the right kind of religion in public schools

[shandcunt]

@FlashAstronomy Check Daniel Dennet out, he may change your mind

[shandcunt]

@SanguineBullet667 Depends how it is done, Daniel Dennet emphasizes the importance of knowledge of other religons, how they started, where they are from, etc We learn about everyhting else in school, science, history, culture, language, world wars, civil wars, politics, media, music, wood work and metal work skills, math, cooking, physical education, ethics......why not religon in the same manner, as long as the course is outlined correctly as the history world religon it shouldnt be a problem

[naybobdenod]

In essence this is a tremendous idea so long as ` the teach dont preach ` idea is adhered to.

I have my doubts

[nakedmambo]

The best kind of religion in schools is no religion. Teaching of cultural ideas, which is what religions subsume and masquerade as, is a different thing entirely.

[krisstopher07]

I learned about the other religions mainly from watching Discovery and National Geographic channels.

[SanguineBullet667]

it's almost impossible to make sure each of these religious studies teacher are following the rules, this is opening the floodgates for religious bigots to preach to our public school kids.

[FlashAstronomy]

SUCH a waste of time.Ok it's good to be informed on the religions but seriously you don't need a class for this, there's no need to go in detail into ignorance.

[stramster1]

@tobaccogrower12 "there is a reason Christians don't bomb"

I would argue Christians invented the car bomb.

Have you never heard of Belfast?

[Novigaming]

@tobaccogrower12 isn't it true that god sends even those who believe in him to hell. please prove your point without a bible reference, or some saying that god is all good. you can see your stupidity in comment, "Christianity is the only true religion dumbass". how the fuck do you know? you're serisously trying to say that there is infallible, definite proof that christianity is the only religion that has any truth to it? if thats what you believe then you are really fucked up in the head.

[MugiwaraJr]

@tobaccogrower12 What about christians who bomb clinics or the bombing in OK a couple years back. Abrahamic religions in general are pretty fucked.

[SoraKairiRiku4eva]

My high school was christian but they made us take a 1 year course on world religion. Honestly it is incredibly beneficial, i think all schools should have it. Otherwise you end up with brainwashed kids who don't know the alternates.

[imperator332]

You know, it always seemed strange we called them the 3 Rs when only one of them started with an R....

Maybe that's why the public school system is shit?

[ahmedeox]

Why not try teaching philosophy ?

[TheConcolor]

Hahaha! Reading, riting and rithmatic?

[akaten916]

@TheConcolor go wiki 'The Three R's' and you found why they called it the 3 r's

[TheConcolor]

@akaten916 I wikied, and it was fun :)

[tzedekyahu]

I am pretty sure that the law states that intermingling of church and state is forbidden. taking that into consideration, the education of the history of ALL religious (or at least a dozen or so major ones) beliefs, their impact on society, the strict facts of their ideologies (even if defined by the organizations) and histories, are no violation of the law. this country is woefully and willfully ignorant, by-and-large, of anyone that is not a white anlo-saxon protestant capitalist.

[SanguineBullet667]

religion in my public school ... *whips out the paperwork to file a lawsuit*

[Keysteeze]

Of course students should be taught about religion. Not theology, but the study of various religions. People who wish to ban the teaching of religion are taking a page out Joseph Stalin's book. Say no to censorship.

[tenzinangmo]

Very intelligent idea.

[jshjamaarify]

@tenzinangmo I wish they had something like this at my school.

[Khyrid]

There, that's how it's done Modesto. See people? Is that so fucking hard?

[BackwardsCup]

I would certainly find this class extremely boring. But, I do agree that a class that teaches the history, origin, and ideas of all religions should be taught. This helps us stray from religious discrimination. I may be an atheist, but I do agree that religion takes a large roll in all of human history. Then again, things like this is what the class "World History" is for.

[rangergxi]

@BackwardsCup Why? All the wars and crusades.. :D

[LikeALeadZeppelin]

All religions should be taught. That way every student will realize that all religions are bullshit.

[TuucciZ]

Religion is an important part of culture and therefore should be taught as a part of cultural education: Unbiasedly.

[TheDeistAngle]

So long as this dosen't misrepresent the cultures and show favoriatism, this is a fantastic idea.

[RAYDWVAN2010]

for quidproquo2004.

Better to teach them something useful.

Teach them how to think for themselves.

Not to influence them with all the ways to be

placed in a trance by magical thinking.

