Should there be broad-based religious teachings?

People fear what they don’t understand or told to fear from trusted sources. The problem is most people go by what they are told rather than experiencing life for themselves.
 

Irwin said:
Religion should absolutely be taught in schools. It's had an immense effect on society and the world, both positive–mostly in the realm of art and architecture–and negative when one considers all the wars that have been waged in the name of religion and all the suffering that has resulted from people trying to force their religious beliefs on others.
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I agree it would be a good idea to teach religion in school..BUT imo it needs to be taught by including promoting both tolerance and lack of judgement.
 
Keesha said:
I feel exactly the opposite and don’t think religion should be taught in school. Which religion? With today’s mixed culture, I think it would cause more problems than solutions.
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I agree it would be difficult but I also believe it would be an opportunity to teach tolerance and acceptance which is sorely lacking in our society. Of course, teachers may not like this idea because it would add to their workload...so perhaps outside lecturers in assemblies could take on the task
 

Irwin said:
L'Chaim! (y)

My grandparents fled Lithuania in the '30s. Some of my relatives undoubtedly died in the Holocaust but I don't have any information on that. My grandfather on my mother's side died of alcoholism. I sometimes wonder if he couldn't handle the fact that some of the family couldn't get out while he did.
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My parents fled Lithuania in the '40s
 
Serenity4321 said:
I agree it would be difficult but I also believe it would be an opportunity to teach tolerance and acceptance which is sorely lacking in our society. Of course, teachers may not like this idea because it would add to their workload...so perhaps outside lecturers in assemblies could take on the task
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Tolerance and acceptance of others can be taught without religious overtones.
 
Serenity4321 said:
You are right but tolerance and acceptance specifically about other religions was where I was going...
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Yes in world history, religions would of course be included. What the students choose to practice should be done at home or in their preferred church. Maybe this would start tolerance of other people’s choice in religion.
 
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Serenity4321 said:
I agree it would be a good idea to teach religion in school..BUT imo it needs to be taught by including promoting both tolerance and lack of judgement.
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A total lack of judgement would be difficult if not impossible. The teaching of Catholicism, for instance, would have to include the widespread child abuse and pedophilia that has been prevalent in the church. How could you tolerate that and view it without judgement?

The teaching of Islam would have to include the suicide bombings and of course, the 9/11 attack.
 
Irwin said:
A total lack of judgement would be difficult if not impossible. The teaching of Catholicism, for instance, would have to include the widespread child abuse and pedophilia that has been prevalent in the church. How could you tolerate that and view it without judgement?

The teaching of Islam would have to include the suicide bombings and of course, the 9/11 attack.
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If Islam is being taught correctly in any institution, it would be noted that Islam forbids the killing of innocents and suicide is considered one of the biggest sins! The people who perpetrate these heinous actions are not true Muslims and we who are do not wish to be associated with them nor their actions. I once watched a special on how young men were being recruited to join these religious fanatical groups who do the suicide bombings and I was astonished, not only by their gullibility but by the parents who were proud their children were joining up! It was brainwashing to the umpth degree! A mother saying she'd be proud that her son would strap a bomb on and die for the cause....WTH!! I sat there thinking, obviously they haven't read their Qurans.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once taught: Harm no one so that no one will harm you. This refers to not bothering anyone who is not bothering you. If someone is threatening someone or his/her family, of course that does not apply. We saw a great example of the mindless who had been brainwashed to think they were doing the right thing during the insurrection.
 
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fuzzybuddy said:
So, exactly what religion is all the nation kids supposed to be taught?
BTW, who do you think is the best teacher of morals and ethic- a government school, or just maybe, the parents of their own children?
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Teaching religion is the job of the children's family, and whatever clergy of the church/temple or synagogue the family attends.
 
Mr. Ed said:
It seems nowadays outside religious practices and teaching have already impacted much of the world population. The bible states to go out and teach the nations, I have trouble with spreading the good news to people who are completely content with life as they know it to be. Not for the sake of education but the notion of changing heritage and beliefs so they may be as I am.

Are we so vain that we must transform well-adjusted native inhabitants to our likeness so they may be happy living as we live? The irony of it all though is we discriminate against foreigners in their own land, because they are not like us. Soon there is tension between the home team and the visiting team, we bring in sophisticated firepower and the uneven balance is restored to our liking.
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Religion is fundamentally superstitious concoctions made up to pacify the question of life.
 
Jules said:
Some families don’t practise any religion. Kids should have have an overview of all religions, no proselytizing. It’s just part of their knowledge base.
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Agreed. We rely upon the school to offer that overview and we (as parents) fill in the gaps for our children if they are curious.
 
mellowyellow said:
In the ethics class, they ask the children things like 'Is it okay to lie?' and interesting discussions would follow. We all tell lies, but sometimes it's to spare giving an answer that would hurt a person's feelings. Would an ethics class be more beneficial to the child than a religious class? I have no idea because the ethics class didn't exist when my children went to primary school so they attended a religious class where nobody listened to a word from the poor Christian volunteer and it was a great class to get away with blue murder.
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I very much like the idea of ethics classes.
 
Irwin said:
Cheers, to another SF member with Lithuania roots! (y)

Have you ever been there? I don't really have any inclination to go there, although I might if I knew more about my lineage, i.e. where my grandparents lived.
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I have been there...my father was a prominent forester. My siblings and I went to Lithuanian for what would have been my father's 100th birthday celebration. I saw the graves of my grandparents for the first time and the house where my Dad grew up.
I always find it pleasantly surprising where I 'run into' people with a Lithuanian heritage. Good to 'meet you':)
 
Serenity4321 said:
I have been there...my father was a prominent forester. My siblings and I went to Lithuanian for what would have been my father's 100th birthday celebration. I saw the graves of my grandparents for the first time and the house where my Dad grew up.
I always find it pleasantly surprising where I 'run into' people with a Lithuanian heritage. Good to 'meet you':)
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I've been there three times myself.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
So, exactly what religion is all the nation kids supposed to be taught?
BTW, who do you think is the best teacher of morals and ethic- a government school, or just maybe, the parents of their own children?
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I do not think any one particular religion should be 'taught' per se. I would like to see commonalities summarized and an emphasis on tolerance for all. And yes, of course, the 'best' teachers are the parents...even if in later years the children go out on their own...
 
Talk about opening a can of worms. Some of the teachers would be proselytizing deliberately, some would be doing it without realizing that was what they were doing, some might be teaching objectively, but there would always be some parents objecting to something they said which they felt was prejudiced, etc. Up to the age of college, religious teaching should be the domain of the parents. In college, most people are exposed to all sorts of religious beliefs and history; I don't see why teaching those things is necessary before then.

This is much too hot a topic to be taught in public school.
 


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