"Besides which, I'm of the opinion that indoctrinating children into believing that they have to live the rest of their lives depending on an 'imaginary friend' (and other such drivel) is, in itself, no less than child abuse. Let them decide for themselves at a responsible age by all means, but to attempt to take away that choice is abuse of an insidious and cruel kind."

I have to say that I agree with that, 'Smokey' (although I'm not sure that I would have expressed it quite as 'robustly' as you). If it was up to me all education would be secularised immediately. We pay far too much respect, and give far too much leeway, to organised religions of all kinds. And now that one of the largest of those organised religions has been shown that it cannot be trusted with the physical and mental well-being of our children it's time for society re-evaluate the role of those religions within it.