Subject: [AthofSV] Holy Ghost too spooky to study

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 21:11:29 EDT

Don't spook kids out with the Holy Ghost
Monday, April 11, 2005 
Reuters 

LONDON - Schools should avoid phrases like "the body of Jesus" and refrain 
from linking Islam to violence when teaching religion, according to guidance 
issued this week.
And whatever they do, they should avoid frightening the kids with the Holy 
Ghost.
The guidance -- aimed at avoiding insults to world faiths in schools -- also 
urges teachers to resist pictures of "emaciated men caked in mud" when 
explaining Hinduism, in case children think the religion is "for weirdos and 
masochists".
It was contained with Norfolk County Council's draft Agreed Syllabus for 
Religious Education.
"Don't, when exploring the Eucharist, suggest the bread and wine become 'the 
body of Jesus' or 'the blood of Jesus,'" it added. "This suggests almost a 
cannibalistic consumption of human flesh."
The guidance suggested using the words Holy Spirit instead of Holy Ghost to 
avoid being "spooky."
Elsewhere, the report said: "Do avoid equating Islam with terrorism and 
violence e.g. avoid photographs of Muslims holding swords, Kalashnikovs, etc."
Critics said on Monday the guidelines were a step too far in a nation often 
labelled a "nanny state" where blackboards are called chalkboards and recorded 
voices tell commuters to mind the gap when boarding trains.
"Most sensible people will be extremely hostile to this sort of manipulation 
of language for the sake of political correctness," said Nick Seaton, chairman 
of pressure group Campaign for Real Education. "It is quite sinister in a 
way."
No comment was immediately available from Norfolk County Council.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-04-
11T140605Z_01_ZWE150749_RTRUKOC_0_RELIGION-BRITAIN-SCHOOLS.xml

Holy Ghost too spooky to study
DAVID SAPSTED
The Daily Telegraph
London, April 11: Teachers in Britain are being told not to mention that 
Communion bread and wine represent the body and blood of Christ in case children 
get it in their heads that Christians are cannibals.
New guidelines for religious education teachers also want them to refer to 
the Holy Spirit rather than Holy Ghost as the latter implies “a trivial and 
spooky concept of the third person in the Trinity”.
The guidelines, drawn up by education chiefs in Norfolk and condemned by the 
National Union of Teachers as “modernism gone mad”, also consign the term Old 
Testament to the dustbin because pupils may believe it means its contents are 
no longer relevant.
Christians are not alone in having the terms of their faith redefined. In 
teaching Judaism, teachers are told to refer to the “Western Wall” rather than “
Wailing Wall”, just in case the children believe that Jews are moaners.
Muslims should not be shown in photographs “holding swords or Kalashnikovs” 
to avoid Islam being equated to terrorism. Also out are pictures of Hindu holy 
men caked in mud because they give the impression that it is a religion for “
weirdos or masochists”.
Tony Mulgrew, Norfolk secretary for the NUT, thought the exercise had the 
ring of political correctness.“I just think it’s a bit daft to suddenly change 
the name of the Old Testament. They shouldn’t be messing about with names of 
things. It’s modernism gone mad.”
Nick Seaton, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, a pressure group 
for higher standards, said: “I think most people will think it’s ridiculous.”

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050412/asp/atleisure/story_4604148.asp