RC Politics gives its reaction to our petition and the ESS one being closed. They also say the following of Norman Bonneys petition on Time for Reflection in Parly: Now he is seeking to ensure that ‘time for reflection’ should be presented 25% of the time by atheists [such a move would be unlikely to enhance the quality of parliamentary discourse. It is harder to make reasoned arguments when you overtly reject the source of all knowledge. Bleak Tuesday Gives Way to Brighter Future The storm clouds were gathering over the Scottish parliament last Tuesday as both humanist and secularist ideology was once more lent a disproportionate voice. The ‘time for reflection’ was given by Mr. Gary McLelland, the education officer for the Humanist Society Scotland. Earlier that day the Education and Culture Committee had considered the secularist petitions 1487 and 1498. PE1487 effectively sought to reduce the provision of religious observance in schools. PE1498 was broadly intolerant of allowing religious representatives to play an active role in local authority education committees and sought to overturn a law that has contributed to the common good. The Scottish government was already on record as disagreeing with the aims of these petitions and now in very welcome news the Committee have chosen to close the petitions. However not all threats are yet removed. The proposed member’s bill by John Finnie MSP to take up the aims of PE1498 is still in the pipeline. Another petition has been lodged by Mr. Norman Bonney the same man who in January told the Public Petitions Committee that the Catholic Church is a foreign hostile power. Now he is seeking to ensure that ‘time for reflection’ should be presented 25% of the time by atheists [such a move would be unlikely to enhance the quality of parliamentary discourse. It is harder to make reasoned arguments when you overtly reject the source of all knowledge. Whatever his reasoning it was very welcome when Prime Minister David Cameron stated that Britain is a “Christian country”. As the Archbishop of Canterbury went on to say “It is a historical fact that our main systems of ethics, the way we do law and justice, the values of society, how we decide what is fair, the protection of the poor, and most of the way we look at society... All have been shaped by and founded on Christianity. Add to that the foundation of many hospitals, the system of universal schooling, the presence of chaplains in prisons, and one could go on a long time. Then there is the literature, visual art, music and culture that have formed our understandings of beauty and worth since Anglo-Saxon days.] Full newsletter viewable at ymlp/zmVlcD
Posted on: Tue, 13 May 2014 08:47:17 +0000
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