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Posts by Tyler Ruiz502

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
frozenrider15 said:I'm honestly not sure. In my experience, mine had to knock out both just to be eligible for communion in NYC. I can't tell if it's a local rule specific to the diocese or if it’s some universal standard they enforce everywhere.

It seems to me like it boils down to the individual priest's discretion. It’s a lot like when they refuse to baptize a child because the parents aren't married—though whether they're civilly married or had a church wedding usually changes the conversation. Even with godparents, it varies wildly from one parish to the next; some priests are totally fine with unmarried godparents, while others are much more selective about who they deem "suitable." In my local church, some friends wanted a family friend who was divorced to be the godmother, and the priest flat-out refused—told them to find someone else. Honestly, people have lost their minds over this stuff... though, in the end, the priest did cave.

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
Look, even baptism is supposed to be about understanding. Honestly, people—there’s just no logic left in this world. It’s about following, plain and simple.

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
I've got a soft spot for the river 🙂

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
Alright, thanks. Honestly, I haven't even decided if I should sign up yet—we're still weighing our options over here.

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
Based on what you guys have seen, how many kids actually skip out on religion classes?

I’m honestly not sure if I’ll be the only one sitting there alone. Also—is it even possible to opt out once they hit second grade?

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School closures/delays? in Students & Teens ·
I’ve just realized that I actually have no idea what we're even talking about here 🤦—the whole topic of delaying school starts. I was under the impression we were discussing cases where the kids aren't legally required to be enrolled yet, so parents can basically pick and choose which year works best for them.

Now, if we’re talking about postponing things when a child is already legally mandated to be in school... hmmm... well, honestly, that’s not my circus and not my monkeys. 😁

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School closures/delays? in Students & Teens ·
Why all the lectures and the judgmental looks just because someone asked for a delay? It’s clearly more convenient for them that way—just a way to spin things. Honestly, what’s the big deal? Is your kid somehow being deprived because of this?

If it were up to me, I’d love it if we weren't forced into these rigid schedules—if we could just take an extra year of vacation whenever it actually suits us... In that scenario, my kid would have been looked after at daycare for one more summer, just a little extra buffer. And they might have gained a year of "independence" by stepping away from the constant grind...
There’s nothing to lose here; you can only gain.
I mean, why should my personal reasons bother anyone? Seriously.
Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
Some folks are getting seriously worked up about how religious dogma is being forced into our schools and hospitals—basically shoved into every public space—and how people are trying to blur the lines between national identity and religious affiliation. I won't even get started on the whole "divine right" nonsense.
Mixing church and state, all that stuff.

I probably don't even need to spell out why this makes everyone’s skin crawl. Honestly, it makes my hair stand on end too.

But anyway, moving away from that... when we talk about the issues with school textbooks, there was something else that really rubbed me the wrong way. I grew up on the coast in California, you know? And yet, those textbooks completely ignored us. It felt like they were written for some other group of kids living somewhere else entirely. They constantly played up this binary between rural life and city life, but my reality didn't fit into either box. According to the books, every field trip involved hiking to some lake or stream, which I had never seen in my life. In the summer, obviously, we go to the beach. Back in first grade, I wasn't even sure what they meant by certain descriptions; I actually thought they were talking about the local town square when they mentioned the "coast."
From the time I was little, you could just tell—these things weren't written for everyone. They weren't written for us.
😬

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
Look, you have to realize that in just a year or two, this kid is going to have a smartphone, a computer, and basically the entire internet at their fingertips. They’re going to be forced to learn how to think critically—there's no avoiding it. As for religion? Even in all its twisted forms, traditions, and interpretations, it's really just a drop in the ocean compared to the sheer amount of nonsense out there...
The battle between blind belief and actual logic is much more prevalent than most people care to admit. It's like a Placebo effect in a storybook.

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
I don't see any issue with this one specific thing we’re all tearing down at home—you know, the stuff kids eventually figure out when they finally put two and two together and realize how much their surroundings have been feeding them nonsense just to discredit something.
It’s exactly like how half the internet is basically just garbage sites like BuzzFeed or some clickbait mess. The news, TV... back in the day, if you saw it on a major network like ABC or CBS, it was basically gospel, right?
Then there are the commercials.
It's the same logic as our discussions about ads here—how they serve a purpose, how they aren't always telling the truth, and how I personally have to stop and think, "Wait, is this actually legit, or are they just trying to play me so I'll open my wallet?"

