Posts by brightheron64

I can't help but wonder, if religious studies were actually treated as a core academic subject where grades truly reflected a student's mastery of the material—you know, with averages comparable to what we see in math, history, or geography classes, so a failing grade wasn't just some unpredictable mystery... would people still be making such a huge fuss about it?

James Alvarez2 said:I already said Mass is valid anywhere and it should be treated that way.
And obviously, parents hate it when they can't go anywhere until after the service.

But I'm not talking about that, you're just cherry-picking what fits your argument.

There are way, way, way more parents like the ones I'm describing than there are priests like the ones we're both talking about.
This isn't just some random experience, it's mine.

I've been helping with sacrament prep for kids in my parish for over 10 years now—hundreds of parents, literally hundreds, just drop their kids off for religious ed without it meaning anything to them, without being interested in the process, or even trying to understand that prepping for a sacrament isn't just signing up for a class and showing up on the scheduled date. It’s the same story every single year—why is it in the morning, why do they have to come to church, why extra classes, why push them to morning Mass, why regular attendance, why force confession, why, why, why...

Maybe twenty parents per generation reach out to me saying they have traditions with grandparents, or sports practice, or games, or some other reason for missing a specific Mass.
And you know what's cool? They never complain. Solutions are easy to find, everything gets worked out with the teacher and the priest, and there's zero drama.
We don't track attendance with strict checkmarks here, even though we could. We don't grill the kids about where they were if they were somewhere else, and we don't force them into the exact same service all year long. If they're "short" on credits, and the kids actually want to fill their little booklets, they can show up to any weekday Mass, an evening service, an adoration hour, a vigil, or whatever else to fill the gaps. We have a great system that works, yet every single week, the same group of parents sits outside the church during Mass—while their kid is supposed to be inside sitting still and quiet—just hanging out, walking around, smoking, chatting, and laughing.
The best part? They're doing this while their kid is stuck inside having to be well-behaved.
No wonder the kids want to be outside too. 🤦

So who's forcing you? Who's forcing those kids?
You are. 🤷
Why does some priest need to dictate how your Sunday looks just because it doesn't fit your schedule?

Sure, there are terrible pastors, priests, chaplains, and teachers. Absolutely.
But their (lack of) responsibility for the crap they pull doesn't excuse the responsibility of the parents who sign their kids up for religious ed.

Honestly, if everyone who complains just chose NOT to enroll their kids, life would be easier for everyone. Easier for the kids first, then the parents, and then for me, since it's way easier to teach 10 kids instead of 30.

Who is driving this? It’s nothing more than basic herd mentality. I mean, look at the massive drop-off in church attendance between 1980 and 2000... do you really think everyone just sat down and made a conscious decision all at once?

I’ve always believed that you can value an honest enemy much more than a fake friend, but then again, the Church seems to thrive on those big numbers that guarantee them influence and power. They love seeing the crowds grow... as for where this dilution of faith is ultimately heading us, I suppose we'll just have to wait and see...

Well, it looks like things are finally starting to shift...

So, the school year just kicked off, and in my daughter's third-grade class, we have a whole new group of non-believers emerging—there are seven of them now out of nineteen students total. And honestly, they seemed to be having quite the blast out on the playground during second period today...

I can't help but wonder, though, if we'll see that number climb to twelve or so in a few years; maybe then religious studies might actually become the first or last period on the schedule
...🎉

Matthew Castillo5 said:Who exactly went around destroying all the property belonging to Pupovac, Stanimirović, and their whole crew? 😲
And let's be real, they didn't destroy every single WWII memorial—just certain ones. Honestly, it would have been better if they hadn't touched those either, but here we are.

Besides, why are you in such a massive rush to see that plaque changed? Relax. It'll happen in a day or two, maybe a week.

Does anyone actually know how many were lost?

While there isn't a centralized database here in the States to track this perfectly, if you listen to what experts are discussing in academic circles, it’s estimated that roughly three thousand monuments—ranging from simple memorial plaques to massive commemorative complexes—have been demolished or removed across the country, which would account for nearly half of everything that used to stand.

bluerider63 said:Bujanec gets way too hyped whenever he types out in all caps that Marshall belongs in the trash. Honestly, every idiot has their own little way of feeling important.

If Bujanec were to get hit by a bus or a subway train tomorrow, it might make the local news for a fleeting moment, but honestly, a day after the funeral, I doubt anyone would even remember he existed...

