------------------------------------------------------- CONVENTION OF THE GOAN DIASPORA FROM GOA INTO THE WORLD Lisbon, Portugal June 15-17, 2007 Details at: http://www.goacom.org/casa-de-goa/noticias.html -------------------------------------------------------
On 15/05/07, Sunith Velho <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > FN writes: > >>So, Sunith, what is your specific demand? > > My demands are as follows: > *Ban all forms of Religious teaching in state funded schools. Why? Whether you like it or not (and whether you believe in a god or not), religion is a reality we cannot wish away. It would make a lot of sense to teach kids religion, not from a faith perspective, but with a goal of understanding what it means to believe in one religion in a pluralistic society. One where religion could be the basis for the fault-lines developing for the major conflicts of the future. > *Stop parading religious fiction as plausible scientifc theory in all > schools(private and public) You're sounding very fundamentalist here. Some part of "scientific theory" is also fiction, as time has shown. I think kids need to encounter religion, and decide for themselves (as Kevin did it, late in life) on whether to keep it or not. > *Stop the using of schools(private and public) to brainwash young children > with teachings based on dogmas, instead teach them that nothing is beyond > the realm of reason. One man's dogma is another man's science. For instance, neo-liberalism as a dogma, Keynesian economic thought at another era, and so on. > I am concerned about his beliefs because, my spam filters(now that they are > working) overflow every few days with his unsolicited mails. What he or his > kind are doing to the US school system is none of my concern. If ID was > being taught in Indian schools I would be concerned. Yeah, since we cannot build sufficient computer techies (and you won't support India Linux Users' Group-Goa too) it's time to call in the thought police. > Closer to home, what right wing religious zealots such as MM Joshi in India > are trying to do to our education system because of their private > (religious) beliefs is of great concern to me. Are you saying that I should > not be concerned when an HRD minister believes astrology is a science and > tries to force it into the science curriculum? Mario is not any minister holding public office, as far as I know. That is what raked off the topic. Now, you seem intent on shifting goalposts, and widening the issues. You have every right to "be concerned". Question is: what can you do to challenge such issues? Are you in a position to take 90% of the population, which believes in some kind of religion, along with you? Or is your rhetoric so shrill that it is the religious extremists who manage to win the day, with arguments like "pseudosecularism", "abortion", "anti-national", and whatever else? > If the next Economic Minsiter of India privately believes in numerology, > should I share your attitude? AFAIK, I don't think Mario has set his eyes on that goal. BTW, do you believe that only religious beliefs can be irrational and dangerous? What about the economic beliefs of, say, an Arun Shourie and a Manmohan Singh? > Should we also assume that people's private beliefs have no bearing on the > way they conduct themselves in public life? If we take your argument to its logical end, we have to be policing people's private beliefs too. > Selma has rightly pointed out the perils of an approach that condones > illogical and sometimes dangerous beliefs in the name of being tolerant > towards other cultures and religions. We are usually intolerant towards everyone but ourselves! --FN -- FN M: 0091 9822122436 P: +91-832-240-9490 (after 1300IST) Skype: fredericknoronha Yahoochat: fredericknoronha http://fn.goa-india.org http://fredericknoronha.wordpress.com Email fred at bytesforall.org Res: 784 Saligao 403511 Goa India ------------------------------------------------------- Goanet recommends, and is proud to be associated with, 'Domnic's Goa' - A nostalgic romp through a bygone era. This book is the perfect gift for any Goan, or anyone wanting to understand Goa. Distributed locally by Broadway, near Caculo Island, Panjim & internationally by OtherIndiaBookStore.Com. For trade enquiries contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------------------------------------
