There were no Jews in my school. But if there were, I wouldn't have a problem discussing it with them or having an open forum in the classroom to discuss it. I was raised with a Baptist background, but fortunately, I don't follow, nor believe in the many things they believe in. I don't believe that one religion is better than the others. I just think that some religion is better than none and I don't think that we should be going out of our way to stifle religious freedom in school. If kids want to gather after school and have a prayer meeting in the cafeteria, let them do it. If kids want to gather in the gym after school and read from the Koran, let them do it. If kids want to gather in a classroom after school and worship Allah, let them do it. The same goes for if they want to worship, pray, whatever, during lunch or recess so long as it doesn't disrupt a class in progress. If people don't want to watch or listen, walk away and don't watch or listen.
Mark -----Original Message----- From: BethF [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Monday, January 28, 2002 2:46 PM To: CF-Community Subject: Re: Religious Freedom What about the kids who read the koran, did they get to discuss their book in your "community" school as well? --Beth, Pseudo usenet cop Merlin MTB, BikeE AT, RANS gliss, Trek R200, Kickbike Owned by Kavik (Samoyed Boy) and Toklat (Keeshond Boy) Anchorage, Alaska ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Stewart" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "CF-Community" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, January 28, 2002 9:37 AM Subject: RE: Religious Freedom > No it doesn't. Well, it depends on what part of the country you're in. > It seems that "people" around bigger cities are more snobish and always > watching for the next "person" to violate their rights. I've always > lived in small towns where a community was a community and we would talk > about religion, the bible, etc. in the public school. Nobody ever had a > problem. I don't know of anybody that was so emotionally and mentally > scared because, God forbid, they were exposed to a little religion > (Christianity). > > Mark > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Beth Fleischer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2002 9:40 PM > To: CF-Community > Subject: Re: Religious Freedom > > > the teacher is welcome to exercise his or her religion as long as it > doesnt' > interfere with the rights of others - in this case, it does. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "CF-Community" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2002 12:52 PM > Subject: RE: Religious Freedom > > > > I'm not saying what I believe. I'm asking the question: Why isn't this > an > > infringement of the teacher's rights to exercise his or her religion > freely. > > By preventing the teacher from that exercise you are asking the > teacher to > > disobey God (per the scenario I drafted). Should the government be > able to > > force a person to disobey God? If so, what is the constitutional > argument > > for such as case when the First Amendment says clearly that we have a > right > > to freely follow our religious beliefs as we see fit? > > > > H. > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Beth Fleischer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2002 1:01 PM > > To: CF-Community > > Subject: Re: Religious Freedom > > > > > > So, as a teacher I should be able to teach the children whatever > religion > I > > choose in the classroom? > > > > Its the teachers job to present the cirriculum, not to preach > religion. > The > > teacher is wrong in two ways: > > 1) not performing duties in their job description (presenting > cirriculum) > > and > > 2) infringing on the religious rights of the students > > > > > > Do you really believe a teacher should be allowed to attempt to > convert > > students to their religion as part of teaching practices? > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "CF-Community" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2002 10:38 PM > > Subject: RE: Religious Freedom > > > > > > > Which would be a violation of the teacher's First Amendment rights > to > > > exercise religious freedom. > > > > > > H. > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Beth Fleischer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2002 9:05 PM > > > To: CF-Community > > > Subject: Re: Religious Freedom > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: "CF-Community" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2002 1:59 PM > > > Subject: RE: Religious Freedom > > > > > > > > > > What if, as a public school teacher, you felt called (an > vocation), as > > in > > > > commanded by God, to be both a public school teacher and > evangelist. > > That > > > if > > > > you were not a public school teacher, and that if you did not read > from > > > the > > > > Bible during class, you would be going against God's will? > > > > > > > > > > Then you should be fired. > > > > > > > > > > H. > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > From: Nick McClure [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > > Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2002 1:40 PM > > > > To: CF-Community > > > > Subject: Re: Religious Freedom > > > > > > > > > > > > >So, if you are a teacher, or a mayor or other government > official, > are > > > you > > > > >not sinning if you do not use every opportunity to spread the > Gospel. > > As > > > a > > > > >teacher, aren't you commanded by God to spread the Gospel to your > > pupils? > > > > > > > > But as a teacher, you are paid to teach what the school system has > > > provided > > > > for you to teach, if you don't like it, go teach at a church > school. > > > > > > > > >This, of course, is an extreme position that is terribly > politically > > > > >incorrect, but I'm sort of playing the devil's advocate here. > > > > > > > > > >Isn't it a violation of your "free exercise" rights if you are > > prohibited > > > > >from preaching, praying and proselytizing no matter what your > position > > in > > > > >the government? > > > > > > > > No, as your position is voluntary, usually by both parties, you > are > > > allowed > > > > to leave, or be fired if you are not doing your job, and if your > job > > says > > > > don't teach religion in your class, then you can't. If you have a > > problem > > > > with this, find another job. > > > > > > > > >Another question: If the government makes a law that says, "Thou > shalt > > > not > > > > >pray in public," isn't the government showing a preference for > > > irreligion, > > > > >if not secular humanism. Even a secularist is taking a religious > > position > > > > >based on faith (it takes as much faith not to believe as to > believe). > > So, > > > > >when the government says, "no prayer," it's really "establishing > > > religion" > > > > >by establishing irreligion as the religion of choice for the > > government. > > > > >True or not? > > > > I would agree with that. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ Get the mailserver that powers this list at http://www.coolfusion.com Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
