I think this is a good question for a Christian forum...

As Christians, do you personally feel that your religious influence should be forced on people who aren't Christian? I/E do you think that you and your religion should have influence over laws, regulations, etc like not teaching the Evolutionary theory to people, even if they're not Christian? (Just an example, whether you care about that subject or not is irrelevent, just go with it)

 

....in an ideal world...yes. Simply because i feel that what i believe is right....however i am aware that this is hard in these times and essentially is not going to happen so therefore as this is not the world as God wants it....No.

roly.xxx

 

As a Christian, I often wonder similar things, only in reverse. Is it fair that I am a Christian and was forced to learn about mythology or evolution? Do you think I enjoyed being told I was no longer aloud to pray in school?

One more thing, what about the teachings of Christ offend you? How could our nation not benifit from His teachings?

 

As a non christian i'll say this:

First, religion and politics should not mix, since politics corrupts religion. And I suppose religion (dogmatic ones anyways) corrupts politics. Schools are government (political) institutions and should be administrated as such. i.e. no religion in schools.

Second, the teachings of Christ are not what bother me, for the most part. It's the dogma laid down by other men that does. All these rules that were presented to middle eastern peoples at the beginning of the first milenium may not apply to me here at the beginning of the third millenium. I don't want to be ruled by ancient rules that are out of date or at least not agreeable to my ideas about "the good life" and how to live it.

Third, I don't think anyone has a right to force their ideas on me, so in regard to what roly said in his/her post, in an ideal world that would never happen. Your God himself would be against it, given that we have, from him, the gift of free will and self determination. Forcing your ideas on others would only be ideal to those who are insecure in their beliefs and need lots of people to tell them that they're right.

 

some religious views that mix with politics could be of benefit.



but i wouldn't think it fair to impose a political system born of christianity on people who do not share the same belief structure. if the majority voted yes then so be it.....if the majority voted no so be it.



but i wouldn't think it ideal to impose it without a democratic vote.

 

first off....i'm a she. Second....i totally dont mean forced lessons...altho in honesty its just another academic subject....religious education....but perhaps it should be an optional class or something?

roly.xxx

 

That's what I'm saying though, like, I dont think you should be forced to learn things AGAINST your religion, the same way I dont think I should be forced to learn things FROM your religion. Know what Im sayin? Like, you definitely don't think we should all be forced to learn Buddhism right? It's the same exact thing. Christianity is to me as Buddhism is to you.

 

That's a good idea though, OPTIONAL, I do think if a someone is Christian to the point where they revoke science they shouldn't be forced to take it, as it will not help them in life. You're not going to be a scientists, you don't need to know "How the world works according to science" because you won't believe it.

Hence, since I'm NOT Christian, to the point where I revoke Christianity, I shouldn't be forced to take it, as it will not help me in life. I'm not going to be a Priest, or a Christian, I don't need to know "How the world works according to Christianity" because I won't believe it anyways. Ya know? (Although I already do know because I was Catholic, went to a Catholic school till fourth grade, and have read the bible)

But you should be given the option to pick.... it's only fair.

 

Actually, the beauty of our country (the USA) is that the majority does not rule in such cases where the rights of others are concerned. Unless they vote to repeal the 1st amendment, that is. Fortunately, that won't happen, because any religion, including all the various christian sects, that isn't completely out of it would want to vote against it repealing it. That amendment protects religion as much as it does government; otherwise, say, the southern baptists might set up a theocracy, and outlaw Catholicism, Lutheranism, Mormonism, and pretty much every other sect, not to mention Islam, Buddhism, etc. The same would be true of any religion or sect, probably. Power corrupts, and I have no doubt that the theocratic idea would go to the heads of the ruling religion, to the point of oppression of all others.

That's why we don't vote on basic human rights.

 

There's a difference. Science is an important part of the SATs and other standardized tests and, believe it or not, is pretty pervasive in our society. It's important to have some scientific understanding. But religion is a personal thing, and while I wouldn't be against optional religious studies classes (equal to all religions, of course. I'd definitely favor a Comparitive Religion class or a World Religion class, since either would be a good, mind and tolerance expanding class), I WOULD be against making science optional. That would cripple today's students.

 

This is one of my biggest issues with Christianity. I am a Christian.... however, I do not think it is right that our laws are governed by the laws of Christianity. Like with gay marriage... I believe homosexual couples should have the same rights as the rest of us. I think a lot of times people get too wrapped up in preachin' it that they miss the point. People are supposed to be able to tell you are a Christian by your actions, like being kind to people and realizing that there is SO MUCH out there and not everyone thinks exactly alike and that that is beautiful.

I went to a Christian school, and it really opened my eyes to a lot of things. For example- what's worse? Being told that you can't pray at school or being FORCED to pray at school? They both suck, but prayer is between God and the person praying and you can pray without anyone ever knowing it! But when your teacher makes you get up and pray in class.... that's just not something you can force on anyone and by trying to you push them away.

For me, the bottom line is that religion is man-made. Spirituality is between God (or Buddha, or whoever) and YOU. Thus religion has no business being force-fed to anyone.

But that's just my opinion

 

I'm a radical/extremist unSchooler, and hence believe that any and all parts of school should be optional.


It wouldn't "Cripple todays students", it would cripple todays society. Todays society is unnatural and horrible, and deserves crippling.

 

You are one cool Christian. I wish more were like you in what you said I went to a Catholic school. Being forced to pray made it feel less important, just another chore to get through at school, you know? Probably one reason (among many of course) that I became an atheist. I just wasn't feelin it, you know?

By the way, most buddhists don't pray to or worship the Buddha. He's was just the first to be enlightened, he's a teacher, not a god. The path is within yourself, not through the Buddha. Just FYI.

 

yes i believe also that being forced to pray is wrong. why make someone do something that they dont want to? plus you are driving people away from exploring christ and finding him for themselves.with me thats half of the adventure of being a christian. i love the adventurous nature of it...its also enriching...i dont know or claim to kno everything about the Bible or even jesus. alls i kno is i'm on to a good thing and i enjoy learning and loving God. I kno if i had of been pushed into it i wouldn't hav enjoyed it and ultimately may not be a christian now.

roly.xxx

 

are homosexuals not allowed marry at all in america or is it just in churches?

 

Hear Hear!!
I think that all religions should be taught and explored then we can have a greater understanding of the diversity of human kind

S

 

I don;t know where all this talk of optional science comes from, here in Alberta, all corses are optional, just you need some to graduate...

Anyways to the point, my Bio 30 (grade 12 level) teacher was a Catholic, he taught us evolution and all that stuff, and he said, "You don't have to beleive it, all you have to do is put down what the markers of the test wan to see". He personally beleives in evolution though.....


I also though think that America is run based on Christian principles, people are haveing a hard time trying to get gay marriges recognized by the state, Bush wanted to ban them at one point......one thing that I want to know is if they still make you swear in in courto on the Bible....if so, woulnt that be a violation of rights?

 

Or a violation of bibilical teaching- a quote from the bible says NOT to swear by God, but rather answer yes or no:

If you are called to the witness stand you should open the bible to verse Matthew 5:34 and read "34But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. "

And then start berating the court for trying to put you under the evil one's authority.

 

You could do that. But there's no rule saying you have to swear on it. It's just tradition. I mean, would you want a Hindu or an atheist swearing on the bible? What meaning would that have? All you gotta do is promise, in some way, to tell the truth.

 

Ya, thats what I was asking, like probobly back in the old days, they did but now, it seems, from what yous guys tell me, you dont.