Sir,- Robert Canning of the Scottish Secular Society (SSS) claims his group does not want to remove Christianity from Scotland’s Christian state education system (letters January 4), while going on to explain he also does not want Christianity to be presented as fact in publicly-funded places of education.
In other words, he only wants Christianity taught as myth, by secularist atheists.
Which in effect is the removal of real Christianity from Scottish education.
He goes on to claim that the SSS does not want atheist schools, it just wants schools that do not promote belief in God.
Given that atheism is just the absence of belief in God, then in fact he really is asking for atheist schools.
Perhaps our education system needs to start teaching lessons in logic.
We have numerous examples of schools where Christian pupils have had their faith mocked and denigrated by the so-called neutral secularists.
The European Charter on Human Rights states that “in the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and teaching, the state shall respect the rights of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions”.
It is clear the SSS is opposed to that basic human right.
Instead it insists all pupils must be taught according to its religious and philosophical convictions.
Is this the secularist version of equality, diversity and tolerance?
David Robertson, St Peters Free Church, 4 St Peter St, Dundee.
Seeking clarity in school debate
Sir,- It is intriguing that in the article about atheist schools put forward by David Robertson (December 31) he called for a greater number of faith schools including an atheist school.
“I don’t have a problem with the secularists having an atheistic secular education system… it’s when they insist that being for everyone else’s children it becomes a problem.”
The thrust of this is to create diversity.
Yet in his book, Engaging with Atheists, he outlines a strategy for spreading the good news and converting atheists to Christianity.
A proactive approach by Christians and a do and don’t guide on how to encourage conversation and conversion.
Can this be interpreted as insisting?
Is there a need for public space for faith and atheist schools or is there a danger of creating more secularism rather than integration and respect of different faiths and beliefs?
What about funding for the faith schools? The rich may send their children to private schools rather than a faith school in any case and how may the poor benefit?
What is the evidence for faith and other belief schools and what are the education and religious outcomes? Would this energy be more productive speaking to the many Christians in our community who would like to but do not attend church to help growth and renewal and contribute to and inform the debate.
GC Tait, 43 Wallace Place, Longforgan.
CofE can afford its own repairs
Sir,- In the Budget in March 2015, the Chancellor George Osborne announced a £40 million fund for churches to repair their roofs.
This followed £15m announced for this purpose in the 2014 Autumn Statement and £20m for the First World War Centenary Cathedral Repair Fund.
This makes a grand total of £85m in 18 months, which might be contrasted with the Government’s latest announcement of a mere £40m fund to repair damaged roads and bridges in Cumbria and Lancashire following the Christmas flooding.
This might also be contrasted with the Church of England’s asset fund managed by the Church Commissioners, which stands just short of £7 billion and which the Church uses to build shops, retail warehousing and high-end accommodation in a more than passing nod to Mammon.
One might reasonably assume from such wealth that the established church is capable of repairing its own roofs.
Will the Church be willing and Christian enough to redirect these unnecessary Government handouts it has received to people in real need following these devastating floods?
Alistair McBay, National SecularSociety, 5 Atholl Crescent, Edinburgh.
Strike is the last thing NHS needs
Sir,- The last thing our nation needs right now is for thousands of doctors to down stethoscopes as our inefficient, monolithic National Health Service staggers through the worst of the winter.
The most militant unions are those fighting to protect the cosseted public sector yet the BMA found patients unsupportive of its recent action over medics’ gold-plated pensions.
We need to wake up to the reality that in spite of its ludicrous glorification at the London Olympics our decrepit, inflexible health service is very far from the envy of the world.
This strike makes no sense when one recalls that the only area where the NHS can compete with foreign systems is the size of medical pay, which is higher than anywhere other than the US.
Like all unions, the BMA moves the goal posts and makes spurious claims of patient safety, but it cannot hide the fact that the central issue is about its members’ remuneration.
