Religion in schools

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Rakuen Growlithe
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Religion in schools

#1

Post by Rakuen Growlithe »

Good news. The High Court of Johannesburg has ruled that schools may not promote one religion to the exclusion of others. They either have to equally accommodate all religions (and non-religion) or they must not say anything about religion. That is proper in a secular country. At my school we used to sing hymns and read Bible passages in every assembly and little else but I am sure that is not the case elsewhere, especially in Afrikaans schools. No doubt it will be challenged, and I haven't read all the details, but schools promoting a particular religion is possibly even unconstitutional so those challenges should not succeed.

http://synapses.co.za/religion-south-af ... tory-ogod/
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.za/2017/06 ... _23005646/
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Re: Religion in schools

#2

Post by Raven Song »

I look forward to hearing all the moaning and groaning about how "we are losing god in our schools". Now look Im not anti religion, but growing up I used to get into trouble for asking why we never supported the jewish kids (I went to an anglican school).

I think this is an excellent idea.
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Re: Religion in schools

#3

Post by Hargan »

I agree, although personally, I'd rather the religions be taught in a studious manner rather than practised at schools.

HOWEVER

What does this say about private schools based around a religion?
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Re: Religion in schools

#4

Post by Rakuen Growlithe »

I don't think it has anything to say about private schools. This will only apply to government funded schools.
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Re: Religion in schools

#5

Post by Galahad »

I don't much care for it - neither supporting nor denouncing it. I am an atheist, and although I had a Christian upbringing, I never really liked or considered myself a devoted adherent of any religion. The high school I attended was a traditional British English boarding school (though I was a day student), and in assemblies hymns were sung and some traditions had Anglican origins. Did it bother me? Not really. Did it brainwash me? Nope. I simply considered it part and parcel of the school's heritage and culture. If I were to play the Devil's Advocate (a truly ironic term in this case), I'd say that one would be abolishing an integral part of the culture and history of several schools (I couldn't much be bothered about the purely religious part). Yet conversely, a secular society is an ideal in my eyes. Meh.
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Re: Religion in schools

#6

Post by jacojerb »

I had a friend in highschool, who once sent me an obvious chain letter on WhatsApp, saying that people are trying to do this, and it is "a major win for Satan". I explained to her, imagine being in a Muslim school, as a Christian, and being forced to pray their prayers and sing their songs. She seemed to understand then, and said this might not be that bad

I personally never minded singing Christian songs and listening to Christian prayers, but the fact is that there are people who do mind it a great deal.

People will be angry at this ruling. But things are neutral now. No-one is being given advantage or disadvantage...
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Re: Religion in schools

#7

Post by Faanvolla »

We had "Stilte tyd" (Silent time) in the hostel where you had to be quiet and read the bible for 10 mins in the morning before breakfast and at night before bed.
Someone in the room across from me decided to be quiet and read a magazine instead and the teacher gave him 10 beatings with a cane. (They patrolled to make sure what we were doing)

Not all 'religious traditions'/heritage and cultures are good.
I'm glad for the court ruling.
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Re: Religion in schools

#8

Post by Sudan Red »

Working for the government, I can tell you that we are subjected to a "moruti" screaming passionately at us about Christ before each general meeting whereafter they serve beef stew lunches to the Hindus or pork sausage rolls to the Jews/Muslims in our ranks. *facepalm*

At risk of making this a race AND religion issue, but saying it with the utmost respect, black folks cannot fathom that anyone isn't Christian or that their religion might forbid them to eat "real food". The black faith is unshakable & might be even admirable under other circumstances.

So, instead of PRACTICING religion in school, I'd really love for kids to receive an objective EDUCATION on different religions that might breed an understanding/tolerance for other religions. And I don't mean the wishy-washy free period that was Bible Study in my youth. Hell, I'd be ecstatic if kids were then allowed to CHOOSE their own religion (or non-religion) based on this exposure. An informed decision as opposed to inherited cultural/societal expectations.
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Re: Religion in schools

#9

Post by Splicer-Fox »

I remember in primary school we learnt about Capitalism and how bad Communism is.
I see that in other places in the world they are starting children with Neo-Feminism.
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Re: Religion in schools

#10

Post by Franky »

I was in a Christian school. Where even my science teacher said how God is responsible for atoms and how we shouldn't question the fundamentals of reality.

