Should religion be taught in public schools?

[Mooclan]

I do not think that it should be taught in public schools as a mandatory class. Optional? Sure.

This post is going to be from the Point of View from someone within the American school system. I'm not going to discuss other countries, because I don't know how things work as much as I do for America. I'm sure some operate fairly similarly, but I can't be sure.
I was having a pretty similar discussion with PuffyCottonCandy last night.

Here in 'Murica, our country is supposed to be based off of Christianity. (I could go into conspiracy theories, but I won't.)
While Christianity is accepted as the "main" religion of the USA, it is also a country founded on freedom of religion, where people won't be judged or oppressed because of religion.
We can already see this happening a little bit with people discriminating in small comments in school (usually just students) against people with Islamic backgrounds because of the whole "terrorist" idea. I personally have a Muslim father, and thus my last name is of Muslim origin. (I'm Christian, btw, because of my mom.) In Elementary and Middle school, I was teased about my last name. Repeatedly, and by several groups. It wasn't just a few people - it was widespread. It eventually went to the extent that I was forced to adopt a violent nature, and actually got into fights on a regular basis, until they learned to leave me alone, or else risk get sent to the nurse's office.
Wait, sorry, I was getting off-topic..
Okay, so. The reason a lot of people moved to the USA is religious freedom. I know of people in Africa and the Middle East who are oppressed for being Christian, so they move here. But what if we started forcing other people to become involved with religions that they didn't want to learn more about? Eventually it could evolve to the point where people go searching for other countries to live in with more religious freedom.

However, I do think that religion classes can be beneficial. If a family moves to a new place and there aren't any religious groups of their affiliation nearby, if they were to take religion classes, it might help.

BUT
I think a lot of us here know the popular stereotype that the government loooves to mess with people, right? Taxes, medicare, etc.
Well, why not add religion to that list?
okay, this might involve a bit of conspiracy theory, but not everyone in the government is religious. In fact, some people are anti-religion. Ever heard of "Common Core" classes? Or something like that, I forget the exact name. But basically, schools HAVE TO follow a certain guideline for classes. If they added religion, religious classes would HAVE to be taught a certain way, with certain teachings. The teachers don't get to decide everything that they teach their students, they are simply required to cover certain topics. Knowing how History classes can have their lessons screwed up by Common Core, I'd hate to see religion classes have the same thing happen. For example, what is NOT taught in US History, is that a ton of the founding fathers (including george washington) were in the same secret society - Even George Bush, a more recent US president, was in it.


Edit:

I believe that religion shouldn't ever be forced upon people. It should be an unalienable human right for all people. To be honest religion has caused a lot more wars than it has prevented. Therefore, students should be able to learn about various religions in school for the sake of history and "not repeating it", through classes such as World Religion, but it should not be preached.

Unfortunately it is still preached publicy in many places in the world, even in the US, and it frustrates people. I happen to go to one of those schools where you are expected to live by the local religion if you want to get respect. It annoys me.

Teaching religion in schools tends to undermine other subjects. How can you read the Bible in one class then learn about evolution and biology the next period? They just contradict each other. However, some people have made attempts to neutralize the tensions between science and religion.

There is a field of biology dubbed "intelligent design" that got a lot of attention from Biologists and Evolution experts in the mid 2000's. It teaches that evolution is flawed because it is based off of chance. The idea is that a structure as complex as the human eye or the famous "bacterial flagellum" could not have developed in nature by itself without an outside "intelligent designer." The bacterial flagellum has over 40 separate parts, and if just one were missing the entire tale of the bacteria would not function, and it would be unable to feed itself, etc... Intelligent design does not directly state that there is a God, but it suggests that certain parts of evolution may have been aided by an intelligent agent.

An official biology textbook for intelligent design was published in 2007 (I think) entitled "Of Pandas and People." The US department of education was considering adding it to a private school to see the effects it could have, and if it would work, or simply confuse students. However, after the advocates for intelligent design lost a series of court cases concerning the textbook, Of Pandas and People was essentially shoved into the corner of the educational stage, and it will probably remain there for a long time, if not forever. Intelligent design was accused of being nothing but an "anti-theory", and replacing the word "God" with "intelligent agent." It seems to have been one of the last stands, if not final against something that many people do not want to believe.

Why did I go off on that tangent? So I could show you how the educational system is no longer suited for religion. With astronomy, biology, history, and other religions contradicting religion, it isn't worth it to allow religion to be preached in schools anymore. Besides, it seems to have been contrary to human rights since the enlightenment to force people to think a certain way without good reason and proof, whether you are talking about religion, racism, or rights for women.

http://gyazo.com/01d1cd33fdf48865dd7aa6f54af7c58e

 

[jonnysurvives]

I'm going to tag along and say that religion should be taught in public schools, but not as it is traditionally. Courses should cover core beliefs and values as well as the history of all the major world religions. The reason I think this is although there are an ever-increasing number of atheists and agnostics, globalisation means that it's more important than ever to have an appreciation of other people's cultures and beliefs. Religion should also be taught in a non-coercive manner- teachers should not say things like 'God created the world in seven days', but should begin 'Creationists believe that...', for example.

