught in schools, you see.

    Opposition leader, Tony Abbott, thinks bible classes should be compulsory in Australian schools. Believe it or not, I am not completely against the idea. If it is taught comparatively, and such texts as the Qur’an, Śruti and Tanakh are read alongside it, and students are taught critical thinking / logic beforehand, I have no problems.

    Is this Abbott’s intention though, or has he put Christianity on a pedestal? Well if the Herald Sun have quoted him accurately, then it is pedestal all the way…

    You can read the rest of the post over at The Nihilist, my blog. (I feel a bit cheeky directing traffic, but hey, we’re all friends. I’ll scratch your back if you smother mine is oil and rub me down. No happy ending thanks.) :)

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    Chaplaincy in Australia’s State Schools

    December 1st, 2009

    A piece I wrote over at my blog, The Nihilist.

    In an emotional display, Kevin Rudd PM told the story of a couple that he knew personally, who died tragically whilst doing a good deed, to the Australian Christian Lobby’s annual conference in Canberra. Allan Taylor, the husband, was a school chaplain. Rudd intends to give $42.8mil in funding to the National School Chaplaincy program which was due to end late 2010.

    Rudd used personal testimonies of Taylor, by friends, students, teachers, and colleagues as evidence of the importance of the chaplaincy program  in Australian schools. The National School Chaplaincy Program has provided funding to about 2700 schools across Australia so far.

    Why not provide roles for counsellors, welfare workers and community liaison officers? After all, these are state schools we’re talking about receiving the chaplaincy treatment.

    Support for the PMs decision comes in the form of a report, “The Effectiveness of Chaplaincy” [PDF] conducted by  Dr Philip Hughes of Edith Cowan University and Prof. Margaret Sims of University of New England. Interestingly, Hughes is also an employee of the Christian Research Association (CRA) which undoubtedly has a vested interest in the continuity of the chaplaincy program.

    MP John Kaye has challenged the report. One of the main points he brings forth is the usability of chaplains over the aforementioned cousellors et al. The only distinction one has over the other is church-connectedness, which as Kaye puts it “is highly contentious in a secular and multi-cultural public education system”.

    If your children went to a state school would you prefer guidance counseling to be undertaken by a churchman or a trained school counsellor?

    Source: http://nihilistology.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/chaplaincy-in-australias-state-schools/

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