Religion classes in school - Megathread
in Students & Teens ·
I think I posted this in the wrong thread.
My focus isn't actually on religious education itself, but rather on children's rights, especially given some recent... situations involving that topic.
Of course, parents are primarily responsible for raising their children and instilling specific attitudes and values, yet it often feels as though children are treated as if they have total autonomy over certain matters.
It makes no sense to me for kids to attend religion class just because of social pressure. On the other hand, if attendance is mandated simply as a prerequisite for receiving sacraments, then that’s essentially coercion.
Furthermore, I can't wrap my head around the idea of threatening children with hell; that is truly the absolute rock bottom.
That said, I assume religion teachers follow a set curriculum and administer tests, and presumably, they are held to the same school standards and accountability as any other staff member.
There have been several instances where instructors ended up in court due to such absurdities—imposing personal views—and they are rightfully sued because teaching shouldn't involve intimidation or making someone feel inferior.
I was reading an article recently about a liberal cardinal from the USA who opposes aggressive prayer protests outside hospitals. He supports sharing the sacraments with those who are divorced but were married in the church, and he is "for" the LGBTQ+ community in the sense that he doesn't condemn them and wants to keep the church doors open to them.
Given the rise of these various "movements," I really don't understand how anyone can still use fear to intimidate children.
It seems to me that the church is opening up in all sectors and adapting to the modern world. I'm not sure if that transition holds much weight here in America, since our institutions still feel stuck in the era of the Inquisition.
As for my own experience: I didn't have religion classes in elementary school, but I did in high school. Even then, I don't recall anyone ever asking if I actually wanted to participate, though I know I lost interest in religious questions the moment I hit puberty.😁In high school, everything boiled down to the priest dictating while we took notes; even though I was an honor student, he refused to give me an A, stubbornly sticking to a B. To be honest, I frequently skipped class to grab coffee instead. The topics covered things like contraception and similar issues—not bad subjects, per se, but they were uninteresting to me because I learned all of that from magazines anyway.😁
My focus isn't actually on religious education itself, but rather on children's rights, especially given some recent... situations involving that topic.
Of course, parents are primarily responsible for raising their children and instilling specific attitudes and values, yet it often feels as though children are treated as if they have total autonomy over certain matters.
It makes no sense to me for kids to attend religion class just because of social pressure. On the other hand, if attendance is mandated simply as a prerequisite for receiving sacraments, then that’s essentially coercion.
Furthermore, I can't wrap my head around the idea of threatening children with hell; that is truly the absolute rock bottom.
That said, I assume religion teachers follow a set curriculum and administer tests, and presumably, they are held to the same school standards and accountability as any other staff member.
There have been several instances where instructors ended up in court due to such absurdities—imposing personal views—and they are rightfully sued because teaching shouldn't involve intimidation or making someone feel inferior.
I was reading an article recently about a liberal cardinal from the USA who opposes aggressive prayer protests outside hospitals. He supports sharing the sacraments with those who are divorced but were married in the church, and he is "for" the LGBTQ+ community in the sense that he doesn't condemn them and wants to keep the church doors open to them.
Given the rise of these various "movements," I really don't understand how anyone can still use fear to intimidate children.
It seems to me that the church is opening up in all sectors and adapting to the modern world. I'm not sure if that transition holds much weight here in America, since our institutions still feel stuck in the era of the Inquisition.
As for my own experience: I didn't have religion classes in elementary school, but I did in high school. Even then, I don't recall anyone ever asking if I actually wanted to participate, though I know I lost interest in religious questions the moment I hit puberty.😁In high school, everything boiled down to the priest dictating while we took notes; even though I was an honor student, he refused to give me an A, stubbornly sticking to a B. To be honest, I frequently skipped class to grab coffee instead. The topics covered things like contraception and similar issues—not bad subjects, per se, but they were uninteresting to me because I learned all of that from magazines anyway.😁