Atheists turn to UK schools to challenge Christianity

Atheists turn to UK schools to challenge ChristianityLondon, April 26 : Atheists have turned to British schools to attack Christian societies, collective worship and religious education.

The National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies (AHS) is planning to launch recruitment drive this summer.

The campaign, supported by professors Richard Dawkins and AC Grayling, aims to establish a network of atheist societies in schools to counter the role of Christianity.

The objective of the federation is to urge students to lobby their schools and local authorities over what is taught in RE lessons and to call for daily acts of collective worship to be scrapped.

It wants the societies to hold talks and educational events to persuade students not to believe in God.

In a further development to strengthen the role of atheism among the younger generation, the first summer camp for kids that will teach that religious belief and doctrines can prevent ethical and moral behaviour is being held.

Chloe Clifford-Frith, AHS co-founder, said that the societies would act as a direct challenge to the Christian message being taught in schools.

She expressed concern that Christian Unions could influence vulnerable teenagers looking for a club to belong to with fundamentalist doctrine.

In particular, she claimed that some students were being told that homosexuality is a sin and to believe the Biblical account of creation.

"We want to point out how silly some of these beliefs are and hope that these groups will help to do that," the Telegraph quoted her as saying.

However, Simon Calvert of the Christian Institute said: "Atheists are becoming increasingly militant in their desperate attempts to stamp out faith. It is deeply worrying that they now want to use children to attack the Christian ethos of their schools.

"Many parents will also be anxious at the thought of militant atheists targeting their children," he added. (ANI)

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