Irish atheist student says school forced him to attend prayer meeting

Misneac, yes indeed, he does have the right of dissent. What gives him the right to turn his nose up at the 'establishment', is that the establishment itself (i.e. Irish Constitution, Articles 42.1, 43.4, 44.2.4 ) guarantees the rights of the parents in regard to his religious rights. Perhaps you should put your superb education to use and do a bit of reading around the subject before you blow off your distinctly tepid steam. But you're right on one point, his education is indeed being subsidised by me, and the other taxpayers in Ireland and again, I fully endorse his actions. Why wouldn't I? I do not have a choice about where my taxes go, yet the schools I and others fund, are allowed discriminate against my children? Hello? I'm glad Nathan Young is trying to change it for my children!

He and his parents need to go back to the cradle of all materialist/secular degeneracy, the british terror state.

Seanomelb , this arrogant little prat does not have the right of dissent .His education is being subsidised by the taxpayer,and an authority which lays down the rules .What gives him the right to avail of an education ,turning up his nose at the establishment ,and not abiding by the rules ? Why not build an extension to the college and house him there ? Would YoungPlke please educate me on what he means by "the good fortune to grow up in an open-minded UK rather than the backward -looking Republic of Ireland " .The usual claptrap cliche ,with no evidence to support such a statement .I am delighted at my good fortune to have been born and raised in Ireland ,and enjoyed the benefit of a superb education !

IrelandNorth as a member of the forces in the sixties non-catholics were asked to "fallout" a term given to anyone who did not wish to take part in a religious ceremony. The religious hate and spite foisted upon this young man and his father by the unchristian hypocrites below is mind boggling they do not respect the people involved and their rights of dissent..

The atheist kid is right. I presume his atheism comes via his English father who had the good fortune to grow up in the open-minded UK rather than the backward-looking Republic of Ireland.

Renalda misrepresents the US constitutional position when writing "Our Supreme Court has made prayer or spiritual readings unlawful in public schools." NO, the Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment to the US Constitution as prohibiting *coerced* prayer under the auspices of public schools. Students can pray anytime, anywhere, nothing to stop them! But state officials would "establish" religion if they were to coerce students to pray together or attend religious instruction on the taxpayers' dime. It's about the freedom of all, including those who choose to leave religious practices out of their lives. People who care about religion ought to support this approach because we know that, without it, there would be endless competition about which sect would have the right to impose its prayers and its instruction on members of other sects. I certainly wouldn't want Renalda deciding which prayers my child must recite in a classroom!

Ne0ica:' Fundamentalism - A usually religious movement or point of view characterized by a return to fundamental principles, by rigid adherence to those principles, and often by intolerance of other views and opposition to secularism'. Wouldn't this definition suggest that 'fundamentalist atheist' is an oxymoron? Even if it isn't, being a fundamentalist atheist and fighting for human rights seems a lot more moral that being a religious fundamentalist and flying planes into buildings and trying to repress women's rights. Misneac: As an Irish taxpayer, I fully endorse his cause and think it's wrong that he doesn't have a choice to attend a secular school. Ironically for you, it is people like him willing to fight for human rights, that ensure that you and I, as taxpayers don't live in a theocracy such as Pakistan or Saudi. Merefalow, totally agree! Having Catholicism rammed down my throat for 13 years of my schooling has resulted in a bitter aftertaste. Belief by force is counterproductive. Los Leandros...where do you live and do you have any sense of irony when making comments on a website for Irish emigrants about immigrants to your country, if your home is the US? Regardless of where you live, why is typing 'Ass' not acceptable to you when casual xenophobia is?

You know sometimes I think Americans have moved too far to the right and then I read stories like this. Unfortunately they have become very common recently here with a new fundamentalist atheist activism.

I HOPE HIS FELLOW STUDENTS DEAL WITH THIS ARROGANT LITTLE P***K . Imagine going in to the Muslim school in Clonskeagh and saying that his rights would be offended by listening to recitations from the KORAN ! As an Irish taxpayer I object to the attention given to the likes of this little prat .Imagine at 16 he decides he is an atheist ,he probably dosent know his Grandfathers name at this stage ! Send him off to Saudi or Pakistan ,and ask him to send us back an essay on human rights .

thats what fundamentalist theocrats do,belief by force,i have seen muslim clericks in saudi beat people into the mosques at prayer time,

This young man needs to shut up and listen to the wisdom of the ages through the religious readings. He needs to understand that there is knowledge to be found in ALL RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHIES. It would be wise for his parents to underscore that idea. What is this boy afraid of? From the article, I did not get that there was prosylytization. No one seems to be trying to indoctrinate him into a particular religious discipline. He can think of it as 'Living Literature' if it makes him less afraid.Further, I would suggest that he and his family read "The Prophet" by Khalil Gibran.The bottomline is that this child needs his parent's support to listen and learn whatever is taught in school. I wish American schools still ALLOWED the reading of the Bible or any religious/spiritual readings BEFORE classes each day. Our Supreme Court has made prayer or spiritual readings unlawful in public schools. Our school system has been declining ever since. Saluting God aand country before beginning each day makes for a better day.

this anti churchgoeing believer and his supporting dad are after some of the churchgoing public's money. The innocent always get shafted in such cases.

The little jerk should be given a good kick up the a...As for his father, why does'nt he go back to England. We can do without these kinds of atheist air-head immigrants. We have more than enough of the home grown variety.

Just realised I made a mistake. Apologies. The remaining 10% of schools are not 'non-dom' they are multi denominational. The 90% of schools of Catholic patronage can and do discriminate against non Catholics. 15% of Irish residents according to our most recent census are not Catholic. In twenty years there has been a 400% increase in the number of non believers in Ireland. To address the issues of creeping secularism/socialism/atheism/liberalism and the idea that this is a bad thing, having grown up in the repressed Catholic Ireland of the 80's and returning here after a 12 year absence, I can assure you that Ireland is a happier, more open and more free society than it ever has been. It is courageous people like Nathan Young defending his rights and thus the rights of minorities that will see the Ireland of our future a better place for our children.

Joe Kelsall: Of course, you're right that it's important to pick your battles. However, I should point out that you CHOSE to attend weddings, christenings etc of loved ones. In this case, a boy was forced to attend an arbitrary religious service, and his polite request to not attend was rejected. On another note, a couple of people suggested that he be kicked out of the Christian school for various reasons. I should point out that not only do our taxes fund all Irish schools - be they religious or secular - but apparently they even fund the salaries of teachers at PRIVATE SCHOOLS in Ireland. Again, please consider that the call for secular schools is not intended to "subjugate the masses", but rather to accomodate EVERYONE. Church is the appropriate place to hear about religion, if it is your wish (although I still think it is irresponsible and unfair to brainwash children with religion, which is not based on observable facts and demands that critical thought be suspended arbitrarily).