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From: rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen)
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.religion
Subject: Re: "Secular Humanism" banned in the US Schools.
Message-ID: <1699@pyuxd.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 14-Sep-85 15:43:10 EDT
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Posted: Sat Sep 14 15:43:10 1985
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> It seems perfactly reasonable for a school to teach comparative
> religion.  We learned the Greek and Norse myths when we were in
> elementary  school.  Why not have stories from many different
> cultures?  why not read part of the Bible, part of the Talmud,
> part of the Koran, part of the Vedas, and some of Confucius'
> teachings?  As long as noone tries to force the students to 
> prefer one more than the others. [LINDA SELTZER]

I think the only reason they can "get away" with teaching about ancient
Greek and Viking religion in schools because (I think there's a joke I'm
taking this from) there are no more ancient Greeks (or Vikings).  They
are "treading" on a religion that nobody currently believes in (to my
knowledge).

What would be interesting in teaching about religions that nobody believes
in anymore (like these ancient myths) is to talk about why nobody believes
them anymore, the flaws and presumptions these ancient peoples made in
designing these religious systems, and how this learning can be applied
in general today.  That is perhaps the truest way to foster real FREEDOM
of religion I can think of.  (Probably scares the hell out of some people,
though.)
-- 
"Meanwhile, I was still thinking..."
				Rich Rosen  ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr