Religion In Public Schools

[white dove]

An interesting question piqued my interest not so long ago asking if religion taught in public schools would be considered intertwining Church and State and how far is too far.

My question to you is: Would you have a problem with religions, including Christianity, being taught in public schools (say, in high school) as a prereq to graduate?


What would be your main issues with this?


Do you think it could benefit [your] children? Or, would it be harmful?


Why?

[flyingsum0]

Well I went to a catholic High school wound up graduating as an aetheist. I then joined the Army found Jesus and my life is now devoted to Him...

To want to know Jesus is to love Him...

I dont think a school public school can teach that love especially which the amount of 'Anti Supreme Being' sentiment in a lot of today's youth...In my opinion making students study religion as a requirement to graduate will make many of them hate religion as they hate Algebra or History.

Jersus calls us at different points in our lives. Its just a matter of if we're listening or not.

[traderdave]

I wouldn't trust the school system to be able to effectively or accurately teach children about the Lord. It would take a special person to be able to truly share the Lord with kids from so many different backgrounds and faiths, and I don't think the schools would be able to find those people. While I think schools need to lighten up, and let faculty and students express their faith more, I think allowing them to teach religion would do more harm than good. Teaching kids (and adults for that matter) about God's plan for man is the church's job. I'd be happy if public schools could just be better at what they already do.

[mont974x4]

Depends on context. I think it can be quite helpful to study as many cultures as fully as the students are able too, however, this would be far diferent than an indocrination.


BTW, this indoctrination DOES take place on some places..such as schools that forced students in public schools to study Islam to the point of taking Muslim names and being forced to say Muslim prayers (included a prayer of conversion).


An active parent will do whatever necessary to unteach dangerous ideals taught in public school...to include but not limited too evolution.

[GraceLikeRainFallsDown]

I would like to see it be an elective.

I do not think it should be required.

[JanineC]

Although I don't believe religion/christianity should be taught in public schools as a subject, I do think there should be christian chaplains in public schools that provide support, but also be able to educate on christianty if students are open to it.

[Cris413]

New Age ideology is being taught in schools...:(

[JTLauder]

If Christianity--the religion, not the faith--is taught in public schools, it is only right and fair (since the state cannot enforce or endorse a specific religion) to also teach islam, hinduism, buddhism, and all the other major religions along with the major schism of christianity.

If you are comfortable with that and can accept that, then you can say that religion can be taught in public schools.

Personally, I do not think that's a bad idea. It should go along with teaching about other national and ethical cultures just so we can expand our world view and understanding of people.

[white dove]

I agree with several points made here, esp. the 2nd poster. A few key issues were brought up thus far. Thanks, everyone for your responses. :wave:


That being said, this was more along the lines of what I was thinking at the time I originally posted the thread topic:

If Christianity--the religion, not the faith--is taught in public schools, it is only right and fair (since the state cannot enforce or endorse a specific religion) to also teach islam, hinduism, buddhism, and all the other major religions along with the major schism of christianity.

If you are comfortable with that and can accept that, then you can say that religion can be taught in public schools.

Personally, I do not think that's a bad idea. It should go along with teaching about other national and ethical cultures just so we can expand our world view and understanding of people.

I agree wholeheartedly. I am HUGE on cultural diversity and studying nationalities that differ from our own. I think it is so important not to get so wrapped up in our own ways, that we cannot even consider that other people live/speak/believe differently...and have for so many years, some much longer than we have. It is too small a world to live in if we cannot encounter other cultures that are very beautiful and special in their own way.

Culture includes religion, so of course, I do believe that studying other religions can prove enlightening and even prove as a strengthener to our own. The type of teachings I'd so vaguely referred to in my first post would include a brief synopsis of the varying major religions of the world, as well as correcting a few erroneous notions connected to those religions (because they all have a few). It would not be intended to indoctrinate nor to push off some religion onto the children -ie. just to encourage them to believe in something, anything.

I, personally, just feel as though many children could benefit from it...but again, the question would then become, Can the public school system even handle such a responsibility? My guess is no...just as another poster had also mentioned.

[New_Wineskin]

An interesting question piqued my interest not so long ago asking if religion taught in public schools would be considered intertwining Church and State and how far is too far.

My question to you is: Would you have a problem with religions, including Christianity, being taught in public schools (say, in high school) as a prereq to graduate?


I most certainly would have a problem with that .



What would be your main issues with this?


First of all , people who are not in a religion cannot be trusted to truthfully present that religion without certain biases . Also , people who are in a religion cannot be trusted to truthfully present their religion without certain biases and leaving things out . Christians do it all of the time with other christians and even more so with nonchristians .

Second , the schools are to give an education that prepares the people to enter society and the work force . This is about facts and how to use them . Religion should be presented at home . They can also look these things up in the library or the web .

Lastly , paying yet more teachers that graduate people without them having to learn anything is the last thing that taxpayers need .



Do you think it could benefit [your] children? Or, would it be harmful?


Why?

Harmful . I can present those things to [my] children just fine .

[New_Wineskin]

If Christianity--the religion, not the faith--is taught in public schools, it is only right and fair (since the state cannot enforce or endorse a specific religion) to also teach islam, hinduism, buddhism, and all the other major religions along with the major schism of christianity.

If you are comfortable with that and can accept that, then you can say that religion can be taught in public schools.

Personally, I do not think that's a bad idea. It should go along with teaching about other national and ethical cultures just so we can expand our world view and understanding of people.

WIth this , I can agree in part . I would add to make sure that the history of the religions be presented . The crusades as part of the Christian religion as well as the suppression of science when they were in charge of Europe should be presented . Along with those , how different christian sects would imprison , torture , and kill one another who didn't agree with them . In the present time , the Catholic priest scandal as well as the numerous instances of group leaders stealing from those in their charge . Also , certain teachings and allowances should be taught . One such thought is how the man is the head of the household and that means that he can do whatever he wants with the wife and children . Then , there is the parent being the head of the children and the mothers can punish their children for any or no reason because of that position .

The religions without their history would not provide a true representation of the subject .

[white dove]

WIth this , I can agree in part . I would add to make sure that the history of the religions be presented . The crusades as part of the Christian religion as well as the suppression of science when they were in charge of Europe should be presented . Along with those , how different christian sects would imprison , torture , and kill one another who didn't agree with them . In the present time , the Catholic priest scandal as well as the numerous instances of group leaders stealing from those in their charge . Also , certain teachings and allowances should be taught . One such thought is how the man is the head of the household and that means that he can do whatever he wants with the wife and children . Then , there is the parent being the head of the children and the mothers can punish their children for any or no reason because of that position .

The religions without their history would not provide a true representation of the subject .

Agreed....definitely.


I also see your point where you'd stated that it is, more or less, your job to teach your children about such things. My question then becomes, how many parents (esp. christian parents) feel the same way about teaching their children about other cultures, even if those ideologies differ from their own?

[JeffTheLearner]

It strikes me as strange, that a lot of people wont send thier kid to a church that is differnt from thiers.
Yet, they would send thier kids to a school to learn all sorts of error.

[stelow]

When I went to grade school many years ago a letter was sent home to the parents that needed to be signed to allow their children to go to a nearby church to learn about God. So it was up to the parents if they wanted their children exposed to the teaching or not instead of the schools making the discission on their own to teach about God.

[white dove]

When I was in high school, my history class learned about the Salem witch trials. Due to the fact that I've pretty much always had an open line of communication with my mom, I told her about this. She subsequently pulled me from the class on the days they were talking about the trials, writing a note to my teacher instructing him to dismiss me from the class when those lectures were to take place.

I was humiliated beyond belief and swore up and down I would never be this way with my own children. (Grant it, I don't have any, but that's not the point lol)

History is so very important and to simply bypass even the most negative or ugliest parts of it is not paying any homage to the truth by any means.

[pdfiddler]

JanineC-- AMEN!