Anthony Nguyen13 said:Just checking in to note that two more souls have been purged from this cultish input machine

👍

I think people generally tend to underestimate just how much power there really is in using the "ignore" button...

coppermarlin14 said:Honestly, kids pick up on everything—the prayers, the confessions, all the theatrics involved in that whole circus... I mean, how could they not?
As for me, I was baptized... but I never went through First Communion or Confirmation. I ended up having a church wedding because my husband really insisted on it, even though I wasn't thrilled about the idea. I was pretty upfront with him, though; I told him straight out that I had no intention of doing any religious rites like Confirmation or Communion. Later on, we had our children baptized just like everyone else. But if I ever had to go back and redo all of that now? There is absolutely no way I’d ever marry in a church again. Honestly, the whole thing just turns my stomach.
In truth, I probably wouldn't have even married at all. I would have just lived in a common-law marriage.

And besides, what business does an eight or nine-year-old kid have with making a confession? It’s just distasteful.

Well, maybe they just don't have much to talk about compared to teenagers, who are constantly caught up in that whirlwind of adolescent chaos...

For instance, when my mother was thirteen, a priest actually had the audacity to ask her during confession if she had ever engaged in any sexual acts with animals. 😲

After that encounter, my grandmother—a woman who prayed at least once every single day—never set foot in a church again, though she did make sure to carry a butcher knife with her just in case she ran into that specific priest... thankfully, she didn't... So, I think it’s pretty easy to see why I ended up as an unbaptized atheist...

Tyler Davis2 said:My nine-year-old is about to start music school, focusing on the guitar.
I’m trying to figure out what kind of guitar we should actually pick up for that first year of lessons.
Should we go with an acoustic? A classical? And when it comes to strings—steel or nylon?
Also, since they're still small, what size should I be looking for, and where in the D.C. area can I find smaller models that actually fit a kid?

A classical guitar—which is what they typically teach in school—is the way to go, and you'll always want nylon strings on those.

For beginners at that age, a 3/4 size guitar is perfect. I’d highly recommend picking up a Yamaha C40; you can usually find them for around $267 (though if you look for used ones, you can often snag them for half that price). And honestly, don't forget a gig bag... you really can't get by without one.

Down the road, they'll eventually need a full-sized 4/4 model, maybe something like an Alhambra, but there's no need to rush into that just yet...

Tyler Ruiz502 said: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.

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.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy using Reddit

A very devout believer actually cleared up this exact dilemma for me quite beautifully about 35 years ago...

He put it this way: "Look, from an atheist's perspective, life is actually much more straightforward. If you ever find yourself standing before God, you can always just say, 'Oops, my mistake.' And if you lived a decent, honorable life, God will likely forgive you; He won't punish you just because you hadn't realized He existed. On the other hand, I'm in a much tougher spot. As a believer, if I fail to follow His laws or treat people right while claiming to believe in Him, I'm a hypocrite who deserves judgment because I wasn't living true to the path I chose and preach to others. Unlike you, I really have to watch my step, and that isn't easy at all..."

Well, now... 🤔

Tyler Ruiz502 said: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.

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.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy A31 on Reddit

She’ll make up her own mind about believing or not, even without having religious studies classes at school. She’ll find her own reasons without being pressured or indoctrinated, especially since they're already being flooded with information about religion every single day anyway...

They aren't going to be wandering the hallways looking for something to do. They aren't even my kids, but when they moved up to the higher grades, they realized how nice it is to just head home during those religious studies periods—it's only a couple of blocks from the school. Or maybe they'll use the time to read a bit, finish some homework, or just hang out...

Jason Ortiz5 said:Look, let me give you a peek into my world so you can judge the mindset of your average parent. Back in first grade, the school actually offered computer lab classes—pretty rare for a small town like ours. By second grade? Poof, gone. Parents were all over choosing choir instead (mostly singing songs for those church-themed school plays), or they felt computers messed up the schedule for music lessons. (We live in a tiny suburb where hitting up the local conservatory is basically a requirement if you want to look like you have your life together. ) So yeah, priorities. It’s more vital that a kid masters music theory than knowing how to use a PC. Who knows, maybe my hometown will eventually produce the next big Sevka.

