I need help !

I never thought I'd actually start posting in this particular subforum, but there is just an issue I'd like to get off of my chest. As the topic suggests, it's religious oppression, but you could call it non-religious in my case. The story:During a free class at school today, conversations were going on all over the class. I struck up a conversation with my friend over how I was facing detention today over the fact that I had forgotten a book for my religion class last friday (My school being a Catholic school). I was especially pissed off about it, and then proceeded to say "I'm getting out of that blased religious class, they fill your heads with nothing but bullshit, in my opinion."Before my actual friend could actual find the few seconds to muster a simple response to my views, an arsehole sitting next to him then proclaimed, "What!? Darragh, you're an atheist?!" Reluctantly, I then went on to state reasons as to why I thought Christianity was self-contradictory in many ways, and how certain events in the bible couldn't possibly be true. I mentioned that guy Samson, was it? Who killed 1,000 men with a donkey's jawbone.Unfortunately, that wasn't enough for the plank to stop. He then started telling the whole class I was an atheist. I have no problem with them knowing what religion I follow, or don't, in this particular case, but he spread the word as if I was some sort of anti-Christ, spreading the message of "f*** Jesus" or something to that effect, which is the complete opposite of what I believe myself. I have no problem with Christianity itself, but when it's forced on me, then I believe they've crossed a line.Numerous people throughout the class started asking my what an atheist actually was, but the other idiots, who I was surprised to learn that they knew what an atheist is, then started saying things like "I hate you" and "You're going to get couselling from -Insert counselor's name here- for the rest of your years at this secondary school."I just wonder, would this kind of shite be considered a form of religious oppression? I mean, Ireland is a democracy, I have the automatic right to believe what I want to believe, especially in terms of a god. I just don't believe there is any eternal bliss or eternal damnation awaiting us as soon as we cease to draw breath, not at all. I'm sure alot of people here would agree with me on being an atheist, but it's beside the point.I'm going to speak to my religion teacher in the next week, to discuss me getting out of the actual class itself. I hate having to listen to what she has to say. "Sex before marriage is an act of deception" especially pissed me off.Views, statements, opinions, anybody?

I'm not sure that you have really outlined what the subject is.Is it the behaviour of some students?Are you talking about the school sanctioning you for forgetting your book?Or their requirement that you take certain classes?If you can clarify that perhaps we can get somewhere.

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I'm not trying to force anybody to believe what I do, it's just that I think if we all questioned our religion every once in a while, rather than blindly following the pack, we'd all be a little bit better off. I know more about Christianity than those dolts do, or ever will; I believe one person said Jesus was related in some way to Santa Claus.And you didn't have to repeat what I said, I know I have the right to choose what faith I believe in, it's just I have none. I haven't the slightest bit of respect for those planks, they're completely moronic. And I certainly won't be like them, the least I could do was actually read up on the religion I once had, they couldn't even give me a half-arsed answer as to why they're Christian, aside from the fact that it's what they were brought up to believe.I just wonder, would saying "I hate you" because of my beliefs be the equilevant to saying "Jesus can suck my fat hairy balls" to a devout Christian?Oh, and it appears my classmates have unofficially dubbed me "Judas".This message has been edited by ???, 11-23-2005 05:29 PM

You're still not making it clear what you want to discuss. Can you address the issues in Message 2?

I was only a Catholic previously because it was what I was taught to believe as I grew up, but as I got older, I began to do some research on the subject of Christianity itself. I began reading various websites, and reading books. And then I came to this forum, and I listened to the atheist's and rationalists' views on things, and I gradually came to a conclusion to believe there isn't sufficient proof for me to willingly talk to the ceiling every sunday.

Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

I feel for you mate, I had to put up with C of E bullshit when I was at school. We had some old Cannon come in every tuesday and shout at us about being godley. I knew then it was bunkum.I think though that it's the people who are the problem, not religion. If people keep there religious views to themselves and don't bring them into school fine. If young people get this crap rammed down their throats I get kind of mad. We should teach science to young people. Not fill their heads with fantasy as fact.It even worse when religion gets re packaged as Intelligent Design.EVC is good place to be to see both sides of our nature, the logical abd the mythical.

