To think schools shouldn't teach religion as absolute fact?

[PoesyCherish]

DSD is 6 and is learning about Christianity in school. They're teaching her Jesus is the Son of God rather than "some people believe he is". Everything about the religion is taught as fact. They've also failed to mention anything about any other religion.

AIBU to think they shouldn't be teaching it as absolute fact? How are children supposed to be understanding and tolerant of other people's beliefs if they're taught one world view as fact?

I am also talking about extremists.

Extremist Christians who hide paedophiles and child abusers.

Aka, the Catholic Church.

Just to correct Nononannettes incorrect definition of atheism.

We do not define words by what it says in an American encyclopedia of philosophy, we use dictionaries, like the Oxford English dictionary.

Atheism is the disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.
Its origin is from the French athéisme, from Greek atheos, from a- ‘without’ + theos ‘god’.

It does NOT mean a belief there is no god(s).

Walkingdead you're hilarious! I was clear that was not my definition, but one from an Encyclopedia - and while "we" may choose to consult dictionaries for definitions (are you the queen perchance?) we do not have to and can look for more detailed explanations elsewhere. There is a discussion to be had about how the term is used in both philosophical works and in common speech. Bashing down anyone who suggests something different to you is not particularly constructive I've always found but you keep on if it gives you pleasure.

Nono

It’s subtle but important.

It’s not like we are saying ‘I don’t believe there is any orange juice in the fridge’

It’s like saying ‘I don’t believe in fairies’

Or unicorns
Or the Loch Ness monster.

It is an understand that there is nothing there. Not a Muslim god or a Christian god or a whole pile of Hindu gods having a party.

It’s like saying ‘I don’t believe there is any dog poo in the fridge’ Because not in a million years WOULD there ever be dog poo near the fridge.

But you are wrong, Nononannette & so is any encyclopaedia that you've consulted if it gave you that defintion.

Theism is the root & means belief in a god/gods.
If you do not have the belief that theists do then you are a-theist.

Therefore, the ONLY thing a-theism says about an individual is that they don't share the theist's belief.

So, it's a description of a belief that an individual doesn't have, not one that they do.

Actively believing that there isn't a god is a belief all of it's own & is not what atheism is describing.

There are plenty of people around who don't hold an active belief in any deity but who haven't considered the matter enough to actively believe that there isn't.

‘I don’t believe in fairies’ Always with the fairies

derxa

Strange isn’t it, as fairies are quite lovely really, yet the majority of gods (particularly the Abrahamic ones, are nasty, murderous, vengeful warlords.

Yes, Derxa.....always with the fairies.

But you see, inventing a fictional being with no evidence supporting it's existence for the purposes of illustrating a point is a waste of time when we already have so many to call on.

So, yes..always with the fairies, and Nessie, and the Easter Bunny. Because these beings stand shoulder to shoulder with "god" in the complete lack of evidence demonstrating their existence yet with a widely recognised cultural persona. So, perfectly analagous.

I'd rather believe in God. The people who proclaim to be atheists on here sound ghastly.

proclaim to be atheist

Do you think we are secretly god believers?

I would far rather be atheists. Basically every world leader who has been heavy into the god stuff has proven whar sort of people the religiously impaired are.

Being blunt on the internet =/= mass genocide

The people who proclaim to be atheists on here sound ghastly

If objecting to being forced into a religious education by the LEA is being ghastly....

Being blunt on the internet =/= mass genocide

Yes I'm a killer

Hopefully not derxa

But you still stand and pray with them.

You have also created an incredibly murderous godhead.

Seriously have a word with yourself. Some messed up shit going on there

I really hope I haven't prayed with any genocidal killers, tbh...

Catholics are atheists with respect to 99,999 gods.
I am very similar to those Catholics, just an atheist with respect to one more god.

A belief is not something you can choose, we are born atheists and need to be indoctrinated into any beliefs we end up having.

I'd rather believe than not believe. The End.

derxa How did you decide that? surly you have never experienced the sublime pleasure of being an atheist. Maybe you should try it so you can make an actual comparison.

Grow up a bit, Derxa. It's notable that atheists always address beliefs while theists (like you) start in with the ad hominems.

But since you got that particular ball rolling....I'd rather be an atheist because theists always sound as thick as shit.

we are born atheists and need to be indoctrinated into any beliefs we end up having

Which was, according to your worldview, quite successful in my case, I suppose.

I would rather believe in the good of people, rather than denouncing them all as sinners the second they are born

I would rather believe in science

I would rather not believe that some vengeful god exists who watches babies born with cancer die horribly, or any of the other atrocities that happen to innocents around the world.

And I would much, much rather not give money to organisations who do nothing but enslave, rape and abuse the people that stand with them.

This is an interesting discussion. No one can possibly know that people are born without belief in God (a belief in the concept of God, as defined, obviously not a particular religion). The idea that we are born knowing God (I’m thinking of Descartes’ trademark idea) is a reasonable explanation of why so many people are theists if there is a god So you can’t know that people only believe in God because of indoctrination, unless you have already decided the question of whether god exists - which I suppose you have, in your opinion.

Of course we can know that babies are born atheists. Babies are born without any beliefs about the world at all. They are creatures of instinct, not reason, for quite some time.

I think it's entirely natural that a human being investigating their environment (without any knowledge about how things actually work) will assign agency as an explanation for things they don't understand. It's the most ready explanation for anything.

That doesn't really explain theism, though. It explains the roots of it, which is ignorance.

Plus, if there is a god & the best explanation for theism is that babies are born already believing, why are there any atheists?

This is the rationalism v empiricism debate. I don't think it has been conclusively solved.

All those babies growing up arguing with their Atheist parents, must be a pain the arse.

Oh no wait, its not until they start a faith school and are taught about gods that the arguing starts.

You see many threads on MN about children starting school and suddenly talking about the baby 'Jesus' and how they wish schools would bloody well stop talking shite the indoctrination.