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
Lawrence Torres56 said:Quentin Tarantino:
I mean, seriously, what are we even doing here? Is anyone actually paying attention to this? It’s like everyone just collectively decided to stop using their brains at the exact same time. Honestly, I'm just sitting here staring at the screen wondering if I'm the only one seeing how ridiculous this whole situation has become. Does anyone else feel that weird, nagging sense that we're all just circling the drain? Or am I just being overly dramatic again? Probably. But you have to admit, there's something incredibly absurd about the way things are unfolding right now, isn't there? kaže:

So, I was thinking about what we should actually be feeding our eight-year-olds these days... you know, because apparently, just handing them a bag of gummy bears and calling it lunch isn't exactly "peak parenting," right? Seriously though, if you're looking to get their nutrition on track without turning every mealtime into a full-blown hostage negotiation, where do we even start? It’s kind of a minefield, isn't it?
I honestly just want her to keep believing in Santa Claus, you know? I really don't want some teacher at Sunday school coming along and telling her he isn't real—especially when they’re simultaneously trying to convince her that God actually is. It just feels like such a weird contradiction, doesn't it?

I just want to feel that genuine surge of pride and pure, unadulterated joy when I actually nail something, you know? Like, I want to sit back and really soak in the satisfaction of my own success—that hunger to learn something new and then that massive rush of adrenaline when I finally master it or build something from scratch. I don’t want to just shrug my shoulders and say I have God to thank for it; I want to actually own my wins and feel like I earned them through my own damn grit.
Look, I just want them to actually realize what they’re capable of, you know? Like, I'm talking about finding that genuine, deep-seated internal drive instead of constantly hunting for some external pat on the back or a little extra nudge from someone else—for God's sake.

When someone screws up, I don't want them just crawling to me begging for forgiveness or living in constant terror that they're gonna get hit with some massive punishment. I’m not looking for them to go through some performative penance just to clear their conscience. Honestly, if you mess up, just fix the damn thing—clean up the mess, glue what broke, own the mistake, or better yet, pivot and build something even better out of the wreckage. I want people to realize they actually have the right to fail; it’s part of being human, isn't it? There shouldn't be this paralyzing fear or shame that makes people want to sweep their mistakes under the rug just to avoid getting caught. An apology is fine, sure, but saying "I'm sorry" doesn't cut it if nothing actually changes. I want to see tangible, visible action. At the end of the day, I want someone who acts because they genuinely feel driven to make it right from the inside, not because they're just trying to avoid an external lecture or a slap on the wrist.
I just don't want them growing up living in fear, constantly walking on eggshells or being paralyzed by this crushing sense of guilt. I can't stand the idea of them feeling completely helpless against things that aren't even real—you know, those weird little rituals and superstitions that honestly mean something totally different to a kid than they ever would to an adult? I want them to have a childhood free from all that heavy, imaginary nonsense.
Wait, isn't your first bolded point basically a total contradiction of the second one? How can you even argue both at the same time?
Doesn't Santa Claus basically just reward the "good" kids, though? I mean, isn't he just this imaginary figure anyway, and doesn't that leave a kid feeling totally helpless, like their whole happiness is just tied up to some guy who might not even exist?😁

So, I’ve been sitting here wondering—how exactly does the Church and its congregation actually deal with people from different faiths, or even with the LGBTQ+ community and women? Like, what is the actual vibe when you step inside those doors? Is there any real room for anyone who doesn't fit that one specific, traditional mold, or is it all just a closed circle? It makes you wonder how they navigate all that tension, right?🤣