Well, I would say yes, it is prejudice. However, considering you are in a religios school, that is not unexpected. It sounds like you were a little disrespectful too in your original declaration. People are very sensative about their beliefs,and often react quite violently when someone is disrespectful to them.I would say that although it is definately prejudical, when in a religious school, keep your viewpoint to yourself. A religious school is not really 'public', and it not a very good place to advertise your beliefs if they are not in line with the rest of the school.

I feel the need to argue with you there mate, I went to a UK state school where the religion taught was Church of England. In some countries we have no choice of what school we are entered into.Also, as a young person we typically have no say on what school we get sent to. To say that it was a 'choice' to go to that school could (and in my case was)be in error.And another thing, reacting violently because of belief is no excuse. If I say that I don't hold the espoused beliefs of the institution I study at I would expect to be treated with respect for that view point, not treated like a villain.ED: Poor spleeling from wasting time in RE lessions This message has been edited by Larni, 11-28-2005 10:20 AM

Hey, ???! I certainly agree with you that religion should never be forced down someones throat. As a Believer, however, I will wing some of my spiritual concepts at you in here! Its all in good fun, though. My God loves everyone be they absolutist or atheist, Sinning Saint or skeptical enquirer. Its all a matter of perspective,Larni. The God who is the origin of all creation is NOT the human mind. He imagined us long before we invented tales of religion. In the context of "mythical", I would assert that mythical is not imaginary, as everything in the universe is NOT merely a product of our imaginations (nor even logical) but that the word unverifiable be the context discussed in Faith and Belief. We can assert that they quite probably are not literal or even quite probably not true, if we so desire. We cannot assert that anything is impossible, however...for we simply do not know for sure.Within the context of Faith and Belief, it is not the responsibility of a believer to provide objective evidence to a panel of observers, as it is in science. It is allowable for anyone to have a subjective belief in a reality which could quite possibly turn out to be otherwise!--- believe it or not.This message has been edited by Phat, 11-30-2005 08:43 AM

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Nature is an infinite sphere of which the center is everywhere and the circumference nowhere.
Pensées (1670)We arrive at truth, not by reason only, but also by the heart.
Pensées (1670)Heb 4:12-13-- For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Holy Spirit--speaking through the Apostle Paul

Hello Phat, as ever your response is most thoughtful. I think that the perspective is not the problem, it's the promogulation that is. On that enigmatic note I realise I have to go home. Will get back with a better response soon.P.S. I will have to remember I can't hide behind science in this room

Well, I will agree that venting yoru spleen is not reason to be discrimated against. I know it wasn't your choice, but you have to live with the fact you are at a religious school.If you realise that venting your spleen is going to cause problems with your fellow students, you can either vent your spleen, and deal with the reaction to it, or you can keep your mouth shut, and suffer in silence.It's not fair, but hey, life isn't fair.

Like Larni said earlier, in the UK, pretty much ALL schools are religious in nature.
The public school system is run alongside the church. All are Church of England. The choice of school to which children are sent is more or less mandatorily decided by the local authority.There really is no choice to NOT go to a religious school.However I also have to agree that you need to be a little careful where and when you vent about your concerns. When all around you are either religious zealots or brainwashed church sheep, you need to keep it zipped no matter how hard that is.In that sense there is a definite feeling of religious oppression in british schools.

Take your point, it is valid, but what a poor look out for diversity in people if institutional pressure churns out clones, year after year. If there were no church schools this situation would not occur. There would be no sanctioning based on religion.I was talking to my girl friend about not having religious schools at all but to mandate that EVERY religion had to be taught to ALL children equally. If you were raised with all the religions in your consciouseness and religion was truly a matter of choice, you could appreciate more the choice of others with differing views.I appreciate that this is pie in the sky for many differing reasons, but I reckon that most of us believe what we know about. That is to say, who can believe in any god unless they are taught about it?

There are schools like you describe, regligious ons at that. The high school I went to was a Christian Church School, but we also read the Koran, studied Buddism, Confucious, the Hindu Pantheon, Mencius, Lao Tzu and other moral systems.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion