Do you think some groups are trying to bring religion back into the public sphere?

Question

e.g. religious headgear in schools, Bible study, prayers, religious education, creationism in science class, etc. How do you feel about it?

To the first respondent:

I am not an atheist. I am not even mentioning atheism. Read the question. Don't add anything to it of your own and attribute it to me. The first way to start with an answer is to get the question right.

I am going to have to acknowledge Skippy's points. Very good argument.

No, I don't live under a rock, you idiot. If I did, why would I point it out in the first place?

I am not against occasional prayer and religious meetings after school hours or at special events. I am not against a Christmas tree or any other religious expression such as menorahs at Hanukkah. As for a club, that should be between members at an agreed-upon time in the school and not required of others. I am not against a certain club.

Oh, I can tell you that Muslims use cultural diversity and political correctness to their advantage while the system discriminates against Jews and Christians, because they are 'Western' and Muslims are 'non-Western'. If it is racist to restrict Muslim rights, is it not racist to restrict Jewish rights as Jews are Semites and have been a targeted and persecuted group historically?

Answer 1

Because we are a post-Christian nation, we are now reinterpreting "separation of church and state." Never mind the fact that the phrase “separation of church and state” is not even found in the Constitution (Thomas Jefferson used the term in a private letter to reassure the Baptists that the government would not interfere in the free exercise of their religious beliefs [Jefferson, 1802]).

It is a historical fact that the Bible was the central focus of American education from the very beginning—the first book in the classroom. The Bible was used, not only to teach content, but to teach a child how to read, memorize, recite, and even write (look it up).

Besides, I have found that most Christians don't want biblical creationism taught in science classes anyway. What we want is for molecules-to-man evolution to be taught with all its warts (they are not even allowed to present evidence that would put evolution in a poor light).

And we want intelligent design to at least to be presented (that is science). Reliable methods for detecting design exist and are employed in forensics, archeology, and data fraud analysis. These methods can easily be employed to detect design in biological systems.

I agree with George Bush, "Both sides ought to be properly taught . . . so people can understand what the debate is about . . . Part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought . . . You're asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, the answer is yes.”

Good science teaching should include controversies!

Answer 2

Humans beings are spiritual by nature. None of us checks our spirituality at the door when we leave our houses in the morning for work or school. Public schools are public property, so churches can use the property to have services as long as it is not during school hours. As for bible study or prayer groups, almost any school can have a club like that if they have a teacher/sponser. It doesn't mean the school endorses it, it just means that the kids want it and if they get a sponser they can have it, as long as it is non-violent. As for creation taught in a public school science class, I've not heard that it was going to be taught in any public school science class. Religious head-gear, I'm not sure what you mean by that, but kids can wear shirts with religious sayings on them, again, as long as it's not violent. As for religious education, not in public schools. However, I have read a story about some public schools in southern California catering to Muslim kids by allowing them prayer time, changing the cafeteria food so that their religious diets, but they would not do that for Jewish or Christian kids. Go figure.

Answer 3

Well some of those things ( bible study, prayers, even headgear...) were around when the majority WERE EXTREMELY religious.


But there is more of an emphasis on LEARNING about religions, rather than necessarily following them.
Which is good. The you would be either a pessimistic a- hole bigot, or mindlessly parroting quotes you don't understand.

It's called having an EDUCATED opinion.

Answer 4

I don't think there is anything wrong with showing that you are religious in public. It's if and/or when the gov't pushed religion on you. For example, I don't care what anyone says, the moment of silence that you have to observe at the beginning of your school day is a discrete way to push religion on kids.

Answer 5

you would be able to desire to start a club on campus. i know how on my own you may sense at cases on your faith, I too am a Christian in H.S. What I did grew to become into purely that, initiate a bible club. Its no longer unlawful mutually because it quite is scholar led(meaning the pupils would desire to be there voluntarily and would't be led via a instructor on the faculty). I even have my conferences at lunch, perhaps you're able to do some thing comparable? Pray to God and ask His practise, in the adventure that your intentions are genuine and righteous, he will furnish a direction to do it. yet as for reinstating prayer or the bible for the whole college would be impossible till the regulations are replaced via people who lead them to. perhaps initiate a petition or sell a christian candidate that would replace those regulations. Pray for the respond.

Answer 6

Do I THINK? Do you live under a rock or something???

All you need to do is read a newspaper to see that religion is attempting to assault science.

Creationism is a joke, completely unsupported. ID is even worse that Creationism, as it is creationism disguised as science. The constitution protects one from being persecuted for their beleifs - but it doesnt allow the forcing of one religion upon all others. For that reason, religion has no place in the public.

Answer 7

Yes, all the time. You better believe it. Did you know ALL presidential aids come from one school? It's a law school, not even a 3rd. rate law school. Why do all aids come from this school? Because it's a Christian law school. And I'm scarred to death because if they succeed there goes our freedom form real. I don't have a problem with the advertiment of religion in schools and public. I believe people should be able to make up their own mind. It's when it becomes the ONLY religion that is used that it becomes dangorous.

Answer 8

I think to an extent it is ok to teach about religion in schools.

!*YET*!

I feel it is very important to create very clear guidelines on how this is done before anyone jumps into it headlong. There already is quite a heavy effect on our current government via religious pressure.

Answer 9

I think prayer should be allowed in school. The rest should be in churches or synagouges. I don't think it should be mandatory for a child to pray, I think that should be the decision of the childs parents. I also think prayer should be individual, so as not to put one religious belief over any other.

Answer 10

I think it is a step back towards the dark-ages. The simple fact is that only in a secular society can people belonging to a diverse range of faiths live together. It annoys me when people abuse the freedoms granted to them in western society by attempting to undermine the secularism which protects their right to their faith. In a theocracy, only one group of people are allowed religious expression - its great for them but awful for everyone else.