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From: george@sysvis
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Schools and Churches
Message-ID: <-145727672@sysvis>
Date: Tue, 17-Sep-85 14:10:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: sysvis.-145727672
Posted: Tue Sep 17 14:10:00 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 20-Sep-85 06:25:27 EDT
Lines: 54
Nf-ID: #N:sysvis:-145727672:000:3402
Nf-From: sysvis!george    Sep 17 13:10:00 1985


I guess that I've heard enough of this ranting about what OTHERS should be
taught, especially "MY children" (as if they were property of some sort).

In the first place, schools were originally supported by the local populaces.
They were free to teach anything they wanted to teach, so long as the LOCAL
POPULACE agreed with it (religious or atheistic values are the same in having
the need for a consistent tautology, and are both based on `beliefs').

In the interest of the "general good", schools were made "public" so that the
ideal of giving ALL children an even break in what they were brainwashed with
was served (besides it was much cheaper to combine some of the functions).
The fact that when the children became adults they might learn to detest those
who had "lied" to them through limited teaching never occurs to these self-
righteous people (both the atheists and the religious sects) who wish to
control the minds of others.  No child, of sound mind, is going to go through
life without exposure to all varities of hogwash.  Is it better that they hear
about it at home, in churches, and in schools first so that they have time to
develop their own senses of discernment and judgment about different ideas?

This is not a new discussion here, there are always people with us who want
to control the thoughts of others (less threatening if others can't find out
the inadequacies of their own concepts.)  I am speaking to both the religious
groups and the atheists here.  If you want to raise `your' children so that
they are strong, and able to THINK FOR THEMSELVES, then teach them about
everything, belief and fact, no matter your own definition.  To do less is a
crime against society and either closed value set (religious or atheistic).

The churches, by definition, are always trying to indoctrinate their subjects
in the `true way', as defined by (the leaders of) the church itself.  If these
churches were not so afraid that people might find that their own brand of
bread and butter was not truly manna and honey, and thereby lose members --
and money, they would teach about ALL aspects of Gods/Anti-gods/Demi-gods etc.
for all religions that are extant.  If the church's religion is not based on
falsehoods, or the subjugation of a congregation, then the children can easily
discern the `true way' for themselves.  Letting the children form their own
opinions from the facts and beliefs that are clearly labeled as such is the
way to make them very strong individuals in task of life survival.  i.e. teach
them to THINK.

In sum, let's hear a call for religious/anti-religious/intellectual freedom of
choice, based on the personal decisions of those who have the knowledge to do
so.  Teaching everything to all children is not dangerous, it is the basis of
a free society.  Each member of the free society can make decisions for them-
selves and don't/won't need James Jones, Jerry Falwell, Madeline Murray O'Hare,
Rev. Jesse Jackson, or Tip O'Neill to make their decisions for them.  What
everyone is really afraid of here is that someone else's brainwashing tech-
niques might be better than their own.

                                ...!ihnp4!sys1!sysvis!george robertson

"There is only one absolute law in the universe.  That is what is called
the "Golden Rule".  It is constant, no matter whether you believe in it
or not, and no matter what you call it."   Unknown.


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