Opposing Viewpoints: Teaching Religion in Public Schools

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Kafer, Krista. "Public Schools Should Teach More About Religion." At Issue: Religion and Education. Ed. Tom Head. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 8 Feb. 2010 http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010391207&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=deer63488&version=1.0.

This article brings up a lot of good point in that, According to the Constitution, the American people are guaranteed the right to practice religion free from government intervention, however there is not a current standards religion that everyone believes in and creating one would be prohibiting choice and freedom of religion. "Schools need not be and, legally speaking, should not be "religion-free" zones. The Supreme Court has affirmed students' rights to religious expression and the appropriateness of instruction about religion. An understanding of the role of religion in history, art, and current events is necessary for a well-rounded education." Even though I agree with this statement I also believe that if schools are to incorporate religion in schools they must be careful when they do it. They must be sure that all religions are Incorporated in the curriculum and discussions so that all are included and have an equal opportunity to represent themselves and be heard. This is almost impossible and that's why i believe Religion should be discussed but not taught in schools; since religion is a very important part of peoples lives they should be able to discuss it with others who have different or similar beliefs in their primary place of learning. I also believe that teaching evolution is a violation of the constitution because it it basically another religion and teaching it as the standard truth to kids is possibly misleading and unlawful. They should form their own opinions as to what they choose to believe and shouldn't be influenced by what they learn in schools.

God and Evolution Can Co-Exist, Scientist Insists

By Robin Lloyd
As one of the most controversial issues of today, in NEW YORK — "A scientist is going public with his Christian belief in God and acceptance of evolution in the wake of the Dover, Pa., school trial and recent, high-profile scholarly writings that have highlighted the contradictions between religiosity and science".Many people are either completely to one side, or completely to the other but if one interprets the main ideas of both not just the details that they can both be compatible and true. "Some evolutionists very strongly rejected any and all Christianity as totally impossible with science. And many Christians began to read the Bible and interpret literally, believing that evolution was not consistent with it." Its important to be sensitive to both ideas because both are favored by a huge amount of people. Its not really hard see the truths in both of them, one is based on faith and the other based on science; they are both important, and all have the right to believe either , or, or both. Even though they seem polar opposite, they are actually very similar because they are both based on belief, we have seen neither one occur; creation or evolution. They are both also easy to doubt, but the whole point is that faith is in their structure and evolution being just like another religion we are all entitled to opinions. The whole idea is that the two subjects could use the other to balance each the other. Science does not have all of the answers, and making limits could be beneficial. Much of Science has come from religion in the past. Maybe they have a future intertwined too.

Religious Intolerance Can Lead To Violence

Muslims & America: What should "tolerance" mean in an online world?

http://www.readthespirit.com/ourvalues/2009/11/muslims-america-tolerance-with-teeth.html

This statement is absolutely true, not only proven with facts but also in theory. This can be connected to things that occur today, many people make the stereotype that anyone from the middle east is Muslim and and therefore also a terrorist, they also assume that all terrorists are Muslim and treat them without dignity and judgment .There have been many disputes and violence who has the TRUE religion, but the truth is they are all "TRUE", at least to those who choose believe them. Everyone should be entitled to choose their God or what they live their life by, and other should respect that. The main issue here is that we as Americans stereotype anyone from the middle east as a terrorist.What one person believes in terms of religion usually doesn't affect others (accept in cases where they believe in something that harms people), I do not understand why people feel they must change all people to one religion or have one dominant one. Yes I feel strongly about my religion and if someone is open to hearing about it I will definitely try to help them learn about it or tell them what it is all about, but by no means do I feel the need to force people or criticise them for not believing what I do. People find God in all different places in all different places and its great that they do cause our personalities and needs on a faith level are different. There are many reasons for hatred, and there are simple solutions to all of them; understanding and eliminating ignorance. These are things that would do a world of difference because I think that if people learned about each other and accepted that all people and places of the world are different that they can understand them believing what they do. On another level if you increase the tolerance and understanding that people have for each other than this would ease a lot of tension creating less violence all around the world. People just need to understand that we are all trying to make our mark on the world, and everyone has a different way of doing that. Disregarding race, religion, and nationality, we are really all people. It just so happens that those things are the things people notice right away and judge, this is why our world lacks peace and unity.

