Is there a God?
Earlier this week a good friend of mine at Postcards from the Mothership posted a comment on creationism. Strongly on the side of science, she quoted and referenced scientific studies and promotional materials and pooh-poohed the idea of teaching Adam and Eve in schools. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not a preacher and I am certainly not debating evolution but I think kids can get something from religion.
Belief in a higher being (I should have started this sentence with "I believe") whether it is Vishnu, Buddha, Christ or even "mother earth" establishes a hierarchy in life. Individuals do not reign King. As a premise for all organized religions is respect for something. Even Satanism establishes respect for, and adherance to, Satan. A higher being.
Now, organized religion also includes aspects based on the need for control that I think are weird. Not being able to collect or pay interest in a free market economy? Not being able to eat cheese with a hamburger? Not being able to use birth control? While these "fundamentals" served their purpose at one time, they are no longer relevant today and confuse the people that might have been interested in hearing more.
So I hope, nee pray, that my kids learn to respect all religions and while I would encourage them to challange teachings and develop their own belief structure, I would hope that they do so with respect for the sacred. Respect that I believe they have learned, granted in part, from learning about the bible and Adam and Eve in school. I just hope that they don't do it in their Catholic school :=).
Belief in a higher being (I should have started this sentence with "I believe") whether it is Vishnu, Buddha, Christ or even "mother earth" establishes a hierarchy in life. Individuals do not reign King. As a premise for all organized religions is respect for something. Even Satanism establishes respect for, and adherance to, Satan. A higher being.
Now, organized religion also includes aspects based on the need for control that I think are weird. Not being able to collect or pay interest in a free market economy? Not being able to eat cheese with a hamburger? Not being able to use birth control? While these "fundamentals" served their purpose at one time, they are no longer relevant today and confuse the people that might have been interested in hearing more.
So I hope, nee pray, that my kids learn to respect all religions and while I would encourage them to challange teachings and develop their own belief structure, I would hope that they do so with respect for the sacred. Respect that I believe they have learned, granted in part, from learning about the bible and Adam and Eve in school. I just hope that they don't do it in their Catholic school :=).
posted by y-vonne at 4:27 AM
2 Comments:
No no no! That's not what I said at all!!
(And hey, if you're going to disagree with me, at least link to me so I can benefit from the traffic! It's like that old quote from Hollywood, 'say whatever you want about me, just make sure you spell my name right!')
What I said was that I think it's wrong to exclude teachings on evolution in schools, and that it's wrong to teach religion in science class.
What I have a problem with is teaching our kids that evolution is only an idea, not a fact. It's the exclusion of science, especially in science class, that I resent. I'm all for teaching kids about all the schools of thought, and letting them make their own decisions. That's what critical thinking is all about, and that's what I'm advocating!
If kids go to a Catholic school, then of course they are going to be exposed to Biblical studies. I'm not opposed to that - you know I'm toying with sending my kids to Catholic school right now. And as a skeptical parent, I'll do pretty much what my parents did: explain that the Church uses parables to explain complicated ideas, and the Bible contains a lot of simplifications. Heck, I think I learned that in religion class, too.
But what I will not allow is for my kids to be taught that the Bible trumps science. And that's what the creationist and the intelligent design people are advocating.
(Phew, haven't seen a rant this long since UberGeek was in his comment-ranting prime!!!)
Hey quit it... Rants are my job
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