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From: slb@drutx.UUCP (Sue Brezden)
Newsgroups: net.religion,net.politics
Subject: Religion in public schools
Message-ID: <549@drutx.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 20-Sep-85 11:45:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: drutx.549
Posted: Fri Sep 20 11:45:17 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 21-Sep-85 04:34:42 EDT
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Xref: watmath net.religion:7712 net.politics:11095

>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).

Sorry, many people do.  As a pagan, I often find it appropriate to
include dieties from these so-called dead religions in my practice.
There are many others like me.  The Viking religion, in particular,
is quite alive and well.  Perhaps I can throw the runes for you some time.
And Isis is a special friend of mine.

I do agree that these myths are taught in the public school, unlike
Christian myths, because people BELIEVE that no one believes them
anymore.  So they feel safe teaching them.  Little do they know that
by teaching any mythic system, they teach children the elements of
mythic systems--so they can better tear apart their own and recognize
it for what it is.

Actually, there are fundamentalists out there who do not allow even
that much taught.  There are schools in existence (in Colorado, for
instance) which will not teach Shakespeare, since he uses images from
ancient mythology.  If you accept their value system, and their belief
that children should be turned into unquestioning automatons, it makes
sense.

If I could design my "dream school" for my children, there would be
no religion taught until around the junior year in high school.
And then it would be in only one course.  A "Mythic Elements" course, 
part of the English department, would then be taught--including everything 
from Egyptian and Sumerian up through Greek and Norse, then on into Hindu, 
Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Christian.  It would also include South 
American and African mythic elements.  An attempt would be made to cover 
as many as possible. All these are necessary for the intelligent study of 
literature.  For instance, I am not be a Christian, but would be impossible 
for me to read "The Canterbury Tales" intelligently without a knowledge 
of the seven deadly sins.

Parents who wanted their children not to participate could get them
out.   But they would have to make a special effort to do so--sign
a release.

This would serve a hidden purpose, also.  (After all, we evil pagan
types are always after your children. [insert obligatory :-) here])
It would show thinking students that their religion is one among many--and 
is not that unique.  Nor uniquely useful or beautiful.  To that end, one 
assignment in the class would be to make a pantheon of gods and a set of 
myths about them which contain some important mythic elements learned 
in the course.

I would never allow religion into science classes--where it does not
belong.  Myth is myth and science is science.  Only Christians seem
to have that silly problem of trying to combine them.


-- 

                                     Sue Brezden
                                     
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