Do you think religion should be taught in schools? Why or why not?
I don't think it should be a required thing to teach. But the
student has a choice to learn about it in school or not. So the option
of being taught religion is okay. But it shouldn't be forced upon
anyone. It is just there for further knowledge of the religion. And I'm
taking this question as... Religion as a course... :]
We have the right to religion so if we want to learn about a religion then we should have the choice to learn about it in school as an optional course or something. But not have religion as a mandatory course to take. And no one is pressuing the religion onto the individual. But letting them know the basics of the religion. And in courses not about religion but may have to deal with religion, religious beliefs shouldn't be enforced to explain the material in the course.
I believe religions should be a mandatory class in our school. When we look back at all of civilization, the foundation for all of culture is religion itself. Religion also encompasses a lot of what is happening in the world today, from the jihads and fatwas waged by Muslims in the Middle East, to the justification of Zionism.
Polls in America have shown that most Americans don't even know the basics to Christianity itself, which flies in the face to those who claim America is a "Christian nation."
I think it's tragic whenever a parent enforces a religion on their children, and then bubbles them from every other religion. And mandatory religious courses, that teach children about every major religion and open their minds to these different cultures is essential to a society that is open minded towards other people's beliefs (or at least a society that doesn't freak out every time they hear the word "jihad").
It should be taught as a primative belief or a faith (a belief to help someone through hardship which is not facing realities to help them) and it should be shown historically what and why is was, and why it no longer has a place.
And thats if for someone reason they needed to teach it.
Teaching if with any sorts of cult like rituals would have to be strictly enforced, and it would have to be taught by athiest teacher as a bias teacher often slants a subject into favoring or not favoring it. I would rather all religion just be left behind and only discussed to teach a horrifying lesson of what can happen when ignorance gains too much control in a culture.
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Everything, you have done, and will do, is chemically predisposed by matter, even the fact you are reading this message. You make no choices, only perceive a given reality.
I do not believe that any "one" religion should be taught in school (especially public schools), but I wouldn't be against a comparative religion course being taught though. This course would be one that would briefly touch on as many different religions as possible in a one to four year period (high school only). This way the students could make up their own mind about what religion (if any) they want to follow.
I work at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado and they teach a comparative religion course there. I sat in on the class and it was really amazing at the number of people (including myself at the time) who really had no clue on what else was out there other than Christianity. Many of them are on their own search now for something other than the "norm" that better suits "their" needs, not just the needs of their parents and/or society.
The way it is now, children basically grow up as whatever their parents are and what society teaches / accepts. I feel that this is wrong to a certain extent. I have a four year old son, and yes, I do plan to surround him with the teachings of my religious background (Wicca), but once he reaches a certain age and is mature enough, I will talk to him and research any and all religions he may be interested in. He will not be brainwashed by my faith as I was by Christianity when I was growing up.
I also believe that the philosophy of atheist should be touched on as well in this comparative religion course because not everyone is "religious". It must not be taught that religion is a must. It should be a choice.
Tabias-
Religion should not, and should never be forced upon publicly schooled kids. Private schools can do what they want, and they usually try to brainwash their kids anyways, so it wont be much different.
Should their be a class on all religions. yes their definitely should. While i personally don't believe in religion, i strongly believe in knowledge, and the more people know about something, the better a choice someone can make. However, one thing must be stressed. The class must be taught with an open mind. It must teach everything (not literally everything, but touch base on the most popular, and ones of medium to waning popularity) and teach these things without bias. If we can, as a country, teach religion without bias, then will have advanced very far indeed.
MYTN hit it right on the nose. For us to have an open-minded country, we have to learn about other cultures, and decide for ourselves, not be fed whats bad and good by a school, church, government
I believe that schools should offer an elective course on it but not FORCE people to take it. There's no harm in that.