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Author Topic:   Should Sacred Studies be part of a general public school curricula
jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 1 of 161 (203018)
04-27-2005 1:22 PM


Should Sacred Studies, the study of religions, their history, their effects on society, the basic tenets of each and inter-relationships be taught as part of the general public education in the US?
AbE: Probably for Faith & Belief or Misc.
This message has been edited by AdminPhat, 04-28-2005 02:05 AM

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AdminPhat
Inactive Member


Message 2 of 161 (203243)
04-28-2005 4:06 AM


Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

  
Phat
Member
Posts: 18262
From: Denver,Colorado USA
Joined: 12-30-2003
Member Rating: 1.1


Message 3 of 161 (203244)
04-28-2005 4:09 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by jar
04-27-2005 1:22 PM


Probably as a part of social studies
Since religion plays such a big role in shaping events and cultural preconceptions in the world today, I believe that a good knowledge of comparitive religions should be taught. Additionally, and concurrently, I think that comparitive belief systems (paradigms or world views) should be explained along with it.
I do not think that I could teach it, for I am intuitively biased towards Christianity.
One may argue that anyone is intuitively biased towards one philosophy/theology or another, however!

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arachnophilia
Member (Idle past 1344 days)
Posts: 9069
From: god's waiting room
Joined: 05-21-2004


Message 4 of 161 (203252)
04-28-2005 4:54 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by jar
04-27-2005 1:22 PM


yes.
much of the world's history has to do with religion. comparitive religion should be part of teaching history and philosophy and literature.

אָרַח

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PaulK
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Posts: 17822
Joined: 01-10-2003
Member Rating: 2.2


Message 5 of 161 (203253)
04-28-2005 4:56 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by jar
04-27-2005 1:22 PM


I think it's a good idea - andf it's what happens in the better schools in this country - but there are practical problems, especially in the U.S.A.
Fistly you need teachers who are prepared to address the subject in a fair and accurate way. We've already seen that there are teachers in the U.S. who will not only use science classes to push their personal religious beliefs but will even threaten lawsuits (that have no merit and little chance of success) in an attempt to force the schools to go along with their demands. A subject like this is even more open to such abuse.
Secondly it will NOT in any way appease that subset of the Christian Right who want to bring their religion into schools. They will oppose it because it teaches about other religions.

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Melchior
Inactive Member


Message 6 of 161 (203262)
04-28-2005 7:24 AM


Swedish schools teach a Religion class, normally during the 10th year. I am not sure if this is mandated or if it's up to each individual school, but I read it while training to be an electrician, so it's rather wide spread.
It was basically the same as reading world history or social studies.
If you can get past the practical problems (US is more geared toward a specific religion than Sweden) then I think it's something worth teaching, even if the interest for it might not be that high among all students.

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Dr Jack
Member
Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.7


Message 7 of 161 (203267)
04-28-2005 8:22 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by jar
04-27-2005 1:22 PM


Absolutely. Religion is a major part of the cultural, historical and social setup of the world; everyone should study all the major religions, their beliefs, their varients and their histories.

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macaroniandcheese 
Suspended Member (Idle past 3928 days)
Posts: 4258
Joined: 05-24-2004


Message 8 of 161 (203268)
04-28-2005 8:26 AM


yeppers.

  
Wounded King
Member
Posts: 4149
From: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Joined: 04-09-2003


Message 9 of 161 (203270)
04-28-2005 8:31 AM
Reply to: Message 6 by Melchior
04-28-2005 7:24 AM


Religious Education is par for the course in Scottish schools. It normally only constitutes perhaps 1 period a week - about 40 minutes. Of course it is generally regarded as a waste of time, by the pupils, and its breadth is quite dependent on the particular teacher.
TTFN,
WK

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CK
Member (Idle past 4128 days)
Posts: 3221
Joined: 07-04-2004


Message 10 of 161 (203271)
04-28-2005 8:39 AM
Reply to: Message 9 by Wounded King
04-28-2005 8:31 AM


yeah I used to dread teaching R.E. - the kids were bored to tears and so was I.

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dsv
Member (Idle past 4724 days)
Posts: 220
From: Secret Underground Hideout
Joined: 08-17-2004


Message 11 of 161 (203284)
04-28-2005 9:14 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by jar
04-27-2005 1:22 PM


Definitely.
A Philosophy-based area of study in public high schools would be excellent. I would love to see a class geared towards exploring all different types of religions and belief systems throughout history and the world. Would have loved to have that in my high school.

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StormWolfx2x
Inactive Member


Message 12 of 161 (203426)
04-28-2005 5:18 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by jar
04-27-2005 1:22 PM


yes, but defiantly in social studies class and not in science. Just as its nearly impossible to understand some sciences without the ToE, it would be nearly impossible to understand sociology without knowledge of religion.
Unfortunately I think this would cause problems with parents in public schools, wasn't there a thread earlier about even a college student trying to sue a professor for talking about something against her beliefs?
edit spelling
This message has been edited by StormWolfx2x, 04-28-2005 05:20 PM

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doctrbill
Member (Idle past 2764 days)
Posts: 1174
From: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Joined: 01-08-2001


Message 13 of 161 (203451)
04-28-2005 7:08 PM
Reply to: Message 5 by PaulK
04-28-2005 4:56 AM


Danger ! - Will Robinson ! - Danger !
PaulK writes:
... it will NOT in any way appease that subset of the Christian Right who want to bring their religion into schools. They will oppose it because it teaches about other religions.
Not only do they want to bring their religion into the schools; they also want to bring it into government.
They want a return to Monarchy: to install their King (Jesus) and make Christianity the state religion.
But Jesus will not appear, of course; so they will have to anoint someone to represent him: a 'vicar of Christ.' You know, a Protestant version of The Pope. I'm not sure this hasn't already begun with the current administration.

Theology is the science of Dominion.
- - - My God is your god's Boss - - -

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jar
Member (Idle past 394 days)
Posts: 34026
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 14 of 161 (203825)
04-29-2005 8:16 PM


So far there seems little opposition to the idea.
But we have not heard from many parts of the populus.
Would a Muslim object to having Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, as well as the philosophers from Greece to 20th. Century Germany taught alongside and in the same manner as Islam?
How would a Fundamentalist Christian see that?
Would the outcome be more tolerance and understanding?

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

  
Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 15 of 161 (203841)
04-29-2005 9:06 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by jar
04-27-2005 1:22 PM


In Odessa, Texas, there is a proposal for some sort of elective Bible studies class being injected into the public school. I previously saw a better article on it, but can't right now find it.
We could only hope that the counter-proposal to such, and/or to efforts to inject ID or such, would be that of a broad based "Sacred Studies" class.
Moose

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