In an article from www.ots.at, the education spokesman for the Vienna People's Party, city councillor Harald Zierfuß, emphasises that religion, as a means of conveying values, is a fundamental prerequisite for living together in a society. Despite the criticism of the "neos" against religious education in schools, Zierfuß believes that the state needs a foundation of values for its citizens, and religion plays an important role in this. He refers to the curriculum of Catholic religious education, which teaches various values such as non-violent communication, consideration of the needs of other people and responsible action. According to Zierfuß, these values are essential for young people to develop a foundation of values. An alternative to controlled religious education would be uncontrolled religious influences from back-alley preachers, which could potentially lead to extreme views and actions.
The integration spokesperson for the Vienna People's Party, city councillor Caroline Hungerländer, emphasises that the discussion about religious education is ultimately a question of coexistence. Our liberal, constitutional democracy is based on a cultural history that is over two thousand years old with Christian and Jewish roots and was further developed by the Enlightenment. Hungerländer sees a great challenge in the encounter between this culture and a completely different oriental culture and the Islamic religion. People from this cultural area have different ideas about social order, the separation of religion and state, and human dignity and equality. It is important to expose Islamic teachings and to consider those points that are incompatible with our democracy. Based on the achievements of the Enlightenment, we must discuss how to deal with these differences. Hungerländer emphasises that the challenge lies primarily in the encounter between cultural histories and that a long-term solution must be found to avoid failure.
It is important to note that Christian cultural history is considered the foundation of our society. This cultural history has had a significant impact on the development of our liberal democracy and provides a framework for our values. Religious education in schools plays a central role in familiarizing young people with these values. At the same time, the encounter with Islamic culture is challenging because different ideas about society and religion exist. Here it is important to engage in dialogue and emphasize the compatible aspects of both cultures, while at the same time critically examining incompatible elements.
The discussion about religious education and the clash of different cultural histories is of great importance for our society. It is necessary to discuss these issues openly, informed and respectfully in order to find a long-term solution based on the values of our society.
Source: die-nachrichten.at
