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This blog is written entirely by Sacred Heart of Mary Girls' School students and run by the RE Department. All students are encouraged to write about a range of topics connected to religion and the media, religion and the news, as well as topics connected to the GCSE and A-Level syllabus. Why not write a contribution? Click here

Thursday 12 September 2013

Community


As we begin a new school year, our focus shifts towards our school community. We are lucky enough at Sacred Heart that we belong to a loving and understanding community of faith, however I feel that this unity that lives in our school is not replicated in the wider community. Religion means something unique to each individual and that is what makes it such a powerful and diverse topic in our modern society. Living in a multicultural society such as the U.K, I would have thought that we would become much more understanding and open-minded, yet what has actually developed among some is deep rooted misunderstanding leading to many conflicts we see in the world today. Religion is unfortunately now seen as a ‘taboo’ subject as we may be afraid to upset or offend others around us. However I believe these differences should be celebrated and we should all seek to fully understand others in their own journeys of faith.
‘The greatest evil in the world is ignorance.’-Albert Camus.
This quote truly speaks to me in reference to this subject as not wanting to immerse ourselves in different cultures and religion leads to ignorance, and not fully understanding other religions can lead to the troubles we witness today such as the recent anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11.
This video clip shows how despite Ricky Gervais being a well-known atheist, he feels we are all entitled to our right to the freedom of speech and believes that we should all have the right to believe what we feel is right for us. We are extremely lucky in the U.K to have the freedom of speech, where our opinion can be voiced and these differences in society can exist without fear of the consequences. I feel that as we begin our new school year we should attempt to replicate the respect and consideration we have for others at Sacred Heart, in the local area and begin to see a change for the better.
By E.D

7 comments:

  1. What a well written article. Yes I totally agree we all ought to make a more decisive effort to endeavour to reach out and understand each other. Much to reflect and ponder upon in your article. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

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  2. Makes for a fantastic read!!

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  3. A well written and very interesting article. The interview with Ricky Gervais is of particualr note as since this interview has taken place he has become more a 'militant atheist', or maybe just on Twitter? Thisblog post is of interest: http://talkingdonkeyre.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/dear-religion-yours-science-gervais.html

    I think you are right that the UK there are many different issues amoung many fragmented communities.

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  4. An interesting perspective on fragmented communities. Unfortunately the way individuals interpret media coverage can often lead to people becoming more alienated. I look forward to reading more of your comments.

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  5. This is a great article to start the year and it is relevant, I appreciated the use of the video to emphasise your point. Brilliant
    E.A.C

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  7. I thought this was a very interesting and relevant article to read. The video really helped explain your point further. Thank you. H.L.

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