Why do most atheists seem to get so upset whenever God or religion is mentioned in schools or other public places? Considering that this country was founded by mainly christians and most of the first schools in America had biblical teaching in them, seems a little strange.
2007-09-27 07:59:20 · 14 answers · asked by Mike 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Response to Catherine E's answer: Yes, I can kind of see where you are coming from when you said that the Bible should not be taught in public schools because some of the other students might not share the same beliefs. Why was it that Intelligent Design being presented in public schools was so strongly opposed by some parents though? It doesnt mention anything about any particular religion, but as just an alternative theory to evolution.
2007-09-27 08:24:07 · update #1
They hate God and those who believe in God. They don't understand the Constitution. They think freedom of religion means freedom from religion.
2007-09-27 08:03:25 · answer #1 · answered by Gal from Yellow Flat 5 · 2⤊ 7⤋
I suspect some of the more outspoken atheists see it as an assault on reality, that the fact that some religious something or another is somehow a state sanctioned cramming of a particular belief system down their throat... it's the concept of political correctness and how everything has to be inoffensive to everyone that leads to this sort of mentality.
Of course you'll be able to dig up members of any belief system that are outspoken enough to tell you that they're upset by public displays of some competing belief system. The more reasonable practitioners of a particular faith are going to understand that not everyone thinks the way they do. Perhaps they may attempt to enlighten people as to their own beliefs but understand that it has to be the individuals choice.
The idea that *most* atheists are upset over it seems a little silly to me.. I hear about "the atheists" on various media outlets that are upset over this or that, but most people I know that are atheists are pretty much okay with anyone of any particular faith.. they don't necessarily believe any of it, but it's not causing them any problems it doesn't matter to them.
You know.. while I'm thinking about it.. the mantra that you keep hearing about it being unconstitutional becuase of the "seperation of church and state".. that's based on the first amendment phrase that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"... that doesn't seperate church and state.. it simply means congress can't tell people what to believe or where to believe it or how to display it. It's not to protect the government from the faithful, but rather to protect the faithful citizens from being attacked by the government based on their fath. The freedom of speech part means that people are free to express their beliefs, whatever they may be, without fear of punishment by the government.. that does not mean that people don't have the right to be pissed off at you for what you have to say. so "the atheists" have just as much right to be upset about a perception of too much religion in government as the faithful do to be upset at the athiests for saying what they're saying.
If someone offends you with their beliefs, you're probably taking everything way too seriously anyway.
2007-09-27 08:19:13 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually, many of our Founders were Deists, not Christian. And the first schools here were of the Puritans - you know, those people that outlawed Christmas because of its Pagan origin, killed several people (Not just in Salem, that was just the last set of killings by the Puritans over what they thought was witchcraft) because of accusations of witchcraft, etc etc... Those people that even the founders said they didn't like because of the way treated others. It's also one of the reasons Jefferson wrote about wanting to see religion kept out of the Gov't all together, because people like the Puritans wanted to Rule over Everyone....
Odd how so many people claim this country is based on ANY religion at all, since most of the people who came here (of their own free will) did so because they were trying to get away from Religious Persecution... Religion did Rule Europe during that time.... and that's what the people who came to America were trying to avoid all together. Funny how all this time and America is trying to place one Religion over another, while Europe is actually breaking free from all of that.
Pagan
Edit:
Intelligent Design comes down directly from Christianity. No other religion puts its Creation Myths forward as a Science. You have to be able to Prove the things you state are Fact and ID states "God" as a Fact without any Proof. It is not an alternative to Evolution at all.
2007-09-27 08:31:50 · answer #3 · answered by River 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I used to be an atheist, throughout most of my time in elementary + high school. I was irritated by the forcing of having to say the Lord's Prayer in school for a few reasons:
- it was a public school, not a private religious school
- it was always about christianity, never any other religions
- since other religions left out, they never thought logically to give a moment of silence to count in everyone
And really, that's the reason I continue to be irritated today. When there's no moment of silence instead to include everyone. Sure, America was founded mainly on Christianity, but today, that isn't how it is.
2007-09-27 08:22:27 · answer #4 · answered by xxinvain 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It makes no difference whether or not the country was founded by "mainly Christians" or not. People in this country have the right to believe what they believe, and to worship or not worship as they see fit. And just because the first schools in America had Biblical teaching in them doesn't make it right. Slavery was legal in the early days of America, too, so does that mean that we should still be allowed to enslave people?
We don't like "God" being talked about in schools because school is not church. It's school. Children go there to get an education, not to have someone else's religious beliefs shoved in their faces.
No one is saying that the students can't pray if they wish, or that they can't bring their Bibles to school and read them. They just need to do it on their own time. They can pray between classes, they can pray during their lunch time and recess time. They just can't take up class time to do it. There are kids there of differing beliefs, and it is not right for one group of kids to force kids of other beliefs to wait while they pray during time that is meant for learning.
Additional details: Because no matter how you present it, "Intelligent Design" is about God. It's about some "higher power" making a decision to do something. Again, if people wish to believe that, then that's their choice. However, there is no evidence that there even exists a "higher power", and science is about facts and evidence, not "beliefs", "faith" or "wishful thinking". It simply doesn't have a place in a science class. Let the science teachers teach what we DO know based on the evidence we have, (just the straight facts, evidence, and test results) and then you can continue the teaching at home to include "God" or a higher power if you wish. One thing that needs to be understood is that science is *not* about "freedom of thought" or "freedom of speech". Science isn't always going to tell you what you *want* to hear, and we can not offer up alternative ideas that have no evidence to back them up simply because someone wants to hear that idea, too. We need to accept what science *does* tell us.
2007-09-27 08:11:19 · answer #5 · answered by Jess H 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Because religion does not belong in school unless it is being taught as one of many and along with all other arguments. Who cares if this country was founded on religion, isnt it time to grow up a little?
2007-09-27 08:07:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The United States wasn't founded on Christian principals. The whole reason the Pilgrims came to America was because they wanted to escape religious persecution and live free of a "set" religion - they wanted to be able to practice their own religion without being punished or told they were wrong.
I, as an Atheist get upset and feel uncomfortable with public religious practice because I feel that religion is a private practice. If you want to practice your religion, go to church or a private Catholic or Christian school where you and others who want to pray and practice can do so on your own time. I don't feel that I should have to pledge to God at the same time I pledge to my country.
Separation of church and state.
2007-09-27 08:05:10 · answer #7 · answered by Alley S. 6 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Gee, could it be that all other religions don't get the same treatment? Only Christianity seems to think it has the RIGHT to be publicly displayed and publicly funded on public grounds. That's against the Constitution. You can have all religions, or none. None is cheaper, and lowers taxes.
2007-09-27 08:06:08 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
No, some founding fathers were christians....just not all of them. Regardless of their faith though, the founding fathers went out of their way to construct a SECULAR government.
BTW....freedom OF religion means that you can't force someone to have a religion therefore freedom OF religion also means freedom FROM religion.
2007-09-27 08:05:40 · answer #9 · answered by Tony AM 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because my bible (the constitution of the United States) says that it is wrong. There is to be a seperation of church and state. That is in place to protect our government from the grasp of religion. So religious fanatics don't order our children to drink kool-aid.
2007-09-27 08:06:56 · answer #10 · answered by Gertrude H 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's like going to eat and someone is smoking next to you. Now I personally don't care at all if you smoke or not, but I don't want to be forced to breathe it in. Same thing with religion. You can believe what you want, but I don't want to be forced to hear about it. They DO have catholic schools for this.
2007-09-27 08:04:05 · answer #11 · answered by pukkz89 2 · 5⤊ 1⤋