Students to be taught there isn't a God

Students to be taught there isn't a God

news.ninemsn.com.au

Victorian state primary school students will soon be able to take religious education classes which teach there is no evidence God exists.

The Humanist Society of Victoria has developed a curriculum for primary pupils that the state government accreditation body says it intends to approve, The Sunday Age newspaper reported.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I think this is a huge step forward. I for one am not an Atheist, however I do believe we are responsible for our own destiny. Half the problem with people is that they sit back and expect some supernatural force to do everything for them - especially the thinking.

This type of course (which is not mandatory) will give kids a balanced and scientific theory that is just as valid as any religion.

What I found particularly funny was that in the USA, the religious fundamentalist "Creationist" were trying to infiltrate science classes in Dover, but here it is science infiltrating religious studies! Much more subtle I think lol.



news.ninemsn.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 13/12/08 by WatchNLearn]

The whole thing is stupid. Religion should be out of the schools period. Not even discussed.

I find it interesting that people who do not believe in GOD want everyone to feel the same way. It is almost just like...religion.

Personally I feel study should be encouraged. Hermetic, Vedic, etc; There are too many similarities to ignore the fact that there is more to the universe than our little rock.

Originally posted by zroth
I find it interesting that people who do not believe in GOD want everyone to feel the same way. It is almost just like...religion.

Atheism is actually a belief in god of the ego-self. It takes a while before people figure it out.

Personally I feel study should be encouraged. Hermetic, Vedic, etc; There are too many similarities to ignore the fact that there is more to the universe than our little rock.

True but the best way to do it is yet to be discovered.

Originally posted by zroth
I find it interesting that people who do not believe in GOD want everyone to feel the same way. It is almost just like...religion.

That's not really true. Why? because everyone who doesn't believe in God don't go out telling people they are wrong for believing in something they can't see.

For example: I don't believe there's a God, however, I don't go telling people to stop believing there is one.

reply to post by Rocketgirl

Oh wait I just re-read your post. I see your point.

Anyhow, religion should be left out of the school system until college, and in college, people should be taught religion in a bias-free way.

[edit on 13-12-2008 by Frankidealist35]

Well, seeing as the classes seem to be optional, I don't see what the problem is:
* If you "don't believe in religion" don't take "Religion 101"
* If you "don't believe in evolution" don't take "Biology 101"

As long as no-one's being "indoctrinated" into atheism/theism, where's the problem?

By the way, I'm agnostic - feel free to believe/disbelieve in God/s, but I really don't give a damn about your beliefs, or lack thereof.

Originally posted by Frankidealist35
Anyhow, religion should be left out of the school system until college, and in college, people should be taught religion in a bias-free way.

Exactly! I personally believe that children are too young to decide whether there is/isn't a God, so this actually might seem to put undue pressure on the kids - and lead to more of those godawful "There is a God/There is no God!" screaming matches when you put a die-hard religious person and die-hard atheist in a room together!

[edit on 13-12-2008 by Chaoticar]

reply to post by Jazzyguy


No, atheism, as its name suggests, is not having a belief in god. It's not theistic egotism, it's atheism. I have no idea where you got that rubbish from.

Originally posted by Chaoticar
Well, seeing as the classes seem to be optional, I don't see what the problem is:
* If you "don't believe in religion" don't take "Religion 101"
* If you "don't believe in evolution" don't take "Biology 101"

As long as no-one's being "indoctrinated" into atheism/theism, where's the problem?

By the way, I'm agnostic - feel free to believe/disbelieve in God/s, but I really don't give a damn about your beliefs, or lack thereof.

Some college students like me who go to a religious college/university don't have an option not take a class based on religion. I think that is unfair because there are some students who go to a private religious college/university even if they don't believe in God. Why do some students go to colleges/universities like this? because of the student body size (it's small) and because you get more attention from your professors....etc.

reply to post by Rocketgirl



Even tho you get the smaller class sizes and what not, it is your fault that you have to take religious studies classes since you CHOSE to go to a religious school. That's the price you pay for going to one.

Originally posted by Finn1916
reply to post by Rocketgirl

 

Even tho you get the smaller class sizes and what not, it is your fault that you have to take religious studies classes since you CHOSE to go to a religious school. That's the price you pay for going to one.

