Some people believe religion should be taught in schools. Should science be taught in church?

Answer 1

I am all for religion being taught in school. That statement might confound you a little since most of my posts indicate that I am antagonistic towards religion. Let me clarify what I mean.

When I say I want religion to be taught in school, I don’t in anyway mean to say that I want children to be taught to worship a particular deity, or to be taught that certain religious propositions like the virgin birth, the Immaculate Conception, or the preeminence of Muhammad in the pantheon of prophets is true. I just want our children to be informed about them in the same manner that a well-rounded education should inform children about certain details of Greek mythology. Just because we teach Greek mythology, does not mean that we intend our children to revere Zeus or offer propitiations to Aphrodite. It is important to learn about myth because it illuminates what is or was important to people, and myth has, for better or worse, driven much of our history. So though I don’t want to instruct our children to worship Yahweh, Jesus, Brahma, etc, I want them to know about them, what people believe about them, what consequences those beliefs had on our history, and what ramifications are being felt globally by the maintenance of such beliefs. One of the greatest threats against religion spreading, is to teach comparative religion. Once kids eyes are open to how religions form, how they are all derivative, and how many religious precepts are purely concocted to substantiate government and clerical corruption, the mystique of religious belief will be gone, and these kids will be more inclined to view religion with a critical eye. If I were to pinpoint a pivotal moment in my evolution away from Catholicism to unbelief, it was a segment in my World History class on world religions that I was exposed to when I was in the 11th grade. The lectures that my teacher gave us, became the catalyst for me to investigate my faith further from both philosophical and historical grounds, throughout my collegiate life and beyond.

On the flip side of the coin, I don’t believe we have a right to compel religious institutions to teach science. Even if that were possible, I am sure religious instructors, especially of the fundamentalist variety, would find a way to either discredit controversial scientific notions, like evolution, or put a metaphorical spin on it to make it compatible with their belief system, thus in some way distorting the science. In other words, allowing science to be taught by institutions that have a biased against one of the axioms of modern science (i.e. evolution), actually does more to harm scientific understanding than it does to engender it in the masses.

Furthermore, forcing scientific instruction into a religion class completely dismantles the Establishment Clause in the Constitution, which provides for a wall of separation between Church and State. Once this barrier has been torn down, religious groups will be free to lobby for every idiotic proposition that they want incorporated into our public sphere. The desire for the government to force Sunday school classes to teach science, and specifically evolution, is a double-edged sword.

Answer 2

Actually science and religion are like twins. The flooding of the world and the lucky people and 2 of every kind of animal and bird and insect in the world invited to be on Noahs Ark. The parting of the Red Sea, Davids slaying of the Giant Goliath. Its all explaineable in how real science that has to do with weather conditions and the in and out of flowing tidal basins. and with Davids Sling shot that is a real weapon used by shepards in those days, and in that area of time it was as effective for wolfs and coyotes as 22 caliber rifles are today. Your question is not original and churches go backwards with thier science translations to what the scriptures say. I think you may be refering to the real begining of Life itself with Adam & Eve versus the science version of evolution before caveman when it was that monekys changed into a caveman, then the caveman who is us becomes a normal civilized human being. The religion won't explain that coincidence. In that the twain is different to great to ever meet.

Answer 3

In a way science is taught in church like when they talk about how the earth came about and things of that nature, but church should remain how it is church is a place for people to come to worship god if you want to learn science go take a class or something and vice versa.

Answer 4

I don't see the problem with religion being taught in schools. I'm personally an athiest but that's because I've learned about a bunch of different religions and made the choice that I did. By learning about different religions in school, I think kids would be more religiously tolerant...just as long it was teaching the basic principles of religions, not preaching or forcing them. As for the science thing, that's up to each church/faith I guess. I mean, what does it really matter because kids learn science in school?

Answer 5

I agree with Jack Bauer (big shock! Haha)

My favorite class in my 4 years of high school (Other than World Mythology which kind of ties in) was my Religion Class (elective of course since I went to public school). It was only 1 semester long, so we only studied the basics of a few-Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam-but it was a great class. Just general information, that teaches tolerance. No preaching, no "this is how it is". I think it could be useful.

As for science in church-well, I will keep my comments to myself. Two violation notices in less than 24 hours is enough for me ;)

Answer 6

School is a place where children should be exposed to many different subjects. Learning about religion is not going to harm them and they don't have to believe in it to learn it. People who go to church go their of their own free will for religious reasons so why should science be taught there?

Answer 7

I don't think it would be possible to teach religion in school. Because there are to many different religions to be able to teach all. But I also think that evolution should not be taught as fact either, but as the theory that it is. But I have always said that it would not hurt anything if the children were allowed a minute of silence before class starts to either pray to their God , or for those who don't believe they could just think about what ever they wanted to. One minute would not hurt any one, and it would be a silent moment for all to use as they chose.

Answer 8

Yes. The first chapter of Genesis should be compared to the Enuma Elish, the Mesopotamian version of Creation which predates the Bible by millenia. The first few verses is a vague version of a real cosmological event. Please read books by Zecharia Sitchin. Science and religion agree. It's just that peope don't.

Answer 9

Church isn't a public place where people have to learn; they go there by choice. So no I don't think science should be taught in a religion unless it pertains to it in some way.

Answer 10

Yes, science and evolution should be required by law in churches. However, anything other than the methods that the religious have used to impose terror, oppression, murder and just basically destroy humanity should be banned from schools. Schools must remain places of learner and not places to spread superstitious drivel.