Now, why would you say that?

I actually, though a 100% union supporter, have some sympathy for that position. As I was growing up, the degree of union alignment seemed directly proportional to the degree of crappiness of a teacher. An obvious reason for this is that a teachers' union is designed to benefit teachers, not students, and therefore they make it difficult to fire teachers. As a result, bad teachers may find that vocal union support is easier than improving their teaching.

But the fact is that teachers get royally shafted on a consistent basis. They need union representation and, what's more, they need union representation that is made up of royal bastards if they're not going to be run roughshod over in every negotiation. And even with this situation, it's a myth that bad teachers can't be fired. They can be. There's a process defined in every union negotiation. What really stops bad teachers from being fired isn't the union process, it's the fact that the principal has no reason to believe that the next person will be any better, so they stick with the devil they know.

I hate hearing ppl blaming religion for radical behavior. It is not always the religion in of itself that represses certain human behaviors. It is the humans who interpret that religion that do the repression. The Christian Bible for example says one should treat their body as a temple; meaning you should respect yourself. But that doesn't mean it is saying that showing the human body is bad. ADAM AND EVE WERE NAKED!!! It was after they ate the apple and sinned that they were ashamed of being naked. GOD gave humans sex for pleasure and procreation, otherwise sex wouldn't be pleasurable, although the Bible does restrict sex, labling many things sexually immoral (I.E. incest).
Unfortunatly many "Christians" interpret this differently. I love my sister for being a smart, logical and insightful Christian and teaching me to think the same way about things...but not necessarily thinking the same things as her.

That's what religion is. People's interpretations. That's why there are Catholics and Protestants.

Yeah...politics.

How come I've been hearing my whole life that sex is "Original Sin", then? And that it is only okay within the bonds of "Holy Matrimony"?

Did I miss a new interpretation somewhere?

I've subbed during a strike with a COMPLETELY clear conscience. Kids come first, at ALL times. (no BS about the "long-run, either)

These are the definitions that a search at dictionary.com came up with

I am using definition #2: a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.

I know that religion is shaped by people's interpretation, but most religions are based in a text which gives the guidlines for the religion. THAT is what religion is. Guidelines or "a specific fundamental set of beliefs or practices."

Catholics and Protestants started with the same text. Then there was a schism based on differing interpretations. There are hundreds of religions based on the Bible, but with different interpretations. Things that are fundamental in one may not be in another.

What can I say, I'm a realist. We could theorize "what religion is" all day long. Then, there is reality . . . (IE, thousands of years of human history)

You didn't miss a new interpretation...you were taught a very misguided interpretation. It is considered sin outside marriage, I don't refute that. If it was sin why would God make it our means of procreation and why would He make it pleasurable so that we would want to? For ALL creatures, other than A-sexual reproducers. Well only humans and dolphins have sex for pleasure but thats irrevalent.

Catholics and Protestants are STILL Christians! Christianity is a religion. NOT Catholism that is a branch of Christianity. Islam is a religion, Sunni and Shi'a are branches of Islam. ANY religion based on the Bible is essentially, by definition Christian!

I think we're all pretty well-informed on the subject...

And which religion is screwing that art teacher in China? :confused:

China is a communist country and therefore technically aethiest...