And that is exactly why religious studies are still part of the curriculum, isn't it...? 😵

Jason Ortiz5 said:Look, let me give you a peek into my world so you can judge the mindset of your average parent. Back in first grade, the school actually offered computer lab classes—pretty rare for a small town like ours. By second grade? Poof, gone. Parents were all over choosing choir instead (mostly singing songs for those church-themed school plays), or they felt computers messed up the schedule for music lessons. (We live in a tiny suburb where hitting up the local conservatory is basically a requirement if you want to look like you have your life together. ) So yeah, priorities. It’s more vital that a kid masters music theory than knowing how to use a PC. Who knows, maybe my hometown will eventually produce the next big Sevka.

Now, I have to admit, this part is still feeling a bit fuzzy to me... Is it better to go with a public school or stick with a private academy?
My kids are enrolled in music school as well, but honestly, there isn't even a conversation about "status" or connections there. You just take the entrance exam, and if you pass, you're in... simple as that. We actually saw a bit of an uproar once when both parents were professional musicians, yet their child didn't quite make the cut during the audition, so they were denied enrollment entirely...

And honestly, it’s such a gift for a child to master music theory and sight-reading. Maybe it’s just because I’m a complete novice when it comes to anything musical, but there is something truly captivating about watching a kid look at a sheet of music and actually grasp the meaning behind it... much like they would if they were simply reading a great novel...

And just to wrap things up, speaking as someone who actually works in tech, I have to admit that I’d much rather see my kid find success in music than in computer science... It's true that the tech industry offers a certain level of stability and a future, but let's be honest—it's a brutal, absolutely soul-crushing grind...

I’m all for getting rid of religious education in public schools, mostly because I’m tired of watching my three kids sit through those classes while they’re essentially wasting precious school hours... meanwhile, for their actual electives—things like a second foreign language, math, or computer science—they have to deal with double periods, staying way past dismissal, or even showing up on a Saturday just to catch up.

If anyone actually believes that religious studies should take precedence over core subjects like foreign languages, mathematics, or tech... well, cheers to you, I guess.
We made our own choices, and now we have to live with the consequences. Much like carrying a heavy cross...

And honestly, I’m genuinely curious.
Can someone please be blunt with me: would you rather your child walk away with an A in religion but only a C in math or English... or would you prefer the exact opposite?

One more thing. Unfortunately for my generation, things like Marxism or radical political theory were mandatory parts of the curriculum. If those had been optional electives, do you really think more than 10% of students would have opted in? Come on, parents, let's be real here. Let your child be different once in a while, let them stand out, and stop forcing them to just follow the herd...

neontinker5 said:Absolutely. And this isn't just about Easter services; a true Christian should want to take every opportunity to attend Mass if they truly believe. If they really love God, shouldn't they? 😁

What role can the school system actually play in this? Nothing, I suspect. The government pays the instructors, provides the facilities, and covers the working conditions... Yet the Church acts much like the NFL, encroaching on state sovereignty. Isn't that ironic?

It's such a difficult paradox to escape when you're dealing with this kind of power dynamic and this specific mindset...

You see these high-achieving kids spending their Saturday mornings in advanced math tutoring, or doubling up on foreign languages and computer science, all while religious studies remains a mandatory part of the weekly curriculum.

A truly flawless roadmap for the future. 👏👏:

The day Marquis de Sade arrived at Guantanamo Bay...

I caught this on HBO last night without having any idea what I was getting into—a total tabula rasa experience—and honestly, I’m still a bit speechless. It’s been a long time since I've seen a film pack such a heavy amount of moral and political landmines...

rowdypanther12 said:I'm honestly just going through with it. I think people are mostly afraid their kids won't be "properly raised"
If they already feel like religious studies doesn't cover everything important anyway, or if they just don't buy into the old stories, I can see why they'd sign them up.
I find it hard to believe anyone would enroll their child if they felt the exact same way I do about what kids are actually taught in those classes.🤷

Man, that fear is just exhausting!

How are you supposed to take your children out into the world and prepare them for life's inevitable challenges if you react to everything with this overprotective, fear-driven mindset that goes against your own core values? How will you ever look your child in the eye one day and explain that you sent them through a brainwashing session "for their own good"?

My oldest daughter was actually the only one in her first-grade class who didn't attend religious education. There were some hiccups along the way, but looking back, I feel so much better knowing that now, in eighth grade, she has an entire group of friends who also opted out—mostly the kids of parents who acted out of fear, or kids who eventually grew up, realized they didn't believe it, and simply said, "No thanks." They have a great time during that free period, too... much to the chagrin of everyone else. And since middle school is nine grades now, by next year, it looks like not even half the class will be attending...

