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The answer to this issue is to mandate that all schools teach the "facts"(only) about all the major religions of the world. No religion can be given precedence or preference and no proselytizing . . . facts only.
Possibly the closest to saying something sensible I have ever seen from you since I joined - and you would be entirely in agreement with Daniel Dennett who has done his best to champion that very notion in the US thinking it would serve as a great inocculation against children subscribing to religion taught - but one still needs to be cautious about what one is calling "facts" in this instance.
That certain religious groups think there is a god is a fact. That there is no reason to think there is a god however is also a fact. They should both be taught. So should the fact that there is no more reason to think Yaweh exists than Thor or Psoiden for example.
That some religious groups believe in creationism - that a god of some sort or other fashioned and designed the universe - and our life within it - is also a fact. That this is a belief couched in nothing more than fantasy and is not supported at this time in any way - by anything - is also a complementary fact that should be taught alongside it.
That Intelligent Design is just rebranded Creationism - a re-branding that was done to try and go under the radar of a court decision that Creatonism was not to be taught in schools - is also a fact I would see relevant to such a curriculum - along with the data and evidence for this such as the "Pandas" book where basically all they did was a MS Word search and replace changing "Creationism" to "Intelligent Design" and "Creator" to "Designer" before releasing the book otherwise barely altered.
These are all great facts - and I wish more people were taught them much sooner.
I would like this actually. I think it should be integrated into history though. I think kids should learn about religion with Mythology, how it varies and the different belief systems around the world early on in elementary school. They could start with some brief Mythology and work their way up the timeline to our current situation. Covering Asia, and South America. I realize there are history classes on religion in some advance high schools and college but I think it would be fantastic if we could teach this early on.
Yes, yes...I agree.
History class subject. Sociology, Philosophy, Psychology, etc...in higher level studies.
But all children should be taught about the existence of theology. There is little that influences mankind and the world more than that.
Of course, as Mystic said...just the facts within those contexts.
I know that there are those that would like to deal with it as though it didn't/doesn't exist...because they have a negative personal attitude about it.
But...what should be taught are the facts.
And the fact is...it's among the most influential concepts, if not the most influential elective concept, ever adopted by the vast majority of humans.
Kids should be taught about how the people of this world REALLY are, and have been for thousands of years.
The history of beliefs, a great class indeed! Then when kiddo goes home they can share what they've learned in "History of Beliefs" class. Spread the historical knowledge of belief.
I believe kids have the right to know the historic origin of our belief systems. Beliefs have been forced by threatening punishments such as beheading and stoning, and burning. Beliefs have also encouraged wonderful acts of bravery. What we've done in the name of it, the good/bad and what we've accomplished/demolished.
Why not, lets just open those eyes good and wide so our new generations can gather their beliefs based on the only facts that exist on religion, what was done in the name of "belief" in our past. I think they can handle it as well as they handle a civil war lesson. (the belief of some that blacks made reasonable slaves)
I'm not scared. They will have questions of course but questioning IMO, is a good thing. You can learn a lot from history. Our past shapes our future, IMO. As with me for example, I no longer have to fear being put to death because I don't believe. It's a relatively new idea, to be able to forego an organized belief. Two/three hundred years ago I might have been hung or drowned for that lack of belief in Salem. In Europe if I were found to be Protestant a Catholic might have burned me to death. It's exciting stuff.
Last edited by PoppySead; 03-27-2013 at 10:39 AM..
Yes, yes...I agree.
History class subject. Sociology, Philosophy, Psychology, etc...in higher level studies.
But all children should be taught about the existence of theology. There is little that influences mankind and the world more than that.
Of course, as Mystic said...just the facts within those contexts.
I know that there are those that would like to deal with it as though it didn't/doesn't exist...because they have a negative personal attitude about it.
But...what should be taught are the facts.
And the fact is...it's among the most influential concepts, if not the most influential elective concept, ever adopted by the vast majority of humans.
Kids should be taught about how the people of this world REALLY are, and have been for thousands of years.
But again, Gldn, I'm sure you of all people here understand the ongoing hostilities in various more Christian State Boards of Education (like, for instance, Kansas and their own special brand of Creationist ninnies...).
Those folks insist that Creationism be taught side by side in HS science classes, for obvious reasons, such as obfuscating the facts of how The SM actually works, and is very self-regulating and reviewed by specialists in literally any subject, while they would yell out their somewhat altered and unsupportable (i.e.: non-scientific...) versions overtop of any scientific presentation and chronology.
In other words, take a series of courses in Comparative Religion, incl. all of the others, down the hall, in another room, with another teacher.
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