And honestly, when you talk about "fixing mistakes" in your version of things—isn't that basically just a fancy way of describing total submission? Is there even a difference anymore?
The concept of penance is one of those heavy, deep topics that people love to throw around when they want to sound righteous, isn't it? It’s more than just feeling bad about a mistake; it’s this whole ritualistic process of trying to make things right through some kind of self-imposed struggle. You see it all over history—people thinking that if they suffer enough, maybe God will finally look their way and wipe the slate clean. It’s like this intense, psychological attempt at a reset button. In the American tradition, you see these echoes everywhere, from the way people approach public apologies to how religious groups handle atonement. It’s that idea that an apology is empty unless there’s some sort of "price" paid to balance the scales. Is it actually about fixing what was broken, though? Or is it just a way for someone to soothe their own conscience so they can sleep better at night without that nagging guilt hanging over them? Honestly, sometimes it feels like we’re just performing for an audience, whether that audience is a congregation or just our own judgmental inner voices. It’s a wild, complicated cycle of guilt, sacrifice, and the desperate hope for a second chance.

So, should you sign the kid up for religious studies classes or not? Honestly, it’s one of those deeply personal choices that nobody really needs to be breathing down your neck about. It feels like people love to jump on the bandwagon and bash these programs based on their own lack of understanding or just straight-up hypocrisy, doesn't it? Especially when all that criticism is fueled by some deep-seated resentment toward anything that looks different from what they're used to—it honestly makes zero sense to me. Why turn a simple parental decision into a massive ideological battlefield just because you can't handle diversity?

Quentin Tarantino:
I don't even know where to start with this one, honestly. Is anyone else seeing this? It’s like we’re all just collectively pretending that what happened today was normal, when in reality, it was absolutely wild. I mean, really, how did we get here? You look around and you see people acting like everything is business as usual, but if you actually take a second to breathe and process the sheer absurdity of the situation, it’s enough to make your head spin. Am I crazy? Or is there something fundamentally broken in the way we’re all processing things right now? It feels like we’re living in some kind of fever dream where the rules change every five minutes and nobody bothers to tell the rest of us. It’s exhausting, truly. Just constant, low-grade chaos wrapped up in a bow of "don't worry about it." But I am worried about it! How can you not be? kaže:
The harder the system tries to brainwash my kid and force some religious agenda down their throat, the harder I’m going to fight for our right to think differently. Honestly, I don't have any problem standing my ground on that. Every action has a reaction, right?

Look, I’m not out here trying to force my views down my kid's throat, but I sure as hell am not going to let anyone else do it for me either. If some textbook claims "facts" like we all go to Midnight Mass for Christmas, I’m going to make damn sure my child knows that isn't how our house works. I won't be that parent who just shrugs and says, "Well, if the school book says so, I guess we're heading to church." Not happening. Honestly, if it didn't say we were supposed to go, I wouldn't even bother bringing it up. It's the same deal when she's sitting in a religious studies class—even if she's not officially enrolled—and comes back home rambling about something they talked about; naturally, I’m going to give her my honest take on it. If she wasn't sitting in that classroom in the first place, we wouldn't even have to have the conversation, right? It's just common sense.

Honestly, after twenty-five years of being constantly hassled by everyone pushing those Catholic values down my throat, I’ve pretty much reached a point where I just want nothing to do with the whole thing. It’s like, if you spend two and a half decades being badgered from every single angle by religious dogma, how could anyone expect anything other than an absolute, total rejection? I mean, can you really blame me? It’s all just a direct consequence of their own actions, isn't it?
"We're heading out to watch the midnight mass on Christmas Eve." Look, when you're out in the world, it’s all about learning those old-school traditions. Should we really be stripping kids of all those "facts"—which, let's be honest, are mostly just cultural customs these days—just because our lifestyles have shifted so much since our parents' generation?

With all due respect here, views on faith and religion are strictly a personal thing, sure, but the fact that our folk customs and traditions are deeply intertwined with the church is just an objective historical reality in America. If we start withholding that context from our kids, aren't we just setting them up for an intellectual handicap later on?

That’s pretty much where my head is at, too. I wouldn't go as far as calling it a "handicap"—that feels a bit heavy-handed for something that isn't exactly life-or-death and can be picked up elsewhere without religious studies—but there is a certain value in knowing that Midnight Mass exists and that we have our own specific way of doing things. Sure, people go to Midnight Mass, and churches are packed. But we don't go, simply because we aren't part of that particular circle.

