Faith groups in goverment - a dangerous step
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/6569144/Faith-groups-to-be-key-policy-advisers.html
"Anyone wanting to build a more progressive society would ignore the powerful role of faith at their peril," he said.
What peril, exactly?
"We should continually seek ways of encouraging and enhancing the contribution faith communities make on the central issues of our time."
Like what? What exactly do faith communities contribute that secular communities can't? The protection of paedophile priests? Institutionalising the inequality of women? Rejection of equality for homosexuals? The imposition of religious laws?
"Faith is a strong and powerful source of honesty, solidarity, generosity – the very values which are essential to politics, to our economy and our society."
"Honesty?" As in the Catholic cover-ups of paedophilia? "Solidarity" As in the divisions in Northern Ireland? "Generosity"? As in the campaigns for Church organisations not to to have to conform to human rights and equality legislation?
"I don't like the strand of secularism that says that faith is inherently a bad thing to have and should be kept out of public life," Mr Denham said.
Faith IS an inherently bad thing to have. It praises and privileges belief without evidence. How can that possibly be wise for government policies?
Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, criticised the Government's move.
"It's not right that they should have this privileged position to promote their dogmas, many of which are unacceptable."
Exactly. This is a dangerous backward step.
"Anyone wanting to build a more progressive society would ignore the powerful role of faith at their peril," he said.
What peril, exactly?
"We should continually seek ways of encouraging and enhancing the contribution faith communities make on the central issues of our time."
Like what? What exactly do faith communities contribute that secular communities can't? The protection of paedophile priests? Institutionalising the inequality of women? Rejection of equality for homosexuals? The imposition of religious laws?
"Faith is a strong and powerful source of honesty, solidarity, generosity – the very values which are essential to politics, to our economy and our society."
"Honesty?" As in the Catholic cover-ups of paedophilia? "Solidarity" As in the divisions in Northern Ireland? "Generosity"? As in the campaigns for Church organisations not to to have to conform to human rights and equality legislation?
"I don't like the strand of secularism that says that faith is inherently a bad thing to have and should be kept out of public life," Mr Denham said.
Faith IS an inherently bad thing to have. It praises and privileges belief without evidence. How can that possibly be wise for government policies?
Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, criticised the Government's move.
"It's not right that they should have this privileged position to promote their dogmas, many of which are unacceptable."
Exactly. This is a dangerous backward step.