Does this news mean real education or is it going to have a SJW approach on accepting other peoples cultures and beliefs?
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Re: Religion in schools

#11

Post by Raven Song »

Schools here have RE (religious Education) and each child learns about their respective religion (and if they dont have a religion they learn about them all). If there is a Jewish child it isnt forced to learn about Christianity though it is encouraged, and Christian children are encouraged to learn about Islam etc.

i think its a good idea to a degree, though there are many who disagree
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Re: Religion in schools

#12

Post by jacojerb »

Sudan Red wrote:So, instead of PRACTICING religion in school, I'd really love for kids to receive an objective EDUCATION on different religions that might breed an understanding/tolerance for other religions.
They actually do do this currently, in a subject called Life Orientation... Of course, if I remember correctly, it was only in late highschool, and there was only like 1 chapter on it. But it does say a bit about each major religion, pretty much all they really need to say

Of course, no-one ever payes attention in L-O, and with this being taught in late highschool, people can drop out before doing it. But still, can't say the government wasn't trying to educate people on other religions
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Re: Religion in schools

#13

Post by Contrast »

LO was a joke in my high school, and it was taught by the biggest suutjies-poep prude in the universe. This one time, she made us watch Forrest Gump for some reason (probably because she had no idea what she was actually supposed to be teaching us), but I don't think she ever watched it herself because she was so shocked by all the "filthy pornographic sex scenes" that she basically fast-forwarded through the whole thing.

Other "useful" classes included such gems as "draw your feelings" and "a letter to my inner self". :roll:
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Re: Religion in schools

#14

Post by Raven Song »

I once failed a LO exam because my answer to question of "In your OPINION what is boah blahb blah" because apparently my opinion was wrong (no reason why... it was just not the same as my teacher)
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Re: Religion in schools

#15

Post by Adagio »

@Raven
That's bullshit! I had the same thing!
It's an opinion!! You can't mark it wrong!
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Re: Religion in schools

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Post by Sudan Red »

jacojerb wrote:
Sudan Red wrote:So, instead of PRACTICING religion in school, I'd really love for kids to receive an objective EDUCATION on different religions that might breed an understanding/tolerance for other religions.
They actually do do this currently, in a subject called Life Orientation... Of course, if I remember correctly, it was only in late highschool, and there was only like 1 chapter on it. But it does say a bit about each major religion, pretty much all they really need to say

Of course, no-one ever payes attention in L-O, and with this being taught in late highschool, people can drop out before doing it. But still, can't say the government wasn't trying to educate people on other religions
So it is STILL a wishy-washy free period. Hardly a concentrated effort on education or tolerance.
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Re: Religion in schools

#17

Post by jacojerb »

Yeah, L-O is a joke. But point is its technically incorrect to say the government isn't teaching kids about other religions. Its part of a curriculum all students are supposed to do
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Re: Religion in schools

#18

Post by Franky »

We played rugby in LO
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Re: Religion in schools

#19

Post by Faanvolla »

Our LO teacher made us watch an abortion documentary (imo it seemed very anti-abortion biased, only showing people who regretted their decision. It was also extremely graphic, showing in extreme detail an abortion happening), and told us "the only safe sex is no sex. Also condoms and birth control exists, but <religious reasons to not have sex before marriage>, and also <religious reasons why abortions shouldn't be allowed>. "
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Re: Religion in schools

#20

Post by Contrast »

Our LO teacher made us watch a documentary about fish puppets chanting "TubercuLOOOOOOO... sis... sis... sis..."
And then they all died.
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Re: Religion in schools

#21

Post by jacojerb »

The one year we had two LO teachers. The first month or two we did the work really slowly, with the teacher saying "we can do it later". Then she left. Then the new teacher asked us "how far did you get?". Naturally we told her we finished the book
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Re: Religion in schools

#22

Post by Splicer-Fox »

We had some religious shenanigans at my High School.

Most were arranged by the school.
What I can recall:

We had this woman talk to the school about:
if you have sex with allot of people you will have a bit of your soul given away each time.
(They used a sticker losing its stickiness as a example)

There was this guy that showed us allot of astronomy and then showed us a photo of a galaxy that looked like it had a cross in it.
Also this same guy told us that Jesus may have been dark skinned Persian or just African? (For some reason)

There was this Indian looking comedian that did a routine where he told us about how he survived being shot in a hijacking because Jesus disintegrated the hijackers’ gun.

Then there were the school camping trips where there were allot of religious counselling and preying.
I remember they took us into a cave and told us the cave “might” be unstable.
Afterwards they asked us if we were to die know where would we go?
(I believe they wanted to ask us: Do we believe in an afterlife? but it came off more as a threat to me and my friends.)

There was this early morning praying club for females hosted by one of the Afrikaans teachers.
It has this weird sisterhood cult vibe too it.
Got dragged in with another unfortunate to observe the happy clappy proceedings once.

I remember one incident with a girl laughing hysterically and disrupting our biology class because we were doing evolution. Everybody else did not give a shit.
I think she thought it made her look good.

Also I remember the reaction I got in assembly when one of my friends asked me if I believed in God. XD (He is a raging atheist now).
In fact I think more than half of the kids in my grade were atheist.
But it was not a big deal at the time.
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As for LO

I had inconsistent L.O. in high school.
Sometimes it’s just sport.
Sometimes we learn about safe sex and water borne diseases.
Sometimes about depression and social interaction.
Then a little about poverty and crime.
But mostly we did nothing really.
Really useless subject.

I think we my have done at least one project that had to do about all religions... Maybe. :|
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