A Test for Intelligent Design Proponents

Isn't it the effects that go along with that that the framers tried to prevent? Isn't it the effects, not the statement, that do the harm? And if you have the effects, what does it matter if the government avoids the appearance of a state religion?The protections of the first amendment go way beyond a declaration of state religion; they protect the citizenry against government implementing a state religion under any name.

HINDU and Muslim leaders are urging the Kirk to boost religious teaching in schools in order to counter the "secular society".David Lacy, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said senior clerics from other faiths were now telling him to offer a more "strident" view of Christian beliefs, in order to provide young people with more moral teaching.The non-Christian leaders added that the Kirk had been "too concerned" with being inclusive at the expense of laying down its own beliefs in schools.The surprising calls come with religious communities preparing to mark Scottish Inter Faith Week from today, in which the links between the country's main faiths will be celebrated....But he said pressure to assert more Christianity in Scotland was now coming from other faiths, following a meeting of religious leaders from all faiths earlier this month.He said: "This point was being made about the need to counter secular culture. We were being told that we should be calling for religious observance and religious education far more stridently in schools."This is a Christian country, they told us, and others are happy to live within a Christian country."He added: "They wanted us to be demanding more Christian education in schools and that we were far too quick to make room for other religions."Their point was that youngsters often came away from school with nothing at all and that we should be pushing our own beliefs more. That surprised me. I am not sure that they are right."We want to be inclusive but I hadn't previously considered that we might want to be far more stridently Christian for their sakes."I am not sure about it. Multiculturalism is at least encouraging people to come out of their shells and I wouldn't want that momentum to stop."Leaders from the Hindu and Muslim faiths said last night that they backed the teaching of Christian values, because of what they saw as the need to promote all religions.