Religion classes in school - Megathread

shadowcrane91 said:The man literally listed three different times you're supposed to show up for religious ed...
Everything else is just too much effort for him.

And he also claimed you can find God under a rock, in the grass, or deep in your heart.

Go read some actual theology once in a while!!

Maybe then you'll actually see the light.

shadowcrane91 said:And why is religious education being blamed for this now?
No matter what country you travel to, things are going to work the way the majority wants them to...

Or am I wrong?

I mean, maybe there's some random country out there where the majority actually thinks like you...
But damn... not here.

So the majority is always right? Just look at what happened in Germany from 1933 to 1945.

I think you should change what you can, but looking at how many kids are actually signed up, it doesn't seem like most people mind it at all...

If they actually hated it, they wouldn't be enrolling their kids. If someone is signing their kid up just because of some gossip or whatever else people are whispering (for whatever reason), then they’re honestly pathetic...
The only real reason to do it is because you actually want it for your own child...

As long as this many parents are showing interest, there is absolutely no reason to pull religion classes out of the school system...

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy J3

What if they swapped religious studies for a foreign language instead? I bet we'd see a whole different reaction from parents then.

And honestly, just introduce a church tax and watch how fast people stop showing up to services.

shadowcrane91 said:Well, in my opinion, going to a few church classes a couple of times in your life isn't nearly enough to actually learn your own faith...
If you really think that's sufficient—hey, good for you!

What, because a kid might pick up something wrong during those twelve years, we just scrap the whole subject??? Give me a break.

Honestly, you won't "get to know" your faith in a classroom anyway—goodness gracious! You learn about faith at home, through your parents, your family, at church, and within your community; school isn't where you go to discover your soul.
I never said kids would learn something "bad" (though that's a whole other debate!), I'm just saying—we have priests who are paid by our tax dollars to lead Mass, so they should be more than welcome to run their own parish programs for those interested (or let people pay for those themselves!). It doesn't make sense to use public funds to train teachers just so they can sit on government pensions for 45 years—especially since, in a secular country like the US, the Bishop appoints them and is the only one who can fire them without any public hiring process. And yet, I'm the one footing the bill for all of it!

Larry Walker24 said:So the majority is always right? Just look at what happened in Germany from 1933 to 1945.

Look, I never said the majority is always right. But it’s a fact that things usually go down the way the majority wants them to, even when that crowd is dead wrong...
Why not???

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Reddit

Larry Walker24 said:So the majority is always right? Just look at what happened in Germany from 1933 to 1945.

Name me one single country where things work the way the minority dictates. Just one.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Reddit

shadowcrane91 said:And why is religious education being blamed for this now?
No matter what country you travel to, things are going to work the way the majority wants them to...

Or am I wrong?

I mean, maybe there's some random country out there where the majority actually thinks like you...
But damn... not here.

Who exactly are you to try and force me out of the country where I was born and raised—a place I love, despite being full of hypocrites like yourself?
If you're so unhappy, why don't you move? Take your "majority" with you.

Frankly, I couldn't care less about your personal views or your beliefs.
You exert pressure on atheists, yet when you do, couldn't you at least show a shred of intellectual integrity and admit it?
If that's how it is, go ahead: write Catholicism into the Constitution as the official state religion. Stop playing these games and trying to indirectly impose it on everyone else.

It’s honestly nauseating. It isn't even the Catholics that bother me; it's people like you who hide behind the crowd. Is it a psychological necessity? Some sort of inferiority complex? You seem to think everyone has to be just like you. Everyone has to believe in the same fairy tale.

Even if that minority actually had a point

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy J3

shadowcrane91 said:I don't know—honestly, I've only ever dealt with totally normal priests, so I haven't really run into anyone like that before. 🤷
It’s a lose-lose situation, honestly...

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy J3!

In high school, you get the choice between religion class or ethics. 😏
Who wants in? You get to pick. (At least, that’s how it worked back when I was in school.)

I honestly have no clue if they’re still doing those ethics labels.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy J3!

Why does it bother you "non-believers" so much that religious education is even an option in schools when your kid isn't even attending the classes anyway???
Look, it’s pretty simple. You live in a country where Catholicism is the backbone of society, so they offer you Catholic religion classes—even if they aren't mandatory. If you were living somewhere else where a different faith held the reins, you'd be getting taught that instead. It’s just how things work.
What's the damn problem?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy J3!

Religious studies shouldn't be trying to fix how kids are raised at home.

America isn't exactly a Catholic country—it's pretty secular—so just because the census shows a high number of Catholics on paper doesn't mean that's really how we live!

shadowcrane91 said:Can you name even one single country where minorities actually get treated the way she claims?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy J3

Mexico, some Arab countries, Canada, Mexico.

Look, I can't help you if you're just going to get defensive about my opinion.

But seriously, don't blame religion classes for kids wandering the halls or hanging out in the courtyard. Blame the school for not actually giving those kids anything better to do during that time...

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy J3

shadowcrane91 said:I think you should change what you can, but looking at how many kids are actually signed up, it doesn't seem like most people mind it at all...

