Internet

Something that's been on the Internet for a while, but maybe you haven't seen it - how to deal with homophobes who justify their bigotry by quoting the Bible -

Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a US radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. On one of her shows she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a US east coast listener, which was posted on the Internet.

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

A Protest the Pope march and rally will take place in Central London on 18 September. See the Protest the Pope website for details. If anyone from Suffolk is planning to go could they please let us know?

Ekklesia, the liberal Christian organisation, has published a report on the BBC's Thought for the Day that "challenges the terms of the current controversy over BBC Radio 4’s flagship ‘God slot’ by actually analysing its content – with some surprising results." See their website for more.

BHA President Polly Toynbee tackles Labour leadership contender Ed Balls about his support for faith schools in a video on the Guardian website, about 10 minutes in.

Christina Patterson of the Independent has a go at multiculturalism, female genital mutilation (FGM) and bad manners, and I say "Hear hear!".

Click on the links for more.

Throughout the current debate about faith schools and the Conservatives' determination to muck about with our education system so that we have more "academies" run as faith-based independent schools at public expense, the example of Northern Ireland has been conveniently ignored. One of the main reasons why the Troubles lasted so long was because of religious segregation. Those of different faiths or no faith were largely invisible. Several generations of children went to segregated schools, continuing to demonize each other and never mixing.

The integrated schools movement started in 1981 with the foundation of Lagan College, thanks to the efforts of parents who wanted a better way of life for their children. Read more about it on the website of the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education, and ask yourselves why so many people in England are determined to move in the opposite direction?

I have a feeling that Eric Pickles, our Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (heaven help us!), probably isn't one of Nick Clegg's favourite cabinet colleagues. Here's why:

Mr Pickles wants us all to go back to Church - Terry Sanderson.

To let Mr Pickles know what you think, go to his website.

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I enjoy visiting schools and talking to students but I'm so glad I'm not a teacher any more. All the teachers I know have complained about frequent changes of government policy, masses of paperwork, and SATs testing (Standard Attainment Tests), which have reduced young children to gibbering wrecks with the stress.

I'm glad I'm not the parent of a school-age child either. There's been a lot of talk about parental choice, but from what I've read, your choices have been limited. If you're not religious, for example, and all the local schools have a religious ethos, you can either do what many parents do, and pretend to be religious to get your child into the best school, judged by its exam results and Ofsted reports, or what? Find the money to transport your child to a school that's free from religion? It's become so complicated that pushy parents are having to devote a lot of time to researching their options.