Teaching religion in school

[tantric]

I think teaching comparative religion would be a grand idea if only we could get the schools to actually do that fairly. What ought to be taught is: the history of each religion, its myths/scriptures, its central tenants, its religious practices, and its governance. Ancient religions should be given exactly the same treatment as extant ones. At a minimum Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Mormonism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism should be given a proper airing. A dip into what various ancient groups believed wouldn't hurt either, particularly the secret knowledge cults and the Egyptians and Babylonians. That ought to be enough to inoculate anyone particularly the history of and myths believed by parts.

But I'm not holding my breath.

You can inoculate people against religious memes. Your need frequent exposure to a variety of weakened (ie contextualized) strains. The internet is already doing this, but a horrifying amount of parental indoctrination still goes on. This is how to address the tyranny of Theism, not by prohibiting Nativities and editing our language.


FYI, for all the haters - the school of Engaged Buddhism actively prohibits such indoctrination - 'Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrow-mindedness.' Buddhism started as an anti-religion, but over time the very weaken strain used by the Buddha revivified and became...we'll not *that* bad.