If they actually hated it, they wouldn't be enrolling their kids. If someone is signing their kid up just because of some gossip or whatever else people are whispering (for whatever reason), then they’re honestly pathetic...
The only real reason to do it is because you actually want it for your own child...

As long as this many parents are showing interest, there is absolutely no reason to pull religion classes out of the school system...

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy J3

Kids sign up for religion class because it's an easy A—which, unfortunately, carries the same weight as math—plus, you get two free hours every week to do whatever you want! That's the real reason—for me, back in high school, I used those religion periods to grab coffee for four years straight, so there's that! And hey, he was getting paid for it too (well, okay, I was enrolled, and the class only met four times a year)

shadowcrane91 said:Look, I never said the majority is always right. But it’s a fact that things usually go down the way the majority wants them to, even when that crowd is dead wrong...
Why not???

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Reddit

Name me one single country where things work the way the minority dictates. Just one.

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Reddit

One day, you might find yourself standing alone as the minority on an issue that actually matters to you. Honestly? I truly hope the majority dictates your path instead.
I really do wish that for you.

But I certainly don't wish it for your children, if you have any. For the sake of your kids, I hope you're always part of the majority.

Larry Walker24 said:Mexico, some Arab countries, Canada, Mexico.

Give me a break... seriously, those are the places you're comparing us to?
I mean, yeah, they're just absolute paradises over there....
The rights are so incredible that everyone should just pack up and move there right now.....
😆

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy J3 using Reddit

shadowcrane91 said:I don't know what the deal is with my posts, other than the fact that you clearly hate my opinion.
Foreign languages, drama, and other extracurriculars are also offered at school (at least in mine—my kids start tomorrow)—so you don't actually *have* to drive them anywhere (unless your specific school doesn't offer that stuff)....

The real issue here isn't religious ed itself; it's the total lack of organization within the school system.

But nope... people love blaming the religious classes....

Personally, I’m actually glad it’s offered at school....

The real headache is that because of certain international agreements, religious ed has to be baked right into the standard daily schedule.
If it weren't for that little detail, the school would find a way—super easily, really—to organize things so nobody ends up with a gap in their schedule just because of religion classes. 😬
So, at the end of the day, the problem actually lies with the religious studies itself. 🙂

Torture isn't just reserved for atheists; it’s happening to other believers too.

There's also this one really interesting thing that happened—when the idea of starting a petition to replace religious education with something else came up, I actually got an email from this self-righteous "believer" who was basically the modern-day version of a Pharisee.

And thirdly, yesterday I saw firsthand exactly what this religious curriculum is teaching kids. To quote them: "God, please... don't let him show up at the park, please let him get sick, he's disgusting." And I'm not even talking about some little bully here; it's just pure, unadulterated spite.

Lastly—the way these religious instructors are hired and employed completely clashes with basic civil rights and the fundamental norms of a secular society.

Nancy Martin93 said:Kids sign up for religion class because it's an easy A—which, unfortunately, carries the same weight as math—plus, you get two free hours every week to do whatever you want! That's the real reason—for me, back in high school, I used those religion periods to grab coffee for four years straight, so there's that! And hey, he was getting paid for it too (well, okay, I was enrolled, and the class only met four times a year)

Look, I didn't enroll my kids just to hunt for easy grades...
Honestly, it never even crossed my mind (but those are exactly the kind of messed-up motivations I'm talking about)

In my case, I actually had to show up for religion class, and absolutely nobody in my class ever skipped out to go get coffee during that time. 🤷

That "free period" thing only applies to the kids who *didn't* sign up for the class...

But again, don't blame the subject matter itself....
As long as there's a massive crowd of parents demanding their kids get religious instruction during school hours, it's going to stay on the curriculum....
And as long as 95% of parents force their kids into it, it's not getting scrapped just because of that other 5% (no matter what the actual reasons are for that 95%)

Sent from my Samsung SM-J320FN using Reddit

shadowcrane91 said:Look, I didn't enroll my kids just to hunt for easy grades...
Honestly, it never even crossed my mind (but those are exactly the kind of messed-up motivations I'm talking about)

In my case, I actually had to show up for religion class, and absolutely nobody in my class ever skipped out to go get coffee during that time. 🤷

That "free period" thing only applies to the kids who *didn't* sign up for the class...

But again, don't blame the subject matter itself....
As long as there's a massive crowd of parents demanding their kids get religious instruction during school hours, it's going to stay on the curriculum....
And as long as 95% of parents force their kids into it, it's not getting scrapped just because of that other 5% (no matter what the actual reasons are for that 95%)

Sent from my Samsung SM-J320FN using Reddit

Absolutely not.
As long as that agreement with Vatican City signed by the US government back in the mid-90s remains in effect—religion stays in the schools. So much for our supposedly secular nation.

And regarding this idea of the "majority"... let me tell you about my local municipal daycare. We had 27 parents on one side pushing for Catholic grace before meals, and I was the only single person standing my ground saying I didn't want that. They didn't manage to force it through (not after I brought in journalists and lawyers to back me up). And yeah, they gave me the death stare for a while because, apparently, I was personally responsible for their little ones not praying before lunch. You want prayer before a meal? Go to a private religious preschool or pray at home. It has no business being in the only public, state-run daycare in town, especially when I, as a parent who doesn't want this, have zero alternatives. I pay my taxes for that daycare just like everyone else. A public daycare in a secular country!

It's indoctrination from infancy—exactly the kind of thing that pedagogy, common sense, and actual tolerance should be fighting against.

Regarding religious classes in school, luckily here they are scheduled either first thing in the morning or at the very end of the day. My kid actually looks forward to arriving a bit later or getting to head home early because of it.

Matthew Young35 said:One day, you might find yourself standing alone as the minority on an issue that actually matters to you. Honestly? I truly hope the majority dictates your path instead.
I really do wish that for you.

But I certainly don't wish it for your children, if you have any. For the sake of your kids, I hope you're always part of the majority.

You don't have to "spare" them...
For what???? And why????

Look, I just care that parents with three or more kids, who are allowed to stay home for three years, actually have enough money to live on during those three years...
But clearly, there isn't a majority opinion on this, so I guess I’ll just deal with it. I'm not going to sit here whining like it's the end of the world like everyone else obsessed with religious education...

Sent from my Samsung SM-J320FN using Reddit

shadowcrane91 said:My kids are definitely taking religion classes since they're an option. I want them learning about the faith I'm raising them in from someone who actually knows the theology better than I do...
Plus, I’m a believer—not just a "paper Catholic" like half the people out there—and since I’m raising my kids in this faith, it’s a no-brainer that they take the class...

I get the feeling we’re the only nation that seems "ashamed" of its faith and wants to hush it up or rip it out by the roots...

In almost every other religion, faith holds a massive place in life and education, yet in Christianity, it’s treated like it's some kind of nuisance...

We are a Catholic country, and minorities should adapt to us, not the other way around...

But here's the kicker—even the big-time Catholics in this country seem bothered by Catholic symbols...

Look, if you aren't Catholic, I get why it might bug you... but seriously, you're living in this country, just deal with it...
What I don't get is why it bothers CATHOLICS too...
Real Catholics probably don't care... it's mostly those people who just love bragging about being Catholic or Christian on paper...

If we are truly a Catholic nation that shouldn't feel any shame regarding its faith—as you suggest above—then wouldn't it follow that minorities should be the ones to adapt? This leads me to wonder: following the model of certain Islamic states in the Middle East, do you believe religion ought to become an integral part of our formal social and legal framework? In other words, are you suggesting we should abandon secularism altogether? If we did, would that effectively silence all opposition to placing crosses in public schools and government buildings? And really, looking at the big picture, do we actually gain anything positive from maintaining a secular society?

As for everything else, I firmly believe that almost anyone who truly cares about providing their children with a meaningful religious upbringing should favor church-based instruction over what is offered in public schools. Schools offer a certain level of convenience, certainly; it requires zero extra effort from a parent to manage their schedule when the curriculum is already built into the school day. But much like opting for fast food just because it’s easy, this approach lacks substance. For a practicing believer, what actual spiritual value can be gained from a standardized school religious program? It simply doesn't compare.

The reasons that immediately come to mind:
Is mandatory religious education in schools truly serving any purpose? When you frame faith as a requirement, you immediately trigger resistance in a child. It becomes a chore rather than a choice. In our experience, church-led religious studies were never an obligation; instead, they served as a wonderful, enriching extracurricular activity for those of us who attended. Why force the issue when engagement comes from genuine interest?
Does the inherent sanctity of a church building not play a profound role in how a student perceives the lessons taught by their catechist? It seems to me that the atmosphere itself lends weight to the word.
When religious studies is forced into the same rigid schedule as math or history, it loses its essence. It gets reduced to just another checkbox on a syllabus—something students feel they simply have to "get through." From a student's perspective, it becomes just as hollow and pointless as any other mandatory elective that lacks real-world relevance. Why should it be any different? If it’s treated like a chore rather than an exploration of faith, how can we expect them to care?
Assigning grades to work submitted by individuals outside the traditional school system often triggers significant backlash. I’ve personally witnessed several instances where students were essentially bullied into abandoning critical thinking by frustrated instructors. This usually happened when students started asking uncomfortable questions rooted in scientific facts they had picked up in other classes. In those cases, there was often an implicit threat: either stay quiet and remain passive, or risk having a poor grade in religion tank your chances of getting into a decent high school.

To wrap this up:
Is a church really a better environment than a school for learning religious doctrine? I would argue that it is. To those who remain skeptical, I might suggest trying both and seeing for yourselves.
Forcing children into religious education classes creates a sense of resentment, much like any other form of compulsion. To avoid this friction, the most logical step would be to remove religion from the core academic curriculum entirely—essentially taking it off the official grading roster. Instead, if these classes are to exist at all, they should be scheduled during the final hours of the school day. If it remains part of the school environment, let it function as an extracurricular activity, much like a model building club or a choir program.
- We ought to be giving people a real choice here; religious studies should be an option again, whether that's in public schools or through local churches.

I’m sure there are plenty of other points to raise, but I simply don't have the time right now... 👋