[quidproquo2004]

Along as this is done right, and it seems it is, I am behind it.

[xXBlackTeddyBearXx]

I like the fact that it teaches all religions, and it doesn't make you follow any of them. It's just information to make us all less ignorant/uneducated about each other. So long at they aren't forcing religious worship down students throats, I think it's a really good idea.

[RAYDWVAN2010]

What a bunch of fucking bullshit.

[quidproquo2004]

@RAYDWVAN2010 How so?

[8Honk8Honk8]

do they teach all of them? like what are major? and if they teach why people believe do they also teach why people don't?

[StL33T]

As long as they are learning about the religion as literature rather than as a gospel truth, it is a very good thing.

[mikespulligan]

Hi. Thanks for your reply, I will try as best I can to make mine polite as well. Unfortunately there is no easy or gentle way for me to say, that I am aware of all the religions that there are and I have no problem with people believing what they wish to believe, but, religious folk have a tendency to think that religion is the only true way and that everyone will eventually fall in line with that, it just being a matter of time.

[mikespulligan]

My problem with that is that there are so many religions claiming to be the one true religion, that I just cannot take any of them seriously. For instance, whenever anyone criticizes islam in any way, that person will either receive anonymous email death threats (from the 'religion of peace'...) or be told that they should read the Quran and educate themselves before criticizing.

[mikespulligan]

My view is that reading scripture is not an educational process, I don't really see (after reading the bible twice during my life), that religion has anything to offer me that I do not already have in abundance. No insult intended, OK?

[eichael09]

my sister got her degree in world religion studies and she has such a perspective on history and world affairs, its caused me to learn about islam and hinduism. things i have not been taught, but a generous portion of human experience. if you teach people about it, they will be able gain some clarity about what it means to be religious, and not become forcefed bigots about other cultures. freedom from religion in our country should permit us to be well informed.

[ilovetheview47]

go ask those same religious ppl to take a evolution class and see what happens

[mikespulligan]

No. I do not need to know about religion, nor do my children, nor does anyone else need to to learn about the fantasies that religion "teaches". Religion is the cause of ALL of the world's biggest problems. What we need is to confine religion to those shelves in the Public Library designated as "Fiction".

[allmakescombined]

@mikespulligan "Religion is the cause of ALL of the world's biggest problems. "

Ever think maybe that's why you should learn about them? It's not about choosing or converting to a particular faith, it's about understanding why people think they way they do and act the way they act. Think of the diplomatic benefits.

[mikespulligan]

@allmakescombined How is my learning about religion going to solve the problems caused by religion? Will the studying of scripture give me the knowledge I need to eliminate religion forever? If so, then I would agree. If not then I see no need.

[allmakescombined]

@mikespulligan I'm not saying you should study scripture. I'm not evangelizing. I'm saying people should at least be familiar with different religious beliefs in the world. Just like learning about different languages, for example, or the history of other countries.

[ingram4heisman10]

I don't think it should be mandatory, but I do think it should be at least an elective. That way if you're of a different religion, or you just don't want to do it, you can have that choice. Isn't all that what America's about?

[RosettaStonedX]

It shouldn't be required, but if they can actually hold by the "teach, don't preach" motto, this would be a nice class.

[eichael09]

i agree. religion class should be required in high school. definately not intelligent design

[ilovetheview47]

@eichael09 lol

[HelmutVonSphincter]

Lesson for the day - Religion. It's all bullshit folks, it's all make believe. Class dismissed.

[xmaxjacky123]

religion course ok but required to pass hs not so ok

[Bennie9296]

Yeah, learning it is cool, but having things like being forced that "This is the truth" is bad.

[Wolfie9X9]

Sweet, as long as they show all world religions as equal, and don't favoue one religion over another, It's probably one of the best things that has ever happend to schooling.

[AcademicTheologian]

WOW!!! This is exactly what we need in public high schools in America. How can we understand the world problems and balance the cultural diversity in our own country if we don't know what others believe? This is exactly how we can make Americans more culturally area about the world around them.

[ingram4heisman10]

@AcademicTheologian I absolutely, one thousand percent agree. It's really difficult to study other cultures if we don't have any idea what our's is about. I absolutely agree.

[SpongyOLlama]

I agree with this, it's fine to learn about religion in school, just not ok to be taught religion as fact.

[CeaserSophie]

Wow that's awesome. No discrimination. I like the Dont Preach: Teach, thing.