Posts by silentraven6

So, apparently there’s a scoring system now for how much of a human being you actually are?

Are you really out here grading a child on their humanity?

And what about these characters of yours and all this cheap, mindless rambling? Can I get a score for that too?

Minus ten, sister. A solid minus ten for those Catholic Jesus values of yours!

Just... ugh. Gross.

It’s honestly out of line for atheists or folks from other denominations to be nitpicking the way we handle spiritual education within Catholic religious studies.

Religion and ethics—they’re basically just the foundation for ensuring equality for all children. But if you don't approach it through the lens of proper catechesis, rather than just some surface-level theology classes, most people would end up with nothing to show for it.

It’s pretty shameful to see this kind of demagoguery being used against a single lesson in the 21st century... though, I suppose it's even more embarrassing because it was my own lesson.

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It makes me a little sad, honestly, seeing how much she just doesn't care about having her own laptop. I mean, it’s right there whenever she needs it, but what does she actually use it for? Most of the time, it ends up being nothing more than a glorified CD player for her music and English lessons. And then, occasionally—sometimes because we nudge her, and sometimes just on her own—she'll use it to go over her schoolwork using those dedicated study CDs. It's just such a waste of a good machine.

I need to come up with some kind of fun little challenge over the holidays to actually start using my laptop for something useful. I mean, I’ve messed around with gaming, but honestly? Nothing really stuck. I didn't get hooked on anything intense—it was mostly just wasting time with those silly Talking Tom and Angela apps. 🙄 She used to think that whole 5G thing was such a clever little joke back when she was first learning her capital letters, but I guess that novelty has worn off now. Same goes for things like MS Paint—it’s just not that funny anymore. She actually has a real knack for math, though, so maybe I should steer her toward Excel? I was honestly considering picking up one of those introductory computer science textbooks for a sixth grader, but then I took a look at the curriculum... and once I saw them using terms like "storage vessel" instead of just saying "memory," I completely lost interest. It's just too much.

That’s exactly why that kid is such a prime candidate for gaming addiction. He’s basically a total mama's boy, honestly—just a little spoiled brat through and through. But man, you can't deny his technical intuition. Give him any kind of interface—whether it's a mouse, a trackpad, a touchscreen, a controller, or even just a remote—and he masters it in seconds. It's like he's hardwired for it. He doesn't even have to think about it; buttons like "play," "resume," "continue," or "cancel" are practically second nature to him. He's already ahead of the curve. 😍

If you're actually into math and combinatorics, give this one a shot. I was just browsing through Tangram Games' site—they do some really interesting stuff with educational tools and puzzle-based learning. It actually got me thinking about how much we rely on these kinds of interactive methods to keep kids engaged versus the old-school "sit still and listen" approach. You know, that whole outdated way of teaching that feels more like a chore than an actual discovery process. It’s funny, because I remember being stuck with those dry, dusty workbooks back in school, and honestly? Most of us just tuned out. But when you give someone a tactile challenge, something they can actually get their hands on and manipulate... that's when the lightbulb goes off. It changes the whole dynamic from passive absorption to active problem-solving. It makes you wonder why more curriculum designers don't lean into this kind of play-based logic more often. It's not just about making things "fun"—it's about building those neural pathways through engagement. Definitely worth a deep dive if you're into cognitive development or just love a good mental workout.Honestly, he's gotten really into it lately, and I actually prefer it this way. It’s better that he's focusing his energy there.

He’s been working through these simple little exercises with him—just basic stuff, really. Like, practicing giving commands through the keyboard, doing some searches... we even spend time looking at different places on Google Earth together.

Hey, Karen Gonzalez69, thank you God I'm not alone in this 😁

Thanks for the link! I actually stumbled upon something pretty similar myself; I'll post it here once I get home and dig it out of my bookmarks.

I’ve already started on everything you mentioned as potential solutions. Right now, though, I'm having a bit of a struggle explaining things to my gym trainers—trying to let them know about my current situation and which exercises I need to steer clear of for now, like deadlifts. But yeah, I've jumped straight into strengthening all the muscles that support the area around the vaginal walls, and I'm trying to target my pelvic floor with every trick I know.

