Science Forums 2

[Tormod]

I live in a country where there is a state (Protestant) church. It's an anachronism, especially in a country that supposedly has freedom of religion. Yet our kids are taught religion in state-run daycare, and in public schools. The worst part is that there is no exemptions - kids can't be taken out of religion class even if they are of a different faith (like Moslems, or Catholics).

I support freedom of religion, as much as I support the right not to have a religious faith, and it's a shame to have the government tell us (or rather, tell our kids) what to believe in. In my opinion religious education belongs in the family and should be the responsibility of the parents, not the state.

We even pay taxes to the church - whether you're a member of the state church or not. The only way *not* to pay those taxes is to join a different religious group or the national Humanist society (which I have joined simply to avoid having my taxes go to the state church - now that particular tax goes to this society, whether I like it or not).

If it were up to me I would rather not be a member of any society just because the government requires me to be. Nobody would accept it if this went for political parties, so I wonder why people accept that it goes for religion.