Coverage of atheist initiatives in press depressingly familiar - AHS

source: http://blogs.secularportal.com/2009/04/26/coverage-of-atheist-initiatives-in-press-depressingly-familiar/

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Coverage of atheist initiatives in press depressingly familiar
Sunday, April 26th, 2009 | AHS

The National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies

http://www.ahsstudents.org.uk/ - main website.

The AHS will be seeking corrections from the Sunday Telegraph (see below) after the paper misrepresented the AHS’ new schools initiative, which encompasses fostering interfaith events, scientific and religious educational activities and charity work, as a cause for anxiety among parents and militant.

The AHS is disappointed that the paper chose to twist information as far as possible to create a negative, sensationalist message out of a positive development for educational provision in schools.

The article, which is topped by a photograph of Richard Dawkins, appearing to smile darkly to himself, has the subheading ‘Atheists are targeting schools in a campaign designed to challenge Christian societies, collective worship and religious education.’

The AHS does not and would never seek to challenge religious education in the manner that article goes on to suggest. The AHS strongly believes in the importance of a balanced, impartial and full religious education and would support the introduction of a national RE curriculum to ensure standards are met. This is not made clear.

The AHS feels that the tone maintained throughout the article was intended to induce a knee-jerk, reactionary response from its readers, presenting schools as a battlefield with both Christianity and atheism victims of simple polarisation as ‘fundamentalist doctrine’ versus atheists as “increasingly militant in their desperate attempts to stamp out faith.” - a quote chosen from the Christian Institute which as an organisation believes that homosexuality can be cured and as such is unlikely to represent most Christians.

Both the AHS and Camp Quest – the UK’s first summer camp for children who don’t believe in a god – have been selectively misrepresented with references to our educational (and interfaith – AHS) goals removed. In brief, here is a summary of the purpose of helping students found their own atheist, humanist and secularist groups:

* To teach students how to debate and create dialogue between school faith groups.
* Provide the school with fun and educational events and activities, including two student-led courses: ‘Perspectives’ in which a speaker from a faith group gives a talk followed by Q&A, and our ‘One Life’ course, which considers moral and ethical issues without god. Many events will also support the scientific curriculum.
* Encourage charity volunteering.
* Give students the experience of running a group and managing events.
* Show students that it’s ok not to believe in god and encourage critical thinking.
* Bring out issues concerning religious privilege in schools such as collective worship and incomplete or biased religious education.

An AHS spokesperson said ‘this article is quite typical of the coverage that atheism gets in the press - regardless of what we do, no matter how public spirited, charitable or helpful. The AHS hopes that by drawing attention to this we can set aside caricatures of both sides and encourage more meaningful debate to take place in the public sphere.’

The AHS has already been approached by a number of schools who would like to take part in their first schools conference in June at Warwick University. If you would like to get involved, please contact secretary@ahsstudents.org.uk

Find out more:

www.ahsstudents.org.uk

www.camp-quest.org.uk


The Telegraph article reproduced in full:-

Atheists target UK schools

Atheists are targeting schools in a campaign designed to challenge Christian societies, collective worship and religious education.

By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:03PM BST 25 Apr 2009

Backed by professor Richard Dawkins the initiative aims to establish a network of atheist societies in schools Photo: GETTY

The National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies (AHS) plans to launch a recruitment drive this summer.

Backed by professors Richard Dawkins and AC Grayling, the initiative aims to establish a network of atheist societies in schools to counter the role of Christianity.

It will coincide with the first atheist summer camp for children that will teach that religious belief and doctrines can prevent ethical and moral behaviour.

The federation aims to encourage students to lobby their schools and local authorities over what is taught in RE lessons and to call for daily acts of collective worship to be scrapped. It wants the societies to hold talks and educational events to persuade students not to believe in God.

Chloë Clifford-Frith, AHS co-founder, said that the societies would act as a direct challenge to the Christian message being taught in schools.

She expressed concern that Christian Unions could influence vulnerable teenagers looking for a club to belong to with fundamentalist doctrine.

In particular, she claimed that some students were being told that homosexuality is a sin and to believe the Biblical account of creation.

"We want to point out how silly some of these beliefs are and hope that these groups will help to do that," she said.

The federation's bid to improve co-ordination among atheists in schools follows a successful campaign at universities.

The number of groups reported by the AHS to be active on campuses has risen from seven in 2007/2008 academic year to 25 in 2008/2009, including societies at the universities of Oxford and Durham.

Leeds Atheist Society claims to have experienced discrimination, vandalism, theft and death threats from religious groups on campus, who oppose the open expression of an atheist viewpoint and blasphemy.

AC Grayling, the philosopher and writer, said: "As well as making the case for reason and science, it is great to know that the AHS will be standing up against religious privilege and discrimination.

"The AHS shows that increasing numbers of young people are unwilling to put up with it."

Simon Calvert of the Christian Institute said: "Atheists are becoming increasingly militant in their desperate attempts to stamp out faith. It is deeply worrying that they now want to use children to attack the Christian ethos of their schools.

"Many parents will also be anxious at the thought of militant atheists targeting their children."

In a further development to strengthen the role of atheism among the younger generation, the first summer camp for irreligious children or the children of nontheistic parents is being held this summer.

Organisers say that Camp Quest, which originated in America, offers "a godless alternative to traditional religious summer camps, such as vacation Bible schools".