Honestly, I feel like it's hard to find an exercise at a regular gym that really hits those specific internal muscles. And the Kegels? They haven't been much help for me; I'm doing the classic ones constantly, but nothing seems to change.

I'm curious, where did you go for physical therapy, and who sent you there? Was that a recommendation from your OBGYN or something?

I'm going to hold off on asking too many questions until after my urodynamic study is done, just so we can see where things actually stand. I'm a little worried that I might have caused more damage, especially since I'm already dealing with some mild incontinence.

I'm definitely going to look into that link you sent. In any case, I'd really recommend getting checked out to see what the current status is. It's always easier to fix things when the damage is minor. This whole issue probably isn't insurmountable while it's still in the early stages, but I worry that by waiting, we're just making things worse. I truly believe there's a way to get everything back to normal, especially since we're both young—that's supposed to be our biggest advantage.

Thanks again. Maybe someone else will chime in so we can all learn something new.

James Alvarez2 said:It wasn't even aimed at you. I was just calling out those people who can't wrap their heads around why having religion class in the middle of the school day is such a mess. The topic was solid and the point hit right on what I was saying, so I had to chime in... 😁

And she said it right to your faces, too... honestly, I felt like I was getting called out personally just because I admitted I believe in God... 🤣
Not really looking to dive headfirst into this group... too much nonsense being posted here that I don't even get... 😁

Just waiting on some smartass response like: "You can't tell me a Protestant, Jewish, or whatever other minister doesn't have a car and can't make it where they're called..." Or that our local pastor doesn't have a ride so he can't show up... ridiculous.

Thanks for being able to read between the lines.

And thanks for saving me from having to write out a whole manifesto here. You pretty much nailed everything I wanted to say, except for the fact that my practical faith took a massive hit one Sunday in Palm Beach, and again on that Sunday when the only priest I actually respected passed away.

It's my problem, yeah, I'll give you that. But honestly, none of this helps deal with the current state of things—where I feel this sense of shame seeing how people are allowed to disrespect the very best parts of my faith in such a low-down way.

Nancy Kelly31 said:What kind of question does one truly pose when they find themselves doubting an answer, not because of its lack of merit, but because it conflicts so sharply with their own preconceived notions? 🤷

Let’s look at it this way, then. How many teachers have actually brought an imam, a rabbi, or an Orthodox priest—literally anyone from a different faith tradition—into their classroom just to help students grasp the concept of ecumenism?

Whenever I scroll through the comments from people who claim to share my faith, I’m honestly just hit with this wave of sadness and anger. It’s hard to wrap my head around how people like that ended up at the very heart of the church.

I just can't believe they’ll stoop so low as to start whining about some supposed "oppression" of the majority by a minority... It's nothing but mindless demagoguery, pure lies, and total hypocrisy. Honestly, it's Pharisaical behavior.

I genuinely wish you all could discover the most beautiful part of our faith—which is showing mercy to your neighbor. That’s what you should be focusing on learning back at your home parish.

I could only find this one thread about uterine prolapse, though there’s a tiny bit mentioned regarding urodynamic testing if needed. Admins, please 😁

So, my gynecologist just diagnosed me with Cistocel today. From what I gather, it’s basically when the vaginal wall and the bladder—well, maybe the bottom of the bladder—drop down into the vagina.

I’ve been referred for urodynamic testing, and I actually have the appointment scheduled already.

After my second child, my doctors basically told me this was just a "normal" postpartum thing and that everything would snap back into place if I just did my Kegel exercises. After that checkup, I haven't even seen a gynecologist until now, which has been over two years.

The symptoms didn't hit me right away. Honestly, I can't even remember if they did, because I probably just chalked everything up to standard postpartum recovery. But lately, things have definitely gotten worse, despite all the exercises. It's constant leaking, this relentless pressure on my bladder, feeling like it's never truly empty, and then the stress incontinence—leaking whenever I sneeze, cough, or strain. Plus, the frequent urge to go and that heavy, constant pressure in the pelvic area.

On top of all that, I’m dealing with pain in my lower spine, right around where I had the epidural. The doctor I saw today (she's filling in for my regular OB/GYN) thinks there might be a connection between that pain and the fact that my second labor was such a long, difficult ordeal.