Dr John Cameron, 10 Howard Place, St Andrews.
It’s right to hold SNP to account
Sir,- Though the SNP’s PR machine is unremittingly effective, Nicola Sturgeon rightly challenges the assumption SNP supporters are brainwashed.
Yes, a tiny minority of the Scottish electorate will vote SNP because they seek independence irrespective of the detriment to Scotland their only option is to support Ms Sturgeon unreservedly.
But others, including many SNP voters, increasingly question the SNP’s lacklustre performance in government over the last eight years.
The challenge for those dismayed by the SNP’s dismal record in managing public services declining literacy and numeracy rates in our schools, unmet A&E targets, a GP staffing crisis, chaos at Police Scotland and catastrophic failures in transport planning is who to vote for instead.
We’ll doubtless watch one stellar TV performance after another from the First Minister over the coming months. So the pressure is on messrs Dugdale, Davidson and Rennie to up their campaign game.
But more importantly, opposition leaders must engage the majority of us who are not brainwashed by SNP spin.
They need both to articulate clearly how the SNP, perpetually distracted by separation, is negligent in government and then present convincing, credible alternatives.
Martin Redfern Royal Circus, Edinburgh
SNP supporters must be careful
Sir,- The First Minister’s reference to claims her supporters have been brainwashed in not questioning the SNP’s record in office (January 4), knowingly exaggerates what leaders of opposing parties have actually said.
This is a not uncommon tactic of the SNP spin doctors as they create an imagined insult to deflect criticism of the SNP’s shortcomings.
The reality is that the First Minister’s opponents have rightly been unrelenting in seeking to hold her government to account for its many well-documented failures across health, education, police and infrastructure.
None of these issues in critical public services is easy to resolve whoever is in power but the First Minister should not be surprised that her opponents suggest the SNP’s followers should think carefully about what was promised and what is actually being delivered in practice.
Keith Howell, White Moss, West Linton
Challenging the messenger
Sir,- In his response to Clark Cross’s and my criticism of his fellow green religion preacher from Stop Climate Chaos (December 31),Walter Attwood accuses me of challenging the messenger rather than the message.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
My response challenged the long discredited theory that increased man-made atmospheric carbon dioxide levels would result in ever-increasing global temperatures.
Despite increasing CO2 levels in recent times, the scientifically accepted, satellite measured, global temperatures have not increased for almost 19 years.
Now that this argument has failed, Mr Attwood tries a different tack by blaming extreme weather events specifically the recent flooding experienced in the UK on carbon emission increases, for which there is no scientific support.
Is he aware such assertions that local weather events are caused by carbon emissions have been dismissed by his beloved International Panel on Climate Change?
He then amplifies this assertion by his usual fear-inducing statements, including impact on future generations.
Where is the scientific support for Mr Attwood’s message?
Dr GM Lindsay, Whinfield Gardens, Kinross.
Is Scotland really leading the way?
Sir,- Scotland is leading the way regarding same sex marriage?
If we had a vote like Ireland and voted for this the Scottish Government could put this statement forward, but as we had no say in this matter it should read Scottish MSPs are leading the way.
Same with staying in Europe. Nicola Sturgeon keeps saying Scotland wants to stay in. How does she know?
This is what will happen with a one-party country.
They think they have the support to do what they like and change laws as they see fit.
We will see if we are fairer and more equal as Marco Biagi has stated.
Liz Fyall, 3 Langholm Cres, Glenrothes.
Community trust dispersing funds
Sir,- St Andrews Community Trust was set up by the St Andrews Community Council and the St Andrews Links Trust to disperse money raised from the protection of the town crest.
In the past five years the trust has dispersed more than £320,000 to more than 100 projects in and around the town.
The closing date for consideration of applications at the next meeting of the Trustees is January 19.
Details of the trust and an application form can be found at www.standrewscommunitytrust.co.uk.
Arthur Griffiths, 7 Cant Crescent, St Andrews.