religious education should children be made to learn it

[Carlos Spicy Wiener]

Time to start some shit! Should religious education be a choice yes or no?

[McHookerino]

Damn right it should be!

If kids in schools were taught any religion it's going to be Christianity, what if my children are Jewish, Muslim or any other religion, do they get a free pass out of the class when the rest of the students need to be there?

Make it an option class, but at the end of the day your going to need a class for every religion out there, or at least the popular ones

[n2tattoos.lol]

how do you accommodate all religions? i say no religion at all.

fuck it, too expensive anyway.

[wildebeast71]

Since you have the theory of evolution vs creationism, neither of which is provable right now, I say teach both and let the school kids make their own informed decision.

[jbob30]

are we talking at the high school level or a collegiate level? cuz they already offer religion classes in college

[TheSNakE]

no way. You can get religious education at your church or temple.

[Carlos Spicy Wiener]

I shouldn't be taught in school since there's multiply religions you couldn't teach them all and one religion would be pissy if you taught on over the other. And you forget there are private schools that are based on certain religions already. Keep it private and not in public schools. There are even college's that are religion based,,,,,,,,,shit look at the Norte dame when Obama came to give his speech.

Kids need to learn about science and most religion contradict it. How can you teach the big bang theory and how old the universe is when most religions teach other wise. I was shocked when my step brother that just graduated from Jesuit High school told me that they teach evolution! I asked him doesn't that mess with the theory that man was created by god in his image. I also asked him do they teach life on other planet and he said they discuss it! Again doesn't life on other planets fuck with the whole theory of the bible that the earth is the only planet with life on it, since if there is life on other planets then we aren't really in gods image. and how can you teach about find fossils millions of years old and dinosaurs and the continents spilting over million of years when some religions teach teh fucking earth is 5000 years old come the fuck on.

There are hundred of thousands of church in this world that can teach your kids there and not in school. If oyu want them to have a religious background send them to private school that base their teaching on it.

[wildebeast71]

You wouldn't be able to teach all religions, since most of them are similar than you should be able to teach the basic idea behind religion. Also, if the parents don't send their kids to a private school or don't attend a church than that child is not exposed to religion...

[The Godfather]

Religion should be taught at home or at your place of worship. Let's not even start with the different brands of religion. Let's just concentrate on the confusion within one. Imagine you get the Christianity curriculum set up and on day 1 dude shows up asking "where's the snakes"?

[salumeria]

When it comes to publicly funded schools, kids should be taught of the impact Religion has had on the world, but not taught the actual tenants of each religion.

Privately funded schools, whatever religion they want to teach is fair game.

[DontSnatch]

i went to a catholic school and even tho i was taught religion for 10+years.. i dont think it really has an effect on kids. kids take it as just another subject in school. they dont grow up and become bible humpers. if anything, they use their religion knowledge to later question religion.

that being said, i think religion should be taught. not preached. there would be no harm in having "religion class" centered around information on the different religions and beliefs. what religion does for people and the history of it. it shouldnt be completly shunned from school because like it or not. religion does shape our world behind any other factors.

[VonPapel]

Free the minds from the People's Opiates. Religion, GTFO of school.

[Pobs]

Keep religion out of the schools. Unless it is a specific regilious school (Roman Catholic, etc) or it's a private school (you should know what you're signing up for), then there should be none of the religions. It's the only way to be fair and not brain wash the poor little buggers.

[Mr Handlebars]

There is no reason to teach religion in public schools. To do so, would be like indoctrinating our children into a specific sect or philosophy of religious beliefs. That is best left to the home or the religious indoctrinate of the family's choice.

Now having said that, there is nothing with teaching theology on the high school or college level. Theology doesn't espouse one doctrine over another, but rather teach people of all the disciplines of organized religion. It's purpose is to educate people about other religious cultures and promote tolerance. While Theology has a tendency to agree with creationism, it doesn't rule out the possibilities of other theories, such as evolution. That's why Dangle, your step-brother's learning were so broad and open-minded. Theology isn't to designed to teach bias, but rather to enable the student to draw his or her own conclusions through broad spectrum of analogies and comparisons. It encourages open debate of the disciplines we call religion. With the exception of Buddhism, I've never know theology to persuade anyone to change religions.

Why Buddhism has such an effect is strange, especially if you talk to a convert. Buddhism isn't a religion. It's a philosophy. It doesn't center around g-d, but around conduct and treatment of our fellow human beings. It is much Confucianism. Yet most people think of Buddhism as a religion and call themselves Buddhists. However, a disciple of Buddhism doesn't have to give up their core beliefs, just incorporate them into their new philosophical enlightenment.

To get back to religion, this world has had too many wars over it's existance. That why I say, teach Theology, not Religion. With a better understanding, maybe we could all get along.

[Striker]

Depends on what you mean by "teaching." From reading other replies, it seems most people think that teaching religion in school means that the students will be taught as if they were at a church. In which case I say no.

But if teaching means you simply teach an overview about what each religion believes then I say why not? It cannot however, incorporate any hands on activities (no praying to Jesus or Allah, etc etc). It can be nothing but teaching an overview of the beliefs and how it's organized. Schools already teach about other belief systems that aren't spiritual based, such as Nazism, communism, socialism, capitalism, etc, so why not teach about religion in the same way?

I choose choice simply because everything that their kids are taught in school should be a choice to the parents.

[Choppie]

My stance is simple. The kids get enough of the bullshit religious indoctrination (read:brainwashing) at home. Why the hell would I support pushing it on children at school as well.

I did however vote for choice. As I believe that people should be free to learn what they want. All across the board. If a kid wants to learn about all religions then more power to them. BUT the teachers can keep their opinions to themselves and stick to the facts.

So with that last thought, I doubt that I'll ever agree to teach kids about religion, as there is no unbiased third party. Everyone and their fucking grandmother is pushing an agenda of some sort.

[MillyMc]

i think the generation of kids from the 20s has alot of people that didnt grow up with religion. i grew up with religion but my gf didnt. not an athesiest or satan worship or any of the anti-religion anti-social behavior...just no religion, not discussed, no church attended.

and she has one of the best hearts possible. competely productive member of society without learning one parable.

it is possible to be a good person in our society without the burdens of outdated dogma.

edit- ps: is it me or is this poll worded weird? prob should be more straightforward-"should religious education be mandated for children." bc as it stands i feel like there should be no choice, religon shouldnt be tought. but i feel that wasnt the choice i should have picked if i feel that way. but if i said- i would choose to not send my kid to religious schooling, that would mean i think it has any place in the schools. just confused and thinking out loud. im tired.

[The Godfather]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

... and she is still screwed according to some mainstream religions.

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

yes

[Liquid]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

I had comparative religion class in high school, it was interesting. I still learn about mythologies today for that reason. Gives me a better understanding of where others come from around the globe even if I think they're retarded.

Even though I'm an asshole atheist, I can see that teaching what they believe in school isn't a breach of separation of church and state as long as they do a good market of religions.

As for actually preaching to kids, that should be the choice of the kids to me. Too many believers are far too insecure in their beliefs however to normally to allow their kids to find their own path.

[katelynnx]

i've attended catholic school my entire life and while i do not consider myself overtly religious in the least bit, there is no denying the fact that it's had an impact on my life. i went to an all girl private roman catholic high school and we weren't just taught bullshit from the bible. from a young age we're taught about the origins of religion and how it's become what it is today. morals and the whole sense of right versus wrong play an important part in it as well. no one tries to force their beliefs down your throat but if you're paying the thousands of dollars a year for a high school education you're gonna fucking get it. i believe the choice should ALWAYS remain open for parents to send their children to whatever school they see fit. whether that's public, catholic, boarding, or military school, it's what the parents want to do with the children they brought into this world. once that child is out of school, though, then they become their own person and as adults may choose what to do with that education.

[SirLongFoot]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.


The important question here is, do you still have the uniform???

:D

[katelynnx]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

i can't be serious for a minute can i? hahaha

[ms. cellany]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

I beg to differ....


Anyway, my opinion is if you're only going to teach one religion, then it should be a religious school, not a public state-funded one. If you're going to have something like a comparative religion class, then sure, offer it as an elective in high school, but be sure to cover as many religions as possible in an unbiased way.

[Trips]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

Evolution is supported by fossils and genetic research. I forget, what is the creationist theory supported by? :confused:

[ms. cellany]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

I was referring specifically to evolution, which is very well supported.

[Trips]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

Hehe I know. I was just asking a rhetorical question to make a point about it. :o

[SirLongFoot]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

But I'm being totally serious right now...seriously.

[thermos]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.


hahah....way to stay on point and keep this shit grounded. fuck the gaps in the fossil record, fuck the dead sea scrolls - I'm concerned about this uniform too.

[Trips]

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

http://content.imagesocket.com/images/1242602946843acd.jpg (http://imagesocket.com/view/1242602946843acd.jpg)

[beastley]

i was gonna say hell no, but a choice isnt a bad idea in theory, until people complain over their religion not being offered, which isnt fair either, so leaving it out would probably be the best even though i voted choice

[chilansl]

Hell yeah we should be teaching religion. But in the same way one would teach various schools of philosophic thought. Not indoctrination or even advocacy, just the fact.

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.

By leaving just the facts, we are educating people as to the basics of the world in which they live, and can take this template and expand it to just about any group that believes in something.
This education is important anytime we want to talk about any topic where religion or belief is a factor, which is all over the world.

Content and Download links visible to registered users only.