Article
24.11.06
WESTERN DAILY PRESS by Geoff Ward
GOVERNMENT
religious education policy should be challenged, insists a
Dorset researcher promoting an alternative reading of Genesis.
As
I revealed last week, Edmund Marriage, of Milborne Port, wrote
to Education Secretary Alan Johnson about the work of his
late uncle, Christian O'Brien, a geologist and archaeologist,
whose books, including The Genius of the Few, propose that
civilisation and all religions stem from the teachings of
the Shining Ones, survivors of an advanced race hit by a global
catastrophe 10,500 years ago.
Myths
and legends worldwide, from the Sumerians on, relate back
to this group under various names, including angels, ancient
masters, the Seven Sages and, simply, gods. Edmund has received
a reply from Mr Johnson's office which points out that the
department does not promote, pay for or endorse curriculum
resources, unless they are a part of a national strategy for
raising standards.
Edmund
told me: "Raising standards should involve giving children
wider access to the knowledge on which religious beliefs are
based. On the basis of Mr Johnson's reply, there is clearly
room here for a legitimate and constructive challenge to Department
of Education religious education policy."
I
agree. If it was accepted that all religions derived from
an advanced race in ancient times there would be fewer grounds
for enmity between creationists and evolutionists, and between
people of different faiths.
"Currently,
there is no national strategy for religious education and
therefore the Department is unable to provide support for
this resource," said Mr Johnson's letter. "It is
important that we trust schools and local authorities to know
what is best for the learning outcomes of their pupils.
"Good
RE must be rooted in a clear understanding of the beliefs
and practices that are important to the followers of a particular
faith."
