Sir, – Nobody can enter the secularism debate, it would seem, without having to face being labelled militant or accused of suppressing freedom of expression, among other things (May 9th).
Secularism is about fairness. At the moment, those who espouse the religious viewpoint occupy an inequitable position in our State-funded schools.
Over 90 per cent of them are managed by religious organisations that have free rein to indoctrinate (and lest people object to this terminology, I have to ask what else would anyone do with religious doctrine?) our children while their intellects are still in formation and their critical faculties have not been developed.
This is wrong and it would be equally wrong if such a facility were provided to even one atheist group.
I don’t know of any pro-choice activist who would prevent people opposing their viewpoint, and if such a demand were to be made it would be outrageous. However, an absolute ban on abortion, which disallows even the most early stage termination under any and all circumstances, is indeed driven by religious doctrine.
If its advocates want to claim something else, then they have to be prepared to be accused of being, at best, disingenuous. – Yours, etc,