I understand everyone should be able to choose what religion they want but how does encouraging neutrality in education undermine that? Separating church and education makes any religious teachings entirely optional, it makes it a choice in every sense of the word. It also removes the segregation of cultures that would normally occur.
A Muslim and a Christian could meet under normal circumstances, gain a knowledge of each others cultures and maybe even develop a friendship in a neutral school while still being able to go to their separate religious gatherings as they see fit outside school hours.
I'm not seeing any negatives here, people might actually become more tolerant towards each other.

(February 19, 2012 at 7:58 pm)RaphielDrake Wrote: I understand everyone should be able to choose what religion they want but how does encouraging neutrality in education undermine that?

It doesn't. It undermines the separation of the government from religious affairs. Neutrality in regard to private school teachings ensures that the government does not become involved in religious matters, which is the essence of secularism.

Quote:Separating church and education makes any religious teachings entirely optional, it makes it a choice in every sense of the word.

It does no such thing. Separating it from public schools ensures that the government has nothing to do with religious teachings. If parents were not allowed to send their kids to private religious schools, they would just teach their children their religions at church and at home.

Quote:A Muslim and a Christian could meet under normal circumstances, gain a knowledge of each others cultures and maybe even develop a friendship in a neutral school while still being able to go to their separate religious gatherings as they see fit outside school hours.

That is what public schools are for.

Quote:I'm not seeing any negatives here, people might actually become more tolerant towards each other.

Telling people that they cannot send their children to private religious schools promotes tolerance?

I do not mean to be rude but the separation between church and state seems rather one sided considering every-time I listen to a political statement in an election I hear God mentioned in more or less every single one. Infact I remember more than one war where his name was invoked in a presidential speech.
Sounds like the state got screwed on this deal.

(February 19, 2012 at 8:17 pm)RaphielDrake Wrote: I do not mean to be rude but the separation between church and state seems rather one sided considering every-time I listen to a political statement in an election I hear God mentioned in more or less every single one. Infact I remember more than one war where his name was invoked in a presidential speech.
Sounds like the state got screwed on this deal.

Perhaps. However, the ideal has nothing to do with politicians having particular beliefs. It has to do with religion being something that the government cannot dictate.

If the ideal doesn't prevent the welfare of the state and the welfare of its people becoming a second thought next to religion then why keep it?
Its not popular speech that needs defending, its unpopular speech.

And religious speech is unpopular among atheists. Their rights should be protected as well. The idea of fairness is not, "what makes me happy is fair."

We're the minority Shell, not the majority and I never suggested atheism be taught in classes. I also never suggested that was the definition of fairness.
What I do suggest is that if a mostly christian nations government really had the rights of minorities at heart they would not permit billboards like this:

The problem is that you cannot allow minority to trump majority in some strange attempt at fairness. It has to be equal . . . for everyone.

I'm an atheist. I'm not an antitheist.

The government could hardly be accused of treating atheists equally though your point is taken.

(February 19, 2012 at 7:27 pm)Shell B Wrote: I disagree with what you are saying now. I don't disagree with everything you have said. I will also post whenever I feel like it, kiddo.

You are against everything that doesn't suit your lifestyle and choices. That's pretty fucking shitty and closed-minded. You might as well be Christian. Furthermore, you are a gigantic cry-baby who can't stand the thought of other people having opinions that differ from yours. Congratulations, you are everything that sucks about religion.

I'm just generally superior.

I support Pro Choice, how exactly does that effect me? so your everything that doesnt suit me and my lifestyle is pure shit. And your little PMS speeches against me are really pathetic, I'm the worst things about religion? fuck you ya cunt you dont even know me. You're the worst fucking person I've met on this site and I had the pleasure of talking to zakir, youre horribly mean and wicked, you already have more religious qualities than anything you've mentioned, the fuck did I do to you that deserves such shit from you, you went off of nothing to get mad at me when we first talked. Go fuck yourself ya know use the ignore button if ya dont like what ya read.