12-20-2015, 01:52 AM
Ignorance and isolationism are more frightening to me than terrorists and fear-mongering politicians because ignorance and isolationism make people and countries weaker, from one generation to the next. I think it's good that lesson plans for teens in some schools cover comparative religious studies which include Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam.
So, some kids in the U.S. public schools today learn about Jesus and his depictions as the son of God in art. They learn about Muhammed and his depictions as the prophet of Allah in calligraphy. They learn about Moses and may be asked to identify a portion of the the Tanakh. They learn about mindful enlightenment and may be asked to draw the Buddha. The separation clause of the Constitution isn't violated in that they're not encouraged or made to practice or believe any of them. They are simply made aware of what people of the world practice and believe.
Imparting knowledge is not indoctrination; teaching and preaching aren't the same things.
So, some kids in the U.S. public schools today learn about Jesus and his depictions as the son of God in art. They learn about Muhammed and his depictions as the prophet of Allah in calligraphy. They learn about Moses and may be asked to identify a portion of the the Tanakh. They learn about mindful enlightenment and may be asked to draw the Buddha. The separation clause of the Constitution isn't violated in that they're not encouraged or made to practice or believe any of them. They are simply made aware of what people of the world practice and believe.
Imparting knowledge is not indoctrination; teaching and preaching aren't the same things.