Ministry of Education, Republic of Cyprus: "Let's avoid atheism..."

While a recent article by the United Humanists, dated January 11 2018, stated that Egypt considers outlawing atheism and is already arresting nonbelievers, the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Cyprus is targeting atheists, both through its official website and the book of Religion of secondary education. 

In the Religion section on its website it has uploaded a PowerPoint (.ppt) presentation of 46 slides entitled: "The phenomenon of atheism and modern forms of atheism", in which it clearly discriminates against atheism and atheists. 

Among other things the presentation states the following, as the causes for atheism: 

- the egoism of modern sciences 

- the semi-literacy and the highest ingratitude

- the wrong choices made by atheists and 

- the fact that atheists are individualists who operate without ethical boundaries. 

It also states that atheists cannot understand that god can use pain for pedagogical purposes. 

The presentation ends with the following statement: "Let us then avoid atheism, in order to avoid living it's evil and sinful consequences". 

This presentation is downloadable supporting material that teachers and educators can use in class. 

Additionally, the above material is part of the first chapter of the book on Religion for 10th graders - section 23: "The phenomenon of atheism" - which states the following as the main causes for atheism: 

1. The egoism of man, who prides himself for his strengths and abilities. 

2. The ignorance of the teaching of religion on the big issues "god, cosmos, human". 

3. The individual choices of a way of life that contradicts the commands of religion, thus setting a barrier in the communication of man with god. 

4. Rationalism since the time of the Enlightenment, which rejects revealed truths. 

5. The materialistic view of the world, which accepts the priority and the uniqueness of the matter, from which the so-called spiritual energies (thoughts, ideas, imagination, etc.) also derive. 

6. The anti-religious education, offered in totalitarian regimes.