 

[boboy1999]

I don't believe in any religion yet I am in a catholic school.

 

[Thapple_]

 

[chockadlad]

I'm going to tag along and say that religion should be taught in public schools, but not as it is traditionally. Courses should cover core beliefs and values as well as the history of all the major world religions. The reason I think this is although there are an ever-increasing number of atheists and agnostics, globalisation means that it's more important than ever to have an appreciation of other people's cultures and beliefs. Religion should also be taught in a non-coercive manner- teachers should not say things like 'God created the world in seven days', but should begin 'Creationists believe that...', for example.

Is that not how it's taught?
If not, that's pretty damn stupid I think, in Sweden you learn about all "main" religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism) and their "ladders" (Catholicism, Sunni, Orthodox Judaism etc) and what and how they believe and how their belief affects their daily life without much bias.

 

[Blazerboy | Noah]

so glad my school doesn't mandate religion as a class.

 

[jonnysurvives]

Is that not how it's taught?
If not, that's pretty damn stupid I think, in Sweden you learn about all "main" religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism) and their "ladders" (Catholicism, Sunni, Orthodox Judaism etc) and what and how they believe and how their belief affects their daily life without much bias.

It completely depends on where you go school

 

[BitoBain]

In public schooling, classes telling about various religions are fine. Offering more in-depth classes on specific religions for interested students are fine.


Going to catholic school, I find no qualms with anything taught in history, biology, or any other subject contradicting my religion. My theology teachers teach the same thing - I believe in evolution, yet I'm also Catholic. I agree that nothing should be forced upon people, but I dislike the thought that you have to be religious or scientific.

Sorry if I was misunderstood. I may have made it sound like they are complete opposites, but I do not believe that they are. However, it can be confusing. Many people who are religious have found that science is not an enemy to religion, but rather a medium by which the universe happens. I Christian myself, and I often have difficulty accepting both ends, though I do my best.

But if you can imagine a ninth grader taking biology, where you study evolution extensively, and then being forced to take a religious class the next period, it could be very confusing. You have to decipher what is symbolic and what is not. Many people for example, think that the "seven days" of creation were not actually seven days, but were symbolic of eras, etc... Many Americans openly deny evolution because they think it mocks their religion, when it fact it is not necessarily that way. The American education system gave up a long time ago, though.

 

[RC_4777]

Sorry if I was misunderstood. I may have made it sound like they are complete opposites, but I do not believe that they are. However, it can be confusing. Many people who are religious have found that science is not an enemy to religion, but rather a medium by which the universe happens. I Christian myself, and I often have difficulty accepting both ends, though I do my best.

But if you can imagine a ninth grader taking biology, where you study evolution extensively, and then being forced to take a religious class the next period, it could be very confusing. You have to decipher what is symbolic and what is not. Many people for example, think that the "seven days" of creation were not actually seven days, but were symbolic of eras, etc... Many Americans openly deny evolution because they think it mocks their religion, when it fact it is not necessarily that way. The American education system gave up a long time ago, though.

Ah, I see your point of view now, and I have a similar one. Thanks for the further explanation.

 

[Blazerboy | Noah]

Sorry if I was misunderstood. I may have made it sound like they are complete opposites, but I do not believe that they are. However, it can be confusing. Many people who are religious have found that science is not an enemy to religion, but rather a medium by which the universe happens. I Christian myself, and I often have difficulty accepting both ends, though I do my best.

But if you can imagine a ninth grader taking biology, where you study evolution extensively, and then being forced to take a religious class the next period, it could be very confusing. You have to decipher what is symbolic and what is not. Many people for example, think that the "seven days" of creation were not actually seven days, but were symbolic of eras, etc... Many Americans openly deny evolution because they think it mocks their religion, when it fact it is not necessarily that way. The American education system gave up a long time ago, though.

my father is a very open atheist, and sometimes i get sick of him degrading his family (who all live in another country) because they believe in god and have a religion. i like that religion isn't being taught in my area, but sometimes i worry that kids are starting to be taught not to believe, and that isn't a good thing.

 

[chockadlad]

so glad my school doesn't mandate religion as a class.

my father is a very open atheist, and sometimes i get sick of him degrading his family (who all live in another country) because they believe in god and have a religion. i like that religion isn't being taught in my area, but sometimes i worry that kids are starting to be taught not to believe, and that isn't a good thing.

Being taught to believe or not to believe are both bad things, they should get to decide themselves what they want to believe in.

 

[KyleD]

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