Regardless of all the theories on why this happened, the reality is that it's happening, and I want to know what I can do for myself right now while I wait for my tests and my urine culture results.

Are there any exercises besides Kegel? Can I help by losing some weight or hitting the gym—you know, taking a full-body strengthening approach? I wouldn't say I'm out of shape, but I've been feeling weaker than usual these last couple of months. Besides the fact that I really *should* be doing those things anyway, can strength training actually help with this? Also, does anyone have experience with non-surgical approaches? From what I understand, surgery isn't really an option for me until I'm done having kids (or whenever I decide I'm finished).

And for those who have gone the surgical route, what are the outcomes actually like? Is it just a mesh placement, or are there other methods? Does it come back, and what about side effects?

Does estrogen therapy actually work? Is it prescription-only, or can you get it over the counter? If anyone knows, I'd love to hear your feedback.

I know I'm throwing a lot of questions at you. I've been Googling everything, but I'm terrified that by searching and trying to play doctor with my limited medical knowledge, I'll just end up making things worse—especially mentally. 😁

If there is a trusted resource, a support group, or even just a good link, please share your recommendations, experiences, or advice.

For context, I'm 31 and have two kids. My youngest is almost 2.5.

Nancy Kelly31 said:I wonder if it might have been more appropriate for me to include a direct link to his personal blog, which is referenced in the article and serves as the original home for this text... 🤷

http://www.rijecanin.com/2015/11/07/...nauk-iz-skola/

Nah,

Nancy Kelly31 said:That is a truly insightful perspective on this current topic. Furthermore, one must consider that the individual is a religious studies teacher... which likely means they possess a much deeper understanding of these complexities than any of us here. 🤷

Are you serious? Bitmo?

Is that really your argument?

Henry Lopez10, sorry, but you are completely missing the point here... Just think about a first grader being left all by themselves. Think about the fact that a second language is offered as an elective in a way where nobody even shows up to the hallway. And honestly, think about the fact that we are all footing the bill for a theology teacher's hour when half the kids aren't even in the room.

Nancy Kelly31 said:It truly never ceases to amaze me how some people can adopt such an aggressively hostile stance, fueled by nothing but pure resentment from the very start. I mean, what if religious studies just happens to be the first or last period on a student's schedule? Or what if there is simply a break in the curriculum where no "controversial situation" even occurs? Who are we supposed to drag in for an investigation then, just so certain agitators can gloat about escalating tensions in a school where, we would like to believe, most people are doing their absolute best to foster a positive environment for everyone? Honestly, the majority of parents reacting to this topic remind me of those old fables where the crowd just screams, "The wolf is coming, the wolf is coming!" except they are practically begging for the chaos to happen...
For years now, religious education has occupied its space within our schools quite decorously, without any significant incidents to speak of. Exceptions are incredibly rare and are handled on a case-by-case basis, much like any other matter involving a small minority. 🤷

It feels like you're trying to burn every single bridge between believers and non-believers, not to mention tearing down the whole idea of equality.

All it takes is one single incident to start a massive outcry, especially since we're talking about kids here—children who have been thrown into this, who can't fight back or defend themselves.

They don't need these divisions. They shouldn't be taught to fear the majority. They deserve to be treated equally within the system, yet having religious studies in school just creates inequality.

When it comes to faith, the majority opinion doesn't carry any weight. Throwing around theories about how we need to "adapt" to what most people think completely undermines the very foundations of religious belief.

Religion shouldn't be about coercion; if someone has a genuine desire to grow spiritually, they should be able to find that fulfillment within their churches.

At the end of the day, everyone contributes to the same tax pool, so there should be ways for people's specific spiritual interests to be met outside of the standard public school curriculum.

Honestly, you can tell a lot about the type of people enrolling their kids in religious studies just by looking at the data. The biggest group among those who move abroad are your average churchgoers who immediately start filing paperwork to opt out of religious taxes... It’s the same pattern where one parent moves away, and then the other stays behind here in the States, claiming Catholics are being persecuted just because they want a different way to organize religious education.

