So I guess a bunch of parents somehow think the teacher was trying to convert their kids over to Islam when it was just a simple assignment to learn about another culture. Are people really this closed minded? I'm very curious....if it were an assignment on Christianity I dont' think these parents would have a single issue with it. Then of course an atheist group would protest it and then the Christians would use their persecution card...


http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/18/us/virgini...d=19691139

(December 18, 2015 at 4:31 am)godzilla_22 Wrote: So I guess a bunch of parents somehow think the teacher was trying to convert their kids over to Islam when it was just a simple assignment to learn about another culture. Are people really this closed minded? I'm very curious....if it were an assignment on Christianity I dont' think these parents would have a single issue with it. Then of course an atheist group would protest it and then the Christians would use their persecution card...


http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/18/us/virgini...d=19691139

Quote: "Here is the shahada, the Islamic statement of faith, written in Arabic. In the space below, try copying it by hand. This should give you an idea of the artistic complexity of calligraphy."

You  know, I think I would be seriously pissed off if someone forced my kids to copy a Christian statement of faith.

(December 18, 2015 at 4:36 am)CapnAwesome Wrote:

(December 18, 2015 at 4:31 am)godzilla_22 Wrote: So I guess a bunch of parents somehow think the teacher was trying to convert their kids over to Islam when it was just a simple assignment to learn about another culture. Are people really this closed minded? I'm very curious....if it were an assignment on Christianity I dont' think these parents would have a single issue with it. Then of course an atheist group would protest it and then the Christians would use their persecution card...


http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/18/us/virgini...d=19691139

Quote: "Here is the shahada, the Islamic statement of faith, written in Arabic. In the space below, try copying it by hand. This should give you an idea of the artistic complexity of calligraphy."

You  know, I think I would be seriously pissed off if someone forced my kids to copy a Christian statement of faith.

I essentially agree. But this just seems like Christians complaining because there's another religion their kids are learning about. I bet these same parents would have zero problem with it if it were some kind of Christian assignment.

(December 18, 2015 at 4:39 am)godzilla_22 Wrote:

(December 18, 2015 at 4:36 am)CapnAwesome Wrote: You  know, I think I would be seriously pissed off if someone forced my kids to copy a Christian statement of faith.

I essentially agree. But this just seems like Christians complaining because there's another religion their kids are learning about. I bet these same parents would have zero problem with it if it were some kind of Christian assignment.

I think copying a statement of faith of any religion that isn't your own, is libel to piss of that group. I seriously doubt Muslims would react better if they were forced to recite the lords prayer. It also seems like a violation of the separation of Church and state.

Kids should be learning about worthwhile topics not crackpot cults like Islam and Christianity.

(December 18, 2015 at 5:17 am)Nontheist Wrote: Kids should be learning about worthwhile topics not crackpot cults like Islam and Christianity.

Yes, but it doesn't hurt to have an informed opinion. They shouldn't learn as in here's something you should subscribe to. But they certainly should learn what makes other cultures tick. Ignorance is one of the main factors that led us to where we are now.

Since religious  imagery is or was discouraged in Islamic countries, Calligraphy was developed into an important and impressive art form in the region, with entire sentences contained in complex pictures. This is something kids should be exposed to in art class, and I find your statements dismissing everything these cultures have produced very ignorant.

(December 18, 2015 at 5:21 am)abaris Wrote:

(December 18, 2015 at 5:17 am)Nontheist Wrote: Kids should be learning about worthwhile topics not crackpot cults like Islam and Christianity.

Yes, but it doesn't hurt to have an informed opinion. They shouldn't learn as in here's something you should subscribe to. But they certainly should learn what makes other cultures tick. Ignorance is one of the main factors that led us to where we are now.

I don't remember doing assignments on the loch ness monster or mermaids.. all forms of bullshit should be kept away from education.

(December 18, 2015 at 5:21 am)abaris Wrote:

(December 18, 2015 at 5:17 am)Nontheist Wrote: Kids should be learning about worthwhile topics not crackpot cults like Islam and Christianity.

Yes, but it doesn't hurt to have an informed opinion. They shouldn't learn as in here's something you should subscribe to. But they certainly should learn what makes other cultures tick. Ignorance is one of the main factors that led us to where we are now.

Dan Dennett says it well in my opinion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTepA-WV...ED62584933