The Mythical "Wall of Separation": How a Misused Metaphor Changed Church–State Law, Policy, and Discourse

By Daniel L. Dreisbach
Even today there is a dispute among lawmakers and citizens about church ans state. I think that church and state should be separate, even though I feel strongly about my religion I understand and respect that others don't or others favor another religion and no one should be forced to be part of something they don't believe in; especially when it comes to faith. Minority religions must be equally represented, and governing from the standpoint of one religion policies or ways of ruling may not regard minorities as much. Although i do agree that no matter what kind of government you have aspect of the church or other religions will be involved because much of the time religions are based on morality faith and belief and America has been built upon those standards since its creation. I think that it is very important to have a religion because it is something that we as Americans have a right to and we can choose our own way as individuals. It has a lot to do with who we become and what we want to accomplish and something of such importance should not be involved in government, in fact it is written in the foundations of our laws (the Constitution) that we have the freedom of religion and will not be forced to be a certain faith.

Redemption By: John Gardener

This story for me was very interpretive and important, because like the title it is basically a story about a boy who "kills his brother" by running him over with a tractor. Although Jack could have prevented this accident by pressing on the brakes, he was so shocked that he didnt react fast enough. His intentions were definately not meant to kill his brother. Jack spends the next years draped with guilt and unable to find redemtion within himself and pushes God away, although others seem to be supportive and forgiving. As Jack seems to be wasting away ignoring his family and friends he finds an escape and peace in playing the french horn. He begins to use it to fill up his time and it becomes his world. Jack comapres to his music teacher both of them surviving from a tragic accident and fining peace through music. Jack and other characters either turn to God or ignore him, those who look for him or rely on him seem to find peace or at least are able to face this, but those who turn away just bury thier pain inside and do not face it because they deep down know that God is forgiving.He finally finds that disregarding your faith is not the best way to heal, and when your God sends you through something he will always pull you through as well. Even when we think God is unfair or cruel in the things that he does to us he has a plan to help us out as well. for Jack, after the accident he wanted nothing to do with God, God gives him a way out and puts the French Horn in his life to help him to move on and discover redemption within himself.

Where Im at Now

Right now I'm at a good place in my research, each new article is bringing my topic (religion) into a better and more broad perspective, rather than just my own views I am being exposed to the views of many others and the foundations of how our society and government are connected with religion. I have already answered some of my key questions that i had hoped to answer such as government and free exercise of religion, and morals, and similarities in religions. I am really glad I was given this topic because religion is an important part of my life and the lives of many others and it is a timeless topic one that will always be controversial and discussed, and it is important to continue to avoid ignorance by knowing what has gone on currently and in the past. Beliefs among Americans are some of the most diverse on the planet, but as long we search for our many similarities rather than our differences we will be able to move forward; this is the essential message I have pulled out of all my responses and articles.

The Church and Democracy: Primary Source

http://america.eb.com/america/article?articleId=387209



John Courtney Murray " The State-Church and Democratic Society," Annals of American History. <http://america.eb.com/america/article?articleId=387209>[Accessed February 1, 2010].



The idea of this article was to merge democratic standards and standards of the church together to form a theological society. It also connects the two saying that they go hand in hand and each requires parts of the other to be successful. I think this article is both truthful but also unrealistic, it is true that many morals that exist in society also exist in most religions such as do not kill, or do not steal, but the idea that all are going to agree to a church state rather than a democratic state is very far fetched. The church state after all is highly controlled by its figures of power and maintained by conservatives, while the basic framework and building of our government is to have as little power given to single figures as possible. He also talks about how although the Constitution says there is freedom of religion to believe or not to believe what you want to, this conflicts often with the ability to exercise it freely. Sometimes in attempt to protect those who don't believe a certain thing from being made to, the government often prevent the free expression of religion. A big part of this article is that the church must adapt to changing times and changing people, the world is becoming more and more liberal (not to say there aren't many conservatives) and with change must come adaptation in order to prosper.