Thursday, June 12, 2008

Stop the Nightmares

I've mentioned this many times here before, and now there is something we can all do to publicise the issue and stimulate debate. Religious indoctrination of children is child abuse, pure and simple. Stop the Nightmares has now set up an e-petition on the 10 Downing Street website requesting the Prime Minister "to update harassment laws to prohibit religious bullying aimed at children". Here are the details:

"The current laws on harassment are not sufficient to protect children from the sort of bullying that religious groups use every day to coerce children into obedience and belief. Threatening an adult with eternal torture may be distasteful but is not likely to result in psychological damage. This is not the case with children. The effects of religious bullying can be long-term and serious, from nightmares and depression to anxiety disorders and even suicide.

The fact that threats of damnation, torture and other extreme punishment are used routinely is clear evidence that existing laws are insufficient. We call on the Prime Minister to clarify the existing harassment laws by adding clauses outlawing any form of threat, supernatural or otherwise, aimed at children; and to provide guidance to the police and other authorities on the enforcement of these laws."


I urge all readers who care about the welfare of children to sign the petition. If you have any doubts, look at the video on the Stop the Nightmares website. Chilling stuff, and difficult to watch.

7 comments:

  1. So is "if you don't go to bed the bogey man will get you" to be outlawed?

    Where does the line between religious / spiritual education of children end and indoctrination begin?

    Sounds like left-wing extremism to me.
    ReplyDelete
  2. The essential point is whether these things are taught as fact. If so, they are indoctrination.

    If you consistently tell a child that there really is a bogey man who will get them, then that is clear abuse.
    ReplyDelete
  3. I am concerned by over-simplification on both sides.
    As a Christian, I am concerned by any religious use of threats or intimidation (not only on children). It is true that Bible contains statements about our responsibility beyond this life, and I would not hide these. But in the New Testament they are not used as threats to enforce compliance, and I am unhappy when they are used in this way today.

    On the other hand, the petition seems to be a "foot in the door" to prevent Christians from teaching their children about their faith at all. If I teach my children about my Christian beliefs and you object to this, should I then expect the religious police to come knocking on my door? I thought that sort of thing was limited to Islamic states and the former communist world.
    ReplyDelete
  4. I have nothing against you teaching your children about religious beliefs. Just don't teach them as fact, which obviously they are not, save in the sense that some people believe in them.
    ReplyDelete
  5. Good show, John, thanks for the link. I expect I'll be signing.

    May God not be with you.
    ReplyDelete
  6. John (anonymous was me as you probably guessed - the Name/URL link doesn't seem to work)

    Thanks for telling me what I can and cannot say about my religious beliefs.
    I take it you will be sending PC Plod around to check that I play ball.

    Will I be seeing you at the next civil rights demonstration? Or has that concept somehow become outdated or redefined?

    Blessings :-)
    Victor Dewsbery
    ReplyDelete
  7. Victor, don't be an arse. ;-)
    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment on this post. Constructive comments are always welcome, even if they do not coincide with my views! Please note, however, that comments will be removed or not published if I consider that:
* They are not relevant to the subject of this post; or
* They are (or are possibly) defamatory; or
* They breach court reporting rules; or
* They contain abusive or threatening language; or
* They contain 'spam' advertisements (including links to any commercial websites).