Gods in the classroom

When I was about nine years old (1959 or so), I was attending a public grade school. Our class had been spending what seemed an excessive amount of time studying the Greek and Roman gods and what qualities they each represented.

I wrote a note to my teacher asking, “Why are we spending so much time studying false gods and no time studying the one true God?” The teacher freaked out and wanted to know if someone had directed me to write the note. (No) I don’t recall if I ever got an answer to my question.

At the least, it seems ironic that we can only teach about deities in the elementary school classroom when people agree that nobody believes in them anymore.

My perspective on this subject has changed in ways I never would have imagined, but that is another story.

 

God or Gods should only enter the public schools as the a portion of the historical context of what has occurred and how it's impacted the society being studied.

For example if you are studying the Mayflower and the people who came across on her, their religion and their God are central to their story and should be taught.

not much beyond that type of thing though.


I also remember spending a lot of time on the Greek and Roman gods.
I don't remember Christianity or the christian God ever being mentioned once.
that was during the 80s.

 

Unless your teacher was teaching that Zeus is the "one true God," you should now understand why your complaint was baseless. Also, some people do still believe in those gods. Public schools teach Classic mythology as a matter of historical and literary interest, without promoting them as a religion. They typically talk about Christianity as it pertains to history as well.

I went to school in the 80s and 90s. Christianity was brought up in almost every history class as well as in geography.

 

You cannot teach Western History and avoid Christianity, there would hardly be anything left without it.

 

Pretty simple. Most Americans are Christian and know quite a bit about the biblical God. Even most of the non-believers have a basic knowledge of Christianity. There are churches everywhere that will give you a free education about God. The Greek and Roman Gods have no such advantage and most people have very little knowledge of them. So it makes sense to teach about them.

Another factor is that many people actually believe in Christianity while the Greek and Roman religions are considered myths. So there is little chance of a church-and-state issue teaching about the Greek and Roman Gods. There are a lot more heated opinions about teaching Christianity, because it is a popular religion, that doesn't exist for extinct religions. So current religions are sometimes avoided to avoid controversy.

In schools, the Greek and Roman Gods are taught as myths and no religious ceremonies are done. Some Christians actually want their religious rites like prayer in the classroom, God's name in the pledge, and Genesis taught in science classes. Christians wouldn't appreciate their God being taught as a myth.

There are many conflicting versions of Christianity. Schools would have to be very careful not to contradict too many versions without insulting tens of millions of people. Some believe that God has a body, others that he is purely non-physical. Some believe in the trinity while others do not. Some believe in faith only while others believe works are important too. Since we have an abundance of churches, the perfect solution is to allow parents who want their kids educated in Christianity to select the church of their choice.

 

Few Christians don't believe in the Trinity. In fact, by definition they all do. Lots of things public schools teach have conflicting views, how is this different? A majority want prayer in schools, just like Congress and the SCOTUS do.

 

Do you know how many times I hear about complains about political bias in education? Imagine the uproar if schools try to teach religion. Unlike politics, religion is far more personal and brings up much stronger feelings. The trinity is only one example, of disagreement and there are many more among the thousands of Christian religions.

If we do teach Christianity, it should be part of a world religions course that only gives a general understanding of Christianity and provides some contrasting views from different Christians along with Islam, Buddhism, and other religions. The purpose of the course should be to educate students so they understand the religions being mentioned in other history courses.

 

I agree with you, but also think a general prayer, like Congress does, if perfectly fine to open the day, in a district where the majority who are paying for that school support it. It is ridiculous to say it is unconstitutional, but then the courts often do what the elites want. The very Congress that wrote the 1A the next day established a national day of prayer.

 

We really want to send a message to the people that the government and schools are for all religions not just the Christian one especially given that this newest generation is only about half Christian and half non-Christian. I don't see how we can do that if we conduct official Christian ceremonies with the parent's kids and ignore all the others. I am fine with a moment of silence where kids of different faiths and beliefs can pray, meditate, or take a mental break. Maybe we can have a quiet room where kids of different faiths and non-faiths can do what they wish. But honestly, we need to stop fussing about these religious ceremonies and actually do a better job of teaching our kids.

 

You can follow the will of the people and have a daily benediction and still teach our kids better. Start with schools choice, vouchers, charter schools, etc. You can have a non-denominational prayer that all faiths can agree to. That is not an 'official Christian ceremony'.

 

There is no proof that "the will of the people" is to have such a daily benediction. And if the only denominations included in your "non-denomination prayer" are Christian, then yes, it is an "official Christian ceremony."

 

Christian prayer is a religious ceremony that originated in the New Testament. I don't think the will of the people should be to trample on the wishes of minority groups on how their children are educated. If you want a religious education for your children I suggest a religious school, not a public school meant for religious and non-religious children.

 

What about the third of kids that have no religion?
If parents want to indoctrinate their children they are free to do so at home or pay for religious schooling.

Prayer to imaginary sky beings do not belong in our educational system.

 

You could, and it might even be technically legal, but what would be the point? Remember that there is absolutely nothing preventing individual students or teachers freely choosing the start their days with a prayer to whichever god or gods they care to – I suspect several do in various ways. The only restriction in place is against the presentation of any formal religious practice by any state representatives. I honestly can’t see any valid reason that anyone would want or need to circumvent that restriction.

 

A prayer is hardly a religious education. Perhaps you should move to North Korea. The Founders intended to foster Christianity insofar as it didn't impinge on freedom of conscience. We had prayer in schools for most of our history.

 

What about kids who disagree with other things taught in schools?

Fine, but give them vouchers so they don't pay twice.

I don't agree with praying to imaginary sky beings either.

 

And school districts should be able to freely begin the day with a non-sectarian prayer if they choose, in no way is that establishing a state church, as in the UK.

 

Not really, a Gallup poll in 2014 showed Americans support a daily prayer in schools by 61-37%.

A non sectarian prayer to God would be supported by adherents of any religion, pretty much. No need to cater to the atheist minority.

You know what happens when someone is offended? Nothing.

 

No public funds should be given to religious indoctrination camps.
Zero.

If you want to subject your children to that then pay for it.

 

LOL, are Congress and the SCOTUS 'religious indoctrination camps'?

Not twice.

 

Freedom of religion also means freedom from religion, that someone else's religion shouldn't be foisted on you. There are Jews, muslims, buddhists, atheists and others who would object to any christian ritual, not to mention the different christian sects who don't agree with each other. People should keep that kind of thing to themselves and not pollute others with it.

 

There is no freedom from religion, only a right to free expression of religion. Teachers and students don't lose those rights when they walk in a school.

A non sectarian prayer to God wouldn't offend any of those groups.

You just want to pollute others with your secular humanist religion.

 

Again, I wasn't asking about whether they should be allowed to, I was asking why they would? It'd be like have a designated "talking about last nights game" time. Those who want to are already free to do so before lessons proper start but those who don't are free to spend that time in whatever other way they want.

 

Prayer is a Christian religious ceremony, and its something that you apparently want to make a mandatory public school function. As I recall North Koreans worship their leaders and have built a religion around them. They have regular ceremonies sounding their leader-worship in their classrooms.

The founders had divided opinions about Christianity. Some were Christians themselves but were firm advocates of a separation of church and state. Having mandatory religious ceremonies of one religion in government-run schools seems like an obvious violation of this principal.

And just because something was done in the past doesn't mean it was ever appropriate. Even the founders violated their own principles. Washington and Jefferson owned slaves. John Adams had critics arrested.