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Lawrence Torres56 said:I'm not even religious enough to feel the need to spin things in my favor; if you had actually read what I wrote more carefully, like you claim to do, you'd realize that.😁

I’m not interested in you or your daughter; I’m interested in the topic. Whether it's a boy or a girl is totally irrelevant to me, sorry if that’s such a huge deal for your argument... also, sorry about the "separate classes for non-religious students" comment, let me rephrase it for you:
"separate classes for those who *do* take religion," if that makes you feel better... satisfied? Just please, spare me the lectures about segregation buses, because if you actually knew anything about history, you'd know that parental pressure fueled by nonsense like "why should my child do this" is exactly what led to those buses in the first place...

It is blatantly dishonest to sit here on this forum and claim that kids who don't attend religion class are just loitering in the halls, or that their teachers are threatening them with hell for being non-believers, or that they're being forced to pray before meals. It is completely unreasonable to expect twenty students and their parents to bend over backward for me, rather than me accommodating them... because if all these insinuations were actually true, people would be taking them straight to the principal, and that teacher would be out of a job instantly.

Nice excuse, but it doesn't hold water.😁, the whole foundation of our culture is that we adapt to the majority, not the other way around... When you visit another country, you don't expect everyone to speak English just because you do; you make an effort to learn the local language if you can. When you walk into someone else's house, you don't demand they cook your favorite meal; you either eat what everyone else is eating or you don't. When you grab coffee with someone who drinks black coffee, you don't send them to the store to find a specific creamer just because you like it; you either bring your own or you drink what they're drinking...😁

Honestly, I think your comment stems from a pretty fundamental lack of political and socio-ethical literacy. And if I’m being completely honest? I’d probably add religious illiteracy to that list, too.

Look, here’s how I see it: democracy isn't about the majority just steamrolling everyone else. That's not what it's for. Real democracy means respecting the choices made by the majority, sure, but those choices have to be made with the well-being of every single person in the community in mind. It shouldn't be about forcing one set of beliefs into every classroom; it's more about finding that balance where we acknowledge different perspectives and simply learn to respect one another.

Secularism isn't just some abstract concept; it’s about drawing clear lines. It means keeping the church and the state separate, making sure our school systems stay independent from religious institutions too. To me, that separation makes everything much simpler to wrap your head around—it clarifies exactly how we should handle things like elective courses without all the messy overlap.

These kinds of shallow takes are actually pretty dangerous for democracy and for anything involving true inclusivity. They’re built on nothing more than habit and unthinking assumptions—there's just zero genuine curiosity there. People like this aren't actually interested in getting to the heart of the matter, which in this case is faith. Honestly, it feels like this kind of superficiality is just a personality trait for them; they tend to be this way about everything.

I'm with you on that one point—there are way too many people in our society acting like hypocrites. They push for these things just because they don't want to deal with the surgical complications or the extra headaches later on. It’s all about avoiding personal inconvenience. As for the actual science? We are miles away from anything being truly practical in a real-world sense.

It’s honestly such a bizarre situation when you think about it. My kid doesn't even take religious studies at school, yet they just decide—completely on their own initiative—to cross themselves before a meal. And suddenly, I'm getting all these confused looks and questions from teachers and other kids in the class. Why the interrogation, though? It's because 90% of those kids don't even have that kind of practice in their own households.

Larry Walker24 said:Give me an answer—where was God at Auschwitz?

Well, you could ask the same thing about science, right? Oh wait, yeah... it was inside that Mengele-esque, twisted mind...

I think the question is legitimate. Every believer asks it at some point in their life. Faith is supposed to be about struggle and taking responsibility for your own existence. But then you have this widely accepted, totally wrong interpretation of divine forgiveness and repentance, where people think God will go easy on them just because they put on a show of being sorry—usually by reciting the Rosary without actually thinking about a single word they're saying.

Hepi hipo, I'm with you on every single point.

As a believer myself, it honestly shames me that faith is forced upon people in schools like that.

We could really open up a massive discussion here about how the very foundations of Christianity—rooted in ancient councils and early edicts—might actually be working against the religion itself. We could dive into the systemic sexism baked into its core, stemming from that old-school assumption that men are the central protagonists of the entire divine narrative. Then there’s the issue of how institutionalized religion has spent centuries veering off track, and why it still struggles so much to adapt to the modern world today. On the flip side, we could talk about how some of the most groundbreaking scientific principles were actually formulated by brilliant Christian, Protestant, Buddhist, or Hindu thinkers. It seems like, for them, God wasn't an obstacle, nor were those "ideologically charged fairy tales." We could even tackle the way certain ideologies seep into catechisms where they simply don't belong.