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
hiddendriver34 said:A seven or eight-year-old isn't some mindless little robot that just swallows whatever you feed them. They’re actually starting to grasp that people can see the world differently, that everyone has their own rights, and that being tolerant of different views matters. Sure, the choices they make right now might be totally naive, and they'll probably change their minds ten times before they hit adulthood, but I truly believe they deserve the right to make those choices themselves.

@Michelle Nelson4, honestly, it feels like this militant attitude and total dismissal of anything "different" is just a way to force your own worldview onto a kid. In my experience, trying to brainwash someone from one specific angle during childhood usually backfires spectacularly once they grow up.

My husband grew up in an incredibly religious household, and by the time he was twelve, he had already become an atheist.

I had a completely different experience—religion was basically just something I saw through my grandmother when I was little, and today, I'm a theist.😁

Exactly. Honestly, I’m fine with her realizing that certain things are sacred to some people—you can respect that without making it your own whole identity.
I’ve already tried explaining to her that for those who believe in God, prayer and singing hymns can be incredibly soothing and comforting. We drive past this little convent quite often where the nuns spend their time praying and singing. So, what am I supposed to do? Tell her that the people living there are just idiots who don't realize God isn't real? No.😬

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
Michelle Nelson4, it’s obviously not. I’m right there with you—religion doesn't belong in the classroom, and honestly, kids aren't even at an age where they can grasp it. To them, spirituality is basically just science fiction.

That being said, I still think there’s some value in it for shaping their perspective. Let them experience that side of life—see the kind of people they're surrounded by and how those environments mold someone (you know, the whole submissive, God-fearing, uncritical, totally illogical vibe). It’ll serve as a useful lesson down the road when they're actually capable of forming their own opinions.

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
Exactly. Honestly, my main motivation for doing this is just so I can hear those interpretations firsthand—because around here, nobody’s going to give me the straight truth.
My husband seems to think everything follows the curriculum to a T, which is just wonderful (that's his experience, anyway. It actually drove him to start reading the Bible. He gave it a fair shot, though he eventually realized it just wasn't his thing).

I suppose we should let her take a leap of faith if she feels called to it.
I’m fully aware that this could either be a solid decision or a total disaster.
I don't need to walk in with a chip on my shoulder, right?🤷Until proven otherwise, I'll stay open.

We're definitely going to look into it further, regardless.

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
Nancy Kelly31 said:The topics covered during the first grade essentially boil down to the simple joy of existence, the concept of love, embracing all of creation, and learning about basic holidays and prayers... There is quite a bit of singing and plenty of drawing involved, too. For the most part, that covers it...
Inquiry and questioning are actually encouraged and viewed quite positively here...

I. OUR RELIGIOUS ENCOUNTERS - 3 hours
1. I have my own name and my own place
2. We are all worthy of respect

II. DISCOVERING SIGNS OF GOD'S GOODNESS - 8 hours
1. Heaven and earth sing to God
2. The wonderful world of God
3. God, You created people so wonderfully
4. People did not listen to God

III. WE ARE CONNECTED TO GOD - 7 hours
1. Jesus calls people
2. Jesus reveals: God is our good Father
3. We are thankful to God for bread and the fruits of the earth
4. Little missionaries

IV. REMEMBERING SAINTS AND THE DECEASED - 4 hours
1. Plants and animals disappear, and people pass away
2. Saints are friends of God and ours
3. Remembering those who have passed

V. TOWARD JESUS'S BIRTH - 10 hours
1. Advent - a time to prepare for Christmas
2. Celebrating Saint Nicholas
3. Mary - Jesus's mother
4. Christmas - the feast of Jesus's birth
5. Shepherds rejoice at Jesus's birth

VI. JESUS MEETS PEOPLE - 7 hours
1. Jesus does good to everyone
2. Jesus cares for all people
3. Jesus loves children especially
4. Jesus teaches us how to pray

VII. THE JOY OF FORGIVENESS AND LOVE - 6 hours
1. We rejoice in life
2. Why are we sometimes sad?
3. Why do we misunderstand each other and fight?
4. Signs of forgiveness and reconciliation
5. Jesus calls us to forgive

