Education reduces religious prejudice

Rachel Davies , Sydney

The world seems to be experiencing a kind of 'clash of religions'. After the end of the World War II we went through the Cold War that saw the capitalism of the West vie with communism. Communism has now fallen, with only a few shadows of it remaining in places like North Korea and Cuba.

So now who are the villains and good guys? Who now represents two sides of humanity engaged in an apparently endless struggle for hearts and minds?

Well, perhaps unsurprisingly, religion has reemerged as an apparent specter of conflict and so clashes. Indonesia has, of course, been a sad first-hand witness to this. Religion continues to divide the country, divide people, to even divide areas of cities and even streets.

Recently there have been a few articles in The Jakarta Post that have reflected on the apparent conditions of intolerance and prejudice that exist with regards religion both in Indonesia and abroad. Notable among these have been articles written by M. Taufiqurrahman and M.Ali.

The former article by M. Taufiqurrahman reported the findings from a survey of Indonesians conducted jointly by the Freedom Institute, the Liberal Islam Network and the Center for Islamic and Community Studies (PPIM) of the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN). The results of this survey did suggest that, effectively, an attitude seems to pervade of not being fanatically against other religions (other than Islam) but being less than happy to have them as neighbors.

The finding that "40.8 percent of Muslim respondents were wary about Christians conducting services in a majority Muslim neighborhood" suggests that there are underlying suspicions and doubts that are potentially dangerous.

Meantime the article by M. Ali reflected on his experiences as an Indonesian Muslim in England. He noted with some regret that attitudes towards him as a Muslim in England had been undergoing something of a change recently and that this change was distinctively negative.

Perhaps M. Ali's views were rather naive and limited in their appreciation of how people everywhere - including England and Indonesia - can consistently been found that have either myopic views on religion or in fact are just downright ignorant of differences and alternative belief systems.

Here then is, an important if not indeed essential role for education to play and this role can very distinctly occur within the Indonesian education system, or any other education system for that matter.

What is, after all, the antidote to ignorance and misunderstanding? Why naturally enough it is knowledge and comprehension and there can surely be no better place for this to happen than in the classroom.

Now of course the subject of religion in the classroom is a highly sensitive and practically incendiary matter; but the application of a little wisdom, forethought and the long-view can help greatly here. Many people recognize that religion should play a part in a child's education because religion does present moral values and standards for children to learn, but how often do people take a reasonably broad and more universal approach to the school subject of religious education?

Too often people confuse religious education with religious instruction. The two may be similar - revolving as they do around matters concerning religious belief - but perhaps too often people are stuck in a quagmire of determining and expecting that a child must be instructed in a religion and so simultaneously not receive religious education.

Religious education can serve the dual roles of considering moral issues and standards whilst simultaneously educating about the world's religions. This can serve the purposes of both advancing our moral and religious awareness and our worldly awareness and appreciation. That is to say that knowledge of other religions (other than our own) can make us better aware and more tolerant towards others.

Let me use myself as an example. As a child I was sent to a quite strict Catholic school. The nuns at this school laid down the law and I received my religious instruction in a quite stern and severe environment that will forever be with me. My school definitely played a large part in my religious beliefs both at the time that I was attending school and now many years on. I think that this was and is a good thing.

However, even though I received a quite strict and demanding form of religious instruction, I also received a quite universal and mind-broadening approach to my religious education. This meant that at school I was also able to learn about the worlds and belief systems of Protestant Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Jews.

This broad approach to religious education meant that I was effectively protected from a naively and ignorance towards other religions. This broad-minded approach to religious awareness has helped to equip me with the ability to understand others and also, importantly, understand those that are stuck in, and express, an ignorant attitude.

Education that instills in children knowledge and understanding is surely a good education. Occasionally, when I have spoken to people about this approach to religious education, I have seen some sense of fear or concern or perhaps it was even suspicion. There are those that would look at such a form of education as dangerous but perhaps this is a product of their own myopic and rather naive attitude.

Some, would consider such a broad-minded and universal approach to education as some kind of conspiracy to 'convert children to another religion'. Nothing could be further from the truth. Children still get religious instruction in the faith of their parents' choosing but simply receive knowledge and so understanding that there are other faiths and learn to respect this fact.

Again I could turn to myself as an example. I was raised as a Catholic and, as highlighted, I went to a strict Catholic school but at the same time I gained an understanding of other religions. This did not mean that I was converted to another religion just that I had awareness of those other religions. This helped me greatly later on in life as I have come to live and work in countries that do not predominantly share my own religion.

At this difficult time, when we do seem to be experiencing a clash of religions on the world stage, it is important that we make every good effort to reduce intolerance and prejudice and increase understanding. All educators should think carefully about the role that they could play in this. Education can help to stamp out religious intolerance but it can also bury it deeper and deeper into the minds of the young people. The writer, an education consultant based in Sydney, can be reached at rachdavies@hotmail.com.