I agree with you. However, believe it or not there are some college students who are forced to go to a private religious college/university.

reply to post by WatchNLearn


Actually this is a huge step back. One, it interferes with parental rights, and the right of each parent to teach their children what they consider is correct. Who is a child suppose to believe when the parents are teaching one thing, and the school something totally different? That would create a major conflict in the child. That is not good, unless the goal is to destroy the family.

Second, they are becoming just like "those Christians" and others who believe in God who like to "convince/Bible thump" others into believing in God.

Third, will the child fail if they still believe in God, after it is supposedly proven that God doesn't exist?

Honestly, no one can prove or disprove beyond a doubt that God's existence. For me proof of God is in the intricate designs of nature that could not happen with evolution alone. I can easily believe in micro evolution, there is evidence of it everywhere. I can't believe in macro evolution. There is no evidence for it. No one has been able to prove a bird has come from a reptile, a man came from ape, or even a fish becoming a land animal.

Originally posted by Rocketgirl

Originally posted by Finn1916
reply to post by Rocketgirl

 

Even tho you get the smaller class sizes and what not, it is your fault that you have to take religious studies classes since you CHOSE to go to a religious school. That's the price you pay for going to one.

I agree with you. However, believe it or not there are some college students who are forced to go to a private religious college/university.

Hw do you mean forced? If you mean their parents, then they need to tell their parents that they are not children anymore. I don't know any answer to any other type of forced to go tho.

Originally posted by Finn1916

Originally posted by Rocketgirl

Originally posted by Finn1916
reply to post by Rocketgirl

 

Even tho you get the smaller class sizes and what not, it is your fault that you have to take religious studies classes since you CHOSE to go to a religious school. That's the price you pay for going to one.

I agree with you. However, believe it or not there are some college students who are forced to go to a private religious college/university.

Hw do you mean forced? If you mean their parents, then they need to tell their parents that they are not children anymore. I don't know any answer to any other type of forced to go tho.

Sorry for the confusion, I meant parents.
For some young adults, telling there parents that there not a child anymore is easier said then done. It all depends on what type of parents that person has.

Anything is better than "intelligent design".

But I think they should teach evolution and not even bring the origin of life into the picture. Evolution is not a theory to how life began on Earth, it is a scientific fact that occurs once life is present. Abiogenesis is the idea that life just "popped out of nowhere", and it is completely different and separate from evolution.

In my opinion, at least when I was in school, the whole focus on origins was a waste of time. Even if you explore abiogenesis, rawlings/raelian (aliens dun it), traditional religions, and the native-american myth of the Earth being created on a turtle's back, it still doesn't serve a purpose. Everyone is coming to the class with a preconcieved notion, including the teachers.

Stick with teaching the stuff we DO know for certain, and don't worry about the things we don't until higher education.

Originally posted by Dulcimer
The whole thing is stupid. Religion should be out of the schools period. Not even discussed.

I am an Atheist... and I disagree...

Religion is important to understand key aspects of history... However, religion should be in its proper place in schools...

I have no problem with philosophy classes discussing religion... just as I have no problem with History classes discussing conflicting religious dogma in an attempt to help the student understand complex historical concepts... such as the crusades...

Removing religion completely IMHO would be a mistake...

I am all for removing the concept of a certain religion being "correct" though....

I think religious classes should be required in schools, I don't think people's problems are in that they don't make their own decisions, I think it's in they don't ask questions. I think every major religion should be taught in High School, think about all of the world's problems...they come from misunderstandings. You can ignore religion, and not educate people about it, but that's not going to make it go away. You need to educate people on what people believe so that they can better understand them, I don't think religion should be preached in schools, that's not what I'm saying, I'm saying that religion should be studied in a sociological way, just as you would discuss any other social study. I'm tired of running into Christians who think Islam thinks that Muhammad is a God, or Atheists who think Christians are all Evangelicals or Muslims who think that Hindus are purely idol worshipers. I think this is a step in the wrong direction, just like with sex education, not teaching it won't make it go away. It needs to be addressed and taught.

[edit on 13-12-2008 by yellowcard]

Originally posted by yellowcard
I think religious classes should be required in schools,

If we're going to make school children learn about fantasy, then we might as well make it compulsory that they also learn about Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.

Religion is a crock. Studying it is a crock. Believe it if you will, but don't force it upon anyone else.

Is there a place on Earth that is free from religious influence?

reply to post by Yarcofin


Evolution is far from a scientific fact. It is as much of a religion as any other.

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