My View Of Religion As Truth

Religion is an idea of life, the universe and everything stating how we should live. What will happen to us after death. A God – or at least a cosmic force – has set these things in motion and may or may not keep the wheels turning by active involvement.

There are many issues to be had when claimed as truth. Religions make universal claims which are at odds with each other. They cannot all hold true. Certain beliefs are essential to believe, currying favour in an after life or to receive blessings in this life time. Or else you are dammed. That the faith you have is largely determined arbitrarily by the country and parents you are born to suggests God really does play dice with your eternal happiness.

If religion makes a belief true – and your salvation depends on it – absurdities become essentially rationalised or explained as a metaphor with a universal truth. Criticising becomes an attack on the faith. Pointing out how people respond to the belief is retorted as you being phobic. The sectarianism and killing in the name of the one true God become anything but about belief. It is tribal, it is politics, it is social injustice, it is western foreign policy, it is human nature. So ignore that they claim they are doing God’s will in a moment of religious ecstasy.

The majority of religious followers do not want to convert you or subject you to what they regard as their personal belief. They are not secretly waiting for the moment to turn democracy into a theocratic state. Many will stand for the principles of secularism supporting a pluralistic state and multi cultural society with shared values. But claiming militant Islamists are not a problem within Islam misses exactly how extremists are cultivated, indoctrinated and turned to violence.

Which is why I welcome Qasim Rashid’s new book “Extremist” because it recognises not just the passages and assertions Geert Wilders uses to portray Islam as an inherently violent ideology. Qasim recognises that extremists use them to claim their violence is in line with Islam. A theological counter narrative to extremism needs to be taught to children of Muslim parents and the parents themselves need to be aware too. So do non Muslims.

Regrettably, what we have seen is the hope by some parents that giving children an indoctrinated – but Wahhabist style instruction of Islam – will help with a moral education. In several Birmingham schools this year that is the concern. Six year olds told British women are “white prostitutes”. Music and dance lessons off the curriculum. That evolution cannot be “believed.” Only Islam taught as religious education. As Yasmin Alibhai-Brown put it in 2010 “The Talibanisation of British childhood by hardline parents”

In my role as chair of the British Muslims for Secular Democracy (BMSD), which campaigns against fanaticism, many inner-city teachers have told me they feel paralysed by extreme demands.

Brainwashed Muslim parents ask school librarians not to lend their children storybooks. (Jacqueline Wilson, the former Children’s Laureate, is targeted for ‘leading children astray’ with her stories that deal with contemporary social issues, such as single motherhood.)

Some Muslim children have been kept away from school visits to temples, churches and art galleries.

Teddy bears and pets are also branded un-Islamic.

How about the daughter of a relative of mine, who was having a birthday-party and invited all the girls in her class.

The Muslim pupils organised a boycott because she had invited ‘unbelievers’.

This is the background to the Trojan Horse fears and why it took so long to be acted upon till 2014. It reminds me of my Jehovah’s Witness childhood – no birthday parties ever, censored school book lists, no toys with any super natural powers, avoid false religion and people not of the faith as friends. Tragically this has now become an accepted part of British education and life for some children. Because some claim it to be the true religion. This should outrage us all.

Such non violent extremism needs countering. I cannot speak for Qasim, but I am sure he would agree the best education needs to be taught to every single child in school. That education would not be dependent on the stated religious claims of the parents. That socialising and interacting with children from different backgrounds enriches childhood, setting up friendships for life, preparing for the world as an adult.

For this, comparative religious studies as an academic subject is essential for children. It will teach them to think about religious claims, and evaluate them. Show that there are many faiths, sects and movements, how to approach them academically and not as a religious zealot or as an atheist. Above all they will know about religions. Not the skewed propaganda which is out there.

The last thing I want to see in any school is this sort of pledge:

“I pledge allegiance to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, Lord and Saviour, crucified, risen, and coming again as king with life and liberty for all who believe.

I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God’s Holy Word. I will make it a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. I will hide it in my heart, that I might not sin against God.”

– The pledge, spoken at Accelerated Christian Education schools.

Of course I am not going to agree with Qasim that The Prophet Mohammed having led a good life supports claims to receiving his divine revelation, or that history backs slavery was not really slavery after Mohammed in the book. I am not going to take kindly to some people described as “Taliban atheists” because not one of them would shoot a school girl for criticising them or atheism, in an article he shared.

But Qasim and I will agree on universal human rights. That we can disagree perhaps passionately with each other. That civil discourse helps that debate (challenging at times), and the bigger picture puts us on the same side. That violence against others for difference of belief is never ever acceptable. That religious freedom and freedom from religion is the fundamental thing that we all need to care about to avoid discrimination.

My point would be just as scientists are uneasy about using the word truth about science, I hope one day all religious people would be uneasy about claiming their religion as true. My concern is that religion lends itself to hardcore fundamentalist mentality which can be devastating on the outlook of life.

Rather it should be this is my view, and to you yours. May we live in peace and reduce the harm we cause each other in our short life on this earth. United to stop the extremists destroying what we should love and cherish. That we are free to think differently and to be ourselves openly. Leaving a better world than we inherited.

