Myself and fellow host Theo have produced our first test pilot episode for Northern Freethinkers.
Looking for comments and suggestions before we do the final pilot.
http://feeds2.feedburner.com/NorthernFreethinkers
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I didnt listen to the whole recording, but I did listen to a good 5 minutes of the talk on sexuality being taught in the classroom. I have couple comments:
ReplyDelete1. I do believe that this should be taught in school the public school system. I also believe it should be taught in private religious schools as well. I even want my daughter to learn what other people believe.
I look back on my childhood and I realize now how sheltered and naive I really was, and I think that only built a wall between me and other people. I did not understand anything outside the church. I thought everyone else had the same basic understanding of how the world turns (worldview). This only segregated me from relating with other people.
I think children should be taught these kinds of things. I want my daughter to be knowledgable about her cultural context and how to better relate with other people. Mind you, I would also teach her what I believe and hope she agrees with me. The biggest mistake the church (or any religion) can make is to keep their constituents unknowledgeable and thus irrelevent to their culture.
In the end, we still need to live together and relate with each other.
2. Something you guys made me think about when listening to you...what about a class on religion (more than just Christianity). Theo said that the cure for intolerance is education. I feel this culture is becoming more and more intolerant of religion. I have witnessed too much hatred against Christians/Christianity from people with little knowledge about Christianity. If we truly want to be a tolerant nation, we should include a class on religion as well.
For the record, I dont feel that this blog has been intolerant.
Thanks for the comments Darren.
ReplyDeleteI remember in elementary school being told that I should direct any sexuality questions towards my church. Which I just laughed at the time.
By grade 7 I had given up any religious views and even walked out of the Easter assembly when the bible story was broken out. By the way this was a public school(future article). Luckily I had parents that would discuss any topic with me and of course the Internet.
I think it will be very difficult for us to force any sort of curriculum on private schools, because they are just that private. Same way the government can't force a church to teach certain things. However if the private school does get any funding from the government, then yes, they should have the right to impose certain curriculum. (big issue in Ontario). Quebec, I believe has brought in a class like this and of course it has come with opposition from parents. Generally people of faith are uncomfortable with their kids being taught about theirs and other religions from an outside viewpoint.
I have run into some very smart Christians and very smart Atheists that understand and have studied the bible and other religious works. I have also run into Christians and Atheists that haven't. Bad knowledge or no knowledge leads to bigotry on both sides.
I agree that you cant force curriculum on private schools, I just think that the classes should be there.
ReplyDeleteAs a Christian I cant fathom someone that does not share the same faith could explain this faith properly and fairly. I know the limitations to the idea, but we need some sort of balance in the school system. Lets face it, many of these kids have ome sort of religious faith and most of them will experience some sort of hatred against them because of ignorance. There has to be a way to educate people.
People that have and don't have faith both experience hatred towards them. Hey I have been told multiple times that I have and had Cancer as a young child becuase I don't have faith. Atheists are often viewed as immoral becuause of their lack of faith, even though there are many humanist associations that do charity work. Doctors Without Borders is entirely faithless. In a classroom setting, the class can't be tought on faith, all religions require some sort of faith, you need to teach it from an outside perspective. Hopefully an unbaised one.
ReplyDelete