Should religion be taught in schools?

Question

I'm not saying that a certain religion be choosen over the rest but rather all religions be thoroughly taught, like in any other class, by people with an understanding for it all. Religion has about as much an impact as politics, math and science in our everyday world and so should therefore be understood.

Bare in mind I am not referring to being taught how to follow the religion but about the religion and understanding a bit about it's history.

Answer 1

I don't believe children should be proselytized to, as that is up to the discretion of the parents, but a healthy understand of the worlds religions isn't going to hurt anyone. In fact, understanding the faith of other people could probably help a lot of the world's problems.

I once had a student ask me if I hated the Jews and thought they were bad (I was a teacher's aide). She had no concept of what the religion even was, but had heard one bad thing and thought they were evil. Had the child been properly educated, she would be more understanding and tolerant.

Answer 2

I think that if Every religion was taught, than it would be very informative and much needed. Unfortunately, there are a lot of gray areas when it comes to religion. There are some that are not recognized as actual religions even though there are practiced by many people. Also, to have every religion taught would require an entirely different schedule from the ones currently used. There are thousands of religions and to have each one taught, in depth, would take time that is already being used for other areas of education.
Do I think its a good idea? Yes
Is it probable? Not really

Answer 3

I believe that there are a few contexts in which religion should be taught within the public curriculum. Since Creationism is the leading alternative to Evolution and the Big Bang theory, all major world religions should have opportunity to provide their alternate theory within a set and equal period of time. This could be done easy and quickly if the instructor was versed in the various religious doctrines.

Religion should also be taught for its referential purposes. Since much of world literature and philosophies alludes to the writings of world religion, i feel that it should be necessary to understand some of the basics of these writings, not for their moral, but for their referential purpose.

Answer 4

No for different reasons.
- There would not be enough time to do it properly. All religions woud have to be covered & it would be almost impossible for a teacher belonging to one faith to be truly objective. Also atheism would have to be included. Try to explain the difference between the Catholic doctrine of Transubstanciation and the Anglican(Episcopalian) Consubstatiation, just as an example.
In essence , although, the opposite was intended by the founders, religion breeds hatred. And that statement has to be qualified. For example Luther & Knox split with Rome out of hatred really. What grade level would you suggest this teaching commence, and is Thomas Aquinus available.I'm afraid to do what you suggest would be a Lifetime committment.

Answer 5

Personally, I'd like to see kids indoctrinated with several years of Logic training, and be forced to read Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" every year in High School. I'd love to see the next generation come out equipped to tell the truth from a lie, and be nice to each other.

But short of doing that, I wouldn't have a problem with religious training in school. Not like they're teaching much else, it'd give them something to do.

Answer 6

The question is so large, it turns into no longer conceivable to respond to, as someone who does no longer position self assurance in God, very last time i take advantage of a capital by technique of ways, i detect all those who believe faith might want to study as truth very problematical. it is appropriate really to creationists, and that i bear in mind having an extremely extraordinary coversation many years in the past with a strongly non secular guy in this subject. He brushed aside all twentieth century technological expertise as evil, yet might want to ask human beings to expose the heating up if he were chilly, he might want to brush aside the life of the dinosaurs, affirming they were positioned there by technique of the devil to reason guy to sin, and replaced into confident that the Earth replaced into 4,000 years old. He also believed that he replaced right into a accurate away descendant of Adam & Eve, even the most non secular man or woman might want to settle for that this isn't conceivable by technique of using easy common sense. Creationism, like the Earth being flat is a very disproved idea, it has no position in colleges, or everywhere for that count number, it is as authentic as Santa Claus relationship the teeth Fairy. If any faith is taught in any respect in colleges, and that i believe faith shouldn't in any respect study, it will be in basic terms in historic context on the concept of that which may be shown. something is errant nonsense, and that i certainly does no longer want any baby in my kinfolk taught such issues.

Answer 7

The history and philosophy of the religions should be taught in history class when they are relevent. But it should not be a separate subject.

Answer 8

Religion is taught is schools. Sunday schools. Churches, synagogues, mosques, etc., by the clergy, who are best equipped to guide them on their religious journey.
Parents bear the responsibility of teaching their children religion. By taking them to church. Also by teaching them the basic principals of their respective religions.

Answer 9

I think in a perfect world, they COULD all be taught. Only problem is, I would hate it if I had an atheist teaching my children about Christianity.
It's simply safer for children to be taught about religion at home.

Answer 10

Do you mean like those in college that talk about all different ones? Interesting concept but since we're expected to do everything from feed them to teach them how to be polite and responsible, there really isn't enough time in the day to do everything.