VIII. TOWARD EASTER
1. Preparing for Easter
2. Celebrating Easter soon
3. Jesus's suffering and death
4. Jesus lives - He has risen
5. Celebrating Easter with family, at school, and in the parish
6. Jesus returns to the Father and stays with us
7. Living in joy and love

IX. WE ARE ALWAYS JOYFUL TOGETHER - 11 hours
1. I am a follower of Jesus
2. Encounters of Jesus's followers
3. Mary is our Mother
4. To Mother on Mother's Day
5. Celebrating school holidays
6. Staying connected

This subject is mandatory only for believers who intend to receive the sacraments... Otherwise, there is absolutely no way to link religious education to actual faith practice—unless, of course, you don't want your child to receive the sacraments. The teacher at school doesn't check or grade anyone's religious practice in any way, aside from offering encouragement through words, naturally... "Go to church..." "Pray..." But whether a child actually follows through or not has absolutely nothing to do with the religious curriculum itself, and certainly has no bearing on their grades...

Thanks! Honestly, it all sounds fine to me and I don't have any issues with it. Except, that whole section about death... you know, the crucifixion stuff. It's pretty grim. How do kids even process that?

My husband says he doesn't have any bad memories from his own schooling—claims he didn't experience anything negative or learn anything traumatic. Personally, though, I had this local priest back in my day who thought he had the right to whack us with a wooden stick. Not a single ounce of pedagogy in him. Zero actual religious teaching expertise.

Besides, even in preschool, they aren't immune to those Christmas songs that mention Jesus, the manger, or the Savior. Sometimes they say angels are in heaven, and that they're like little children watching over us and seeing everything. Well, what do they eat up there? And how do they stay warm in those tiny little dresses?
Basically, you can't escape Catholics, church events, little jingles, theories, or biblical motifs... 🕺
Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
rowdypanther12 said:I don't know, I guess it really depends on how you feel about what they actually teach there.
In my opinion, movie ratings like PG, 16, or R exist for a reason—not every idea is appropriate for little kids to be exposed to.
Honestly, I can't really help you much since the idea of enrolling my kid in religious education never even crossed my mind.
Well, I did think about that whole separation thing for a few months, but then I realized I don't want to teach my child to just force themselves to fit in, and I don't want to set an example of just bowing down to pressure.

Basically, my spouse and I have never stepped foot in a church; my partner was only baptized to please their grandmother, and I wasn't even baptized. We didn't have a church wedding either, so the whole idea of signing our daughter up for religious ed feels pretty crazy to me, even if I don't think the classes are inherently bad for kids.
Religious education isn't some general subject about faith; it's specifically designed for believers.

1. Well, I honestly have no clue what the actual curriculum covers. That’s why I was asking for the syllabus—I need to see if any of it hits a nerve or if it's stuff I just can't stomach beforehand.

2. Alright, based on everything I've dug up so far, it sounds like you're right. It's a course for believers.

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
rowdypanther12 said:Without even getting into why you’d consider enrolling your child in religious education, everything you’ve described makes me think that signing them up might just open a massive can of worms.
Between attending Mass, praying for help with schoolwork, and having to explain to your kid why what they're being taught in class differs from how things actually work in the real world—not to mention if the teacher turns out to be a total loose cannon—you could be looking at a whole lot of unnecessary complications.

Honestly, I see that as a total plus—it’s an opportunity for critical thinking. My own experience with doubt was different because I didn't have parental support. I wasn't allowed to "blaspheme" by actually voicing my doubts about whether God even exists. I just had to sit there with my little kid brain, spinning in circles because something clearly didn't add up.

I think it's better to send them to religion class so they don't feel like they're missing out on something. 😬
Plus, it’ll definitely help her form her own opinion in a few years.

Regarding what Robert Rodriguez9 said—about her not standing out or being too loud about it—I highly doubt she'll be the only one.
From what I've gathered, there are plenty of unbaptized kids around, at least 3 or 4 in the group.

There are definitely families and individuals where the only reason they enroll their kids is so they don't stick out like a sore thumb.

