Do you agree that one particular religion forms part of the school's curriculum?

[Black Panther]

Now whether you voted yes or no, is your country's predominant 'religion' actually taught as a school subject in your country or not?

I don't agree with having a single particular religion being taught in schools, at the expense of all other beliefs.
Obviously it's impractical for a school syllabus to include the teachings of all the religions of the world, so the main solution would be rather than having a 'religion' class schools should introduce a "morality class" where the kids are taught the common basics of what's right and what's wrong.

I.e. kids would be taught such basics that 'good' kids share, help other people, are charitable etc and get illustrated books showing the teachings of the Buddha, Mohammed, Jesus etc etc.... to this effect.
But in return are spared of being brainwashed that Mary is the only person boasting virginity after giving birth to the son of God, or that eating pork is a sin, or that a cow is a holy creature etc etc....

What made me post this is the recent ruling of the EU court where it was decided that crucifixes hanging in most Italian (and basically ALL Maltese!) classrooms consisted in a violation of religious and educational freedoms. Italy caused an uproar on this. Malta caused an even larger (compared to its minuscule size) uproar. The bases of both countries' arguments was (ironically it's not in actual defence of religion... but) that the crucifix should be untouchable as being some inherent part of "culture and ancient tradition".
:rolleyes:
Me personally - For the first part I did away with my Roman Catholic beliefs in my early teens... Secondly I view a crucifix as being hideous morbid stuff, certainly not material to be shown to kids just out of toddler-hood. It's just the same as my opinion onimages of dead/tortured people on rotten.com - I might browse for curiousity, but certainly not in the company of my 7 year old daughter... Using the same comparison, is it healthy for a young pre-schooler to be confronted with viewing a dead man, all bloody, nailed hanging on a wooden cross?

Argument source (1) (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/03/italy-classroom-crucifixes-human-rights)
Argument source (2) (http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091103/local/italy-in-uproar-over-court-ruling-against-crucifix)

Images which I find kinda way too gory to be shown to kids who're just learning to walk....

http://img.techpowerup.org/091119/photo_008.jpg

http://img.techpowerup.org/091119/img_0978.jpg

http://img.techpowerup.org/091119/crucifix.jpg

I can never take my kid to watch this kind of stuff...

[FordGT90Concept]

There's no way to remove religion completely from schools. It will eventually find its way in. Death is not an appropriate topic at all in K-12 schools--none of their curriculum requires it except in the concept of historical figures (like Julius Caesar, and the Lincoln Assassination, and the Kennedy Assassination). None of the pictures shown there should be graphic (e.g. don't air videos of the actual assassinations or the bodies/vehicle aftermath). The only talk of "Jesus Christ" should be that of historical signifance (if the school deems the subject significant) during the 0-33 AD period. He caused a lot of trouble for the Roman empire much like any rebellion leader.

[Wile E]

I voted that it depends. If it's a public school, then no. No religion should be taught over another.

Private schools can do as they choose. You have to choose to go to a private school, so if you don't agree with their curriculum, you choose a different school. Catholic schools, for example.

[Magibeg]

The only talk of "Jesus Christ" should be that of historical signifance (if the school deems the subject significant) during the 0-33 AD period. He caused a lot of trouble for the Roman empire much like any rebellion leader.

I actually can't find much information referencing Jesus causing any particular problems for the roman empire. Not to say that Christianity didn't have an impact but i can't find any information in reference to the man causing trouble. I know it's outside of the thread so did you want to PM some info on it.

[btarunr]

In India, grades I to VIII have a subject called "Moral Science". Text books are published by the board of education, and it conducts exams. In that, kids are introduced to each-others' religions in a non-judgmental way: Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, etc., and then generic morality lessons are taught. It's really important to teach kids to live in a pluralistic, secular society. Especially with the amount of plurality and diversity in India.

[FordGT90Concept]

I actually can't find much information referencing Jesus causing any particular problems for the roman empire. Not to say that Christianity didn't have an impact but i can't find any information in reference to the man causing trouble. I know it's outside of the thread so did you want to PM some info on it.
Cornelius Tacitus (Roman historian) wrote about some of Jesus Christ's activites as it concerned the Roman empire; however, these notes were created in hindsight (Tacitus was born in AD 55). We could easily discount his research as being tainted by the religion but then again, they may not be.

What is known is that all non-religious records of Jesus Christ make him out to be little more than a nuisance (not unlike modern cultist).


It's really important to teach kids to live in a pluralistic, secular society.
I very much agree with that. Most schools these days are teaching intolerance which results in wide spread racist beliefs and potentially mass hysteria. The moment the White House labeled Muslims as the perpetrators of 9/11, Muslims all over the USA were falsely imprisoned based on that hysteria alone. The same thing happened back in the late 1930's after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The labeling of people's intentions by race is completely wrong and good educational practices could over come that, not only in religion but also in ethnicity.

