I'm going to say no, but we need morality in school. School should be religiously neutral, but some "Christian" morals are absolute and can be found in Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and other religions.

No.  I don't think any religion, or lack of in the case of atheism, should be in schools.  Kids can be taught right from wrong without being taught religion.   

Religion should only be taught in religious schools.  Public schools should be secular in nature.

Now, it's ok to have classes specifically devoted to learning about religion.

I voted no.

I don't know how things are in every school district. But here in Montreal, we HAD to pass M.R.E. (Moral and religious education) if we were to get our high school diploma.

In this course we didn't just learn about Christianity. We learned about Sikhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. The course taught us about safe sex, and the consequences of not practicing safe sex, be it STD's or pregnancy.

So as long as you're teaching about ALL religions, I have no problem with it.

You want a kid to learn religion send them to a religious based school.  Public schools should not teach any form of religion exclusively.

No, religion has NO place in government. Government should represent people of all beliefs, not just Christians, etc. Religion should be a private thing, there are private schools and various programs at churches where kids can be taught religious principles if their parents desire religion to be a part of their child's lives.

Now, it's ok to have classes specifically devoted to learning about religion.




So as long as you're teaching about ALL religions, I have no problem with it.


I wouldn't have a problem with a class that teaches all religions either.  I think the more we understand about each other the more tolerance people will have.  IMO, intolerance stems from ignorance. 

No, not in public schools.  More critical thinking, more logic, and more philosophy, yes.

I wouldn't have a problem with a class that teaches all religions either.  I think the more we understand about each other the more tolerance people will have.  IMO, intolerance stems from ignorance. 


I'm with Dagwood on this.

Religion should stay out of most areas in schools - especially science.

However if they offered a course that taught religion while examining all religions equally (without judgment) sort of like a sociology or civics course... I would not be opposed to that.

Teaching about religions is one thing.  Preaching right and wrong, praying, and imposing religious views on others is different in my opinion.  Too put it simply, not everyone wants to hear about Christianity, not everyone wants to pray towards Mecca 3 times a day, and not everyone believes in past lives.    

I learned about religions in history classes.  I was taught where these came from, prophets, and basic beliefs.  A specific religion class is ok, but it shouldn't be mandatory.  

I don't need religion or God to know right from wrong.  Parents should be teaching their kids right and wrong already.  A big part of being a parent is teaching your kids about morals and values.  If these stem from religious backgrounds, then so be it.  However, specific religious teachings remain at home.  

If someone wants to pray in school, thats o.k.  Don't expect to do it in a classroom and have everyone say the prayer.  I think that is very disrespectful.  I see religious people say a little prayer to themselves before they eat sometimes.  Doesn't bother anyone else.  Just a simple prayer to themselves.  I think that is really cool.  However, what what does praying out in the open in school accomplish?  Does praying in a group make it so the prayer is heard better, or is it a social bonding and a way to make you feel better than the person next to you?  I have never really understood this.    

What religion is supposed to be in school?  I know America is not just a Christian nation, even though many people out there seem to think it is.  There is definitely more than one religion out there.  Religion shouldn't be included in school unless that school is a designated religious school.    

 

If someone wants to pray in school, thats o.k.  Don't expect to do it in a classroom and have everyone say the prayer.  I think that is very disrespectful.  I see religious people say a little prayer to themselves before they eat sometimes.  Doesn't bother anyone else.  Just a simple prayer to themselves.  I think that is really cool.  However, what what does praying out in the open in school accomplish?  Does praying in a group make it so the prayer is heard better, or is it a social bonding and a way to make you feel better than the person next to you?  I have never really understood this.    




I went to a Catholic High School and everytime we had to pray I just bent my head and reflected on some TV show I saw the night before...or recited that nights tv schedule....guess I was praying for good TV?  ;D

I went to a Catholic High School and everytime we had to pray I just bent my head and reflected on some TV show I saw the night before...or recited that nights tv schedule....guess I was praying for good TV?   ;D


hehe

No, not in public schools.  More critical thinking, more logic, and more philosophy, yes.



Why can't you have all of those things, and religion at the same time?

When we were taught religion in high school we weren't told what to believe in, just what others believed in.

Whether you like it or not, religion is a big part of peoples lives and the more we can understand where they are coming from the better. No?

No, not in public schools.  More critical thinking, more logic, and more philosophy, yes.


Why can't you have all of those things, and religion at the same time?

Because critical thinking is antithetical to religion: religions simply do not allow for critical thinking - that's why it's called "faith".

Personally, I would far rather have children not taught religion at all in any way shape or form until they're old enough to be able to tell the difference between evidence-based argument and bald assertion.  Faith schools themselves are a very, very bad idea for society as a whole: all they do is reinforce existing religious divisions, so you end up with children who have not only been force-fed one completely evidence-free world view, but nearly everyone they know around them will have the same mind-set.  Teaching "about" religion: telling children that all these different people round the world hold all these (mutually-contradictory) beliefs is a start, but I'm starting to dislike even that being done too early: the liberal (note the small "l") acceptance that faith is a good thing and deserving of respect is itself a faith-based position.  Having said that, three out of four of my children came out of their comparative religion lessons believing that if all-but-one have to be wrong, it's almost inevitable that they all are.