We could also dive into the crisis facing modern science and how its irreversible fragmentation is creating this absolute nightmare. We’re reaching a point where a scientist specializing in one hyper-niche field can’t even wrap their head around what’s happening in the field right next to them. If you’ve spent any time digging into postmodernist theories regarding scientific shifts—whether you're looking at the humanities or the hard sciences—you start to see the bigger, much messier picture of how broken this system has become.

I also think we need to talk about how the way we teach both religion and science in our American school system is just incredibly dogmatic. It doesn't leave any room for actual interpretation. When it comes to religion, that's even more obvious because there’s this heavy emphasis on needing to have faith without any scientific proof to back it up. But then you look at science, and it's almost the opposite problem—it's like they completely shut out the practical side of things. They ignore science as an actual process of research and experimentation, treating it like a closed book rather than a playground for discovery. There's this rigid pressure to accept certain fundamental ideas as absolute truth, which doesn't allow for the possibility of being wrong. It’s funny, really—you actually need a massive amount of "faith" to believe that this supposedly untouchable system of evidence and logic, which is meant to prove the core principles of our lives, is somehow incapable of error.

You could also look at how modern science and big capital are intertwined, and honestly, it’s pretty much the same story as the relationship between the Church and big money. It all boils down to the same thing: there’s a lot of shady business going on behind closed doors. This is especially true in the pharmaceutical industry—which is basically one of the fastest-growing sectors in science right now—and it’s exactly why people are losing faith in it, just like they lost trust in the Church.

We can do it—we really can—even if I honestly feel like this isn't even the right place to be talking about it.

The core argument here really boils down to one thing: regardless of our traditional roots or the historical fact that, for centuries, it was actually the clergy who built and drove our entire education system, we made a choice. We decided to become a secular society. And because that’s the path we took, we need to act according to those principles.

Look, let's just stop with the stubborn insults regarding people's beliefs—those rights are protected by the Constitution, after all. We really shouldn't be questioning scientifically established subjects just because they clash with someone's ideology. Instead, let’s actually talk about why this subject creates practical problems on an operational level. It honestly doesn't belong in the middle of a secular school curriculum. As a society, we just aren't mature enough for it yet. We don't have a structured way of teaching religion that would introduce children to the fundamentals of different faiths from a neutral, academic distance, keeping the actual rituals and ceremonies reserved for the family and the church.

My faith is built entirely on my family. It’s at the heart of everything for me. Even within my own house, we aren't all on the same page—I actually have an agnostic relative who is steadily moving toward atheism. But that's okay. This family is my core, my foundation. It's the place where I can hold onto my beliefs and pass them down, provided I do it in a way that's respectful and doesn't cause any harm to anyone else just because they see the world differently.

I also really hope—and I mean truly hope—that because religion is so deeply woven into our art, our science, and our very sense of ethics, we don't end up seeing some kind of reverse discrimination. My biggest fear is that one day my kid is going to walk through that front door absolutely distraught because someone told them they’re just believing in nonsense that can't be "proven" by a lab test. It would be devastating if every single mention of faith was scrubbed from their literature classes, their art projects, or even their core science curriculum. Honestly, where does this obsession with being so narrow-minded and insulting actually lead? It feels like we're heading toward a pretty dark place.

We’re trying to teach kids tolerance at every single level, right? But this current approach to religious education just doesn't make sense for anyone involved. It's completely counterproductive. On one hand, it turns out to do nothing but produce people who haven't actually learned how to think critically about their own faith. On the other hand—and I totally get where this is coming from—it creates this massive, deep-seated resistance toward science. Honestly, until we can overhaul the curriculum so it actually functions within a secular American system, there's no point in having it at all. As long as these outdated ideas are being pushed, we aren't going to get anywhere with ideological debates centered on pure conviction versus persuasion. We need something better than this.

