A Child with Parents of a Certain Religion...

I was walking the short journey from my front door to the tram stop this morning, a Wednesday and it must have been around 12 noon. Exactly in the middle of the week, I just realised that whilst typing it, that's pretty cool. Anyway, I was almost at the tram stop when i was approached by a leafleting child, who i would guess at being no older than twelve. I would usually pass on leaflet-ers but as it was a child i decided to accept, thinking it would give me something to read while i would no doubt be waiting around for Georg in the Student's Union Coffee bar.


The following images are scanned directly from the leaflet that I was handed earlier today in order that they were to be read. It was presented as a near A5 size four page booklet.












As I was raised a catholic child, I have very strong opinions on this kind of practice. What shocked me is that a child, in the middle of the day when they should have been in school was being used to publicise the church. I have been a strong believer for a while now that everyone is entitled to their own personal views when it impacts no one else's life. However, when beliefs start to encroach on beliefs of others around you, those effected are entitled to defend their opinions which may be in opposition to those they are being presented with. Therefore I feel that I can openly talk about my opinion of this.


I want to refer you at this point to the work of Prof. Richard Dawkins. Especially his documentary called: 'Faith School Menace' where Dawkins explores the issues and implications involved in growing numbers of faith schools in the UK. I won't reiterate everything that Dawkins said in the documentary because that would be pointless (I couldn't explain the topics half as well so i highly recommend that you see it for yourself.) 


I will however recite what i remember as being a very poignant point. "Some may say: 'Here we see a Christian child, over there a Muslim child, and there's a Jewish child.' It would be far more accurate to term these children as 'a child of Christian/Muslim/Jewish parents.' A child, for very good Darwinian reasons, is programmed to obey what he/she is told by their parents. No wonder the Jesuits said 'Give me the child for the first seven years, and I will give you the man." I will leave you with this thought to ponder upon.