Islamic indoctrination in schools

Submitted by Jill Neily (Canada), Jul 19, 2002 at 17:21

Dear Dr. Pipes,

I don't seem to be able to catch you on TV. The last time you were interupted by breaking news and I don't think we get Fox News although we get the Fox News Channel from Rochester NY.

I was shocked to learn that children from your country can be indoctrinated in school. A decade ago we were concerned because all sorts of New Age/Eastern religion was being imparted to our children without our knowledge or consent. I attended schools in England during the '40s and '50s and because of the part of London we lived in there were many Jewish children in our state/Church of England schools. Never was anyone permitted to attempt to indoctrinate the Jewish children with our Doctrine. The Jewish kids went to Hebrew classes while we had our "scripture lesson" and at noon they were sent to another facility where Kosher food was served. At my grammar [high] school there were fewer Jewish children so they were expected to leave the room while we had our religious ed. class. I remember some of my friends protesting strongly that their parents didn't mind them staying with the other girls but they were told they'd have to bring a note from their parents if they were allowed to stay. We were never invited to Hebrew classes either, to my regret.

My granddaughter goes to school in our small Nova Scotia town. A few teachers have a bible story or offer prayers. Most don't. We've encountered Harry Potter in the classroom and the children who were not permitted to read or hear that garbage were allowed to leave the classroom.

I'm so pleased that someone in the US has taken a stand and I hope MPs and MLAs are taking note here, if you want Islam in the classroom you have to get it in a Muslim school.

Mr. Pipes, I'm a Christian and I was somewhat taken aback when you made a statement that one would only find "that kind of anti-semitism" in Christendom. I repent of the anti-semitic history of the church but I didn't do it - I wasn't born at the time of the crusades or the Spanish inquisition. I get a lot of e-mailed newsletters and information from Jerusalem and so do many of the Christians I'm involved with. There is no stronger support for Israel outside the Jewish community than among evangelical believers and we embrace our Jewish heritage. We do not subscribe to replacement theology - we're grafted in, not the new Israel. Check it out. That's my steam-letting for today. Bless you and your work.

Shalom, Jill Neily

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