Minority Religions to be Studied by UK Kids

From Beliefnet.com:

U.K. Kids to Study Many Religions

United Press International

London, Oct 29, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Britain's first national guidelines on religious education call for atheism and minority faiths like Baha'i and Shintoism to be taught alongside Christianity. Announced Thursday by Charles Clarke, the education secretary, the guidelines also try to counter fears that Christianity has been sidelined in religious education as merely another faith taught as part of a wider study of beliefs, the Independent reported Friday. For example, the new framework calls for children to study Christianity through their school careers.

The other five major religions -- Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism -- should all be studied by pupils by age 14, according to the new guidelines.

But they should also study "other religious traditions" such as Baha'i, Jainism and Zoroastrianism, and "secular philosophies such as humanism."

I think this is a great idea. 90% of religious intolerence is caused by ignorance. Having even a vague understanding of the worlds religions and beliefs systems is immeasurably valuable, in my assesment. Sadly such a program would never be implemented in teh United States, where people don't seem to understand the difference between teaching religion and teaching about religion.