What do you think of optional "world religions" courses in public schools?

[Clintonista2]

I took an 11'th grade World Religion course back when I was in HS, which studied all the major religions of the world, and I consider it to be one of the most important classes I ever took. Considering people are fighting/dying around the world over religion, I think it's important to understand and be tolerant of different earthly religions, from a purely secular point of view. Your thoughts?

[Lost-in-FL]

1. I did took a course like it at college (requirement)...

and shortly after I became an agnostic. I think everyone should read about other religions.

[babylonsister]

2. Fabulous. Knowledge is power, everything helps, keep reading. nt

[More Than A Feeling]

3. I think studying religion from a purely secular point of view

would make a lot of parents angry. I suppose that is why you would make it optional. I don't know. There are a lot of areas that could use the time and the money that would go into teaching this course. Art, Gym, Music, History...and there are so many resources available outside of school, if someone wants to learn about various religions. If they don't, then they wouldn't take your proposed course anyway.

[Bluebear]

4. Presented as education, not proselytizing, it sounds like a great class!

I think a course I saw was called "comparative religion" or something such, the syllabus was clear that it was being presented with historic fact and doctrinal comparisons from a neutral point of view.

[Captain Angry]

5. I think it is very important for people to understand the religions.

Very few people understand how related the religions are.

The people that dismiss one religion are only prove they're fools when the religion they denounce was the foundation for the religion they follow.

[Breeze54]

6. My son took that class in 5th grade. I was upset

at first but then I looked over the curriculum and it seemed to be balanced out.
Not emphasizing just one or two but all of them, so I was cool with it.

Why don't they teach Ancient History in the schools anymore? :shrug:
When I was in school, it was required.

[soothsayer]

9. there's so much MORE ancient history since when we were young, lol

[Breeze54]

11. Much, much more! LOL!

But really? I think it should be added back in and that would definitely
help with a broader understanding and putting two and two together. ;)

[JI7]

7. as long as it's taught as a Philosophy type class

[Pirate Smile]

8. We had that class at the Catholic High School I attended. It was great and

showed how all the major religions are just trying to answer the universal questions all people ask.

Great for instilling more tolerance and less judgment.

[shenmue]

10. "No law respecting an establishment of religion"

How hard is that to remember?

The state has no business teaching religion.

The only classes about it at public universities are electives. It has no place in schools for younger students, in grades when their minds are still impressionable and they haven't seen much of the world; the only exception ought to be in private schools, where the parents are by definition already aware of what is going to be done. I haven't seen one of these Bible Belt-sponsored classes that hasn't gone way off the mark as far as propriety.

Who are you to say what I should learn or believe?

Religion is a personal matter and you have no business saying it's something that's necessary to someone else's life-- that's theirs to decide.

[Breeze54]

12. It's actually a history class, not religious.

[fishwax]

16. a class about a religion need not have anything to do with establishment

of that religion.

I don't think 11th grade is too young to learn about world religions as an elective ...

[Clintonista2]

19. Well, I think you misunderstood a couple of things

First of all, your use of the term "Bible Belt" is flawed, because a world religion class would not focus on Christianity. The course I took, at least, spent no more time on Christianity than it did on any other religion

Secondly- "Who are you to say what I should learn or believe?"

That's why it's optional. Who are you to say I should learn about math? Like it or not, religion plays a role in society today, and that's why this class would take a secular perspective, it would not seek to indoctrinate children.

Finally- "Religion is a personal matter and you have no business saying it's something that's necessary to someone else's life-- that's theirs to decide."

Once again, that's why it's optional. Isn't it important to learn about why conflict exists between, say, Muslims and Jews in Pakistan? Or Sunni/Shia's in Iraq?

[Sanctified]

22. How is an optional world religion class a law?

If people want to stay ignorant about the world around them then they do not need to take the optional class. Believe it or not there are people in the world who like to learn about other cultures, I took a class about all the major religions in High School based on a historical basis.

