We have religious studies in the UK, and it's not what you guys think it is. No particular religion is favoured. We learnt about the 6 main religions, and a few other ones. We studied different topics like abortion, animal rights, war, etc and learnt what each religion thought about it, and the different religious teachings. In my opinion, it makes people more tolerent and understanding.
In America, though, when someone asks for religious studies they are usually asking for just Christian classes or stuff to be taken out of/added to science classes. As far as I know colleges have the religious classes you are thinking of though.
Well not everyone is christian, so you can't force them to sit in a classroom and be preached at. And the religious classes I'm describing start taking place from about the age of 5/6 here
I attended a catholic school in Spain (I'm not really a believer but there I was) it was ruled by nuns and in "religion" the subject was about the three main religions that had had an impact on Spanish history (Islam Judaism and Christianity (this one more than tje other two)) It was more historical than anything else.
Exactly @Celia, people here forget there are countries like (I completely forgot about Spain),like Greece, Croatia, Ecuador, Kosovo, Colombia which are monoreligious (not to be confused with monotheistic), almost entirely, Catholic/Muslim/Orthodox . Why would they teach about Sikhism (which is major religion) when Croatia has 98% Croats Catholics? They go through religions that were there, Islam, Judaism, two or three lessons and that's it. My ex-father thinks Orthodox and Catholics are different as Taoists to Mormons. And he shot people for being "different" pagans.
And about not forcing... We had a college professor, not religious sciences professor, an English teacher, who wouldn't start a class before we all do the "forehead - belly - left tit - right tit", and half of my classmates were Muslim, and he knew about it. We refused, therefore we never passed the exam.
Took religious studies from an episcopalian priest in middle school. It was a really great class. Then took a "World's Religions" class in HS, and it was one of the best offered--for its great comparative reading material. Don't really know where I was going with this comment, but I just wanted to offer my two cents...
The downside that I see is that when you teach religion in a school as mine (catholic, or simply religious), you know that there will be a imprint of the thoughts of the teachers, and of course we were told that homosexuality was wrong, that a man should be with a woman and other things that shouldn't be said in a class full of kids, as they have no critical thinking.
I have grown out of many things that i had in my mind because i was in a context that implied them, but not everyone can do that, and I think it's sad to raise the next generation with such outdated values.
So, yes, religion as history, of course
Religion as a doctrine, not my idea of what a school should be.
I'm sorry if i don't sound very coherent, I've got a final tomorrow and the autocorrector keeps putting words in Spanish as i write
THANK YOU @celia, these bubble people @sincere_milkshake and others don't realize we (most of the world) don't have "multi-religion classes", not in history or sociology, let alone in theology (in normal not catholic schools, subject that is obligatory but you can choose between theology or civil law classes, just like between ancient Greek or Latin but one of them is a must). You learn about your religion and nothing else. And that they do teach gay is wrong, and call names like Saracens, and Circumcised (in a negative context)
Can anyone say what religion/theology classes are like in public schools in the US? I've only gone to catholic schools so I have no idea. of course the "theology" class in my school is just catholicism class, but that's obviously to be expected...
And then once you get to university you can take a religion course in 'Superheroes and Mythmaking" like me :D I'm not even kidding like guys we're having a comic book panel this Thursday from local authors.
I learned about all of the major religions and a number of minor ones, as well. I was taught about them in history, sociology, and philosophy classes. While there was some bias based on the teachers' more extensive knowledge of their own religions, I think they did a pretty fair job of explaining the basic tenets and historical development.
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· 7 years ago
My country allows it. We have muslim schools, catholic schools. Almost al schools are Christian and literally nobody minds because we're not complaining pricks like the US.
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Edited 7 years ago
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· 7 years ago
Also I go to a catholic school and we have tasks handed out with stuff that the muslim kids do as well because they share the same story/value in the quran. Like fuck off i feel like you guys are so brainwashed on what religious studies are its insane.
@isuck479 I'm pretty sure the post is about people that want their specific religion, and not others, to be taught in public schools... which is obviously against separation of church and state.
If you're not from a religion/denomination that believes in it, read over the doctrine of transubstantiation and spend a few hours trying to wrap your head around it.
OH, MAGICAL SKY DADDY!!
I have grown out of many things that i had in my mind because i was in a context that implied them, but not everyone can do that, and I think it's sad to raise the next generation with such outdated values.
So, yes, religion as history, of course
Religion as a doctrine, not my idea of what a school should be.
I'm sorry if i don't sound very coherent, I've got a final tomorrow and the autocorrector keeps putting words in Spanish as i write