by Qcmbr 384 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
eventually you might be able to outlaw teaching faith altogether.
I prefer Daniel Dennett's sugestion that religious education should be compulsory in every school and for home schooling. Let children know all about religion, all sorts of religions ancient and modern. Let them see religion as the natural phenomenon it is.
Facts are the greatest antidote to taking religious belief seriously.
I never said anything about rights. I do think we need a debate about what we are allowed to do with children. They are not our property and yet we often treat them as such. That there needed to be a rule to stop smacking in the UK is indicative of how we view our children and it is right, imho, that society should be about protecting the innocent and vulnerable. With regards religion I don't believe that stopping a child being commited to a church or having a church exercise discipline on that child is stopping a parent from raising that child in that faith. In my case it would have moved my baptism date to 16 (rather than 8) when I could make a better judgement but also it would have stopped one on one chats with the Bishop at age 12 when I was asked such questions as 'do you masturbate?'
Homeschooling is an odd one for me - I've seen some very bright homeschool taught kids who were absolutely clueless and awkward in a social group. I have no doubt that a dedicated homeschooler with multiple other children is viable and often very successful but for those where it is literally one on one and more critically where it is an excuse for religious indoctrination then I am absolutely opposed. Homeschooling seems open to too many abuses and I don't know how efficient it is (the homseschool kids I knew got lods of resources and money given to them way in excess of what most kids got , they also never got involved in team sports or clubs except the youth activity at church on a Wednesday.)
Cofty - good idea - I'd like to see critical / skeptical thinking taught as a priority on the curriculum as well to wake kids up to the possibilities and opportunities that come from realising magic isnt real.
Home schooling is pretty unpredictable. I've seen great outcomes, and outcomes that make me cringe. I actually know a lot of homeschoolers because I chose to have a home birth, and that puts one in touch with people that do things their own way.
One delightful homeschooled girl was my midwife's daughter. Smart--social--responsible. The actual schooling took very little time, because there was no need for transportation, and all of the time consumers involved with school. She taught herself to sew (the midwife could not, and had no interest) with her extra time and self motivational skills. She made and designed everything she wore. She was wonderful to talk to, and really had a grasp on how to work with people, and like I said, very smart and educated.
On the other hand---there are those Christian conservatives that choose that route and it's a trainwreck. They are never allowed to see different worldviews, their knowledge of science is laughable, and every teaching opportunity is used to inculcate them. One in my family had a little one, who would run around and say, GOD G O D. and always get kudos for being able to spell God. We just cringed, because clearly he wasn't moving much beyond this. I was asked by a homeschooler to maybe sit in and teach some things about writing. But she wanted me to work from this text that told stories that always taught a religious lesson, and then help her children construct an essay around what they had read. I just couldn't do it. The entire focus of their schooling was centered around religion.
So I'm split on my opinion of the whole thing. I don't have the power to personally pick the people who actually get to homeschool, but am not on board with taking away the right. We just have to accept that people will raise their children as they see fit, and hope that the bright ones will reach beyond.
NC
I don't agree with homeschooling as a rule anyway - I think sociality is reduced from home schooling. Some kids can't handle it (public school); because of the way it is set up. Bullying (schools/teachers/parents)... they're all clueless how to handle it. Their hands are pretty tied unless it is a cut and dried case, but too much is 'kids being kids'. Some kids do better at home. We are not all cut from the same cloth. |
As for religion and faith, there is no way to keep your children from learning about it and wanting to be part of it without being secretive and fearful. They WANT to know what you believe, why you go to church (if you go), why you pray, why people down at the shelters and charities pray, who Jesus or Mohammad or Buddha, etc, are. And when they know what you believe, that is what they believe also. Until such a time as they are old enough to e x amine and choose for themselves.
If you are wanting to help pass a law that says children are not accountable to punishment/df-ing/etc by their various churches (which really protects against cults) until after a certain age of accountability, then that I can see as reasonable in protecting them. Not denying them baptism (because too many believe you got to be baptized to be saved), but a shield against the harmful effects.
I'm all for teaching all religions in school if you're going to teach one. Other religions are interesting. I took a world religions course in my catholic high school. It was one of the few courses (besides writing and biology), that I really looked forward to.
Peace,
Tammy
