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Why do "christians" feel they have to push their religion and their "god" on everyone????
I see this on this board again and again. As others have said, how would they feel if islam or hinduism was pushed onto your children? I won't hold my breath for an honest answer on that one.
Why can religion not be a private matter and stay where it belongs, at home or in your private life, rather than a public school? Why should students that have other religious beliefs, such as buddhism, or those that are aetheists, feel out of place or excluded?
It is not the place of a public school to push religion on it's students. Reading the bible, praying, that would have a place in a private school.
It is one thing to talk about ALL religions and to give an overview, but why is it so offensive to want "religious neutrality" ?????????
I agree that "pushing" any religion on everyone is wrong. I also feel that denying our children exposure to the great religiously-inspired philosophies, literature, art, and music is wrong. It's a difficult and challenging prospect. But just because it's difficult doesn't mean it should simply be thrown out. That's intelectually and morally lazy, and it does a disservice to our children and to our culture.
Why can congressman pray to make wise decisions (prayers, which, by the way, go largely unaswered) but schoolchildren not be allowed to pray to do well in their studies and on tests?
Actually schoolchildren CAN pray in school, it is the schools that cannot mandate prayer in school. That’s a huge difference. Of course people who are blind to that distinction want to mandate prayer in school because they feel it is outlawed. It isnt, it is permissible but again, the school cannot mandate it.
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Originally Posted by Yeledaf
Indeed, using your logic, why send children to school at all, if they're so impressionable? They might get the idea that being good-looking, socially popular and athletically powerful are the only ways to achieve success. Face it: most kids are smarter than that.
Of course schools don’t mandate who is pretty, who should be popular, and who will be the preferred “cool crowd” in school. The same thing with religion, it should not identify through its actions what is the preferred religion. That’s for the home and/or church to figure out.
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Originally Posted by Yeledaf
I attended public school when we not only prayed, we also read the Bible every day. It didn't make some kind of fundamentalist Christian out of me -- but it gave me some exposure to 17th century English prose (King James Bible), and an interest in the historical reasons for why we are the culture we are. Kids today are not getting that. I would argue that because of that, they are not being educated as well as they could be....
Well I’m sure in your class there were people who did become fundamentalist Christians. Just because you didn’t doesn’t mean no one else did. By that rationale I should not have any convicted criminals from my class because after all, we didn’t have prayer in school and I didn’t become a convicted criminal for any crime.
I wouldn’t object to teaching the bible in school, if they taught it in a mythology elective, along with greek and roman gods.
A) A majority of Americans (85% +) consider themselves religious
“Religious” is such a broad word that includes Zorostrians, Hindus, Mormons, Christians, etc.. ad infinitum. That would include monotheism and polytheism. But it still falls that religion does better in the public sphere and government and its agents should not show a preference for any one religion.
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Originally Posted by Greatday
B) Since when did the word "God" only refer to "Christian"?
It’s obvious on those individuals who are pushing for these actions. They are pushing for the christian god.
Actually schoolchildren CAN pray in school, it is the schools that cannot mandate prayer in school. That’s a huge difference. Of course people who are blind to that distinction want to mandate prayer in school because they feel it is outlawed. It isnt, it is permissible but again, the school cannot mandate it.
Why the contradiction, do you think? Why is public daily prayer observed in the houses of Congress and the SCOTUS, but forbidden in the schools? Is there a reference to the age of worshippers in the establishment clause?
Of course schools don’t mandate who is pretty, who should be popular, and who will be the preferred “cool crowd” in school. The same thing with religion, it should identify through its actions what is the preferred religion. That’s for the home and/or church to figure out.
It's just as likely that those characteristics will become embedded in children's minds as the notion that fundamentalist Christianity will take hold. If you disagree, offer some proof.
Well I’m sure in your class there were people who did become fundamentalist Christians. Just because you didn’t doesn’t mean no one else did. By that rationale I should not have any convicted criminals from my class because after all, we didn’t have prayer in school and I didn’t become a convicted criminal for any crime.
I'll bet there were as many future fundamentalist Chrisitians in your class as their were in mine. (I know of none, by the way).
I wouldn’t object to teaching the bible in school, if they taught it in a mythology elective, along with greek and roman gods.
Well, the fact that the English colonies had few believers in Apollo or Juno, but lots of sincere Christians, might be taken into account.
Besides -- why only Greek and Roman? Why not Celtic, Zoroastrian, and Norse?
Very simple, look at who pushes the action and you will see what their goal is. I dont look at the end result and say, "golly gee whizzz, the school didnt say it is the christian god, so it must be ok". I look at who pushed this and what their intentions are, and time after time you find it is individuals who are pushing for their brand of christianity. Why dont you peel back the onion to see that proof.
it is also not surprising that School is a haven for illegal and barely legal residents, basically these latino's who are brainwashed in their Catholic ways, they are perfect for brainwashing according to the republican christian reich, this kind of crap wouldnt stand a chance on a school that had intelligent students and board memebers who had half a brain
Why the contradiction, do you think? Why is public daily prayer observed in the houses of Congress and the SCOTUS, but forbidden in the schools? Is there a reference to the age of worshippers in the establishment clause?
Where is the contradiction? Appearently you seem to feel that young children can face the same issues as adults. There is a big difference between adults and children and what they are exposed to. If you continue to feel there isnt, then there isnt anything else I can say.
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Originally Posted by Yeledaf
It's just as likely that those characteristics will become embedded in children's minds as the notion that fundamentalist Christianity will take hold. If you disagree, offer some proof.
Schools and government should not show a preference to any religion. That is a matter of the home, family, and churches. Why do people feel they need government endorsement. Why do they feel their faith and god is so weak they need government to help prop it up?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yeledaf
I'll bet there were as many future fundamentalist Chrisitians in your class as their were in mine. (I know of none, by the way).
You probably wouldn’t know because they are too busy hiding in bathroom stalls.
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