Recently in the media, we have seen how some people unhappy with their
children receiving religious instruction in school have gone to the high court
requesting restrictions around religious instruction in schools. It seems to me that Christianity is often
portrayed as intolerant where my experience is that this is not the truth.
As Christian parents my husband and I chose to send our children to
secular schools, in doing so exposing them to this secular world where our beliefs
in some instances are very different. We
want our children to be a part of this multicultural world we live in. It is still important that they are raised and
live with our Christian values and beliefs.
To love God and to love others, to accept and value all people even
those who look different, have different beliefs and cultures.
As part of the school curriculum they learned about Maori Gods, myths and
legends and the theory of evolution among other things, even though we believe
in Creationism as taught in the bible. We
often discuss what they are learning as well as any social issues that come up,
with them from our view point and know they will make their own decisions about
these things.
When it comes to human nature we seem quick to be intolerant of those who
do not agree or who are different. The
standpoint of ‘we are right and you are wrong’ is not a good one and only
breeds this intolerance. Instead
Christianity declares that every individual is free to choose, to make up their
own mind. And in a society where the
manifestations of intolerance are evident isn’t the Christian message that
pronounces we must love and accept all people as they are an important message
to be taught in our schools?
Angela Thomas
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