Religion in schools

[WhoDat1]

Safety in numbers. I see. Since when was truth and reality a democratic process?

Lucifer,

We could do theology and agnosticism and even satanism all day. The subject was school prayer. Yes I got off course when the parable was brought up, but I assure you I respect your right to have no faith. I'm sorry if I offended you.

YES! I DO have the nerve to be shocked. I would have expected just as many, if not more, people of faith to respond to this thread as those with no faith. I'm sorry that my being shocked offends you, as well. I am not used to being in the company of so many learned atheists and agnostics.

That being said and all apologies....it does seem that hostility is what any mention of religion meets when it meets agnosticism. My best friend from my childhood is an agnostic, and we can't even discuss it. He goes into a rage. And of course here, on this thread, its obvious that mentioning religion upsets some of you.

Peace
Todd

 

[WhoDat1]

you are exposing your true nature now, as you are all over the map. comparing an agnostic to a criminal. yes, god loves all the"lost" sheep. that's why he has hell at the ready in case they don't embrace his "love". how could you possibly be shocked to find people who think for themselves? you just can't keep the bible in the holster, so it must permeate every aspect of your existence to the point of pushing it on others. that is the essence of our debate here. religion of any type has no place in public education.

The Christian theology of hell and the choice of rejecting God's love is a 40 hour seminar.....

 

[Geo]

I am really sick of the assumption that just because I don't want your religious ideas taught in the public schools, or don't feel the need to publicize my religious beliefs and force them upon others, I am an atheist and/or going to hell.

Could it just possibly be that I don't think religion has a place in public education?

Or that I think the increasingly limited classroom time could be better spent on basics like math, reading, spelling, history etc. rather than teaching drivel like creationism.

Or that I am rational enough to realize that not everyone shares the same religious views and don't think it is fair to impose your beliefs on others? News Flash - I don't attend your church - and neither do 100% of the students attending and 100% of the taxpayers funding the schools in question.

Or maybe I find your particular brand of Christianity so ignorant and contrary to the actual teachings of Christ that I don't even want to read your posts, let alone have our children taught those screwed up ideas in school.

Pushing the Thanks button on this post isn't sufficient. Scooter, this is an absolutely brilliant post and reminds believers and nonbelievers what the debate is really about- religion in schools!



Bravo.

 

[Geo]

and to further set the record straight:

not all "people of faith" believe the same thing;

I agree.

not all "people of faith" want to see religion in the public school system;

True.

and,

not all "people of faith" try to convert others to their way of thinking or believing.

Not all of them. But as the sheep parable presented here nicely illustrates-there is prevalant thought that nonbelievers are little lambs astray and need to be brought back to the flock.

how about we have a little tolerance and acceptance.

The data I have seen indicates that 16% of the US population consider themselves atheists, agnostics or identify themselves as not being followers of any religion. One post on this thread said worldwide that this number is a mere 5%.

Don't these numbers alone support the argument that there is already plenty of tolerance and acceptance for people of faith?

I would like to see more tolerance and acceptance for people who call BS on religion.

I respect everyone's right to believe whatever they want...or not.
I only ask for the same respect in return...

I cetainly respect you as a person and a Sowaller irrespective of your beliefs (or lack thereof). Hopefully, disagreement and debate here isn't perceived as disrespect.

Now, as to the topic on the board:
I don't want public school officials teaching religious conversion any more than I want the ministers teaching English and math!

Nicely said. Agreed.

 

[LuciferSam]

Lucifer,

We could do theology and agnosticism and even satanism all day. The subject was school prayer. Yes I got off course when the parable was brought up, but I assure you I respect your right to have no faith. I'm sorry if I offended you.

YES! I DO have the nerve to be shocked. I would have expected just as many, if not more, people of faith to respond to this thread as those with no faith. I'm sorry that my being shocked offends you, as well. I am not used to being in the company of so many learned atheists and agnostics.

That being said and all apologies....it does seem that hostility is what any mention of religion meets when it meets agnosticism. My best friend from my childhood is an agnostic, and we can't even discuss it. He goes into a rage. And of course here, on this thread, its obvious that mentioning religion upsets some of you.

Peace
Todd

What's upsetting is the authoritarian stance that [some] believers take towards non-believers. This is the same stance they use to try to justify prayer in school.

 

[WhoDat1]

What's upsetting is the authoritarian stance that believers take towards non-believers. This is the same stance they use to try to justify prayer in school.

OK, who wants prayer in public school? I don't. What believers are you speaking of? What religion in the United States does not believe or support secular government (Government without an official religion)? If we're talking about far right folks like Pat Robertson and that guy who says "God hates such and such"....they don't represent my faith. No one that would cast the first stone in judgement does.

Those people are allowed their beliefs and freedom of speech, but they certainly don't represent me or any other Christian I know. They are condemning of those different than them....much like fundamentalists our armed forces are seeking in the caves of Afghanistan.

 

[LuciferSam]

OK, who wants prayer in public school? I don't. What believers are you speaking of? What religion in the United States does not believe or support secular government (Government without an official religion)? If we're talking about far right folks like Pat Robertson and that guy who says "God hates such and such"....they don't represent my faith. No one that would cast the first stone in judgement does.

Those people are allowed their beliefs and freedom of speech, but they certainly don't represent me or any other Christian I know. They are condemning of those different than them....much like fundamentalists our armed forces are seeking in the caves of Afghanistan.

Who wants prayer in school you ask?? I think it would be safe to say that a significant number of people in Walton County would be in favor of it according to some of the posts on this thread.

 

[Bob]

The Christian theology of hell and the choice of rejecting God's love is a 40 hour seminar.....

if it made any sense whatsoever you could explain the carrot and stick rationale quite easily.

 

[woodworker]

if it made any sense whatsoever you could explain the carrot and stick rationale quite easily.

That killed it! .......

 

[Bob]

That killed it! .......

did it go to heaven?