PS I don't think that "Atheism" should be taught in schools either.  Schools should be about learning how to think, not what to think.

I'm going to say no, but we need morality in school. School should be religiously neutral, but some "Christian" morals are absolute and can be found in Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and other religions.


Why separate "Christian" morals.  That is the biggest problem, people thinking that, for whatever reason, their religion has a higher moral standard than other religions. When people in the United States talk of teaching religion what they want is teaching their own version of the bible.  If you said that we would now teach religion on school, but we will teach it from the Torah there would be riots in the street.  Those rioting protectors of the faith would probably not know that the Torah in English consists of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deutoronomy.  The most outspoken proponents of Christianity in the schools, I believe, are the ones who are most likely to be ignorant of religions in general.

At high school I did three years of Religious Education.  Of course it was largely about Christianity but we learnt about all the major faiths; their main beliefs, stories and festivals.  I think it was useful in helping to understand others point of view on some topics.

Of course I voted NO.  Teaching about religion is one thing, teaching religion is something else. 

No, not in public schools.  More critical thinking, more logic, and more philosophy, yes.



I agree with Max on this one.

I love how right-wingers say, "There should be Christian prayer in school, but just not mandatory."  

I can see Mrs. Palin's third grade class:

"Good morning, children! Now take out your hymnals and let's sing 'Jesus Loves Me,' except for little Joshua Epstein; he can go to the cloakroom and sing whatever his Christ-killing people sing!  Mmmmkay!"
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/03/crucified.gif

I love how right-wingers say, "There should be Christian prayer in school, but just not mandatory." 

I can see Mrs. Palin's third grade class:

"Good morning, children! Now take out your hymnals and let's sing 'Jesus Loves Me,' except for little Joshua Epstein; he can go to the cloakroom and sing whatever his Christ-killing people sing!  Mmmmkay!"
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/03/crucified.gif



http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/01/1luvu.gif http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/01/1luvu.gif

Love it you are my kinda twisted guy!!!

I love how right-wingers say, "There should be Christian prayer in school, but just not mandatory."  

I can see Mrs. Palin's third grade class:

"Good morning, children! Now take out your hymnals and let's sing 'Jesus Loves Me,' except for little Joshua Epstein; he can go to the cloakroom and sing whatever his Christ-killing people sing!  Mmmmkay!"
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/03/crucified.gif


;D ;D

There is a difference between teaching & preaching. As several have already said, I do think that schools should teach ABOUT religions-"Christians believe this, Jews believe that," etc. etc. But I don't think that they should preach. I don't think schools should tell students they HAVE to believe this or that (of course I don't believe churches should either-that's why I don't believe in organized religions-but that is another issue). 



Cat

PS I don't think that "Atheism" should be taught in schools either.  Schools should be about learning how to think, not what to think.


Excellent, excellent post.  As a high school history teacher, I live by that principle.

As an agnostic, I'll put my morals, ethics and values up against anyone's.  Often, mine are just as good if not better, than those around me who think they're better because they're Christians.

http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/01/1luvu.gif http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/01/1luvu.gif

Love it you are my kinda twisted guy!!!



;D ;D


Thank you, ladies! I gets older and the world gets twistier!  Didn't think it'd work that way, but theres we goooo!!!
:D

Why separate "Christian" morals.  That is the biggest problem, people thinking that, for whatever reason, their religion has a higher moral standard than other religions. When people in the United States talk of teaching religion what they want is teaching their own version of the bible.  If you said that we would now teach religion on school, but we will teach it from the Torah there would be riots in the street.  Those rioting protectors of the faith would probably not know that the Torah in English consists of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deutoronomy.  The most outspoken proponents of Christianity in the schools, I believe, are the ones who are most likely to be ignorant of religions in general.



Oh you misunderstood what I was saying. The quotes implied it was tongue-in-cheek.

I agree. People have this stupid idea Christianity INVENTED morality or something, which just isn't true. Like before Jesus, it was okay to go and kill everyone  ::)

PS I don't think that "Atheism" should be taught in schools either.  Schools should be about learning how to think, not what to think.

Karma +1!  Exactly.

The reason I'm so adamant about separating religion from public education is I live in a country where too high a percentage of the population already dismisses the theory of evolution out of hand and believes the Garden of Eden and Noah's Ark are literal, fact-based history.  The same pundits and politicians who protest how religious (namely, Christian) points of view are left out of the school curriculum then turn around and whine about the U.S. falling behind in math and science.

Of course, Limblifter is correct, you can do both at once and many fine religous schools do; however, as long as we've got crackpots like Sarah Palin wielding any power whatsoever, I've got to defend science/philosophy because these doojnozzles cannot live with open-ended questions!
::)