I remember having this conversation once with a friend of mine who is just a hardcore, die-hard atheist on every possible level. He’s incredibly blunt—almost brutal—when he starts laying out his views on how science and religion should interact. He actually had the nerve to ask me how I could possibly believe in things like burning bushes or some terrifying, judgmental God. He even went as far as asking if I felt any shame teaching my kid to believe in things that can't be proven. The thing is, he doesn't have the slightest clue what I actually believe. His entire argument is built on nothing more than a surface-level reading of the Old Testament. He hasn't even touched the New Testament, let alone picked up a single piece of actual theological literature regarding these debates—you know, the kind of stuff that looks at certain parts of the Bible from a historical perspective rather than just taking everything at face value. It's all very one-dimensional.

I just asked him one single question: How can you actually trust a person—or even their entire perception of reality—when everything we’ve ever achieved in science is just a byproduct of a homeocentric system? It’s all just a product of our own limited thinking. How can you teach your child that the only things that truly exist are the ones produced by our pathetic, flawed human minds, just so we can navigate this world a little easier?

And look, that doesn't mean I don't believe in evolution or the fundamental postulates of physics and the laws of nature. What I mean is, I think there's a real possibility that we're missing the mark entirely. Our scientific conclusions might be totally worthless compared to what a more advanced civilization could know. Maybe somewhere out in some distant galaxy, they're laughing at us, looking at us like we're nothing but narrow-minded dogmatists trapped in a tiny handful of dimensions.

The way I accept scientific consensus is purely practical—it's for the short lifespan I have, and honestly, I don't claim to have the capacity to uncover deep scientific truths myself. That's my compromise. My faith is how I reconcile all these thoughts, all the scientific evidence, and all our human imperfections. It’s an attempt to question everything and find a path toward understanding. Yeah, I use all sorts of allegorical stories to read to myself and my kids—stories I interpret and challenge, which lead me back to what I believe. To someone else, it might sound like some silly tale about a higher power, but to me, it's a fundamental belief that I am not the yardstick. The true measure hasn't been discovered yet, and I feel like I need to spend my whole life trying to uncover it, in every field, including science. Science also helps me stay grounded today because I’m a physical being in motion; I have mass and reach, and every single day I feel the pull of gravity—more in some places than others—because, damn it, I have to live in this world, there's no other way. I guess my box has become transparent during the process of growing up; even if I can't step outside of it, at least I can sharpen my vision and look out beyond the edges.

The more I look at this, the more I realize that schools and the entire educational system actually act quite hostily toward the parent-child relationship. Even when parents are just trying to stay informed and genuinely care about their kid's learning process, they get pushed away.

I suspect it’s because the average American teacher is stuck in this mindset: they can't tell which parent is worse—the one who couldn't care less, or the one who cares way too much. Honestly? Their favorites are the ones who just stay quiet and follow orders without making waves.

People spend a lot of time lamenting how these two sides fail to work together, but even those of us who have endless respect for the profession (and I count myself among them) are starting to see the truth. We're basically left with nothing but to balance things out and try to patch up the gaps in our kids' lives caused by this massive disconnect between home and school.

I also think most parents completely misunderstand the whole school-student dynamic. They only start making noise when it comes to a grade—specifically *their* kid's grade. Beyond that, they don't seem to care about civic ethics or being part of a community. In fact, they often vent very negative opinions about education and teachers right in front of their own children.

To me, there is a much greater need for joint workshops involving both teachers and parents than there is for workshops aimed at those poor kids who are stuck caught in the middle of all this mess. Maybe if the professional teams actually focused on that, things would change.

wanderinggardener12 said:I really don't want this conversation to drift toward the idea that children are constantly misinterpreting their own experiences. If you look at the guidelines provided by the Mayo Clinic, for instance, they instruct that a child should speak up if anyone touches them anywhere below the waistband. Now, if we’re talking about a simple scratch on the back or a little tickle on the tummy, calling that abuse feels like a massive stretch—and we all know that isn't usually the case. But isn't the core issue simply that a child knows what feels comfortable and what doesn't? That should be our North Star. If a child feels uneasy, we need to dig into that feeling. A mere statement isn't enough; we need to evaluate the actual emotion behind it to determine if things are truly okay. Children are actually quite capable of expressing these nuances if we listen. My point is that we shouldn't just focus on a single verbalized claim, but rather pay attention to the child's overall intuition and demeanor. A single statement is always subject to scrutiny and further evaluation, whether we are looking at incidents occurring at school or within the home. We should approach every report as if it were true, yet always pair that belief with a thorough investigation and careful analysis. Ultimately, isn't it better to investigate a situation where nothing actually happened than to ignore a genuine suspicion and deal with the consequences later?

