Banning religious teachings for minors

[Dystopia]

Do you think teaching religion to children/minors should be banned? Why and why not? Justify

Would this go against people's rights? Would your constitution and laws allow this measure?

And how would we enforce it? What about the possibility of the slippery slope argument to justify further bans on teaching your children?

[Cato]

I certainly have opinions about child indoctrination; however, I can't imagine a compelling state interest that would trump a parent's right to teach their children as they wish.

[Chad32]

Everyone should have freedom of religion. You should be able to believe what you want. Personally I disagree with taking your infant to church, and say that your religion is the one true religion just because, but as long as the parent isn't trying to teach their kids to push people down for not falling in line, then it's fine. Yes there are muddy areas with every decision, but we can't regulate every single thing that gets passed from parent to child. All we can do is pass laws that promote equality, and try to keep people in line with them.

It's bad when people say that their genocidal narcissist of a god says that two consenting adults shouldn't be allowed to have sex, but the best we can do is to try to promote equality and prevent a theocracy.

[ignoramus]

Cannot be implemented or policed.
No real difference to driving cars or gun ownership.
They're only tools...
You are always going to have people using these tools to kill themselves or others.
That's just life I'm afraid.

[Jenny A]

I don't think religious teaching to children can be banned, at least no in the U.S. The First Amendment would definitely get in the way.

I suggest that we go about it the other way round and teach comparative religion in the schools beginning in grade school. Nothing like showing off all the idiocy.

[Chad32]

I wouldn't mind an extra curricular class about mythology and religion being taught in schools, as long as the teacher isn't claiming that one religion is the One True Faith or something. Show where these stories about floods and gods and virgin births came from, and how they relate to each other, and all that stuff. It can be interesting.

Of course the religious people would still complain about it. Even if people are studying the bible, if they're putting all the other holy texts and mythologies on the same level as the bible, the christian fundies will call it blasphemy. They don't want people knowing that Jesus wasn't the only person who was supposedly born of a virgin, or that christianity took many things from different beliefs in order to gain converts, or that there were people at one time who decided which biblical books were cnon, and which weren't.

[Angrboda]

The family bond, and the transmission of culture through family is one of the most robust processes we have evolved for maintaining society. I think attempting to hobble that process because you dislike some of the uses to which it is put is wrong-headed, and probably anti-progressive. If you want people to make good decisions about religion, you should be providing more education, not attempting to censor an existing educational practice.

[The Grand Nudger]

I suggest that we go about it the other way round and teach comparative religion in the schools beginning in grade school. Nothing like showing off all the idiocy.

-WAS taught comparative mythology from grade school on. Up to and including a private catholic high school. Catholic schools, in our diocese, leaned on legalism so that they could teach comparative mythology while refusing to draw any direct comparisons to catholicism specifically. No questions in that regard would be answered by anything other than a reminder that the educator could not, in this environment, answer that question for you - satisfactorily. I took that as encouragement to do my own reading. The lure of St. Petersburg Catholic was not that it denied the sorts of education that would be required for ivy league entrance - but that it enabled it - from within the framework of what the organization could offer without compromising it's position. More specifically, it was a good way to get into Stetson (with the added bonus of something to put on a real ivy league app). Obviously, I never followed through with that, but meh. Here I am...lol, digging holes in the ground. Tell you what though, it was a master class in ag and supply economics - in that I may or may not have learned a great deal selling 'dro/yayo to coddled rich kids.


So, business as usual?

[Jenny A]

I suggest that we go about it the other way round and teach comparative religion in the schools beginning in grade school. Nothing like showing off all the idiocy.

-WAS taught comparative mythology from grade school on. Up to and including a private catholic high school. Catholic schools, in our diocese, leaned on legalism so that they could teach comparative mythology while refusing to draw any direct comparisons to catholicism specifically. No questions in that regard would be answered by anything other than a reminder that the educator could not, in this environment, answer that question for you - satisfactorily. I took that as encouragement to do my own reading. The lure of St. Petersburg Catholic was not that it denied the sorts of education that would be required for ivy league entrance - but that it enabled it - from within the framework of what the organization could offer without compromising it's position. More specifically, it was a good way to get into Stetson (with the added bonus of something to put on a real ivy league app). Obviously, I never followed through with that, but meh. Here I am...lol, digging holes in the ground. Tell you what though, it was a master class in ag and supply economics - in that I may or may not have learned a great deal selling 'dro/yayo to coddled rich kids.


So, business as usual?

I'm not the least interested in seeing mythology taught as comparative religion. What I'd like to see is Jewish, Hindu, Christian, Muslim, etc. beliefs and scriptures laid out side by side preferably at the same time parents are saying "this is what we believe" at home. Wouldn't hurt for them to know just how many people believe each of the them either.

Not certain how politically feasible it is, but it's more so than prohibiting parents from teaching kids religion.

[The Grand Nudger]

The hindu, muslim - and, amusingly, jewish bits were taught as comparative myth, even in the catholic school which excluded christianity here (understandable - they know what side of their bread is buttered and by whom). My public schools made no distinction and included christianity in that as well. I guess I'm asking if this is not ordinary? I assumed that (especially in the case of public schools) it was similar pretty much everywhere?

(yes I know schools and districts differ - plenty of family in education - but the core curriculum would seem to include the sort of stuff you want)

I'm suggesting that this stuff is already taught, and that students are just ignoring their instructors (surprise surprise) or have incentive to ignore their instructors (religious parents/peers/pressure).