Religious education?

[Amy30]

It would have to teach about all major religions of course, the problem is which denominations sects would they choose to use as examples of said religions? You can't possibly think an unbiased course would be the standard, I don't.

It wouldn't matter. The point would be to open the mind. To expose youth to culture and various ideas. But to open the mind....that is a dangerous thing I think government (at least in the US) would be opposed to. Critical thinking and open mindedness are glaringly absent in American public education....

 

[Kerr]

Religious education should be must now a days because most of the people forget their moral values in this fast generation.

Thats not what I meant when I started this thread. I think its a good idea to learn about religion as a topic, I dont think its a good idea to promote a religion or religious morals. Its kind of like how you can read up on other countries and cultures to gain a better understanding of the world and so on.

 

[Timbo]

I see absolutely no problem in teaching religion as one of the subjects in schools, but that would mean the education should also be 100 % objective and relentlessly unapologetic towards peoples feelings. I.E, we should be learned the origins of Yahweh, Vishnu or Allah and so on and so forth. And it should also equip children with thinking tools in how to put religious arguments on their heads.

Because as far as I'm concerned, schools are there to educate our children, and I see no excuses in conforming to religious people's sensitivites. If they are gonna be educated, they must be educated in the arguments off reason and logic.

 

[HeatherAnn]

Perhaps a comprehensive philosophy and philosophy history course would do much better.

I think it's good for kids to get some basics in pHilosophy, psychology & different religious/spiritual beliefs. However, I prefer to teach this to my kids, & not have others obligated to.

Some of its pretty heavy, but it can be taught in stories/parables.
My kids love Greek mythology.

 

[Bunyip]

Hi all.

Should kids have mandatory religious education as part of the basic education (like math)? Should a kid who plant to be, say, a computer technician have to study religion? And I am thinking of religious education in the secular manner, i.e. teach about religion and not about which one is correct, and I am not talking about higher studies.

Personally I think that even if its not part of someones career, its still good because it combats ignorance and racism. Besides, you never know what happens in the future. If you end up with a hindu or buddhist boss it might be good to know a little about it and not just whatever prejudice you have picked up from random people.

Take care,
Kerr.

Great question.

I would advocate for a class in ethics, the history of religion and philosophy being a part of the curriculum.

 

[Stephen Dedalus]

In my country Catholic Religion is a school subject.
I think that studying the meaning of various religions without take the side of one would be very nice for children.

 

[dust1n]

I think it's good for kids to get some basics in pHilosophy, psychology & different religious/spiritual beliefs. However, I prefer to teach this to my kids, & not have others obligated to.

Some of its pretty heavy, but it can be taught in stories/parables.
My kids love Greek mythology.

That's unfortunate. I don't plan on having kids, but if I did, I wouldn't rely on the presumption of my own abilities to know thoroughly such topics. If I wanted my child to succeed, I want him or her to specialists of a variety for their general education, and I would certainly want other revenues for my children to learn other than myself, which I would hope would occur anyway. Otherwise I wouldn't expect my child to much smarter than myself, which would be heartbreaking outcome.

Oh well, status quo 'til the end I guess.

 

[The Adept]

Do they get a critical counter position to the delusions?

 

[ChristineES]

I think it's good for kids to get some basics in pHilosophy, psychology & different religious/spiritual beliefs. However, I prefer to teach this to my kids, & not have others obligated to.

Some of its pretty heavy, but it can be taught in stories/parables.
My kids love Greek mythology.

That would be ideal, but most people don't have a working knowledge of religions that they don't follow.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

That would be ideal, but most people don't have a working knowledge of religions that they don't follow.

Most people also don't have a working knowledge of classical music or how to change their own oil. While I can see how a class in world religions would be useful, I struggle to think of what would make it more useful or important than other things kids aren't learning... or not learning as well as they could be.

Heck - the Catholic board near me just eliminated libraries from elementary schools. Libraries! Hiring a bunch of religious studies teachers is way, way lower on my priority list than getting those kids their librarians back.

Even if a school board had unlimited resources, I don't think I would want religion to be a mandatory course. There are only so many teaching hours in the week and so many other - IMO better - ways you could be using that time. At most, I'd say make it an elective.

 

[Thief]

Sorry to hear libraries are targeted!
oh my god!

The one place on Earth where exploration is easy....and it might disappear?!

Religion was not an elective in the schools I attended.
Once I was out on my own my curiosity carried on.
I did not assume I was told all I needed.

So now, I'm a rogue theologian.

My education didn't hurt me.
But accepting the dogmatic at delivery is NOT the way to go.

 

[ChristineES]

Most people also don't have a working knowledge of classical music or how to change their own oil. While I can see how a class in world religions would be useful, I struggle to think of what would make it more useful or important than other things kids aren't learning... or not learning as well as they could be.

Heck - the Catholic board near me just eliminated libraries from elementary schools. Libraries! Hiring a bunch of religious studies teachers is way, way lower on my priority list than getting those kids their librarians back.

Even if a school board had unlimited resources, I don't think I would want religion to be a mandatory course. There are only so many teaching hours in the week and so many other - IMO better - ways you could be using that time. At most, I'd say make it an elective.

I think there is a use. Wouldn't we get along better with people if we better understand them? But the class would be an elective, that is the only way it would work. My Church has a library, so I don't see your point about the libraries.

 

[Windwalker]

Heck - the Catholic board near me just eliminated libraries from elementary schools. Libraries! Hiring a bunch of religious studies teachers is way, way lower on my priority list than getting those kids their librarians back.

Targeting not staffing a library is a budgetary consideration. Normally the first to go is the arts and music programs. The fact that a Catholic has religious instruction part of their curriculum may have something to do with the fact that it is a Catholic school. "Say, we have a religious school here, but we don't have religion taught in it. Will you please send your children here?" :areyoucra

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Targeting not staffing a library is a budgetary consideration. Normally the first to go is the arts and music programs. The fact that a Catholic has religious instruction part of their curriculum may have something to do with the fact that it is a Catholic school. "Say, we have a religious school here, but we don't have religion taught in it. Will you please send your children here?" :areyoucra

Actually, since they're taxpayer-funded schools, they're open to anyone and any non-Catholic students are supposed to be exempt from religion classes and rituals... but recent history suggests that court challenges are often necessary to get the schools to follow the law in those regards.

I mention the Catholic board not because it's religious, but because it runs a significant number of the schools in the area. The Catholic board decided to close its libraries (as well as whole schools) to balance the books; the secular public board hasn't taken the same approach, but they're dealing with similar financial pressures.

My point was just that when you're having trouble paying for necessary things, it's not the time to start putting money into optional frills... and religion is an optional frill.

Yes, kids might get some good out of a course in world religions, but the same could be said about any number of other potential courses. If a well-funded school wants to offer a religion course as just one part of a wide spectrum of electives, great - I'm sure that there will be a small number of students for whom a world religion course would be the thing that ignites their passion and makes them excited about learning... but the same could be said for a course in African history, or the Vietnamese language, or modern poetry, so we shouldn't put a course in religion on some sort of pedestal.