Call for atheism to be included in religious education

[Tommy Tainant]

Call for atheism to be included in religious education

Religious education in schools needs a major overhaul to reflect an increasingly diverse world and should include the study of atheism, agnosticism and secularism, a two-year investigation has concluded.

The subject should be renamed Religion and Worldviews to equip young people with respect and empathy for different faiths and viewpoints, says the Commission on Religious Education in a report published on Sunday.

Content “must reflect the complex, diverse and plural nature of worldviews”, drawing from “a range of religious, philosophical, spiritual and other approaches to life, including different traditions within Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, non-religious worldviews and concepts including humanism, secularism, atheism and agnosticism”.

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11, the report says, but it falls short of recommending the abolition of the right of parents to withdraw children from religious education. It comes three weeks after figures showed the number of pupils taking religious studies at A-level this year had fallen by 22% compared with 2017, and two days after new data suggested more than half the population has no religion.

RE was badly taught when I was in school. We were taught the Bible from an Anglican standpoint and nothing else. Pretty much everybody dropped the subject as soon as they could.

I didnt learn anything about other faiths in school and there are still big gaps in my knowledge today. This is a welcome development in my opinion. Children will be better prepared for the world of today.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

There's nothing to teach about atheism it's a waste of time; it's like teaching that the Earth is flat

 

[Disir]

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11,

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

 

[007]

Since when is atheism a religion?

 

[Tehon]

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11,

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

I don't recall ever having to take religion as a course study.

 

[SassyIrishLass]

Atheism isn't a religion in fact it's polar opposite.

 

[Disir]

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11,

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

I don't recall ever having to take religion as a course study.

I didn't either; however, they teach comparative religion in middle school now.

 

[Tehon]

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11,

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

I don't recall ever having to take religion as a course study.

I didn't either; however, they teach comparative religion in middle school now.

Well, in that case then I agree with the OP. Atheism should be discussed.

 

[Disir]

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11,

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

I don't recall ever having to take religion as a course study.

I didn't either; however, they teach comparative religion in middle school now.

Well, in that case then I agree with the OP. Atheism should be discussed.

I think people have a tendency to underestimate what kids talk about and how those discussions evolve over time.

 

[007]

Why does anyone need to be TAUGHT that they DON'T BELIEVE in religion?

What's the point?

Oh, you don't believe there's a God? Well hold on, we need to TEACH you that. You can't just believe that on your own...

 

[Disir]

Why does anyone need to be TAUGHT that they DON'T BELIEVE in religion?

What's the point?

Oh, you don't believe there's a God? Well hold on, we need to TEACH you that. You can't just believe that on your own...

It would be the shortest two sentences ever uttered in a class room. It is unnecessary.

 

[SweetSue92]

Call for atheism to be included in religious education

Religious education in schools needs a major overhaul to reflect an increasingly diverse world and should include the study of atheism, agnosticism and secularism, a two-year investigation has concluded.

The subject should be renamed Religion and Worldviews to equip young people with respect and empathy for different faiths and viewpoints, says the Commission on Religious Education in a report published on Sunday.

Content “must reflect the complex, diverse and plural nature of worldviews”, drawing from “a range of religious, philosophical, spiritual and other approaches to life, including different traditions within Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, non-religious worldviews and concepts including humanism, secularism, atheism and agnosticism”.

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11, the report says, but it falls short of recommending the abolition of the right of parents to withdraw children from religious education. It comes three weeks after figures showed the number of pupils taking religious studies at A-level this year had fallen by 22% compared with 2017, and two days after new data suggested more than half the population has no religion.

RE was badly taught when I was in school. We were taught the Bible from an Anglican standpoint and nothing else. Pretty much everybody dropped the subject as soon as they could.

I didnt learn anything about other faiths in school and there are still big gaps in my knowledge today. This is a welcome development in my opinion. Children will be better prepared for the world of today.

Hey, I can teach that in about two minutes:

You came from nothing. Your conscience and consciousness are an accident. You will return to nothing.

Make something of nothing if you want to. If you don't, fine, your choice. Because to nothing you will return. Or as some atheists like to fantastically put it: "stardust".

BTW: this is all canceled if you lose your "sentience". Also, whatever that is.

Have a nice life!!!

 

[Tehon]

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11,

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

I don't recall ever having to take religion as a course study.

I didn't either; however, they teach comparative religion in middle school now.

Well, in that case then I agree with the OP. Atheism should be discussed.

I think people have a tendency to underestimate what kids talk about and how those discussions evolve over time.

Maybe, but if you are going to make comparative religion a course study then it should include a discussion about the absence of religion as a matter of comparison.

 

[bullwinkle]

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11,

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

I attended public schools a very long time ago. At that time NO religion was taught in schools, but rather that subject was the responsibility of home and Sunday School/church. When did they start teaching religion in grade schools anyway? I don't recall any of my kids taking such a class either. Of course those kids are now grandparents too.

