Fed: GG wants more religion in schools

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Fed: GG wants more religion in schools

By Paul Osborne

BRISBANE, Aug 18 AAP - Governor-General Michael Jeffery has called for a greater emphasison religious education in schools to improve the nation's ethics and values.

Major-General Jeffery has also called on the media to focus more on ethics.

The Governor-General made the comments at one of his first formal functions since hisswearing-in - a reception for members of the peak church press body, the AustralasianReligious Press Association, at Government House in Canberra.

He told the function the core beliefs of "faith, hope and love" should be reinforcedand that it could be argued that reducing or deleting religious education in schools hadimpacted adversely on society.

"The challenge for our community is to try to live by the simple, lasting values thegreat religions teach, to instill in our children and our grandchildren the notion thatsociety benefits if we live an ethically good life, including the recognition that withrights go obligations; to each other, to our communities and to our nation," Maj-Gen Jefferysaid.

"In a practical sense, the teaching in schools of religious studies - as happens inthe United Kingdom for 14-to-16-year-olds - helps give our children a grounding in thebeliefs and values of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism.

"If, at the very least, this leads to greater tolerance towards and understanding ofthose with beliefs different from our own then it is worthwhile."

Maj-Gen Jeffery also told the function last Friday the issue of media ethics was vitallyimportant to the community.

"At its most basic, the real power of the media is what can be said and written aboutpeople; be they prime ministers, cricketers or citizens, whose lives can be ruined bya disregard for privacy, an unfair slant to a story, simple inaccuracies or wrong interpretations,"

Mr Jeffery said in a speech released to AAP today.

"It is for this reason that journalism is meant to uphold certain fundamental principlesthat underpins its work.

"Honesty, accuracy, fairness and a respect for the rights of others are perhaps themost important."

Maj-Gen Jeffery said young people were being exposed to a "popular culture which sometimesemphasises materialism, individualism and what's in it for me at the expense of community,and our media reflect this".

"Is it the media's fault or is the media simply reflecting changing societal values?"

Maj-Gen Jeffery said.

"Whatever the answer, there is little doubt that many people in western society areyearning for a deeper meaning to life."

Maj-Gen Jeffery replaced former Anglican Archbishop Peter Hollingworth in the vice-regalrole last week.

AAP pjo/sc/drp/jlw

KEYWORD: RELIGION JEFFERY