Larry Walker24 said:If Americans actually had to pay a church tax right away, the percentage of Catholics would plummet from 85% down to like 10%—and honestly, that’s probably the real number of Catholics in the US anyway.

I think you're exaggerating a bit there.

I remember the more traditional times and how many people truly attended church back then—not because they were being opportunistic, but because they genuinely believed and had the courage of their convictions—so I'd say it's definitely closer to 35 or 40%. Sure, maybe not everyone was perfectly following all ten commandments to the letter, but they really did believe...

Nicole James said:Dear parents—if you’re looking for advice, just go ahead and enroll your kids in religious education classes. I can promise you, they certainly won't walk away learning anything bad...

Who knows? Maybe pretty soon, religious studies will be taught entirely in English, or German, or maybe even through some high-tech computer program...

Michael Jackson10 said:If I remember that scene right, there were only maybe 3 or 4 mines used alongside the mortar (which doesn't really prove much, I guess...)
Since we're talking about a ragtag group, their aim seemed almost too precise for my liking...
Keep in mind, since Muammar Gaddafi had only just started drawing lines for a "modern" Libya, the borders back then were basically just coast-to-coast, and deep inland, everyone just did whatever they wanted. It’s likely that outside the urban areas, those ancient tribal structures were still very much in charge.
That tribal setup just morphed into neighborhood or street gangs taking advantage of the lawlessness and all the available weapons. The headquarters was in some house where they got ambushed, while other neighborhoods were clearly ruled by different crews. It looks like the only "common" ally the Americans had was some 17th-century style vibe... their ultimate goal was basically just looting an attractive car; forget all that ideology stuff.

The actual attack tactics are pretty predictable: a mob charging in, guys firing rifles "from the hip" without any real military training, and the peak of their tactical genius being ducking behind a pillar. They're all way too young, and that initial success with the ambassador just pumps up the euphoria....
Could they have used handheld launchers more and charged around like Bat Živojinović less?
Sure, but who's to say they even knew how to handle a launcher properly, especially when they're wielding rifles like they're nothing more than glorified sticks?
My real issue is that the attackers felt too much like "junkies from the dark days of Harlem": from their outfits to the way they moved and acted, they felt more like that than modern jihadists...
Swap the scenery and you've got an authentic version of a "raid on a police station."

Anyway, I honestly thought this would be just another one of those Steven and Dolf movies, but surprisingly, lately there's been more of these "small," underrated films that actually manage to teleport the viewer right into the scene.
Basically, they avoided the trap of big words and grand ideas, though Americans can't seem to help themselves with that stuff and pathetic shots of the flag over ruins: this time they were obsessing over paying tribute to mercenaries???

This whole narrative about the disorganized Arab attack really spoils the overall impression of the movie for me. It reminds me far too much of the Alamo. Based on certain American metrics and available data, roughly 100 Libyans were killed (which is much lower than what the film leads you to believe)

How accurate that kind of "ballpark" approach actually is is best illustrated by the story of the bombing raids on Schweinfurt during WWII. In the first raid, the Americans lost 5 fighters and 60 B-17 bombers, while the crews estimated they downed 320 German fighters. The second raid on Schweinfurt was even more devastating, losing 77 flying fortresses and one fighter, yet again the story goes that hundreds of German planes were brought down. After the war, looking through German archives, it was revealed that in the first raid, only 27 fighters were downed, and in the second, only 38!

You get a similar picture when it comes to films about the Vietnam War, with the famous line "we won every battle but lost the war." Whether they actually won every single battle is something you'll have to decide for yourself. One American officer conducted an analysis that many people find quite uncomfortable: http://www.g2mil.com/lost_vietnam.htm

So, those are my thoughts on how estimates in films lose all sense of reality due to a dramatic or propagandistic approach...

rustywalker1 said:The first two movies were actually decent.
As for the last two, they could have easily been wrapped up in 90 minutes—and even then, they probably would’ve felt dragged out. 😵

I actually watched Mockingjay - Part 1 and Part 2 back-to-back in one go...🙄 🙂

Thank God for the fast-forward button. 🙏

Time Magazine: A potential new migrant route could stretch all the way across California