[MT Alex]

...schools should introduce a "morality class" where the kids are taught the common basics of what's right and what's wrong...

Can't say as I like the notion of government schools dictating what is right or wrong, be it religous or secular. Kids don't need school to build up their self esteem and instill values. Self esteem comes from genuine success, and values and judgment shoud come from the home, grandparents, neighbors, a friendly shop keeper, ect.

Schools being turned into proxy parenting centers has all but ruined our education system in the US. Oh yah, Elmo is ruining Sesame Street, too:D Enough thread jacking for now.

[[I.R.A]_FBi]

If a country has a national religion .. teach it

[WhiteLotus]

All you learn about in western schools is how jesus did this, moses did that.

I'm sorry but i could give two flying hoots about what some arab did to somehow make his way into a book that was written a good fair few years after he died.
Teach me something like how MODERN religion calls for peace and understanding between religions and fellow man and you got me interested.

[DanTheBanjoman]

All you learn about in western schools is how jesus did this, moses did that.


Then tell me, how exactly did Jesus turn water into wine? And how exactly did moses make a path in the sea?

[FordGT90Concept]

All stories exaggerate the truth. They wouldn't be retold if they didn't and therefore forgotten.

[DanTheBanjoman]

All stories exaggerate the truth. The wouldn't be retold if they didn't and therefore forgotten.

Therefor mr pen invented writing, to write down stories.

[FordGT90Concept]

Only those that are worth writing. Not until Twitter and similar technologies has the dull and mundane become worthy of committing the text to cultural memory.

[MRCL]

It shouldn't be mandatory stuff. I don't think that good of any religion, so my opinion is spoiled by my disbelief. I will certainly tell my kids about the religions there are, but I won't force what it should believe. Its free choice.

As for seeing dead bodies and stuff, I visited rotten.com at preteen age, didn't affect me. A kid comes around such images eventually. When I was confronted with such images, my parents discussed it with me. That helped me a lot in understanding the what how and why.

[WhiteLotus]

Then tell me, how exactly did Jesus turn water into wine? And how exactly did moses make a path in the sea?

life hacks. Don't you know?

[DanTheBanjoman]

life hacks. Don't you know?

Damn cheaters. They should have spawncamped Jesus.

[WhiteLotus]

Damn cheaters. They should have spawncamped Jesus.

(ch)

[MRCL]

Jesus is the greatest cheater of them all, he used godmode!

[btarunr]

Jesus is the greatest cheater of them all, he used godmode!

Yeah the devs made sure the player's health doesn't go below 1% in godmode.

[MRCL]

So thats how his "resurrection" worked... he wasn't dead, he just had only one hp left!

[erocker]

I'd much rather teach my child myself or go to church for prayer/Bible study. Schools need to be as minimal as possible. Teach skills that can land someone a job. Writing, reading, math, physical science, past few 100 years of history, etc. I would rather not have some public school teacher teach my kids on the subject of God as they would probablly get it wrong. That being said, parents need to take a larger role in upbringing their children.

[Black Panther]

_FBi;16514']If a country has a national religion .. teach it

That's what the religious 'die-hards' in my country insist.

They say Roman Catholic (RC) is the 'national religion', and the laws help them since our very constitution (http://docs.justice.gov.mt/lom/legislation/english/leg/vol_1/chapt0.pdf) states:

2. (1) The religion of Malta is the Roman Catholic Apostolic
Religion.
(2) The authorities of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church
have the duty and the right to teach which principles are right and
which are wrong.
(3) Religious teaching of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Faith
shall be provided in all State schools as part of compulsory
education.

This makes me ashamed, it's like something from the dark ages...

What about Maltese citizens who are not Catholic?
We have plenty of UK citizens who retired here, and other foreigners who obtained citizenship and started their families here.

Frankly I think our constitution would be going against human rights... weren't it for clause 40:

40. (1) All persons in Malta shall have full freedom of
conscience and enjoy the free exercise of their respective mode of
religious worship.
(2) No person shall be required to receive instruction in
religion or to show knowledge or proficiency in religion if, in the
case of a person who has not attained the age of sixteen years,
objection to such requirement is made by the person who according
to law has authority over him and, in any other case, if the person
so required objects thereto...

Meaning that parents can object to their kid being forced RC teaching. In which case they don't get the lesson substituted for one in general morality or one which covers the common basics of religions in general, but they just miss on a class.

What I see as ideal is Btarunr's post on Indian education:

In India, grades I to VIII have a subject called "Moral Science". Text books are published by the board of education, and it conducts exams. In that, kids are introduced to each-others' religions in a non-judgmental way: Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, etc., and then generic morality lessons are taught. It's really important to teach kids to live in a pluralistic, secular society. Especially with the amount of plurality and diversity in India.

That's just perfect.