This law must be looked at in perspective. For Quebec, it is a step forward. In the past religion was taught in schools, and the parents were able to choose which religion (if they were Catholic or Protestant). That was terribly unfair to members of other religions and certainly not the government's business to do at all.

Now all school children will get a balanced course covering all the world's religions. It is even a requirement at parochial schools. While it's not clear that this is a good way to spend the government's money or students' time compared to more science classes, for instance, it certainly is an improvement.

This would be a good model to emulate in countries or provinces where some specific religion is currently taught. It would be a huge advance in the civilization of Middle East countries if instituted there.

On the other hand, it would be a bad idea in secular countries where Freedom of Religion is more established.

Ideally, religion should be treated as pornography is today; and, it should be a major crime to subject children to religious instruction. When they are full adults, say 21 years old, they may be mature enough to evaluate religious teachings for themselves. A child, who is deemed too immature to see sex or drink alcohol, is somehow deemed mature enough to be exposed to the most difficult, abstract, and violence-prone philosophies, which is ridiculous. The result is brainwashing, where virtually all children are unable to escape the religion of their parents and make an informed choice.
Source(s):
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1956333
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35507.htm
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2009/02/hbc-90004472
http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/dvorsky20070407/


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