Without any hint of irony, the British Humanist Association has today unveiled its follow-up adverts to the atheist bus campaign so as to coincide with Universal Children's Day, a day of activity devoted to promoting the ideals and objectives of the United Nations' Charter and the welfare of the children of the world.

This is an odd choice of day for them to launch their call for so-called 'values-free' education, given that Universal Children's Day celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child fifty years ago today and the Convention on the Rights of the Child twenty years ago today. Principle 7 of the former states that 'The child is entitled to receive education ... which will promote his general culture and enable him, on a basis of equal opportunity, to develop his abilities, his individual judgement, and his sense of moral and social responsibility, and to become a useful member of society. The best interests of the child shall be the guiding principle of those responsible for his education and guidance; that responsibility lies in the first place with his parents.' In similar fashion, article 5 of the latter states that 'Parties shall respect the responsibilities, rights and duties of parents or, where applicable, the members of the extended family or community as provided for by local custom, legal guardians or other persons legally responsible for the child, to provide, in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child, appropriate direction and guidance in the exercise by the child of the rights recognized in the present Convention.'

Both acknowledge the 'evolving capacities' of children and emphasise the role of parents in promoting their 'general culture' and the development of their 'moral and social responsibility'. Like the Government, the humanists clearly do not trust parents; however, whereas the Government simply believes that it knows better than its citizens, the humanists appear to think that children, even in their immaturity and lack of experience, know better than grown-ups. Images of rudderless boats adrift on the waves or of William Golding's Lord of the Flies spring to mind. In the words of General Sir Richard Dannatt, 'There is a moral and spiritual vacuum in this country. Our society has always been embedded in Christian values; once you have pulled the anchor up there is a danger that our society moves with the prevailing wind.'

Of course, their position is the logical conclusion to a post-modern belief that there exists no 'right' or 'wrong'. I am reminded of our paper Life after the death of God? Michel Foucault and postmodern atheism. For, sadly, those left to the folly of their own empty counsel will one day discover, as did the French intellectual as he faced imminent death, 'You always think that in a certain kind of situation you'll find something to say about it, and now it turns out there's nothing to say after all.'

Logical though they may be, such beliefs are also dangerous. As we warned in our report Sustaining Democracy, 'the most important misperception here is that the secular control of the public sphere is either neutral or facilitates open debate. It does neither. Rather, the identification of the public with the secular gives priority to secular values and destroys the very possibility that debate could be open or neutral. The 'secular' expands without limit, squeezing out alternative visions of the public good. Ultimately, the secular itself becomes confessional, a religious domain authorising its own understandings of values, truth, and justice. The secular vision of the public good comes to exercise sovereignty over public life.'

Yes, critical thinking should be encouraged at all times (as much among adults as children, it might be noted). But rejecting the shared wisdom of former generations, as encapsulated in culture, is nothing more than thoughtless criticism. And pretending that you know better than all who have gone before belies a naive and dangerous level of egocentrism - a stage of development that psychologist Jean Piaget stated was directly related to a child's level of cognitive development. In this regard perhaps society - or the humanists at least - have become infantilised... Maybe, then, it's time for us all to 'grow up'? It's not enough to 'choose for ourselves' - we need to choose wisely.

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