Senate Derp, DERP. Derpitimus Maximus. Derpity deeeeeeerp...

Every once in a while I try to have a positive outlook on life. Whenever I see this thread that urge goes away.

What the actual **** is wrong with people?!

 

Plus if Satan'd liked it he woulda put a ring on it.

 

Well, of course. When they say they want prayer in school, what they're really saying is that they want their own religion to be taught in school, not any other religions.

 

Religion can legally be taught in schools and I think it should be (although not in science class, obviously).

It would be good for developing cross-cultural understanding.

 

Yeah. Just look at all those laws that were passed banning sharia law from being implemented in various states (when Muslims are less than 1% of the population) while the religious right is basically trying to impose the Christian version of sharia on everyone else.

 

What is the Christian version of sharia? Is there a liberal form of sharia? Mexican sharia?

 

To be honest, they give out degrees to just about anyone these days. You just have to have a pulse and refrain from shooting the place up, and you're good to go.

 

They have classes like that. They're called cultural anthropology classes.

 

I'm perfectly okay with an elective class such as Comparative Religions. I took one myself. I think such a course is very important as religion has played such a role in history,

But.

Religion should not be taught in public schools, but church. But teaching ABOUT religion is fine with me if not mandatory or a cover for teaching religion.

 

Religion should not be required to be taught in school under any circumstances whatsoever.

 

Your forceful declaration has convinced me.

 

It is appropriate you are posting in this thread.

 

Mexican Sharia is good with melted cheese.

 

Homeschool books feature Adam and Eve saddling a dinosaur

^Christian parents fighting bakc against that one.

Verizon Wireless gets a lesson in math

 

We have mandatory religion class in Norway already from elementary school. It's called "Religion, Livssyn (Norwegian word translating to 'view on life' or 'life philosophy') and Ethics", and teaches the history of the major religions and delves superficially into their tenets. The curriculum also deals with various ethical schools of thought and the history of Western moral philosophy. Originally, the class was straightforward Bible study, teaching Christianity and unapologetically so. The name of the class was simply "Christianity". Unlike, say, the US or France, the Norwegian constitution clearly stipulates that Lutheran Protestantism is the state religion. To my knowledge, this is true of the other Scandinavian countries as well, and that's probably why the Scandinavian populations are mostly atheist, or at the very least non-religious. Backlash, I'm thinking. You were also automatically registered into the State Church upon birth until last year, when the State Church was formally abolished. I think... Zapdos, you have to correct me anywhere I'm wrong.

Anyway, in 97 they reformed the school curricula across the board, but since the Christian democrats (Christian People's Party) were in the governing coalition at the time, they managed to secure a compromise where, even though the class was changed to a comparative religions and philosophy class, it still disproportionately focused on Christianity. The name of the class was changed to "Christianity, with religions and life views studies", until 2003, when another curriculum reform took place, and the class became what it is today.

Both sides of the political aisle seem to support having the class in the curriculum, as they feel that in a world where most of the earth's population believe in some sort of religion, it can't hurt to have some basic knowledge into what shapes their worldview. Your understanding of history would be impaired to some degree without some basic grasp on the major religions, I feel, so I'm inclined to agree that it's a good idea to continue having the class in the curriculum. Especially for a nation of atheists, I think without a cliff's notes understanding of the major religions, you'd have a hard time relating to most of the outside world. Consider it a diagnosis. If you're inclined to think a religious person is psychotic, you at least have a register of symptoms that you can cross-reference to know what to expect.

 

That was an excellent post.

 

Indeed. Teaching religion or ignoring the impact religion has had and does have on the world are equally wrong in my view: one really should have exposure to different religious thoughts and how they have impacted culture socially and politically. But "how to believe" and "what to believe" in the specific church or home in the US.

 

homosexuality must be challenged in the same way that William Wilberforce and other abolitionists fought slavery

Someone wanted some attention. Sheesh.

 

Is she in anyway related to Paul Harvey?

 

I am appalled at what passes for journalism on the internet. A soundbite is not a story.

I'm sure she's an anti-gay nut, probably without anything much of substance to say, but these seem to be only her introductory remarks. I would have liked to hear how she defended her point of view.

As it is written, i only come away thinking that the reporter has done a bad job.

 

It's important to hear people out. They may surprise you.

 

That reminds me of this: