Religion classes in school - Megathread

Textbooks actually describe atheists pretty explicitly. That obviously doesn't mean atheists should act the same way and go around calling believers morons.

Robin Rodriguez73 said:I find myself in complete agreement. In fact, I teach my own children quite seriously that religion is little more than a form of psychopathology. Is one considered mentally sound simply because they believe in Pinocchio? They will pass this same logic down to their offspring. Furthermore, I would argue that nations function under much the same pathological principles.

Both nations and religions are merely two invented human cults. They operate on the fundamental principles of a sect to maintain dominion over their followers. It is reminiscent of JonesTown, though perhaps without the collective suicide—at least for the time being. One can only wonder what might occur should some other entity descend from the cosmos.

These two cults have served as the primary instruments for nearly every war in human history. When people begin to unite, leaders incite conflict to ensure that such unity does not lead to freedom, thereby regaining control. Consider, for instance, how certain religious institutions operated during the 1940s, inciting slaughter and fostering hatred to prevent the restoration of former borders.

Moreover, the programming begins while individuals are still children; through rituals like baptism, they initiate the erasure of individual personality and freedom. The moment you are told who you are—without ever being asked—and instructed on how to think, the process is set in motion. This serves to stifle the development of individuality, ensuring one becomes a hollowed-out vessel, dependent and easily manipulated. Is this not, in truth, a crime against humanity? They provide only the information they deem appropriate, ensuring no alternative perspectives are ever heard.

Under the influence of sect leaders in JonesTown, entire groups ended up destroying not just themselves, but their own children as well. People are effectively destroyed the moment they are forced into a mold without consent—through baptism, through nationalistic manipulation, and through various other sectarian tactics.

No invented human cult could ever be placed above individual liberty and independent thought. Nothing conceived by man should be treated as sacred if it does not resonate with the individual. That is the essence of freedom: to remain anacionalan and an atheist.

This is how my family lives and how I instruct my children: to exist as free beings, unburdened by the shackles of the invented human cults known as nations and religions.

I'm right there with you on this. My kids—who are adults now—never took religious education classes and were never baptized. But we never intended to breed a sense of hostility toward believers in them. We were just honest; we told them straight up that we don't believe in God, which is the very foundation of any religion. We also told them that if they ever decided to walk that path themselves, it wouldn't be easy for us to watch, but we would respect and understand their choice.
And even today, they aren't religious, but from what I can see, they are incredibly tolerant of the believers in their lives. The only thing I've truly noticed is that their closest friends
tend to share the same worldview.
I should mention that back in '98, deciding to opt out of religious schooling was a much tougher call
but they never ran into any issues at school in Washington, D.C.

Richard Fowler13 said:I can't exactly provide direct quotes because we already turned all the books back into the school library.
Though, honestly, I don't think a verbatim quote is even necessary here; what actually matters is the core substance of what the teacher is imparting—the actual topics being discussed in the classroom.
And, naturally, those lessons are always going to be intertwined with whatever perspectives and values are being reinforced at home.
But let’s be clear: that reality applies equally to the students attending religious education classes and those who aren't.

Nah, teachers are required to stick to the official curriculum for their subject. Their personal opinions should stay at home, just like any other teacher's should.

Home life is a whole different ballgame. But honestly, kids often forget everything they learned at home because they're so busy trying to fit in with their friends or they're scared of being teased by the crowd.

Richard Fowler13 said:Well put—concise and straight to the point.

In reality, that is precisely what they are supposed to be teaching, though unfortunately, there is always going to be a Sunday school teacher who fails at their job, much like there are teachers in any other subject; the problem is that we rarely hear about the ones doing an excellent job, whether it's a religious instructor, a high school teacher, or even a principal...

Spot on.

Most religious education instructors focus on teaching kids how to respect people from all walks of life and different belief systems.

Having this kind of elective religious studies program in our American schools is a great model, and there's really no reason to change it. It definitely has its place in our education system.

Daniel Chase13 said:Spot on.

Most religious education instructors focus on teaching kids how to respect people from all walks of life and different belief systems.

Having this kind of elective religious studies program in our American schools is a great model, and there's really no reason to change it. It definitely has its place in our education system.

So, are they basically teaching them things that contradict what's actually in the textbooks?

rowdypanther12 said:So, are they basically teaching them things that contradict what's actually in the textbooks?

On the contrary, they are teaching precisely according to the established religious education curricula... These documents are publicly available for anyone to review, so perhaps one might consider looking them over to ease those anxieties and overcome any lack of information... A textbook is merely a supplemental tool, whereas the curriculum serves as the definitive guide for what must be taught...

I’m a little slow on this one, I don't quite get it. Are you saying the textbooks actually contradict the curriculum?

I have to say, I haven't come across any descriptions or interpretations quite like that in any of the books I've read.
Perhaps you could provide a direct quote so we can actually look at what you're talking about.

As for me, my experiences with religious studies have been positive—at least up to this point.

rowdypanther12 said:So, are they basically teaching them things that contradict what's actually in the textbooks?

I mean, can you even imagine?

Nobody ever picked on my daughter for skipping religion class, but man, she definitely heard some weird stuff. Half the blame goes to those classes and the other half goes to the parents, honestly. She’d get questions like, "Wait, if you don't go to church, what do you do with your grandparents when they pass away?" (We just eat them, obviously 🤦), or all those little warnings like, "You better believe, just to be safe."

Richard Fowler13 said:I have to say, I haven't come across any descriptions or interpretations quite like that in any of the books I've read.
Perhaps you could provide a direct quote so we can actually look at what you're talking about.

