Freedom of Speech - unless it's about Christ????
Posted by stargeezer 10 years, 3 months ago to Culture
At what point does separation of church and state become state as church or the only acceptable religion becoming no religion??
It seems that in 50 years we have moved from prayer being acceptable in school to the point where efforts are made to strip any reference to religion from school. In effect raising the state as God to fill the vacuum left in the lives of the students.
It seems that in 50 years we have moved from prayer being acceptable in school to the point where efforts are made to strip any reference to religion from school. In effect raising the state as God to fill the vacuum left in the lives of the students.
I've met a few Christians that, in my opinion, have been a bit over the top in their approach to non-Christians and I don't understand how they think that helps either. The one thing I'm totally certain about is my firm commitment to Christ and how I choose to live my life because of it AND how I will not apologize for being a Christian. That does NOT include my being rude because of it.
My Children were taught at home when and where it was possible and in the countries where homeschooling was not possible they were instructed that they had a obligation to listen to their teachers but to be willing to stand for what was correct without being rude. It seems to me that this school missed that life lesson.
I don't get people wanting or opposing religions being referred to as peaceful. It seems like they are all evoked to support war and peace. I don't care if someone tells my kids the Judeo/Christian/Islamic tradition is about war or peace. I definitely want to respect other people, but to me this is an argument about who's imaginary friend is the nicest.
Unitarianism started as a liberalized form of Christianity, but modern UU draws from all religions of the world without accepting their anti-scientific elements. For me it's a place to meet people and stop for an hour on Sunday to consider the universe beyond my own world.
And the question is still out there, what gave the school the right to act as information censor?
That teacher does not know the moral teaching of the parents and should not instill hers.
Islam is one of the acceptable forms of religion in school these days. I suppose because it's a religion of peace and harmony. :)
Christianity is another matter.
FWIW, I found him in a foxhole and discovered he'd been with me all the time.
on Christianity are ridiculous. However if the teacher should not be allowed to impose her beliefs in the classroom why should the parent have been.
? The candycane story is one that is religious. Whether the boy had the idea or not, his parent instigated the project. Its like this. If parents are allowed to distribute religious material to classrooms then the same should be allowed for political messages or other agendas like ads for aparents business. That's really the point behind the policy. How it 's handled is another thing.
History.
Literature.
I find it complicated to explain even to my kids because Christmas is a huge secular holiday. Santa Claus and exchanging gifts don't have a direct link to religion. We're atheists but we still celebrate Christmas, some gifts for the kids on the Solstice and some on Christmas Day. It really doesn't make much sense. I can't see avoiding Christmas, though, since 95% of the things people say about it have Pagan or secular roots.
It's telling that the atheist parents in your scenario are making anti-Christian sentiments, not pro-atheist sentiments.
KYFHO
pros·e·ly·tize
verb \ˈprä-s(ə-)lə-ˌtīz\
: to try to persuade people to join a religion, cause, or group
Just food for thought.
I do not ask that religion be taught in schools. I don't want children taught Islamic Law, Buddhism or any of the rest. Teaching that Christianity had great influences on the course of western civilization and on the founding of our nation is history - teach that. Teach them how the great universities of our country began as Theological institutes and mission organizations. Just allow our children's and our exercise of religion to not be challenged at school and stop twisting history because school administrators don't like what the truth of history reveals.
The influence of Christianity on Western civilization is self-evident from studying European and early American colonial history; it doesn't need to be explicitly pointed out.
But if you're suggesting that we teach kids that the United States government and the Constitution were based on Christian values or the teachings of the Bible, that's actually not true.
The American Revolution comes after the Renaissance when a mechanistic world view began to hold sway after a thousand years of the middle ages (aka the Dark Ages). It's laughable to say superstition paved the way for our modern society.
I would suggest that by ignoring the teaching of any subject, one has diminished the influences of the material. While I understand that this IS the goal of atheists, replacing it with secular humanism does not make the practice effective or proper teaching technique. If I can't object to the teaching of secular humanism in all areas of education, why do you feel that ignoring the value of Christianity has merit? Why is it that you feel only one side should be taught? What has happened to objectivity?
If you don't know how much of the founding of American government was based on Christian principals, you really need to broaden your horizons and stop only reading the things that agree with your world view. You just might discover you have been very, very mistaken.
The sun. Our planet is not a closed system.
"being warmed by the sun".
Do you understand biochemistry or physics? Energy levels in a biologic tissue degrade, they do NOT increase. Next, thermodynamics demands that energies flow from energetic sources to lessor energetic matters. This is fundamental. In order for biological nervous actions to become more developed, their abilities to control energy must improve over time. THIS is where your entire ball of twine unravels. In real life, those levels degrade with time. Exactly the opposite of what is required.
Sorry.
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(yes, I was around for the Big Debate over what to call the various... adaptations of science fiction in the 70s)