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Religion has and does greatly imact how the world functions, some positive and some negative. I would propose that high schools offer a basic religion course that focuses on educating the student on the history and tenets of the major religions of the world(Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc.). The purpose of this would not be indoctrination but rather a better understanding of religion in society.
Many people in this country support teaching the bible in high school. I am a religious person but I have a problem with this if it excludes teaching the talmud, the koran, etc. I would be interested in hearing what other people think of this.
Teaching the christian religion should be mandatory in America's high schools.
Other religions believe in false gods and myths, but American christianity is the truth. Besides, all Americans already know that people who are not taught about American christianity are more likely to be criminals.
Religion can be taught on the basis of it's influence on the world, and the role it played in history, and should be. It does not have to be taught from a dogmatic point of view that advocates one form of worship over another. Face it, religion, in one form or another, has been the driving influence behind most of the big events in history. The Inquisition, the Crusades, Salem Witch trials,the Spanish destruction of the great Mexican and South American civilizations, the forming of the Protestant faith and Church of England, causing much of the still ongoing strife in Ireland.,the current state of the Middle East....on and on it goes. Teach about religion, it's one of the biggest pieces of world history.
Teaching the christian religion should be mandatory in America's high schools.
Other religions believe in false gods and myths, but American christianity is the truth. Besides, all Americans already know that people who are not taught about American christianity are more likely to be criminals.
Sorry, can't get on board with ya on this. Sounds an awful lot like what the Taliban is all about.
Teaching the christian religion should be mandatory in America's high schools.
Other religions believe in false gods and myths, but American christianity is the truth. Besides, all Americans already know that people who are not taught about American christianity are more likely to be criminals.
I had hoped that by posting my original thread under Great Debates rather than a religious thread I wouldn't get this type of balderdash. However, this does serve as a good example of the need for education when it comes to comparative religions. I wonder where this type of indoctrination comes from and how it can be avoided?
Religion can be taught on the basis of it's influence on the world, and the role it played in history, and should be. It does not have to be taught from a dogmatic point of view that advocates one form of worship over another. Face it, religion, in one form or another, has been the driving influence behind most of the big events in history. The Inquisition, the Crusades, Salem Witch trials,the Spanish destruction of the great Mexican and South American civilizations, the forming of the Protestant faith and Church of England, causing much of the still ongoing strife in Ireland.,the current state of the Middle East....on and on it goes. Teach about religion, it's one of the biggest pieces of world history.
This is actually where I was coming from in my OP but NV stated it better than I did. Religions's influence in the world and the role it has played in many historical events is critical to understanding history and society in my opinion.
As far as leaving this type of education to the parents, I don't know many parents capable of doing this. As far as not letting this type of education occur in school I think that we as mankind would be more subject to making the same mistakes in the future as we have in the past by not learning from history. Like it or not, religion is part of the world's history. We can either learn from it and progress or bury our heads in the sand and continue making the same mistakes as a society.
I can see nothing at all wrong with teaching "comparative religion" in a high school class. All major (and some minor) world religions should be "studied", with emphasis on the purpose that each religions serves in the society in which it exists. I believe that most high school students are fully capable of grasping the social and cultural implications of religion, and such an "overview" course would provide a valuable "background knowledge" to young adults who will soon be making a choice to remain in the religion, if any, of their parents, or to follow a differeing belief system, or to abandon religion altogether. These are important decisions for young people in our society, and educating them about such things, in a non-discriminatory way, could only be beneficial.
This is actually where I was coming from in my OP but NV stated it better than I did. Religions's influence in the world and the role it has played in many historical events is critical to understanding history and society in my opinion.
As far as leaving this type of education to the parents, I don't know many parents capable of doing this. As far as not letting this type of education occur in school I think that we as mankind would be more subject to making the same mistakes in the future as we have in the past by not learning from history. Like it or not, religion is part of the world's history. We can either learn from it and progress or bury our heads in the sand and continue making the same mistakes as a society.
Greek and Roman mythology are required reading in a lot of high school curriculum. These stories are religious in context. They speak of mans relationship with the Gods. I'll go out on a limb here and say that the stories of the Koran, Torah and Bible are very similar in their style to Greek Roman and even Norse mythology. Personally, I see no difference. The stories are intended to impart a certain philosophy by using situational writings. Oh, I know I just PO'd every Christian , Muslim and Jewish person on the forum with my heresy, but I'm trying to look at religion as an historical force and not an absolute truth. This is the perspective that it should be taught from in schools.
Religion has and does greatly imact how the world functions, some positive and some negative. I would propose that high schools offer a basic religion course that focuses on educating the student on the history and tenets of the major religions of the world(Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc.). The purpose of this would not be indoctrination but rather a better understanding of religion in society.
Many people in this country support teaching the bible in high school. I am a religious person but I have a problem with this if it excludes teaching the talmud, the koran, etc. I would be interested in hearing what other people think of this.
My son and his friends tried to get their high school to have a class compairing religions of the world. One of the teachers was willing to teach it. The school had the money to add two new classes for the next year. They took a vote on the suggested new classes and the religion class won. The principal over rode the vote and offered...drum roll please...ballroom dancing.
No joke. I really think a class study and discussion on the world's major religion would go along way to helping our youth understand the world around them. I guess ballroom dancing does help with the problem of obesity in teenagers.
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