Religious Discrimination in the USA

Swearing on the Bible (which I would not do for jury duty) and many still have the ten commandments.
The Supreme Court has all kinds of religious imagery all over the room and building, it is insane and ridiculous.

[monster]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

No, I advocate the complete separation of church and state.
If you want your kid exposed to religion in school, send them to a private school of your religious background.

So they learn just the one persepective? That is ridiculously short-sighted. I quote myself from here

I think not teaching religion in the schools is the most ridiculous idea. Religion is such a huge part of so many people's lives it's no wonder there's so much disquiet when so many people know so little about people of different religions -their neighbors, their doctors, their police officers.... American schools need a decent non-denominational comparative religion program. And it shouldn't be optional. If your religion isn't strong enough that you can hear about others without wavering from your path/becoming impure/whatever, then you have no moral right to make demands on behalf of that religion. It's perfectly possible to teach about what some people belive without teaching that it is right or wrong.

/soapbox

No, they learn no perspective. Religion is left out of it all together.

That it is a large part of someone's life does not mean it is their right to make it part of everyone's day around them.

[monster]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

No, they learn no perspective. Religion is left out of it all together.

That it is a large part of someone's life does not mean it is their right to make it part of everyone's day around them.

The majority of Americans have some religious belief. How is it beneficial to a child to be blinkered from this? How is it beneficial to socety to bring up children who do not understand one another's home lives? Humans are social, society comes from integration. If a child is taught nothing about religion and beliefs, how are they expected to interact with those who have different beliefs? If a child is taught only about one paradigm, how are they to integrate?

I believe that there is no such thing as a god. I believe in the big bang -or something like it- and evolution. I was brought up as a christian, but not strictly so. I am comfortable in my beliefs. Mostly because I worked them out for myself. I want my children to do the same. I talk to them about religion, I tell them what others believe, but it's hard because I don't believe it. I'd rather they learned it in a neutral setting, so they can make up their own minds.

[monster]

....isn't your approach to religious education a little like the "let's pretend sex doesn't exist" approach to hoping your teenager doesn't become a parent?

Nope, I can prove sex.

Kids can learn about religion from their parents. If parents want their kids to learn religion in school they should send them to a religious school.

If they do not learn about it in school, you can ensure they do learn about it in a neutral setting.

Though I have really have no issue if it is really taught along side many other religions with complete equality and never said to be true or not or more valid or relevant than any other religion & doing so was a termination offense.

[DanaC]

Surely though rkzenrage and Monster, there's a difference between having a faith (usually Christianity) wrapped around and embedded in all parts of a child's education, and a set lesson for Religious Education?

In the UK in most state secondary schools, for example, (except the faith schools but that's a different discussion :P) there is very little religion involved in the day to day running of the school: there are no morning prayers, no hymns sung at assembly, absolutely no religious imagery around the school except at times of festival (and we tend to do that with other religious festivals not just christianity).

What there is compulsory R.E. In R.E, most children learn about the major, and even some of the minor, religions. They learn about the origins and practices of those religions; they also learn about some of the major discussion points/points of contention in those religions.

That is not indoctrination or inculcation. It does however provide a good understanding of religion generally and of some faiths specifically. It also only becomes a compulsory part of the curriculum when the kids reach 11 years old.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

you said that teaching a child that sinning leads to hell is child abuse.

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

I said nothing of the sort... I said if they did certain things it was child abuse, not the same thing by any stretch of the imagination.

teaching children that if they sin they will go to hell, which is child abuse

Telling a child that if they sin they will go to hell is child abuse.

Please show me where you are specifying certain things in these statements.

[piercehawkeye45]

Religion studies should be tied in with history but that is learning about the religion, like we do about buddhism or hinduism now.

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Please show me where you are specifying certain things in these statements.

Nice misquote, the second quote was in response to the statement that I said religion was child abuse. Teaching kids that if they sin they will suffer in hell is child abuse. If your religion does not teach that, it may not be abusive.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

Teaching kids that if they sin they will suffer in hell is child abuse. If your religion does not teach that, it may not be abusive.

Never heard of a religion that teaches that.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

Swearing on the Bible (which I would not do for jury duty) and many still have the ten commandments.
The Supreme Court has all kinds of religious imagery all over the room and building, it is insane and ridiculous.

You admit you didn't have to do that. You doubt it has a positive effect on people that believe it matters?

OK, so we have to tear down all the buildings and rewrite history because you can't see past that stuff like everyone else does. Your share will be 3 billion dollars... get it up and we'll start.

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Never heard of a religion that teaches that.

Have you ever been to a catholic mass Bruce? lol

[Aliantha]

Over here you can simply take an oath instead of swearing on the bible if you choose.

We are a pretty godless country here though. We're all going to hell. Lucky we're used to warm weather really.

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

You admit you didn't have to do that. You doubt it has a positive effect on people that believe it matters?

OK, so we have to tear down all the buildings and rewrite history because you can't see past that stuff like everyone else does. Your share will be 3 billion dollars... get it up and we'll start.

Nope, I don't admit that at all... I was rejected.
Not all buildings, just remove religion from facades on government buildings.