Hot Bed Question Bible Study In Public Schools

[Ozme52]

Maybe I didn't make my view clear when I said "I think religion should be a compulsory subject at early age.". When I say religion I don't mean the Bible and I don't mean Christianity, I mean religion. What is it? What are the major religions and teachings? What similarities and differences are there?

I agree that the subject should be taught, but not at an early age. I'm not even sure high school would be the time for something so controversial. As a college level course, such a study of the foundations of religion, not any particular religion, should be, and I believe generally is, an elective course.

The problem with trying to teach these things at an earlier age is that in many cases the parents and churches are busy teaching (read brainwashing) their kids into their own particular brand of religion. Any kind of study which shows how religions develop and evolve would generally, I believe, raise serious questions which the parents, and especially the churches, don't want the kids to ask. You then wind up with the parents and churches fighting with the educators and the kids wind up suffering through a general lack of education. Not too different from what is happening in this country (USA) now.

I agree with moonraker here. What he's suggesting would actually counteract what you (and I agree) are saying is happening in many homes. You know as well as I (idiomatic phrasing) that young children will actually apply their unabashed youthful honesty and will ask that vital question... "If all these religions are really the same... why do they fight with each other?" and maybe the next generation won't be so inclined to fight over their religions.

Of course, that would only really work if you could standardize the course and get it taught worldwide. Yeah! That's the ticket!!

I recognize you are taking the pragmatic view... because it would only work if we could ensure the teachers were themselves brutally honest about all the different religions.