Religion in Education

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by Raven_Writer

When I asked this, the teacher got a major attitude with me and this, and told me no, because of a bunch of reasons (I kind of tuned her out after she got an attitude).

If you ignored her when she was explaining why she was talking about it, how can you continue to complain about it?

Originally Posted by Raven_Writer

It was the fact that she kept referencing the bible, and not making any other comparisons. There was no references to other religions that she made.

There was no reference to Buddhism, because Buddhism played no part in Crime and Punishment. There was no reference to Islam, because Islam played no part in Crime and Punishment.

If you DON'T bring religion into education, you can not learn. Religion plays a major role in determining societal norms, and this was even greater in the past. If you do not discuss the context in which a book was written, then you can not understand the unwritten values that were assumed by the author.


KenWittlief: Speciation (a new species from old) is defined by reproductive isolation. If two things can mate and have fertile offspring, then they are not separate specie. Evolutionary genetics/Darwinian fitness is interesting intellectual stuff.

Wetzel

[Raven_Writer]

Originally Posted by Wetzel

If you ignored her when she was explaining why she was talking about it, how can you continue to complain about it?

There was no reference to Buddhism, because Buddhism played no part in Crime and Punishment. There was no reference to Islam, because Islam played no part in Crime and Punishment.

If you DON'T bring religion into education, you can not learn. Religion plays a major role in determining societal norms, and this was even greater in the past. If you do not discuss the context in which a book was written, then you can not understand the unwritten values that were assumed by the author...

I'm not, I was just giving the situations that brought up this thread, and people have made statements to where I still use that example.

I understand about the no other religions thing in C&P, but that's not exactly true either. I've noticed some connections between that and Satanism.

I'm not gonna touch the last paragraph...I'm not wanting this to become a flamewar or anything like that, I'm just wondering of other people's opinions.

Originally Posted by evulish

...Why do you have a problem with talking about the relationship between his book and Christianity when you don't seem to have a problem reading a book with Christian ties?...

The only problem I have with her discussion on it is when she keeps talking about it for 20+ minutes...like in church.

I haven't read the book, so thus I can't say that I do or don't have a problem reading it (I'm not a big fan of old-time [so to speak] books like this, so it's hard for me to read it).

I wish to ask that we do keep this more on track though, and not make it a direct attack on my way of viewing things. I just want to know the opinions of other's on if they think it's right, and to not try to prove me wrong.

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by Raven_Writer

The only problem I have with her discussion on it is when she keeps talking about it for 20+ minutes...like in church.

A teacher talking about the same subject for 20+ minutes is fine if it relates to what they are supposed to be teaching. If your only problem is that she is talking to much at 20 minutes, just wait.

Just wait until you have a 2 hour 50 minute class for Sociology 101 with 300 other kids with a socialist teacher.

Wetzel

[Eugenia Gabrielov]

I find it interesting that this subject is brought up, but I'd like to give my own viewpoint as well. I'm Jewish, but I'm not very religious. I've gotten used to people trying to convert me in school or telling me that my soul will burn for all eternity. If this level of prejudice exists in the classroom, then it is not appropriate, and should be brought up first with the teacher and then with administrators.

First of all, I agree immensely with many points before. If it is a book, such as Crime and Punishment, with a large number of Christian references, then it is appropriate to discuss these references. I will say however, that if a teacher would handle it like church class, that while I would pay attention in class and finish the homework or discussion for what it was worth, the teacher would lose significant respect.

The final and most important thing I'd like to cite is that "religious harassment" is on a person-to-person basis. I am extremely sensitive about it because I've grown up in an environment where my religious beliefs aren't always respected. I have many friends of all faiths, and I have the utmost respect for their views on the world and enjoy learning about them. However, many of their views are differing from mine, and I feel personally that evolution should not be brought into public schools unless it is in a class geared towards the subject, and this class is not part of the required curriculum.

The item that worries me most is that while there are students in the class that are mature and have respect for other beliefs, and a teacher may be lecturing with intention to discuss it as a factor of the story, there are individuals in the class who do not have the maturity to differentiate between discussion and "holy truth". I have the greatest pity for those who can't learn to respect others religions and lifestyles, and a classroom should enforce respect and general knowledge, not blundering ignorance.

Thanks
- Genia