Yesterday, I have been to an open lecture at the LSE titled "Secularism and Reason" by Prof. Simon Blackburn. It was one of those rare occasions in which I felt I was among people that shared the same values and ideas.
Mr. Blackburn gave us an interesting overview on how moral values and common sense are not necessarily connected with (or dependent of) faith. Quite the contrary, faith guided moral values can be quite narrow minded and destructive (e.g. same sex couples and gender equality).
Another point risen was how the Labour government - Maybe with good intentions - managed to increase racial and ethnic tensions in this country by supporting faith schools, and by doing so indirectly segregating pupils. I agree one hundred percent with Mr. Hawkins in this point; there should be an addition to the national curriculum, where schools would impartially teach about the majority of faiths and their roots, not in a biased mystical context but in a historical and anthropological one.
One other thing that impressed me, was the fact that there were no spaces left in the room where the lecture was being given; and some unfortunate (or late...) individuals were barred entry... Shame, as in this kind of occasion, the more the merrier.
Mr. Blackburn gave us an interesting overview on how moral values and common sense are not necessarily connected with (or dependent of) faith. Quite the contrary, faith guided moral values can be quite narrow minded and destructive (e.g. same sex couples and gender equality).
Another point risen was how the Labour government - Maybe with good intentions - managed to increase racial and ethnic tensions in this country by supporting faith schools, and by doing so indirectly segregating pupils. I agree one hundred percent with Mr. Hawkins in this point; there should be an addition to the national curriculum, where schools would impartially teach about the majority of faiths and their roots, not in a biased mystical context but in a historical and anthropological one.
One other thing that impressed me, was the fact that there were no spaces left in the room where the lecture was being given; and some unfortunate (or late...) individuals were barred entry... Shame, as in this kind of occasion, the more the merrier.
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