I disagree here, at least in the way you phrased it.
Freedom is about restrictions on what the government provides. If your school teaches Christianity exclusively, for example, then are you really free to practice Buddhism? Not really, because you’re essentially getting indoctrinated into whatever religion your school picked to teach, which will directly oppose the religion you want to practice.
I absolutely think religion should be taught at school, and all major religions should be taught. You should finish K-12 with a passing understanding of all of the major world religions and be able to talk intelligently about the differences in the various value systems. This helps immensely in understanding those around you, and it can also help identify those “false prophets” you’re talking about because you’ll notice where they differ from the main branch of their professed religion.
I’m deeply religious, and I would hate for my religion to be taught exclusively at any school my kids go to. In fact, some of my neighbors send their kids to a private school that teaches my religion, and I would absolutely refuse to send my kids there, even if it was free. I want my kids to decide for themselves what religion (if any) to believe in, because without freedom, what do your choices even mean? I’d much rather have discussions on religion with my kids instead of give sermons.
So I’m absolutely in the camp of schools should be secular, but I’m also firmly in the camp that schools should teach religion, they just need to be impartial.
I disagree here, at least in the way you phrased it.
Freedom is about restrictions on what the government provides. If your school teaches Christianity exclusively, for example, then are you really free to practice Buddhism? Not really, because you’re essentially getting indoctrinated into whatever religion your school picked to teach, which will directly oppose the religion you want to practice.
I absolutely think religion should be taught at school, and all major religions should be taught. You should finish K-12 with a passing understanding of all of the major world religions and be able to talk intelligently about the differences in the various value systems. This helps immensely in understanding those around you, and it can also help identify those “false prophets” you’re talking about because you’ll notice where they differ from the main branch of their professed religion.
I’m deeply religious, and I would hate for my religion to be taught exclusively at any school my kids go to. In fact, some of my neighbors send their kids to a private school that teaches my religion, and I would absolutely refuse to send my kids there, even if it was free. I want my kids to decide for themselves what religion (if any) to believe in, because without freedom, what do your choices even mean? I’d much rather have discussions on religion with my kids instead of give sermons.
So I’m absolutely in the camp of schools should be secular, but I’m also firmly in the camp that schools should teach religion, they just need to be impartial.