Why is it that we do not study world religions with an unbiased mind.?

Question

I believe all children have the right to be taught about all the major religions of the world in an unbiased and unprejudiced manner and then the decision left to them to choose their own path,rather than teach a single ideology and close their minds to other beliefs and values.Agree or disagree.

Answer 1

I appreciate your belief. And I enjoy listening to my son speak of what he is learning in school about the ancient Islamic culture, how Islam as a religion came about, the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties, etc. In school, he has actually picked up quite a bit about the faiths of Abraham, Jesus, and Mohammad.

Having said this, I am raising my son and daughter to be Christians. I would love them, I would support them, but I woud be heartbroken if either of my children lost their faith in Christ or took up another religion. In short, I am biased toward the Christian religion.

I am prejudiced toward the idea that I will raise my children as Christians. In my house, we do study the other religions. We study other cultures and their values. But I've happily biased them toward Christianity in the sense that we believe Jesus is the Son of God, lived as a man, died for our sins, and is the way to salvation.

In fact, my children were a tad suspsicious this summer when I put them into a second VBS wtih another church.

God bless,

Laura

Answer 2

as a catholic I was taught all religions while being taught catholicism. I had all the choices to become catholic or not becoming catholic. I chose to be confirmed b/c it was the normal thing to do in school. I have since learned the ways of science and have a universal understanding about things. Science has turned me away from Religion in general. I feel much better about life NOW, than I did when I was in FEAR of "Hell."

I think all religions should teach science. Creationism is an option, but not a very logical option. It doesn't add up as well as natural selection or evolution or the big bang or planetary motion or gravitational forces.

Answer 3

Education about world religions is fine. Included in education about world religions is teaching what is true and what is false. It is not like offering a tray of hors d'oeuvres, where any selection is as good as the next. ANY person may--and will--choose what to believe, but for a person not to spread the truth, that Jesus is God's Son, is negligent. No one should be forced to accept it, as acceptance comes from the heart and soul, not from the mouth--and a forced Christian is no Christian at all. It is not a matter of adopting a belief. It is a matter of coming to know the Truth. So, sure, educate children about world religions, point out the one Truth--that Jesus is God's Son, and that he is the Way to the kingdom of God--and let the child choose. He or she will choose anyway, so anyone's "letting" him or her is beside the point.

Answer 4

For the record separation of state and church is not really about education. It is about governance based on equal representation. Don't tread on me and all will be fine is how you should look at this subject. Just for the record our government is happy that the masses are not educated. There is a direct correlation between the decline in quality of education and government intervention. The government schools are not learning institution they have become a big baby sitting ring. The day the idea of tenor in this country died the freedom to teach the art of thinking went with it. Now higher learning is really only available to the elite to continue the lineage to rule over the masses. I can see why you would think this way but the only way to restore the quality of education in this country is to put back into the system the ability to know how think and find information on your own. I get real nervous when an institution tell what I should know while destroying my ability to formulate my own astute observations. Data means nothing if you don't know how to interpret what your findings.

Answer 5

I think that mostly christianity, would not allow itself to be taught in such a way.

I mean how many people would believe christianity if they come to it from a neutral point of view, and are taught "these people believe so and such and so, that they are right and everyone else is wrong and will be punished forever"

I mean seriously! very few people would belive it when presented in this way, and those who were, would be essentially immune to conversion, as well, because when people came to them stating such as a matter of fact it would roll right off them like water off the back of a duck, because they already know what these people believe, and they won't be panicked by this "omg really!? I could go to hell!? how terrible!!"

>>"If you have a worldview you believe to be true why would you not bring your children up the same way? If I were an atheist, I would try to convince my children of the same."<<

if you truly have confidence in your beliefs, theres no reason not to present it as "Well, your mother/father and I believe so and such, and other people believe other things"

if your right, won't it be self evident?

if your beliefs are not self evident as true, when presented without threat and fear... shouldn't you consider how true they really are, and why you believe?

I believe in some pretty unpopular and "out there" spiritual beliefs. and I feel this is such. if its not self evident to you as true... you probably shouldn't be beliving it.

Answer 6

If I had time to learn everything else in the world that I really needed to learn, then perhaps I might read a little about other religions. Since I have years of reading more important things, I will just continue to read my Christian Bible and to believe in its every word.

I am certain that is the best path for children, too.

Answer 7

I'd agree if it even were possible. But it isn't. You cannot have an unbiased mind about something you either don't care at all (and therefore, you know nothing) or you have very strong feelings about (and therefore you have taken sides). Objectivity is impossible. The best you can do is bring people or opinions from different viewpoints. But to expect that you'll be objective is utopic.

Answer 8

Because then that would lead one to the conclusion that said religions are nothing more than a typical form of human mythology, and are every bit as fictional as mythology is commonly thought to be.

That sort of conclusion offends a religious person's spiritual sensibilities, and since (supposedly) 95% of the world's population consists of supernaturalists, you have a lot of people who feel that they have something to lose by objectively analysing religion.

You could say it's a matter of vested interest, i suppose; people want to continue believing what they presently believe, and more learning endangers that cause.

Answer 9

If you have a worldview you believe to be true why would you not bring your children up the same way? If I were an atheist, I would try to convince my children of the same. I wouldn't try brainwashing them though (although many people from all walks of life do this).

Answer 10

I think everyone should study all things, period. It is the mark of an educated person, a scholar, to do so.