God In Public Schools

[Peter Parka]

we had a problem here in one of our towns, kids in a middle school were sent to visit a mosque. Parents were outraged, teachers defended it as a teachable lesson about religion. yes, religions of the world need to be taught, but I think should be done as an overview not a pushing of one religion over another. Naturally people are curious about religions and how they differ, but I personally think that this should be taught at a level when a person can make a choice what is best for their lives.

:homo: It's good for religion to be taught in a factual way - what people of different religions believe, even if the kids arn't religious as it gives them understanding of different people that the'll come across in life. The worship part is wrong though and that includes, if I'm right, the thing they have in the USA where kids are forced to declare a belief in god every day at school in the pledge of allegiance.

 

[HK]

When I was in school we were taught about the romans and the greeks and so on. Their religions were addressed as part of the subject and there was nothing wrong with that.

I've got no problem with the concept of religion and awareness of different religions being taught to my children. I believe that having some understanding of other cultures is no bad thing. I would only be upset if a teacher was attempting to teach my kids that all other religions were lies and Buddhism was the truth, for example. And I don't want religion to have any place in a science class - there is no fact behind religion, I don't think teaching it alongside science is anything less than confusing and counterproductive.

Teaching about religion is fine, putting religion into the teaching day through prayer and other methods is not.

 

[Accountable]

being brutally honest without bias

let me know that can be done

maybe require teachers from various religions to teach/debate/discuss at the same ?

Giving general facts about the Crusades prompts the anti-Christians to scream that you're biased toward Christians.
Pointing out that Arabs have historically been more tolerant of Christians than the other way around brings out Christian zealots labeling you as anything from a Muslim to a Marxist.
Showing objective evidence that the Crusades was less about religion and more about politics and money has the atheists accusing you of denying the evils of religion.

I'll just lay out the facts and do my best to teach the kids to think critically for themselves.

 

[pjbleek]

last time I checked, I think if you do not want to be in a classroom when the pledge of allegiance is said you may go out of the classroom.( but the allegiance is dropped from college/university too)
also, the playing of the national anthem was under scrutiny as well, a professional basketball player decided he didn't want to be part of it, so he sat outside the court until the singing was done...

 

[Peter Parka]

last time I checked, I think if you do not want to be in a classroom when the pledge of allegiance is said you may go out of the classroom.( but the allegiance is dropped from college/university too)

It does seem fundamentally wrong to me though that it's just assumed that you want to declare a belief in god and have to make an point not to. It also is wrong linking in belief in a god with being loyal to your country.

 

[Niamh]

I don't think religion should be taught in schools. School should just be for education, anything spiritual and unfactual like that should not be forced on kids, that should be their own choice. Unfortunately, most schools here are Catholic and religion is taught.

 

[Accountable]

I don't think religion should be taught in schools. School should just be for education, anything spiritual and unfactual like that should not be forced on kids, that should be their own choice. Unfortunately, most schools here are Catholic and religion is taught.

Again, how do you propose we avoid describing the various religions when they are so instrumental in our world history?

 

[Niamh]

Again, how do you propose we avoid describing the various religions when they are so instrumental in our world history?

Well, I'd be all for teaching about religions and their origins etc etc but not teach as in this the way it is (does that make sense?)

 

[Accountable]

Well, I'd be all for teaching about religions and their origins etc etc but not teach as in this the way it is (does that make sense?)

That absolutely makes sense, and that is the way it currently goes in public schools.

 

[Niamh]

That absolutely makes sense, and that is the way it currently goes in public schools.

Oh ok, maybe where you are but in Ireland in most of the schools you're only taught about Catholicism and it's right and that's that!

 

[Accountable]

Oh ok, maybe where you are but in Ireland in most of the schools you're only taught about Catholicism and it's right and that's that!

Still?? That's disappointing.

 

[Niamh]

Still?? That's disappointing.

Yeah, most of the schools were run by the churches and this is the reason why, I'm sure it will eventually change but I don't think it will in the foreseeable future

 

[Peter Parka]

Still?? That's disappointing.

Give them time, the're only just working out that killing each other over religion isn't a good idea. :ninja

 

[Niamh]

Give them time, the're only just working out that killing each other over religion isn't a good idea. :ninja

Don't go down the road with me again Mr.

 

[Mystic]

​

:24::24::24::24::thumbup

:24::24:

Oh how you have been missed.

:homo::nod:

It's kind of hard to teach about world history or cultures without addressing religion.

If teaching about religion is done in an educational way and not in a preaching way then is can be done. I know, like most Catholic school children i HAD to as in mandatory, take the course called 'Religion' albeit it was very bias do to being taught by nuns, however we were taught the basics of other religions. It was a very interesting course when not being compared and judged by the nuns and their views on what was right or wrong in other religions. I was thankful to have a more Anglican background by the time the Catholics attempted to brainwash me...today any and all churches can stuff their religion as it causes more harm than good. And i teach that to my son as well. I do not allow fairytale shite to crowd out logical sense.

:homo: It's good for religion to be taught in a factual way - what people of different religions believe, even if the kids arn't religious as it gives them understanding of different people that the'll come across in life. The worship part is wrong though and that includes, if I'm right, the thing they have in the USA where kids are forced to declare a belief in god every day at school in the pledge of allegiance.

:homo::thumbup perfectly said!

It does seem fundamentally wrong to me though that it's just assumed that you want to declare a belief in god and have to make an point not to. It also is wrong linking in belief in a god with being loyal to your country.

:nod::homo: Agreed as it gives a reason toe label and be bias against someone, such as blacks VS white.

Give them time, the're only just working out that killing each other over religion isn't a good idea. :ninja

...i can't see them ever figuring it out until some intelligent human being has the balls to ban religion out right and force a more scientific point of view in how the world works and that which can not be explained left to personal at home belief.

 

[Accountable]

Intelligence is not wisdom .......... clearly.

 

[BornReady]

Showing objective evidence that the Crusades was less about religion and more about politics and money has the atheists accusing you of denying the evils of religion.

I heard the crusades started because knights kept fighting and killing each other. The church started the crusades to give the knights a common enemy to fight. Priests figured if knights are going to kill people then it might as well be Muslims.

It does seem fundamentally wrong to me though that it's just assumed that you want to declare a belief in god and have to make an point not to. It also is wrong linking in belief in a god with being loyal to your country.

Amen to that!

 

[Codrus]

I heard the crusades started because knights kept fighting and killing each other. The church started the crusades to give the knights a common enemy to fight. Priests figured if knights are going to kill people then it might as well be Muslims.

they could have just given them orders to do musicals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGAYk5VWkTw&feature=related

 

[BornReady]

they could have just given them orders to do musicals

lol May the will of Cod be done!

 

[Thornless]

It's kind of hard to teach about world history or cultures without addressing religion.

Any suggestion on how to tell about the Crusades or the Spanish Inquisition without mentioning religion?

My public school and high school managed to do it just fine, if we raised questions about the religion that strayed from the lesson.. our teacher told us where to get further information on the subject.