 

[Disir]

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

I don't recall ever having to take religion as a course study.

I didn't either; however, they teach comparative religion in middle school now.

Well, in that case then I agree with the OP. Atheism should be discussed.

I think people have a tendency to underestimate what kids talk about and how those discussions evolve over time.

Maybe, but if you are going to make comparative religion a course study then it should include a discussion about the absence of religion as a matter of comparison.

It's unnecessary. I'm an atheist. My son is an atheist. My bio parents are now atheists. My step-dad is a Buddhist. It isn't that no one is familiar with religion. Indeed, we have Catholicism, Mormons, Quakers, etc.
I'm done with people using atheism to soap box or attempt to use as a voting block. Put atheism in there and it's going to be a battle with a bunch of dimwitted clowns who are going to spend their time saying stupid crap about atheism and communism. I promise--it's going to happen.

If you are a Piaget fan, then between the ages of 12 and 15 kids are moving into comprehension of abstract concepts. People have a tendency to underestimate the discussions that are already occurring and naturally evolving as they age. There really is nothing to compare.

 

[Disir]

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11,

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

I attended public schools a very long time ago. At that time NO religion was taught in schools, but rather that subject was the responsibility of home and Sunday School/church. When did they start teaching religion in grade schools anyway? I don't recall any of my kids taking such a class either. Of course those kids are now grandparents too.

I bet you have come across it before in the last 5-7 years and may not have paid attention to it. I'm sure you have seen those articles or posts made by people who are swearing up and down that sharia law is being taught to children in public schools. They are taken out of context. Public schools cannot teach religion as they do in churches etc. So, it is just the basic principles in world wide religions.

 

[bullwinkle]

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11,

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

I attended public schools a very long time ago. At that time NO religion was taught in schools, but rather that subject was the responsibility of home and Sunday School/church. When did they start teaching religion in grade schools anyway? I don't recall any of my kids taking such a class either. Of course those kids are now grandparents too.

I bet you have come across it before in the last 5-7 years and may not have paid attention to it. I'm sure you have seen those articles or posts made by people who are swearing up and down that sharia law is being taught to children in public schools. They are taken out of context. Public schools cannot teach religion as they do in churches etc. So, it is just the basic principles in world wide religions.

You are right, but I hadn't thought of that. Seems to me fitting that if a study of varying religions are taught, basics of ALL the various forms should be explained. Understanding seems a lot better than ignorance. My grandfather (born 1890) had pamphlets with drawings of nuns dropping their babies fathered by priests down sewers. In spite of the current sexual treachery of several dioceses that needs to be addressed and stricken, this kind of ignorance was common in his day and I am grateful we as a nation mostly grew out of it, if not completely yet. But without tolerance understanding it will be a very long slog.

 

[Disir]

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11,

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

I attended public schools a very long time ago. At that time NO religion was taught in schools, but rather that subject was the responsibility of home and Sunday School/church. When did they start teaching religion in grade schools anyway? I don't recall any of my kids taking such a class either. Of course those kids are now grandparents too.

I bet you have come across it before in the last 5-7 years and may not have paid attention to it. I'm sure you have seen those articles or posts made by people who are swearing up and down that sharia law is being taught to children in public schools. They are taken out of context. Public schools cannot teach religion as they do in churches etc. So, it is just the basic principles in world wide religions.

You are right, but I hadn't thought of that. Seems to me fitting that if a study of varying religions are taught, basics of ALL the various forms should be explained. Understanding seems a lot better than ignorance. My grandfather (born 1890) had pamphlets with drawings of nuns dropping their babies fathered by priests down sewers. In spite of the current sexual treachery of several dioceses that needs to be addressed and stricken, this kind of ignorance was common in his day and I am grateful we as a nation mostly grew out of it, if not completely yet. But without tolerance understanding it will be a very long slog.

We don't have a state religion. This is not Saudi Arabia or Iran. Atheists haven't been persecuted here in a long time Will there be attempts to overreach? Sure. Will there be a few people that spend their time shooting their mouth off about atheism? Sure. There comes a point in time where it isn't about the discussions that are naturally occurring but in micromanaging those discussions. The First Amendment is all about tolerance. It's built in.
.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11,

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

When I was in school you could drop it when you were 13 which is when you chose your exam subjects. A few kids carried on with it because it was seen as an easy option for an O level. None of my kids took it but my daughter is considering teaching the subject when she gets her degree.Ive told her that she needs to think carefully about it.

 

[Disir]

All pupils in publicly funded schools should study the subject up to year 11,

So, you have to take it every year?

In the States, that's in middle school.

When I was in school you could drop it when you were 13 which is when you chose your exam subjects. A few kids carried on with it because it was seen as an easy option for an O level. None of my kids took it but my daughter is considering teaching the subject when she gets her degree.Ive told her that she needs to think carefully about it.

That's different. We have it as a component of social studies.It doesn't even take the whole semester. It takes a chunk of it.