Surprisingly, the Pew poll found that atheists and agnostics know the most about religion—particularly religion in public life. Mormons ranked highest on questions dealing with the Bible and Christianity. Jews ranked highest on questions dealing with world religions. Many experts speculate as to why atheists and agnostics would know the most about religion. Only 27 percent of Americans know that Indonesia is a primarily Muslim nation, for example.
Less than half 47 percent know that the Dalai Lama is Buddhist. Out of 32 questions, atheists scored a high of The average score was 16 correct answers. Given such dismal answers the question arises as to whether it is important for Americans to be well informed about our own religious traditions and those of others. It matters very much, in fact. Separation of church and state—which was written into the Constitution in order to protect religious liberty, not forbid religious practice—has encouraged a flourishing of religious belief and practice in this country over the centuries.
Some of this belief is expressed in personal or private ways. But people of faith also participate in civic life and speak out in the public square.
Religious institutions serve their communities and advocate for social justice. People of faith work on poverty, immigration, the environment, and more. At times religious institutions and leaders are involved in politics, advocating for or against pieces of legislation including comprehensive immigration reform and same-sex marriage.
Conference of Catholic Bishops oppose contraception, for example, while others, such as Catholics for Choice, support it. The public needs to be well informed about the appropriate role of religion in a pluralistic democracy as well as the various teachings of diverse faiths. And as candidates increasingly tout their own religious beliefs—sometimes conflating religion with politics on issues such as global warming or Israel—it is important for people to be able to discern politics from theology as well as valid expressions of faith versus intrusions of doctrine on a diverse citizenry.
It might affect what one eats, how much one produces, who gets what, and so on. This, in turn, will impact how much time we spend with our families, how we treat Elders, and other social relationships. The subject matter is very important if we are going to understand ourselves. Students can see the long term effects of ideas and beliefs that permeate cultures today that arose from religions and world views of the past.
They also learn the rich history of the Quakers and their firm and early stance against slavery, the subjugation of women, and the suffering of the poor. The Quakers, too, are part of our identity that they rarely have a chance to learn about.
The subject matter is very important if we want to eliminate prejudice, intolerance and hate. Better words for creepy might be intolerant or dangerous, but when I hear some of the flawed belief systems that kids will share if they are allowed to express how they really feel, and when I know these kids to be otherwise kind and loving people, the word that comes to mind is creepy.
The incredibly good news is that a real education allows students to explore these prejudices and come out the other side completely transformed, but we have to have the courage to dive in and take on these powerful and difficult issues.
The only thing as poignant and powerful as watching someone discover their way out of a previously held prejudice is to watch someone who has been discriminated against and oppressed become aware of their predicament. We must provide a forum for to study all kinds of prejudice, including religious persecution.
We must speak of the origins and effects of these prejudices. They assume this is the way of things, so they have a good chance of continuing the deeply entrenched destructive cycle of prejudice.
But when those kids start to become aware of the direct causes that created the problems they are experiencing in their lives and communities, their consciousness emerges into an empowered individual who is no longer chained to the patterns they see around them. Naming oppression is the first step to liberation, and we as educators, have an absolute obligation to provide that space in the curriculum for our students; otherwise, we are being not only irresponsible, but we are promoting institutional racism and prejudice, much of which has its origins in religious persecution.
Often when I promote the idea of dealing with complex sensitive issues with kids, a common reaction is that kids are too immature to deal with all that. That may be fine for college students, but not high school, certainly not middle school or elementary. The earlier kids start learning about the world realistically in an educational setting, the more mature and reflective they become as adults. Moreover, we are fooling ourselves if we think our kids are sheltered from important issues of any kind.
They see, live with, see others live with, and wonder about far more than we can imagine--not to mention what is experienced via television, internet, and music. There are wonderful units and lessons out there already and yet to be created for kindergarteners through 12th graders that appropriately integrate and embrace the study of religion in a way that nurtures curiosity, inquiry, and growth.
Making religion an integral part of the fabric of our curriculum may not be easy, but it is certainly legal and well worth the effort if we want to help our kids become independent tolerant critical thinkers who seek to understand and improve themselves and the world in which we live.
For students outside the dominant culture, this aspect of the education system can pose significant challenges. You might remember learning your multiplication tables in third grade and also learning the social rules of taking turns on the swings at recess.
Schools can be agents of change or conformity, teaching individuals to think outside of the family and the local norms into which they were born, while at the same time acclimatizing them to their tacit place in society.
They provide students with skills for communication, social interaction, and work discipline that can create pathways to both independence and obedience. But what about religion? Just like education, religion plays a major role in the socialization process. Archaeological digs have revealed ritual objects, ceremonial burial sites, and other religious artifacts. Social conflict and even wars often result from religious disputes.
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