Article written by John Sargeant on Homo economicus’ Weblog

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Making The Trojan Horse Bolt: Fasting, Religion and Children In Schools

In a Guardian article this weekend the assistant principle of Park View in Birmingham (a school that has been put into special measures due to Ofsted concluding not dealing with extermisim) made this remark:

“Part of raising achievement is schools acknowledging children’s faith and accommodating it – allowing them to wear headscarves, allowing them to pray or fast or shorten the school day during Ramadan.” He added: “The most pernicious idea in this is that people running the school are trying to force more religion on these kids than the parents want. It is not true. The parents wouldn’t be sending their kids here in droves if it were true. We give the parents what they want.”

My concern here was fasting, and whether the school system should cater to religious demands of parents. As I noted in an article last year:

“Islamic theologian Usama Hasan makes clear here these points I summarise:

Children are not supposed to be subject to the Ramadan fast, only adults

At all times the health and well being of a person comes first.

School policy and social service policy acting in a child’s best interest by safeguarding take precedence over the religious belief of parents.

Schools are an authority to be respected in this regard as [are] social services.

…

The thought process that denies water to children for 18 hours, or segregates in a demeaning way, is contemptible and should not be encouraged. Clearly children should be exempt from fasting, their welfare should trump restrictions parents place even when claimed to be for religious reasons.”

With this in mind I tweeted the assistant principle:

I never did get an answer because twitter soon melted down – at one point I was over 15 minutes behind reading notifications as I tried to get through the tweets and reply. Rather than yes of course, the question was used to suggest that I was denying the faith of a child, trying to force feed children, trying to use the issue to suppress Muslims, only raising now because of the Trojan horse (see article on that here).

Hopefully long term followers on twitter and readers of my articles know the reason I write this blog is a concern that children can be indoctrinated with their parents faith, rather than given the space and tools to choose and inquire for themselves. Children must be given the best education without religion of parents distorting the curriculum necessary for that – let alone others meddling. I am concerned that all the religion a parent wants must be instructed by a school, as the assistant principle insinuates.

The Trojan Horse allegation and Ofsted Report placing schools in special measures goes at the heart of such necessary debate.

Child welfare must always come first – I have not encountered a Muslim that would not say do not give a child in danger of dehydration a drink. As Qasim Rashid (whose books “Extremist” and “Wrong Kind Of Muslim” I do recommend reading) mentioned on twitter to a me yesterday:

Adults can make their own choices, but it seems that children fasting is becoming an accepted part of religious practise. Much might matter how we define a child (eg puberty adult). We might usually go by how society judges someone to be an adult as well as physically capable of coping with fasting. That would be 16-18 in England. The Koran mentions adults only (with welfare exceptions even then).

How did we get to the point when fasting children was ever seen as acceptable to accommodate in schools? One is a society that wants to support multiculturalism and pluralism – a noble sounding  gesture assuming that no harm comes to others. Another possibility is pressure building up in a community:

They are coerced into following the outward observances of a religion they cannot leave or openly criticise because of fears for their safety and the reaction of family and community. Social pressures and honour codes act as a policing force. They are unable to express their free conscience and are negated by the communal demands of a religion that stifles their conscience and snuffs out dissent and non-conformity.

It was never meant to be this way during Ramadan:

“a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on God, and practice self-sacrifice, Ramadan is much more than just not eating and drinking.

Muslims are called upon to use this month to re-evaluate their lives in light of Islamic guidance. We are to make peace with those who have wronged us, strengthen ties with family and friends, do away with bad habits — essentially to clean up our lives, our thoughts, and our feelings. The Arabic word for “fasting” (sawm) literally means “to refrain” – and it means not only refraining from food and drink, but from evil actions, thoughts, and words.”

I would hope parents would reflect on the psychical and educational needs of their children, not to have a shortened school day, that 18 hours without a drink for a child would be unacceptable to their welfare.

So it worries me when the National Health Service tries to give us theological health advice such as:

“However, other scholars say that the [asthma] inhaler provides small amounts of liquid medicine to the lungs, so it breaks the fast.”

This is exactly where my concerns come from.This is an unhelpful comment from a health service which should be stressing health needs only.

At least regarding water they mention:

“Could dehydration become so bad that you have to break the fast?

Yes. You could become very dehydrated if you do not drink enough water before the fast. Poor hydration can be made worse by weather conditions, and even everyday activities such as walking to work or housework.

If you produce very little or no urine, feel disoriented and confused, or faint due to dehydration, you must stop fasting and have a drink of water or other fluid. Islam doesn’t require you to harm yourself in fulfilling the fast. If a fast is broken, it will need to be compensated for by fasting at a later date.”

Parents are the ones to bring up their children in their faith, but a school is designed not to be a surrogate parent, let alone to make children a religious image of what their parents believe. It is a place where a child is free to explore the world in ways which are simply dazzling. To see just how far science goes (not told you must not believe this). To learn and compare other faiths and none therefore prepared for life in modern Britain. To learn the knowledge, skills and develop faculties for a full meaningful life. To experience teachers and other children from different backgrounds. Without the curriculum and knowledge they need distorted by parental dictates. Let alone extremists.

Child welfare is paramount at all times together with their education. They will be better people for it, whether they have religion or none in adulthood, integrated into society. Part of this is making schools a free space to learn in. It needs the community to come together to meet children’s needs rather than being suspicious of one another.

Article written by John Sargeant on Homo economicus’ Weblog

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