More on Ethics — the need for balanced editorial, not just letters:
Link to Adelaide Now letters for 4.6.13
Dear Editor,
The most positive outcome, from four days of letters on secular and religious “ethics”, is that the City of Churches has actually begun to talk openly about it, and for that The Advertiser must be congratulated.
While Senator Abetz and Tory Shepherd created good media mileage it couldn’t — due to limited editorial space — dwell too deeply on all the important elements. The issues which underpin this whole debate of “modern versus traditional ethics” are quite varied and detailed.
While controversial comments make interesting theatre it does little to encourage “balanced” debate on a swathe of contemporary ethical dilemmas. It merely stirs, once again, a confrontational mindset.
Letters allow people to express their points of view, as they should, but while it’s a vehicle for a variety of opinions it doesn’t always contribute greatly to rationality and reason.
Just one case in point is Margaret Minney’s letter which misrepresents my call for the widespread teaching of “secular” ethics to all schoolchildren (The Advertiser, yesterday). It doesn’t discriminate against religion, it simply provides a balance; as is the case with most western countries.
It would be encouraging the see The Advertiser taking a greater role by running more in-depth articles — with a balanced secular and religious viewpoint — on some of the contemporary issues which face all South Australians. It won’t settle the long-standing dichotomy but it will certainly contribute more light, rather than heat, to such an important debate.
Brian Morris
President, Atheism SA Inc.