In my opinion Public Schools should have absolutely nothing to do with religion, in any way. It seems hard enough to teach our youth the basics required to be productive and competitive without adding additional courses that have no impact on the ability to function in the world they will walk into.
There are so many religions that it would be impossible to teach them all. But why would you want to teach any let alone all? Are those not personal views not based on facts?
If the differing slants of religions were plainly spelt out, it would be clear that they hold flaws and have caused more conflicts and suffering than just about anything else. Children are often innocent and easily persuaded by someone elses personal view so they should at least have the chance to learn about alternative views.
At this time of year little minds are being filled with ideas of Santa, Christmas Elves, Reindeer that can fly etc. In a few years time the little minds will learn that jolly red suited white haired men do not drop down chimneys nor yet rise up them on departure, that mummy and daddy are the Elves and that reindeer can only fly in a plane.
We want our children to learn, to question, to become informed so why set religion apart?
There were some pretty pivotal moments in history that require discussion on religion. To ex this out completely.
Maybe but as the pastor at my local church said a few weeks ago, "Most of the war of the last 1,000 years were started by Christians." You can't ignore religion's part in history any more then you can salt's in chemistry.
true, but it isn't an all or nothing thing. You couldn't know chemistry without salt, they are pieces of a bigger picture
Any teachers who were teaching religion would be teaching from a text, and I just don't see how textbook publishers who are used to dealing almost exclusively with an organization which does not teach religion, public schools, could switch over and start producing textbooks which treat the subject honestly.
You also have the issue of should a public sector entity attempt to define religion to begin with? I don't think so. It's not the place of the public sector to define religion, it is seperate and should stay that way.
You also have the issue of should a public sector entity attempt to define religion to begin with? I don't think so. It's not the place of the public sector to define religion, it is seperate and should stay that way.
There are these people called clerics... They are capable of writing textbooks (my granddad among them though all his books are obsolete).
You make a good point, I should've said that I'm assuming the schools would continue to buy from the publishers they've always bought from.
But you can only expose them to so much. There is so much in this world that you can't expose them to everything, so you have to pick and choose. What I'm saying is there are too many religions to "teach" should one take that route meaning you'd have to pick and choose. Either way, I'd choose to teach no religion in favor of more useful things (history includes a lot about the corruption of organized religion anyway).
et al,
The Original Question:
Of course, "religion" is (normally) structured. There are many structures. Many have similarities and common roots. The three most common to Western Civilization (Hebrew, Christianity, and Islam) have some startling similarities to the Ancient Gods of Egypt (3000+ years ago) that come well before that commonly practiced today.
It takes a discerning mind, unencumbered by previous indoctrinations to make the connections, investigate the beliefs, and come to a conclusion.
And there are quite a few religions to examine.
Now I don't want to be singled-out as a heretic or blasphemous, so I thought I would make my point using the Egyptian Gods to draw my comparison; God's out of reach - which no one prays to in the modern age.
Most Respectfully,
R
The Original Question:
- Do you think religion should be taught at schools?
Answer: Not until the student has an ability to understand and choose. That is a point usually beyond the secondary (high school) level.
Of course, "religion" is (normally) structured. There are many structures. Many have similarities and common roots. The three most common to Western Civilization (Hebrew, Christianity, and Islam) have some startling similarities to the Ancient Gods of Egypt (3000+ years ago) that come well before that commonly practiced today.
- The common belief in a "Trinity" (The Father, Son and Holy Spirit) or the Holy Family (God, Mary, Jesus) can be associated to the Egyptian Gods (Osiris/God, Isis/Mary, Horus/Jesus, Amun/Holy Spirit-Amen, Apophis/Devil).
- The Ten Commandments are often associated with Chapter 125 in the Book of the Dead.
- The salient point behind the story of Jesus is remarkably similar to the story of Horus;
- Each born from virgin mothers between the 360th day of the year and the 365th day of the year.
- Each was visited by 3 princes of the land.
- Each were baptized ("John the Baptist" and "Anubis the Appointer")
- Both "John the Baptist" and "Anubis the Appointer" were beheaded.
- Both Horus and Jesus started teaching at age 30
- Each had 12 primary followers
- Both Horus and Jesus were crucified, buried, and then resurrected.
It takes a discerning mind, unencumbered by previous indoctrinations to make the connections, investigate the beliefs, and come to a conclusion.
And there are quite a few religions to examine.
Now I don't want to be singled-out as a heretic or blasphemous, so I thought I would make my point using the Egyptian Gods to draw my comparison; God's out of reach - which no one prays to in the modern age.
Most Respectfully,
R
People do still worship the Egyptian deities but it's safe to assume that you won't be offending anyone here.
By teaching religion, do you mean having them practice such a religion? Or to just understand its cultural significance?
I have to agree with you in you mean teaching kids to worship, but disagree if you are saying that any study related to religion has no place in school. To understand the puritans and what drove the people to do such things out is important to understand their religious beliefs, being that they were manipulated into supporting exicution by their total surrender to religious leaders, I think it is important to understand that entire part of history so as not to ever repeat it.
In geography religion has a heavy influence on borders, war and the reasons behind such things. Culture studies carry heavy importance on religion, if you don't understand a culture's religion, you do not understand that culture.
But teaching current worship and ritual, that is not appropriate in classrooms. even if the school has a theology elective (I am not against) it shouldn't be about how to worship.
Like I said, if one is teaching history and religion happens to come up, fine talk about it in a way that is as objective as possible. But don't make it a point to bring religion up unless necessarily. Even with history, K-12 ends up picking and choosing what to teach with very little emphasis on anything outside Western history.
Edit: I should clarify that my K-12 statement is about the US, I am not sure outside it.
Religion, in this context is already included in school...as it is a part of world history. I understood the thread to be discussing something long the lines of a religious studies class.
As in....first period Math
second period civics
third period religious studies
I would consider this a waste of time and resources.
Only because you have a distasteful disdain for religion. Sunday School type crap should be avoided (in a public school setting at lest) but religion itself is a major if not fundamental reality of Human existence. You're in the same camp as the anti-intellectual idiots who don't want to teach history or evolution in school.
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