And guess what, I did not convert to Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity or Islam from taking the class I did however have a healthy respect on how each religion began and the inter-relationships between different religions.

[environmentalist]

13. World religions and comparative religions

Comparative religions used to be a common course in schools. They're valuable when taught without value judgment. I recently did an article on Zoroastrianism and was surprised to find that it was not included in most curriculums when it is an ancient source religion that influenced many of the modern faiths. My vote (fwiw) would be that all religions should be taught from a comparative/secular/historical point of view.

Posted by The Environmentalist

[Heidi]

15. Hi, environmentalist!

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[environmentalist]

18. Hi, Heidi!

Thanks for the welcome :) It's most appreciated!

Posted by The Environmentalist

[Heidi]

20. I'd welcome you to the neighborhood with a plate of homemade cookies, but it's just too hot

to Google image search right now. :P

[environmentalist]

24. That's what I hear

about the heat, I mean. I have friends in Europe who are baking, and others in Oxfordshire who are treading water. (Here's a recent blurb about something near your neck of the woods).

Thanks again for the welcome. It's very nice of you.

Posted by The Environmentalist

[fishwax]

21. welcome to DU, environmentalist!

:toast:

[environmentalist]

23. Thanks!

:beer:

Posted by The Environmentalist

[saltpoint]

14. Yep. Keep it optional and make it interesting.

For me, that covers it.

[Az]

17. A comparitive world religion course is perfectly in keeping with the establishment clause

It does not favor any one religion over another. It attempts to present the ideas of the major religions on an even footing. That is perfectly in keeping with the all or nothing attitude of the establishment clause.

[hfojvt]

25. I don't see how you can teach it from a secular point of view

without attacking those who believe strongly in their own. To teach 'they are all the same' is not a neutral POV.

[spoony]

26. That's why I favour "survey" courses over "comparative" ones

I think the survey approach, "this is this religion, these are its tenets, this is how they worship," etc. helps to avoid, at least from the lecturer's point of view, the problem you mention.

[WinkyDink]

29. It is very easy, at least it was for me, in teaching the parts to which various literary

works alluded.
Same for Greek mythology.

[fujiyama]

27. It could be useful

if it is put in a proper historical and cultural context.

The difficulties arise in selecting common beliefs within a religion. Certain practices will often be said not to be embodying the "true" beliefs of that religion by other followers. After all, do you discuss the modern state of those selected religions in the world? Do you confront religious and ethnic turmoil that takes place currently? Also, much of the history of world religions, is about the violent conflict between them. In a multi-religious and multicultural classroom environment, how are these issues addressed?

Obviously, religion is an extremely sensitive topic, but by avoiding all controversy can students still view the religions critically?

But ultimately, I still think it's better to expose students to the beliefs of world religions. Being ignorant about other cultures does no one any good.

[Vidar]

28. One of the best high shool classes I took. Of course that was thirty some

years ago.

[trof]

30. Would you believe I had this in Sunday School class?

And it was fascinating and enlightening.

I'm an atheist now, but back in the day...
When I was a teen, we had a really cool Sunday School class and a really cool guy teaching it. I was in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) which is a pretty middle-of-the-road denomination, not a holy roller bunch by any stretch.

Our teacher was a young attorney (30s?), very hip, and he could really talk to us on our level.

One year he suggested we learn about other religions. I think we pretty much kept it to other faiths in our area. We studied about the various beliefs and then took field trips to other congregations and talked with their leaders.

I remember visiting a synagogue, a Catholic church, and a Mormon church. Those were about the only other choices in 50s Birmingham, AL. It was interesting to learn how our beliefs differed and how they were the same. It was not on a 'better-worse' or 'right-wrong' basis.
The whole exercise was pretty even-handed as I remember.
It was a good program.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

31. My sons have studied that in World History classes. It is part of the curricular. I had it

40 years ago too, here in NY.