The British Humanist Association has issued legal proceedings against the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) over their decision not to allow the study of Humanism in a Religious Studies GCSE course in the same way as religions are studied.

There seems to be nothing, yet, from Muslim groups*, although I expect the MCB et al. will be as supportive of the ability to discriminate on the basis of faith, as their Christian and Jewish counterparts are.

Personally, I am supportive of initiatives that bring Muslim faith schools into the state system, where they can be made to “adhere to the national curriculum, undergo regular Ofsted inspections and obey a range of government regulations”.

Just the sheer number of faith schools makes it impossible to abolish them as some people want (putting aside the issue of why they are perceived to be better).

Meanwhile, people who favour the abolition of faith schools might have received a boost with the news that a study has found a link between (Muslim**) faith schools and terrorism (this study is based on interviews with Indian terrorists). On the face of it, this seems to contradict an earlier MI5 briefing note which said that a “well-grounded” religious identity was a counter to violent extremism.

*A minor point to note, but Barrow makes an error when he says The Muslim News called Accord’s views a ’smear’. The Muslim News seems to have just copied the article from IRNA, the official Iranian news agency. Also see Indigo Jo for some thoughts on a Muslim perspective.

**Let’s be honest: this is what the study seems to be talking about (based on newspaper reporting).

The opening shots in this battle have been fired over the past week by Accord’s opponents, including Christian and Jewish representatives who say criticisms of faith schools do a “disservice to the huge value that faith schools add to our state education sector and the extent of appreciation that parents and students have for these schools”.

No word, yet, from any of the main Muslim groups.

In Turkey, 700 academics have filed a case against the government to stem the increasing presence of creationism in science classes. Teachers and academics are concerned that a powerful creationist lobby is exerting more and more influence on the country’s government [...] And, this war between theology and science is creating some strange bed fellows as US Christian fundamentalists are joining forces with Muslim creationists in an effort to change the teachings in Turkey’s classrooms.

The radio programme discusses the involvement of the American creationists, and in particular The Discovery Institute, involved in the Turkish creationist movement. American creationists see their Muslim counterparts as allies in their battle against Darwinism.

The documentary also highlights how the Turkish military dictatorship in the 1980s intended to use American creationist material to combat left-wing political movements.

(Via an emailer.)

Last week, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office warned Britons travelling to the United Arab Emirates of a “high threat from terrorism”.