Some people even do the baptism thing just for the sake of it, not because it actually means anything to them. To me, it's even more of a mess when people say that openly to a priest. 😬

It's possible we won't enroll her at all. If so, no big deal.

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
Raymond Jones8 said:Katjes
From what I can gather, you don't just get to opt out of religious ed halfway through the school year just because you aren't feeling the teacher's vibe or how they're running things, I guess.
I'm not entirely sure if you actually want your kid to go through with the sacraments or not? Usually, there's this unspoken rule—or maybe an explicit one—that you have to show up for Mass if you're serious about getting those sacraments, right?

Look, I get that you need to show up to Mass and be baptized. But I don't want that. Or rather, I just don't care.

Susan James said:You can't unenroll during the school year (though apparently, you can sign up mid-year).
It is linked to practicing the faith.
Think of it this way: just like an elementary teacher might give homework to practice writing letters, learning street names in the neighborhood, or practicing catching a ball, a religious studies teacher can assign things related to the church (like prayer, visiting different parishes, or attending mass).
And based on that level of involvement outside of class, a child might end up with a lower grade if they haven't done those things or can't participate on equal footing with the kids who are active practitioners.
From what I've seen with kids in the early grades, they often come home wanting to pray at night or asking their grandparents if they're going to church on Sunday, simply because it's new and fun, or because they want to be good students in all their classes, including religious studies.

Regarding the idea that the child should decide for themselves whether to believe, that’s my goal too, but I think they should start tackling that after high school graduation.
I'm honestly too tired right now to go into a deep dive on childhood developmental stages, but just like Harry Potter heads off to Hogwarts after his 11th birthday, I feel like our kids should only really engage with religious studies at that stage of maturity.
Anything before that feels like indoctrination where the child isn't making an independent choice.

Though, from what I observe in real life and here on the forums, for most kids, Jesus is basically on the same level as Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy—mostly just someone who brings gifts.
So maybe early religious education isn't such a harmful influence on non-believers.🤣
It becomes harmful to believers when they realize the gifts are actually coming from their parents.
Then, suddenly, their whole faith gets a little shaken by human deception.

I agree that little kids don't really grasp the point of it all.

By the time I was 11 or 13, I had definitely developed the stance that God isn't real and I don't believe. The stories just didn't hold water for me. And I still remember my impressions from religious ed classes back in elementary school—even first grade. I can still see the first three pages of my coloring book. My impression back then was... honestly, just pure "WTF" because of the teacher, his stories, and how he went about teaching everything.😁

Then came the phase of more intense thinking, the fears, and those endless logical loops: like, "Am I going to burn in hell because I don't believe in God?" But then, "Wait, if there is no hell, then there's no danger." Then, "But what if there *is* a hell and I'm wrong? Oh my God, please forgive me, I didn't mean it! It was just a passing thought!"

God, and I even remember the paranoia that I might become a private individual—which I really didn't want to be. Private people and priests just suddenly feel "the call," apparently. According to their logic, they don't even choose it; God chooses it for them. So, I used to pray to God not to call me. Just ridiculous nonsense, really.

I honestly don't know if I would put a child through an experience like that. 😬

At first, when they were in first grade, I thought maybe we'd try it—assuming it wasn't an issue that we aren't believers, don't go to church, and aren't baptized—just to see what we were dealing with.

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
My bad. I probably could have been more concise. Honestly, whether or not we actually send her depends entirely on how we answer a few things first.

