Quote:To clarify when I said "not isolated" I meant in general among churches and schools. I know of some successful chaplaincy programs here in Canberra in government schools that my own Church isn't a part of. You're happy to receive all the stuff that we Anglicans give you outside of schools, BTW, so I don't see where the problem lies. I actually don't agree at all with making religion a part of the curriculum, even in Christian schools. I had an argument over this with a youth leader once. I don't mind the idea of optional Christian classes, but I don't like the idea of it being a part of the curriculum.
Please don't presume to tell me what I am and am not happy about. That so much land was ceded to the churches early in the colonisation of this continent gives them tremendous financial clout. The ongoing tax exemptions allow them a competitive advantage in any field they choose to have a stake, and that their books are not open for auditing means we can never know how well the services the government does allow them to provide are being provided. Don't mistake past errors in governance for necessity. Hospitals and schools can be run without Christian input just the same as roads can be built and sewers kept operating without help from churches.
Again, don't presume to tell me what I think. It's one of the two big problems I have with theists generally, the other being trying to tell me what to think.
"You atheists all think X. Really, you should think Y."
I think you should leave people outside your religion alone and let them get on with their lives. Is that statement of what I actually think clear enough for you, or do we need to discuss this further?
As to your anecdotes regarding requests made of your church and others:
If you won't provide evidence for your claims I am happy to ignore them, much the same as is the case for your deity.