As for me, my experiences with religious studies have been positive—at least up to this point.

Here is the first link I could think of.
http://hr.n1info.com/Vijesti/a223964...jeronauku.html

There was also something about what happened at Auschwitz, but I don't remember enough to search for it right now.

Kids end up picking up nonsense from all sorts of people—not just certain teachers or professors, but even some religious studies instructors too.

Unfortunately, that’s just one of those unavoidable realities when you're dealing with human beings.

No single subject should be stripped from the curriculum just because some educators—regardless of what they teach—let out some foolish comments in front of their students. That includes religious education, even if it's just an elective.

This sounds more like something pulled straight from a textbook than how an actual person would say it.

Daniel Chase13 said:Kids end up picking up nonsense from all sorts of people—not just certain teachers or professors, but even some religious studies instructors too.

Unfortunately, that’s just one of those unavoidable realities when you're dealing with human beings.

No single subject should be stripped from the curriculum just because some educators—regardless of what they teach—let out some foolish comments in front of their students. That includes religious education, even if it's just an elective.

Goodness, listen, that religious education textbook was actually written and approved by the American Catholic Conference. We aren't talking about "some random teachers" or the "human factor" here; this represents the official stance.

rowdypanther12 said:Here is the first link I could think of.
http://hr.n1info.com/Vijesti/a223964...jeronauku.html

There was also something about what happened at Auschwitz, but I don't remember enough to search for it right now.

Look, humans were created in the image and likeness of God. Period. That means there is nothing greater, more beautiful, or more sacred than human dignity. Anyone denying that is basically denying God Himself since He’s the one who made us that way. It’s why we’re supposed to love our neighbors and God as ourselves. But let’s be real—most of us don't even know how to love ourselves because we grew up being told we weren't "good enough" or "worthy," so yeah, we have a massive collective problem here. 😁

Changing gears: my kid doesn't take religion classes. Personally, I don't think religious ed belongs in public schools—I come from a generation where you went to church for that—but I honestly don't care, and neither do the parents whose kids *do* take those electives. We have freedom of choice. Even though I was pretty anxious about whether my kid would get picked on or feel like an outcast, none of that actually happened.

And hey, thank God our kids grow up and reach that age where they question everything, including faith. It's just a natural part of maturing. Honestly, I've seen plenty of young people swap out church for some ashram, which leads to some pretty hilarious scenes in families where the census count goes up, but the Sunday mass attendance goes way down. 🎉 😉

Schools should be teaching kids about actual scientific breakthroughs and the foundations of logic, not just feeding them whatever religious beliefs or pure imagination they feel like.
Personal faith has absolutely no business being part of a school curriculum.

And let’s talk about the lack of perspective here—you people who can’t stand anyone with a different opinion clearly aren't even looking at the bigger picture. Is it because you were raised in an echo chamber, making you feel superior just because you offer nothing but pity instead of actual understanding?

My kids don't take religion classes, and they haven't dealt with any bullying just because they don't view those interactions as "bullying."
I had one instance where their friends came up to them right after religion class, all worked up, telling them they really ought to join the group or else they'll end up burning in hell with the devil. My kid just had to explain that if you don't believe in God, you don't exactly believe in the devil either... honestly, I'm just glad I raised such a self-assured (if you want to call it selfish) atheist who actually knows how to stand his ground.

I’m totally with anyone saying religious studies just doesn't belong in the public school system. Faith is a deeply personal choice—it belongs in someone's private life, period.
Another huge point? Those grades are basically a joke. It's almost 100% straight A's across the board.

If you stripped away those two easy wins, you'd see how many kids actually want to learn about faith versus just using the hour to scroll on their phones and pad their GPA.

In my opinion, religion should be taught through history, psychology, sociology, or philosophy. We need an unbiased, holistic approach that actually respects cultural relativism.

Hey everyone, let's dive into some deeper discussions and philosophical dilemmas here, but please save the heavy religious and political debates for those specific subreddits.
Since we're on Reddit, let's keep it focused on the student experience—specifically regarding religious education classes. I’m curious about how this affects you or your kids at school. Whether it’s the teachers, the other staff, the students themselves, or the parents, I want to hear the good and the bad from both the kids taking the class and those who opt out.
I’m open to all kinds of stories, but honestly, amidst all the endless debates about the Vatican or money in the North America, the practical questions often get lost. I want to talk about things like scheduling first and last periods, study halls, parental consent forms, and how students are treated in school depending on whether they attend these classes or not.

And speaking of current events, check this out:

If classrooms aren't supposed to be mixed, and if these specialized subjects are held right in the middle of the school day, where are the students who don't participate supposed to go? Unless they just skip the first and last periods entirely?

I’ve decided that for the sake of everyone else, I won't insist on her sitting out in the hallway.
I'll just give her some headphones so she can listen to music on her phone while she tackles her homework or studies.

rowdypanther12 said:I’ve decided that for the sake of everyone else, I won't insist on her sitting out in the hallway.
I'll just give her some headphones so she can listen to music on her phone while she tackles her homework or studies.

We haven't heard anything official from the school district yet, but if it were up to me, I'd advocate for the community and suggest scheduling it during zero period, first, second, fourth, fifth, and so on.
From a scheduling standpoint, it's totally doable.
If it turns out to be too much of a headache, then it's an elective—let them take the course online.
If we can manage to combine classes for something like Spanish, there's no reason why Religious Studies couldn't be offered online, even if the classes aren't being merged.