I've been sitting here all day, reading and re-reading that statement. Thank you for summarizing the part that's been sticking in my throat.

That specific sentence really bothered me because of its negative tone. It sets this fundamental premise that we are some kind of judge or corrective force. But within a child's lies or even their wildest imaginings, there are often underlying needs, causes, or frustrations. Sometimes, it's just a pure lie.

Sometimes, it's a breakthrough where we realize they're just lost in their own little world of imagination. Other times, we realize we failed to teach them how to communicate about things they don't understand. And then there's the worst-case scenario: discovering a massive trauma that everyone wants to run away from. Too often, people just wash their hands of the situation, much like that old saying about how "it takes a village" to raise a child—except usually, the "village" just ends up dodging responsibility.

"A critical approach, always; choosing the method, always..." This kind of negativity is never helpful. That sentence carries such heavy negative connotations, no matter how much we try to explain it away. If a concept requires this much explanation, it probably isn't clear and likely isn't appropriate to begin with.

I'd also add that our university education programs for teachers need to do a much better job of integrating various pedagogical subjects. The way things are structured here in the US, it doesn't feel quite right, even if actual classroom experience provides the real insights. Personally, I feel like we need a lot more developmental psychology, didactics, and specialized training for working with children who have special needs. And don't even get me started on the actual mechanisms for recognizing specific issues like abuse and the subtle cries for help that kids send to their teachers in all sorts of ways.

Nancy Kelly31 said:Which faith? Every faith... Each one belongs to the cultural circle in which a person was born, as that is naturally the most logical and acceptable path for them.

The difficulty with this topic is that the opposing viewpoints are both entirely logical. Finding any sort of consensus becomes quite difficult under those circumstances. ☕

Take this situation with the churches, for example. What kind of lesson would we actually be providing to small children in these massive buildings designed to hold hundreds of people, when twenty of them might get swallowed up by those enormous pews, feeling completely lost in the sheer scale of it all? Without whiteboards or chalk, without televisions or videos, without projectors or laptops, and without even the simple opportunity to cut, color, glue, or sit on the floor... Churches aren't designed as classrooms; they are places for prayer, meant for large congregations gathered at once. You can barely count the number of churches that possess adequate halls for religious education, and even then, they are mostly found in major cities. But life happens everywhere else too.

However, you all know this already. You are merely pretending that you don't. And that isn't the point. Personally, I would find it much more interesting to discuss how we might solve the issue of children not being enrolled in religious studies. But I see there is little appetite for that here. It is a shame... because many minds working together are inevitably wiser. Provided, of course, that those minds are willing to cooperate. As it stands... 🤷

What exactly would be the problem with organizing religious classes in parish halls or in those community centers you find in every small town across America? If the Church doesn't have its own dedicated space, then let it pay rent for social spaces to teach its flock. Let the believers contribute through donations. Let the Church equip itself with all the necessary supplies from the Vatican's golden treasury—I mean, the Church is the wealthiest institution on the planet, yet it uses spaces paid for by every taxpayer through their hard work, and on top of that, tax money is allocated for the training and salaries of catechists. All while collecting church taxes.

Didn't > condemn those types of merchants and rage through the temple like a man possessed?

With that last paragraph, you're hinting at a Pontius Pilate mindset, isn't that a bit hypocritical? Can't we make a collective effort to finally figure out where we belong and what shaped us as believers, without forcing our worldview on others, just as they don't force theirs on us?

In any case, I don't see a solution to this problem other than the methods I've already mentioned. Until there is enough political pressure to finally strip ideological content out of the public school system—much like what happened with Marxism—it should be handled as an extracurricular activity instead. That's how it should function.

Besides, all those resources—the projectors, the floors, the boards—are paid for by every single taxpayer. It's fine if religious groups or institutions use them, just like foreign language schools or sports clubs do, but then the same rules should apply: they'll need to pay rent and cover their own payroll from their own pockets.