When is ignorance bliss?

For some it’s when the subject is religion.

How many times have you heard someone remark, almost proudly, they know virtually nothing about religion? As if the deep convictions of four out of five of the world’s inhabitants were beneath them.

Resistance to inter-religious understanding remains strong, judging from continuing global conflicts — and the shortage of courses about religion in the vast majority of North American public schools.

And also judging by the rotten eggs some pundits and activists have tossed at Quebec’s five-year-old “ethics and religious culture” curriculum. It requires all students to take classes in religious and secular world views.

Given the reactionary response some Canadians have had to Quebec’s elementary and high school courses, it was heartening to see the results of a recent poll conducted for the B.C. Humanist Association.

It revealed more than 77 per cent of British Columbians would like world religions taught in public schools.

Even though he is an atheist, the head of the B.C. Humanist Association, Ian Bushfield, was one of those who hoped Canadians would become more knowledgeable about religions and other collections of beliefs about humans’ relationship to the universe.

“I support the teaching of comparative religions/world views, provided it includes a discussion of secular moral philosophies — like Quebec has done,” Bushfield said in an interview.

“I think it does two things. First, it helps promote tolerance and understanding, traits that are increasingly important as B.C. becomes more diverse.

“Second, I think it can help humble ideas and combat fundamentalism of all stripes. It’s important for everyone (even atheists) to challenge their beliefs regularly and recognize that different people have different ideas.”

To date, B.C. public schools basically offer students only a short program in world religions, typically in Grade 8. Most other North American educational jurisdictions don’t do much more. Many do less.

Quebec may have moved the furthest on the continent.

After launching studies of successful mandatory world-religion curricula in Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and Nordic countries, former Liberal premier Jean Charest forged ahead and instituted a similar program for Quebec schools.

In a province where the powerful Roman Catholic church once shaped education, Charest’s much-debated curriculum (known as ethique et culture religieuse) replaced the abolished subject of Christian religious and moral education.

Given the strength of the Jewish minority in Quebec, and the rapid growth of other religions such as Islam, many educators in the province believe it’s time to instead teach students “about” all religions, while outlining protocols for helping them make ethical choices.

By 2008, the province’s public and private school systems were being required to give compulsory courses for almost all grades. The courses are taught in a variety of ways, but on average they take up about two hours of class time per week.

Some religious Quebecers have complained the curriculum is “relativistic.” They fear it doesn’t favour one religion and claim it threatens parents’ right to control their children’s upbringing. Court cases have been launched.