Teaching RE

[FarmdogSUFC]

I fell asleep during my RE exam. **** subject, **** concept, pointless.

 

[londonblue]

I fell asleep during my RE exam. **** subject, **** concept, pointless.

I'm afraid that says more about you than it does about RE.

 

[Jam_Man]

As a matter of interest do you discuss the possibility that there could in fact be no god at all in RE?

My experiences from school we were had two highly religious teachers (one Christian one Muslim) for whom the idea of there being no god would be unthinkable.

For me keep religion to a religious buildings for people that want to believe and keep education to schools. Would much rather my kids spent an extra hour a week on maths than learning about religion. I don't even think there should be faith schools.

Religion forms a massive part of what mankind is.

Why not learn about what a huge portion of the population of the planet believe in to some extent? RE is education, its not telling people to be religious. In fact if you teach about multiple faiths all it does to me is highlight none of them are correct.

I'm atheist and I still found it as interesting as History etc. and in a world where religions still cause conflict surely having knowledge and understanding of them is a good thing?

 

[Cricko]

If there was nothing else out there, I wonder why so many many people on this earth feel there is. I am not religious by any means and more wars have been based on some outdated doctrine than anything else...Ask me if I believe we are alone in the universe and this whole thing is just random chaos and the answer would be NO.

So yes call it what you like "God" "Allah" etc....people believe in something, it comes from the very soul of who we are.

I don't believe 85% of the worlds population is just needy for something, so teaching every aspect of all is fine with me.

 

[MK Shrimper]

If there was nothing else out there, I wonder why so many many people on this earth feel there is. I am not religious by any means and more wars have been based on some outdated doctrine than anything else...Ask me if I believe we are alone in the universe and this whole thing is just random chaos and the answer would be NO.

So yes call it what you like "God" "Allah" etc....people believe in something, it comes from the very soul of who we are.

I don't believe 85% of the worlds population is just needy for something, so teaching every aspect of all is fine with me.

Fear of death and the unknown. Religion provides simplistic answers and nice warm hug when the reality is very harsh. We are the Universe made sentient...if only for a few thousand years.

 

[DTS]

Ah yes the people who first recognised the need for free education for all... The people that bought the land and built the schools from their own pockets...

Agree they need to be carefully monitored to eradicate extremism, but surely you remove religious freedom by contemplating closure?

Especially interesting given now a free school can open with any kind of agenda it likes... We may see faith schools as some of the more positive!

Times change my friend. In the old days we used to saw off limbs with a rusty saw. We don't any more.

Religion is a choice it should not for my mind be forced on anyone. Good luck if you want to believe but I find it hard to justify teaching something to young kids that may or may not even exist.

 

[Cricko]

Times change my friend. In the old days we used to saw off limbs with a rusty saw. We don't any more.

Religion is a choice it should not for my mind be forced on anyone. Good luck if you want to believe but I find it hard to justify teaching something to young kids that may or may not even exist.

Interesting end comments Dave , unless you are like me and we do not actually know anything about the way things work in the universe.

 

[McNasty]

Everyone is different but the person that ****es me of most is the one who makes money their God !

 

[MK Shrimper]

Interesting end comments Dave , unless you are like me and we do not actually know anything about the way things work in the universe.

Yes we do. It's called science and we're answering questions every day whilst raising another hundred.

 

[pickledseal]

Yes we do. It's called science and we're answering questions every day whilst raising another hundred.

Ah that Thomas Huxley has a lot to answer for.

Where did science come from? That would be religion.

There is some fascinating stuff we use from the Faraday Institue on science and religion. Worth reading/watching.

To be closed minded is always dangerous, theist or atheist.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Times change my friend. In the old days we used to saw off limbs with a rusty saw. We don't any more.

Religion is a choice it should not for my mind be forced on anyone. Good luck if you want to believe but I find it hard to justify teaching something to young kids that may or may not even exist.

And choices should be educated choices.

I feel that my education was lacking because I wasn't informed about other religions. Not so I could convert to them, but so that I could understand the need for Sharia financing, or know that it's futile to try and call a Jewish firm on a Friday evening. Billions of people are Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jewish and yes, Christian. I'd consider it to be a valuable lesson to know where they are coming from.

 

[Smudger]

Yes also Freud/Durkheim/Jung/Marx criticism and others such as Ayer/Flew as well as the new atheists/anti-theists.

I teach analytical, critical RE.

I'd suggest many of you wouldn't recognise the RE of 2014. It's very very different to what you had at school...

Well that's encouraging to hear and actually surprising although of course you're a religious man teaching in a faith school so I would still question how balanced your approach will be. When religion is being discussed, logic, proof and balanced views need to leave the room in order to make it sound anything like plausible.

 

[Gremlin]

Religion is a choice it should not for my mind be forced on anyone. Good luck if you want to believe but I find it hard to justify teaching something to young kids that may or may not even exist.

But the religions definitely exist. And surely you'd prefer future generations to make a decision on whether or not to adopt one of them based upon some kind of understanding, however basic?

 

[DTS]

But the religions definitely exist. And surely you'd prefer future generations to make a decision on whether or not to adopt one of them based upon some kind of understanding, however basic?

Religions exist for sure the gods they worship - who knows?

As a non-believer I personally find religious teachings in school pretty pointless. I don't mind a small amount as part of a bigger subject such as humanities if that still exists but I don't think it should be a subject that is given much time.

If I had the option of my kids learning about religion or maths then I would take maths/English/science/languages every single day of the week. If the kids are interested in religion then when they are old enough they can learn more about it.

 

[londonblue]

Religions exist for sure the gods they worship - who knows?

As a non-believer I personally find religious teachings in school pretty pointless. I don't mind a small amount as part of a bigger subject such as humanities if that still exists but I don't think it should be a subject that is given much time.

If I had the option of my kids learning about religion or maths then I would take maths/English/science/languages every single day of the week. If the kids are interested in religion then when they are old enough they can learn more about it.

So would I. Thankfully there is enough time in the school week for other things. My view is that whether or not you are religious it makes sense to learn about other cultures and religions. Once you go out into the big wide world, having an understanding of how it works and what makes everyone else tick can only stand you in good stead.

 

[Jam_Man]

Religions exist for sure the gods they worship - who knows?

As a non-believer I personally find religious teachings in school pretty pointless. I don't mind a small amount as part of a bigger subject such as humanities if that still exists but I don't think it should be a subject that is given much time.

If I had the option of my kids learning about religion or maths then I would take maths/English/science/languages every single day of the week. If the kids are interested in religion then when they are old enough they can learn more about it.

Why?

Religion exists and the vast population believe in one and base their lives and customs on them, is that not worthy of knowing?

Is it less worthwhile than knowing who invented the Seed Drill ? (Rock band Jethro Tull did for anyone interested), or about the girl who got lost in the Andes (two things I rememer from Humanities and History).

Obviously practical subjects like Maths/English/Science/Techology etc should take precedence, but an understanding of the world we live in is surely important, whether you are a believer or not.

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

Religions exist for sure the gods they worship - who knows?

As a non-believer I personally find religious teachings in school pretty pointless. I don't mind a small amount as part of a bigger subject such as humanities if that still exists but I don't think it should be a subject that is given much time.

If I had the option of my kids learning about religion or maths then I would take maths/English/science/languages every single day of the week. If the kids are interested in religion then when they are old enough they can learn more about it.

Spot on. A lot more subjects that are needed in life than RE (although the English curriculum could do with a re-think IMO).

RE fell into the same bracket as Drama, Music and Technology (woodwork, cooking etc.), it was one of them classes where no one payed attention and just ****ed about.

 

[Jam_Man]

Spot on. A lot more subjects that are needed in life than RE (although the English curriculum could do with a re-think IMO).

RE fell into the same bracket as Drama, Music and Technology (woodwork, cooking etc.), it was one of them classes where no one payed attention and just ****ed about.

We are at war because of religion.

Surely that makes it relevant.

If and when Equity start causing issues with world peace and security then I shall start advocating Drama and Music should be taken more seriously. :smile:

 

[londonblue]

We are at war because of religion.

Surely that makes it relevant.

If and when Equity start causing issues with world peace and security then I shall start advocating Drama and Music should be taken more seriously. :smile:

I await that start of the Great Music and Drama War!

 

[Jam_Man]

I await that start of the Great Music and Drama War!

I'm sure when it starts you'll just make a big song and dance of it.