Tyler Ruiz502 said:Hey there.
My kid is just about preschool age now, so I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately—trying to figure out our next move. To be honest, I'm an atheist. My husband... well, he isn't exactly devout, if you want to call it that—he doesn't really care for the whole religious thing—but he's not quite on my level either. We aren't exactly "practicing" anything; we might put up a little decoration during the holidays, but we aren't exactly showing up at the local chapel every Sunday. Anyway, the little one hasn't been baptized or anything like that. So, I'm sitting here wondering: should we enroll them in a religious school, or skip it? What do you guys think?
I’m trying to explain the fundamentals—you know, what God actually is, who Jesus was, the whole deal with the church, Christmas carols, nuns, priests, the Crucifixion, funerals... all of it. I'm basically trying to lay out the core tenets for someone who actually believes, just so we're on the same page. I started with something like, "Legend has it that Jesus was born in a stable, and many people believe he possessed miraculous powers..." and honestly? It was a lost cause. In her head, she thinks Jesus is some kind of magical fairy from a cartoon. 🙂
People keep asking me if it’s actually true—as if there's some definitive proof just sitting around waiting to be found. But honestly? We can't verify it. There is no way to check the facts on this one, period. At the end of the day, we’re left with a simple choice: do we want to believe it, or don't we? I've mentioned before how much comfort people find in having something to cling to—it's that sense of belief that keeps so many folks calm and steady when things get chaotic. It’s just... well, you know how it is.
I find myself wondering... is it actually okay for a kid like that to show up to religion class, sit there and listen, but still maintain a healthy sense of critical thinking? I mean—is there really anything wrong with them questioning things as they go along?
I find myself wondering—is there actually any point in being baptized or showing up at church? I mean, does the local school district even bother preparing kids for First Communion anymore? And here is the real kicker—if you aren't some die-hard, weekly attendee, is your kid going to end up stuck in a lower grade level or somehow disadvantaged compared to the religious kids? It feels like one of those things that could go sideways. Are these religious education classes actually meant to broaden a child's horizons and introduce them to different perspectives... or is it just a way to drill specific doctrines into their heads without letting them question a single thing? Because, let’s be honest—if a kid actually starts asking real questions or dares to voice what Mom and Dad taught them at home, they aren't exactly going to have a grand old time in those sessions.
What’s the deal with the religious education curriculum these days? I mean, honestly—what are they actually teaching in those classes?

Over the last ten pages or so that I’ve been digging through—though honestly, it really just depends on which instructor you happen to be listening to—it all comes down to the teacher.

I don't know what to make of this whole Tanita situation—it’s one of those things that just sits in the back of your mind, nagging at you, isn't it? It feels like we're constantly circling the same drain, waiting for some kind of definitive answer or a moment of clarity that never actually arrives. I was thinking about it earlier while staring at a lukewarm cup of coffee, and honestly, the more you dig, the more it feels like we're just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. There's a certain futility to it all—an exhausting sort of loop where everyone thinks they have the missing piece of the puzzle, yet here we are, still staring at the same empty box. It’s frustrating, really. A bit maddening, if I'm being honest. We demand certainty in a world that seems hell-bent on being unpredictable, and then we act surprised when the floor drops out from under us. It's a cycle—a repetitive, somewhat ridiculous cycle—that we seem doomed to repeat. kaže:
Look, regarding the withdrawal process—the rules are pretty much identical for everyone across the board. You can't just pull a kid out mid-year, even if you try to use extracurriculars or some other nonsense as an excuse... it's just not how it works.

Is this actually legit? I mean, if it turns out this is having a negative impact, I’d pull my kid out of that school in a heartbeat. A colleague of mine has a little one who has started begging to pray every single night—he’s developed this whole "paranoia" that if he doesn't say his prayers, he’s headed straight to hell. It’s wild. Apparently, the religious instructor keeps bribing them with toys every chance they get to keep them engaged. Honestly, people have lost their minds. They’ve decided to withdraw him, though I’m not sure if they're doing it immediately or just waiting until the end of the school year.

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Why are we even stuck in this dilemma? Let her go, see for herself, hear the lessons, and then decide if she wants to believe in any of it or not. Plus—and this is a big "plus"—it keeps her from buzzing around the hallway complaining about it (though that really depends on how many other kids are uninterested in religion class and what kind of alternative they offer). It’s not like she’s going to sit there listening to Buddhism or something.
If being enrolled means she has to commit to a bunch of parish activities—you know, Mass, prayers, joining the choir... that's a hard pass for me. I honestly have no idea how much the classroom religious education actually ties into real-world practice.
But, if it’s all just coloring books and Bible stories during school hours? Then I’m totally fine with it.
The main thing is, if I notice my kid starting to act differently or if she starts obsessing over some weird religious fears, I want to have the option to pull the plug immediately.

