Might as well get a new national anthem

The Organisation for Religion Education and Democracy (Ogod) recently launched an apparent witch-hunt on Christians, heading to court to seek to prohibit six public schools, including Laerskool Baanbreker, from advertising themselves as exclusively “Christian” or as having a “Christian ethos”.

It is the first time that a formal legal challenge of this nature has been brought.

Ogod chairperson, Hans Pietersen, said his legal action is actually to broaden the experience of religious and spiritual instruction in public schools, in keeping with the country’s Constitution and other policies.

Yet, it doesn’t matter how Ogod words its challenge, and it really doesn’t matter their explanations or reasons, in reality South Africa is sadly heading in the same direction as the land of the brave and free – America – where for some time now, Christianity is under attack, especially in schools.

All that will happen is that Christianity will be replaced by another philosophy – namely forcing children to embrace religions at the expense of forsaking their own.

Some of the more visible attacks on Christianity in the US include banning of prayer, censorship of Christmas themes, use of textbooks that hide religion’s role in the country’s history, and outright impugning of the religion.

And here in South Africa we can easily move in the same direction if the right to religion is not properly protected and if Ogod has its way.

What is ironic is that the US was built upon a Christian ethos. The founding Fathers for example separated church from State, but they did not separate God from State; they acknowledged God as the source of US’s rights, and, in fact, they were careful to place Biblical morality directly into the founding documents and laws, and into society values and culture precisely to help prevent a future of totalitarian or tyrannical rule in America.

Thomas Jefferson wrote: “God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?”

The motto of America, as found in the Star-Spangled Banner is that in God they trust.

Why then mention America when the fight for religious freedom is waging back home? Simply, if it can happen in the US, it can certainly happen here.

Ogod is taking the route of the Constitution to contest Christianity in schools, yet Chapter 2 of the Constitution of South Africa, the Bill of Rights, contains a number of provisions dealing with religious freedom.

Section 9, the equality clause, prohibits unfair discrimination on various grounds including religion and requires national legislation to be enacted to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination.

Section 15 states that everyone has the right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion. This section also allows religious observances in State and State-aided institutions, provided they follow public authority rules, they are conducted on an equitable basis and attendance is free and voluntary; and provides for the recognition of religious legal systems and marriages that are not inconsistent with the Constitution.

Section 31 protects the right of persons belonging to a religious community to practise their religion together with other members of that community, and to form, join and maintain voluntary religious associations.

In the South African Schools Act of 1996, it states under the category “Freedom of conscience and religion at public schools” that subject to the Constitution and any applicable provincial law, religious observances may be conducted at a public school under rules issued by the governing body. If such observances are conducted on an equitable basis and attendance at them by learners and members of staff, it is free and voluntary.

Thus, in short, our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion.

Yet, the battle continues. Some would say that the abolishment of corporal punishment in schools was also an attack against Christianity, for many would still regard disciplining a child (note, not torturing or abusing) is Biblical and the duty of the Christian faith.

In defence of the attack against Christian values, Rev Kenneth Meshoe of the ACDP said that such values should remain in schools because the Constitution promotes freedom of religion.

“The ACDP will oppose attempts to stop Christian values from being taught in schools as our Constitution promotes the freedom of religion and not freedom from religion,” Meshoe said in a statement.

Freedom Front Plus spokesperson Anton Alberts also came out in support, saying the party supported efforts to oppose the planned court case.

“Freedom of religion is of cardinal importance in South Africa. It is part of any mature democracy. In model C schools the principle of parental input, management and democracy is in place,” he said.

What is quite hilarious is that we sing Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika as part of our national anthem. It was composed by a Methodist school teacher named Enoch Sontonga in 1897. It was first sung as a church hymn, but later became an act of political defiance against the Apartheid government.

For those who have forgotten, here is one of the translations into English – “God bless Africa, Let its (Africa’s) horn be raised, Listen also to our prayers, Lord bless us, we are the family of it (Africa), Lord bless our nation, stop wars and sufferings, Save it, save our nation, The nation of South Africa.”

It seems that God is still entrenched, like in the US, in our history, in our culture, in our Constitution, so if you want to disband Christianity in schools then we might as well adopt a new a national anthem.