Separation of Church and State

Hang on, Faith didn't say anything about Christ. I'm sure that everyone can be made happy by adding religion to schools. I'd guess that it should be apportioned by population figures with a minimum set so that everyone gets covered.That'd mean about 25 % Catholic teaching, 10 % or so secular of one form or another, and so on. Where I live it would be around 35 to 40 % agnostisism/atheist/secular for starters. Of course, I don't think that secularism is teaching my views either. THe atheist time would be taken actively attacking the idea of the existance of God.I suppose that 5 to 10 instructional hours would be fair to the minority positions. I'm guessing that something like 1/3 to 1/2 of the various Christian sects would fall into this minimal group.The US is about 75% Christian of one sort or another. It would be hard to figure out how to divide the instructional time up. Let's say there should be a single class unit of 3 hours per week for 3 years of high school. We have about 300 hours to work with.There are going to be about 20 or 30 minor groups of under 1 percent. They'd take about 100 hours to cover.The remaining 200 hours would have to be set to about 150 hours to Christians. Of the remaining 50 hours about 30 would to to secularists (but non atheist/agnostic if they are grouped separately which the stats I have do )I'll edit the rest of this in later.

Other than little hints and tiny samples all kids reach 18 with almost no knowledge of any of the sciences. (In a few very good schools there are slight exceptions to this but by the time all the other subjects are crammed in they get very, very little) Any depth of understanding of chemistry, physics, geology and biology gets a good begining introduction in place by 22 if they take that path. Then, and only then, if they continue they finally, really learn the stuff.These kids are all grown up before the are really allowed the time to dig into these subjects. However, somehow, when they do very close to 100 % of them have no trouble with "getting it". Why not give them a few hours of religious instruction in as many religions as possible and then after a little bit of history, some philosophy, a smattering of science and an ability to read they can dig deeper into the religious subjects that interest them when they are mature and sophisticated?Any robust religion would have no trouble with that, right?This message has been edited by NosyNed, 12-14-2005 10:47 PM

I don't like the "keep to himself" either. I think that is a reaction to the present method of being fair by getting rather (in my mind) too fussy about keeping ALL mention of religion out of school.Instead I'm suggesting that it all be opened up for discussion. That the students be exposed to the ideas of others and free to discuss them. Clearly, from what many have posted here, many Christians who are supposedly strong belieivers know very little about the history or philosophical underpinnings of their faith. It appears that Christian schooling isn't helping with that.These beliefs are by definition of being faith-based beliefs "individual optional philosophical point of view". Something not subject to external examination and criticism is individual and based on a particular philosophy and all of our philosophies are optional to us.

Well, I don't know anything about it. When I look at the arguments about it I see one side presenting reasons and research done by those who have invested effort in the field. I see the otherside making assertions without any support. I use that to come to some judgement as to who is "correct" (to the degree possible when not all information is in) and who isn't. Just as the personal perspectives comeing from many religions are not open to discussion. Notice that a secularist point of view IS open to discussion (sometimes unendingly 'cause it is fun).If this veiw is nonnegotiable and not open to discussion just exactly why have you posted 4,000 items of discussion?