Public education seems to always be a topic in the news, in one form or another - whether it's funding, NCLB, teacher competence/incompetence, student success (or lack thereof), violence, or other topics - but what about religious education?
What are your thoughts on religious education, whether it's private or home schooling?
How about the related topic of vouchers from the government to allegedly 'allow' freedom of school choice?
Is there a fear that vouchers may come with 'strings attached' as in having the government attempt to regulate what is taught, if you accept the vouchers?
How effective do you think religious education is compared to public education?
Are any of you involved in religious education, either as a teacher and/or your kids attend one? (at an institution or home school)
Re: What are your thoughts on religious education?
The problem with religion is that it is very one sided, enabling ones ability to grow outside a specific realm of knowledge. Religion in all truth is inspiration and I have been inspired but it is a guide that may align you with the path, if interperted correctly. Knowing man is decietful we can not believe all that he has written. If I have offeneded you in any way please forgive me , I am only sharing my exsperience as a man, as a son , and as seeker of thruth beyond all others. Research the history, re-read the great books absorb what is true to your heart not what they say you should believe. Whether god be allah, brahma,the tao, jehova, energy, nature, tamapo, the universe ,elohim and the many other names given to the great spirit. He is that which is beyond name.
If all religious thought was brought together each one would fill in a specfic blank in what we know as the gap theory. Monotheism represents the thought of one god. Bless it!. pantheism is the believe that all is god.Bless that! Panentheism is the believe thatall is in god. Bless that as well. Even atheist believe in the thought of an energy that rules the universe. If not, from were did the big bang come from. Everything lives and dies in accordance to reason. God is reason, without reason there is no purpose, without purpose we would be nonexsisting. So yes I do believe it is important to educate the world with religion so that they may find a spiritual path. But I dont believe we should manipulate the mind of those who are unkowing and make them believe they know when they are only on the surface of understanding the true depth of knowledge.
I speak humbly in the respect of all those who have came before me. They are my inspiration, what has allowed me to reach this point of understanding. Blessed be life, and all that live it.
Peace, love and harmony.
Re: What are your thoughts on religious education?
I think religious education is okay in a private school (provided it advertises itself as a religious school) or home school setting. I do not think that religion should be taught in public schools.
Re: What are your thoughts on religious education?
I HATE the voucher systems most places attempt to use to "fix" issues with sub par school districts. It fixes nothing and only drives the nails into the coffin of the offending schools. I don't mind the idea of religious education being an elective in any school, but I don't think it should be required, even at places such as Catholic schools, since not all those students are even Catholic sometimes. Forcing religion on children only further alienates them. But allowing them to learn about it voluntarily will give them the ability to view it differently.
Re: What are your thoughts on religious education?
If you are speaking in the context of teaching general information about religion as it pertains to history, then yes, it should be taught in the school system. If you are speaking of preaching a religion for the purpose that the other person share your beliefs, then no...that is meant for church and home.
Re: What are your thoughts on religious education?
Nicely put Lena. I have to agree with you there. With all due respects to Secularism it is an excuse to convert another to one's own religion. The private institutions run by a particular religious community do justify their actions by claiming that they have invested for their own gain and not for the welfare of others.
Re: What are your thoughts on religious education?
Thanks for the open and honest discussion here. I guess I wasn't as clear as I should have been, though, as I was referring more to entire schools set up as 'religious' institutions, as opposed to simply teaching 'religion' in public schools.
In other words, do you think that a school specifically designated for a particular religion (take your pick!) or simply labeled as a "Bible" college, or a family of a particular faith, home schooling - do you think they provide the same quality of education as their public/secular equivalents?
Re: What are your thoughts on religious education?
I think the classes can be taught however its not something that should be like "your child must learn this religion only". I don't want kids to grow up being forced to only know some, they should learn a little of all if anything. And it should be something chosen, not forced.
Re: What are your thoughts on religious education?
The tradition of the family religion being the first religion that is brought to us as children is a tradition that can not be broken. I was raised the religion of many generations that my family had been. It wasn't until much later in my life that I realized that all matters of religion should be taught and left up to the individual to choose the one that they feel comfortable with.
In my teens I began the search to find the one that I fit in. Being raised Catholic just wasn't cutting it for me. When my mother found out that I was visiting other faiths she just flipped. She told me it was against my faith to even step foot in another faith's door. It was then I realized just how ingrained and brainwashed she had been. Of course it had me going on my search even more.
After this, after I had gotten married, I had converted to the Lutheran faith. It was as close to what I had been raised in and at that time, I think I was trying to please my mother as well as still making a stand. My children were baptized in the faith. Later my son was confirmed in the Methodist faith and I later became Wiccan.
Somewhere in the melting pot of faiths for this family I would hope that a common bound can be found.
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