That Will Be An Ecumenical Matter

In common with many other parents, at least according to this, I have been forced to take a deep breath, hold my nose, and join in the hypocrisy.

On balance, I agree with many of the government's reforms over the last 10 years or so, and see a better, more liberal and relaxed society. One thing, however, that sends me into a rage is the concept of 'faith schools' and the concept of selection by children's religion.

Let's leave aside the fatuous idea of a child having a religion for a moment - greater minds than mine have tackled this insanity.

Instead, let's focus on the self-pitying, delusional hypocrisy of religion, and weep at it's stranglehold on public funding in this country.

My wife and I attended our local church, which is associated with a school in our area with marginally better results than others, with our 4-year-old son. This Sunday, I tried to blot out the nonsense (it just makes me angry) by counting the bricks in the wall, when at some point it was decided that the young children should leave the church go and be indoctrinated in an external room. My wife jumped up and took our son, to leave me on my own. I lasted about 10 minutes...

I left to sit in my car and listen to the CD of 'Oxygene' I got in the Sunday M**l last week.

My son came out of the other room waving a piece of paper with trite homilies on, which he had been encouraged to colour in. I really don't know how these people live with themselves.