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Religion classes in school - Megathread in Students & Teens ·
Hey there.
My kid is just about preschool age now, so I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately—trying to figure out our next move. To be honest, I'm an atheist. My husband... well, he isn't exactly devout, if you want to call it that—he doesn't really care for the whole religious thing—but he's not quite on my level either. We aren't exactly "practicing" anything; we might put up a little decoration during the holidays, but we aren't exactly showing up at the local chapel every Sunday. Anyway, the little one hasn't been baptized or anything like that. So, I'm sitting here wondering: should we enroll them in a religious school, or skip it? What do you guys think?
I’m trying to explain the fundamentals—you know, what God actually is, who Jesus was, the whole deal with the church, Christmas carols, nuns, priests, the Crucifixion, funerals... all of it. I'm basically trying to lay out the core tenets for someone who actually believes, just so we're on the same page. I started with something like, "Legend has it that Jesus was born in a stable, and many people believe he possessed miraculous powers..." and honestly? It was a lost cause. In her head, she thinks Jesus is some kind of magical fairy from a cartoon. 🙂
People keep asking me if it’s actually true—as if there's some definitive proof just sitting around waiting to be found. But honestly? We can't verify it. There is no way to check the facts on this one, period. At the end of the day, we’re left with a simple choice: do we want to believe it, or don't we? I've mentioned before how much comfort people find in having something to cling to—it's that sense of belief that keeps so many folks calm and steady when things get chaotic. It’s just... well, you know how it is.
I find myself wondering... is it actually okay for a kid like that to show up to religion class, sit there and listen, but still maintain a healthy sense of critical thinking? I mean—is there really anything wrong with them questioning things as they go along?
I find myself wondering—is there actually any point in being baptized or showing up at church? I mean, does the local school district even bother preparing kids for First Communion anymore? And here is the real kicker—if you aren't some die-hard, weekly attendee, is your kid going to end up stuck in a lower grade level or somehow disadvantaged compared to the religious kids? It feels like one of those things that could go sideways. Are these religious education classes actually meant to broaden a child's horizons and introduce them to different perspectives... or is it just a way to drill specific doctrines into their heads without letting them question a single thing? Because, let’s be honest—if a kid actually starts asking real questions or dares to voice what Mom and Dad taught them at home, they aren't exactly going to have a grand old time in those sessions.
What’s the deal with the religious education curriculum these days? I mean, honestly—what are they actually teaching in those classes?

Over the last ten pages or so that I’ve been digging through—though honestly, it really just depends on which instructor you happen to be listening to—it all comes down to the teacher.

I don't know what to make of this whole Tanita situation—it’s one of those things that just sits in the back of your mind, nagging at you, isn't it? It feels like we're constantly circling the same drain, waiting for some kind of definitive answer or a moment of clarity that never actually arrives. I was thinking about it earlier while staring at a lukewarm cup of coffee, and honestly, the more you dig, the more it feels like we're just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. There's a certain futility to it all—an exhausting sort of loop where everyone thinks they have the missing piece of the puzzle, yet here we are, still staring at the same empty box. It’s frustrating, really. A bit maddening, if I'm being honest. We demand certainty in a world that seems hell-bent on being unpredictable, and then we act surprised when the floor drops out from under us. It's a cycle—a repetitive, somewhat ridiculous cycle—that we seem doomed to repeat. kaže:
Look, regarding the withdrawal process—the rules are pretty much identical for everyone across the board. You can't just pull a kid out mid-year, even if you try to use extracurriculars or some other nonsense as an excuse... it's just not how it works.

Is this actually legit? I mean, if it turns out this is having a negative impact, I’d pull my kid out of that school in a heartbeat. A colleague of mine has a little one who has started begging to pray every single night—he’s developed this whole "paranoia" that if he doesn't say his prayers, he’s headed straight to hell. It’s wild. Apparently, the religious instructor keeps bribing them with toys every chance they get to keep them engaged. Honestly, people have lost their minds. They’ve decided to withdraw him, though I’m not sure if they're doing it immediately or just waiting until the end of the school year.

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