Should We Be Teaching Religion to Children? - The Jim Jefferies Show

[yuiyoshida]

[Thekaspervote]

1. NO!

[lambchopp59]

2. The two biggest religions in the world keep followers in denial of devastating issues

And I've heard the same bullshit from both: God and Allah will rectify climate change, overpopulation and the likes if we just pway, pway, pway away the pwoblems.
Neither of the ones I know of, convinced of this garbage can be awoken to reality. Their preacher has them locked in denial, and in the "christian's" case... voting republican.

[gtar100]

3. YES

Comparative religion. Religions of the world. History of religions. Etc.

In other words, allow children exposure to the whole dynamic of the human experience and not just one point of view.

Whether you like it or not, religion is part of human culture. You aren't going get rid of it. It won't help by trying to suppress it or annihilate it. Our children need to deal with the reality of their existence and getting an education on the full spectrum of religious experience is essential.

We put young adults at a disadvantage when they are confronted by fundamentalists and they have little context in which to put what they are hearing.

[rurallib]

4. You ought to post this in religion forum or the atheist forum

I really enjoyed this.

When my kids were small we sent them to Sunday school. That was a mistake.

[srobertss]

7. My agnostic parents

sent me to Sunday School. It was pretty disturbing. In retrospect, I felt like I was in some strange theater of the absurd. But it could just be me. I felt that way about Girl Scouts too.

[rurallib]

10. How long did you go?

We sent our kids for less than a year.

My concern was that with so much of our literature and art and history tied up with religion, particularly christianity, I was afraid that not having some background in religion may handicap them.

After about a year we decided that any problems they had we would deal with.

I was raised catholic and had 12 years of parochial schools plus every Sunday for about 9 of those years.

[srobertss]

12. Probably about a year

I understood my parents intentions. They wanted us to have a choice. But they were very far down the agnostic road. My father was bitter that his mother had died as a Christian Scientist, from an easily treatable illness. Those feelings are hard to hide from your children.

[SergeStorms]

5. I was raised in a religious family.

Church every Sunday, Sunday "school", "confirmation" classes in my teens, and I couldn't wait until I didn't have to set foot inside a church again. Even at a young age I could see the hypocrisy of the people sitting in the pews. These were the same people who were swapping wives and drinking themselves into a stupor the other nights of the week. Growing up in a small town gave me the chance to see these flaming hypocrites up close and personal throughout my young life.

I've been a secular humanist since the day I moved out of my parent's house and left that town for good. I'm not trying to blow my own horn, but I can truly say I'm a more moral person than anyone else in my family. I've never seen a single bit of evidence that a god actually exists, or that religion makes you a better person. Religion is all about fear and control. And money....don't forget the money. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[shanny]

6. NO!

all they need to know is: "don't be a dick."

[keithbvadu2]

8. Many folks of the 'freedom of religion' group want the gov't to teach religion in the schools rather

Many folks of the 'freedom of religion' group want the gov't to teach religion in the schools rather than let the parents decide what they want to teach their children.

Religion, not just comparative religion of the different beliefs.

[Perseus]

9. Another inch and a half...Hillarious!

I don't know the guy grasped that one, he looked puzzled...That was funny.

Ah religion...

[Gumboot]

11. I'd prefer my kids learned...

... civics, science, and critical thinking.

[no_hypocrisy]

13. I'm in Ethical Culture and if you consider EC a "religion," then fine,

our principles should be taught.

However, with that said, I am not opposed to children being well informed about ALL religions so that they don't grow up ignorant, chauvinistic, and intolerant. Ideally I wish they could be without inducted into any one religion until they are 18 and have a better understanding in order to choose which one suits them best.

My brother was forced to be Jewish and lured into a Bar Mitzvah with promises of gifts and a party. When he was 30-something, he became a Sufi (mystical Islam) and he's a lot happier.