Is someone actually trying to ruin our season?... 😠

It really feels like we’re just spinning our wheels sometimes, doesn't it... it's almost like watching a rhinoceros charge blindly through a field, completely oblivious to everything in its path... As if to say...
I’ve never been much of a tablet or iPad person myself, though there’s still something incredibly satisfying about jotting things down with a classic HBO pen... I truly believe you can absorb so much more when you actually put pen to paper. That said, I am all for bringing more computer science into the curriculum, and I’m a huge supporter of teaching practical life skills like sewing and cooking. But honestly, when teachers start getting on my nerves by constantly demanding photocopies or extra handouts, I feel like they should just take it up with the local church... or maybe just ask the parents of the kids in religious education to pick up the tab...
☕

The ambassadors representing the Coursera initiative—Toni Milun, Saša Cvetojević, Iva Šulentić, and Vedrana Miholić—have officially sent an open letter to the incoming Prime Minister, making a passionate plea for an immediate overhaul of the computer science curriculum in our elementary schools...

To the Honorable President of the United States...

The relentless pace of technological advancement is already reshaping our global economy and the very fabric of our society. As employers, parents, and engaged citizens, we feel quite strongly that America isn't quite ready to face these shifts head-on, which is why we are calling for immediate, decisive action... Enhancing education within the realm of STEM is no longer just an option; it’s a global necessity. All over the world, major initiatives are being launched to equip the next generation with the specific skill sets they'll need to navigate and actually build the future—a future that will look fundamentally different from the one we inhabit today. It is undeniable that America is already making strides in certain sectors, which proves that we absolutely have the capacity to succeed if we act now...

The American IT sector is seeing this incredible, steady climb in exports, and our homegrown startup scene is really starting to make some serious waves on the global stage, which is fantastic. What’s even more heartening to see is how our kids are absolutely crushing it at international coding and tech competitions... they truly are world-class. But, if we're being honest, we're also facing a pretty glaring gap in our domestic labor market. Right now, there is a massive shortage of hundreds of specialized software engineers across the country. Perhaps even more critical is the fact that digital literacy isn't being fully leveraged in other industries, which is starting to leave many American companies struggling to stay competitive. Most of those stellar results we see from our young tech prodigies are actually the direct result of incredibly passionate professors or dedicated robotics clubs... so, we clearly have a winning blueprint here, and we really need to find a way to scale that success nationwide...

A model that relies solely on raw enthusiasm just can't achieve the necessary scale, and frankly, it’s simply not sustainable in the long run... We truly believe that IT and general STEM education are absolutely vital to the future of our nation. While we are fully in favor of a comprehensive curriculum overhaul that aligns with the Department of Education's vision for science and technology, the current pace of implementation is, quite frankly, unacceptable to us. We are proposing that programming skills—not just as a technical tool, but as a fundamental way to sharpen logical reasoning and problem-solving abilities—be integrated into the school curriculum immediately; perhaps starting as electives, but they really ought to be prioritized over other extracurricular activities offered in elementary schools...

And that is exactly why we are putting this forward...

We really need to push forward with the curriculum reforms and make sure that computer science isn't just an afterthought in our schools... It’s absolutely vital that we start integrating logical reasoning and those essential problem-solving skills through programming lessons as early as elementary school, so kids are building that foundation from day one...

Since a complete overhaul of the national curriculum is such an incredibly long and drawn-out process, I really don't think we can afford to just sit around and wait... Many schools already have the necessary computer labs in place, and more importantly, they have access to talented teachers and professors who are ready to lead. My suggestion is that we immediately introduce elective coding workshops within the current framework to spark logical thinking in younger students, allowing those skills to grow steadily until the Department of Education eventually makes programming a mandatory part of the elementary school experience...

TO MAKE THIS A REALITY, WE NEED TO:

Take all that incredible energy from local non-profits, community clubs, and dedicated volunteers and turn it into official, structured partnerships with our public school system;

Launch specialized computer science workshops right within our schools to get these programs moving, ideally starting as early as the second semester of this current school year.

Ensure we have the full organizational, logistical, and advisory backing of the Department of Education.

It’s actually quite remarkable—in just the last three days, we’ve been flooded with messages from various clubs, community organizations, major corporations, teachers, and individual mentors who are already running brilliant projects and are more than ready to jump in and help. In America, there is such an abundance of specialized expertise, creative minds, and genuine passion out there... We truly want to believe that if the educational establishment shows even a little bit of flexibility and goodwill, we could achieve something monumental for the future of American students and our national economy.

Who knows, maybe one day, our educators will become one of America's greatest success stories?