Mar 22, 17 / Ari 25, 01 21:41 UTC

Taboo: Religious Education  

Should Asgardia teach religious education and if so how should it be taught. Should it be taught at home; comparitavily; not at all?

Mar 22, 17 / Ari 25, 01 21:47 UTC

It would depend entirely what you'd mean by "religious education".

I'm of the opinion they should minimally be educated as to the existence of various religions, and none should be lent preferential focus. This includes "dead" ones like the myths of Tyr and Zeus.

Mar 22, 17 / Ari 25, 01 22:37 UTC

Not providing any one religion preference is a noble ideal, but unfortunately, not a practical one. Even if you took out the dead religions (and ensured you included all the various "belief systems" as well so no-one could complain about being left out), there would be over 4,000 you would have to cover in any religious education course. Even if you glossed over the absolute basics (say, 1 hour per religion), that still over 650 school days consumed with nothing but religious education. IMHO, this would be a waste of education time and actually produce far more atheists than religious adherents

Now imagine the benefit to society as a whole in using those 650 school days solely teaching STEM subjects along with morals and ethics. For me, it's a no brainier - religion is a private affair and instruction in religion must be similarly private.

Mar 23, 17 / Ari 26, 01 02:06 UTC

650 days... over the course of an "education". That can be less than three days per year. much.

It's something that would require to be studied for completeness, it explains much of history and is intertwined with in some places.

There's still time for other subjects.

Mar 23, 17 / Ari 26, 01 15:23 UTC

Due premise: I'm agnostic

I personally think religions are an important part of human culture. Starting from that, I would like they'll be taught into "history courses" and like an history matter, so from a neutral point of view (even if aided by religions' ministries, if needed).

Believing that people have "spiritual needs" too, I think there should be a religion freedom, endorsed by the State but not economically supported by it: "freedom" means one can join whatever religion he likes, and go listening to religious ministries wherever they are, but this thing should be handled privately, granted but not directly supported by the State.

  Last edited by:  Luca Coianiz (Asgardian)  on Mar 23, 17 / Ari 26, 01 15:27 UTC, Total number of edits: 1 time
Reason: typo

Mar 23, 17 / Ari 26, 01 15:44 UTC

@Elwe, personally I think if we could put what you wrote on billboards around the globe...it would help with lots of world issues! I would be interested to see a society that taught this direction. I wonder, if left to their own directions where they would evolve to. I think your idea about how to teach would be perfect for Asgardia. We're partly about a concept of science; wouldn't this teaching concept fall in the realms of science-based facts?

Mar 23, 17 / Ari 26, 01 16:45 UTC

@Leomarquie
Thanks for your appreciation to my words, I'm reading our Constitution's draft and finding my words "replicated" there (but they did it before I wrote them here ;-)) and even better explained.
The reason why my (and our) words are not "replicated into billboards around the globe" I summarize in two words "power and control": IMHO the most of the religions you find around the world have a very thin link to the faith, which should be the core of every religion, they instead manage power by means of control.
That's a belief I developed living my all life into the country which hosts one of the most widespread religion of the world, the Catholic Christian one, as I live in Italy (so, you may figure, I know what I'm saying ;-))).
Have to say I've nothing against Catholic religion, the same as I've nothing against other religions too... but it happens Catholics seems having something against me, as they continuously struggle about what I can do, what I should do, what my nation does and should do.
I hope not to see that happening into Asgardia ever.

About religions' history teaching, my feeling is it have a tight connection to human's history, which should taught together with our own one (speaking about a future Asgardia's colony/ies).
If you mean science is also tight related to humanity and history, then yes, religions' history is also related to science too.

  Last edited by:  Luca Coianiz (Asgardian)  on Mar 23, 17 / Ari 26, 01 16:51 UTC, Total number of edits: 1 time
Reason: forgot 2nd part

Mar 23, 17 / Ari 26, 01 17:20 UTC

@Elwe, That's a great way to believe. I can only imagine what you experience living in Italy. I would love to visit, if even just to 'feel' the history that's there. I can understand what you are meaning when you say, "power and control". It's frightening what we see in the world today and how politics, religion, businesses can control using their power.

As you, I would hope not to see the struggles like you mentioned within Asgardia either.

Now, as a [MOD], I just want to clarify that currently there is no 'DRAFT' document, yet. Currently it is a summary of all the suggestions made by the community.

Again, thanks for posting!

Mar 24, 17 / Ari 27, 01 12:07 UTC

@Leomarquie
I wish you to visit my wonderful country as it really deserves to be visited (by me also, as I did so many times :-)) but, about religion here, it's some kind of terrible stone placed over our head. I would tell you how much they press and stress us and our government, smiling in front and stabbing our back, but I don't think this is the place to tell so sad things.

About the "draft", you're right: I used that word but, reading it, I'm aware they're a recomendations' collection. I can see, there, how good and hard work the actual committe did and I'm taking some annotations to refer them before the 31 march "red line", hope it will help.

May 8, 17 / Gem 16, 01 02:21 UTC

I agree with Elwe.  Personal curiosity can be satisfied by personal research, and people should be left to make their own personal decisions regarding religion.

Historically, religious affiliation steps in the way of a lot of political affairs as well as progress.  It has created a lot of dissension on Earth and favoring a particular few religions for time consumption purposes would not only be unfair (likely leading to disagreements), but it would be against the Asgardian interests in avoiding conflicts born of Earth.

If it came to a vote, I would vote that religion should be practiced in private, and any teachings should originate from students interests and curiosity as opposed to preachers advertisements and public proclamations.

May 8, 17 / Gem 16, 01 02:53 UTC

There is no neutral point of view about religious education. Being a believer myself, I think that religious education must be left to the families themselves. Any formal school system don´t have, in exchange, to mess with religious beliefs. I don´t support any system that consider religion to be bad or criticise religion in the public education. This should be banned too. Asgardi must be tolerant and open

May 8, 17 / Gem 16, 01 13:40 UTC

+1 @SirCedric
As I'm agnostic, I'm neutral by definition: not "for" nor "against". A secular State shouldn't take a stand "for" or "against" too, if religion is followed privately.
I'm also not against "private associations", we can even call them "churches", if they won't ask some kind of State's involvement or public recognition.
I mean: religion, the same as all others humans' manifestations, shouldn't be a "taboo": it's just something some of us like doing.
All ok, as far as they don't try to force the ones who don't like to be involved, to follow them or even to give some kind of "major respectability" while in public.

Jun 7, 17 / Can 18, 01 09:17 UTC

Of course Asgardian should give religious education, go check out http://thecrashcourse.com/.

They speak about all the religions as a myth and study this mythology to provides us (Human) advice and life lesson. 


  Last edited by:  Constantin Jais (Asgardian)  on Jun 7, 17 / Can 18, 01 09:17 UTC, Total number of edits: 1 time

Jun 17, 17 / Leo 00, 01 04:56 UTC

I agree with what has been said, I`m agnostic, I also study History.
How can I put this delicately enough that I don`t upset people. I apologies if this upsets anyone.

By all means people should be allowed to practice their own religion in private, however, there should be areas on the station where those that follow their certain religion can go and prey. I agree with what has been said, that religion should be endorsed by the state but not funded, religion and state should be separate. 

Furthermore we should teach religion from a historical point of view, we should teach the good and the bad and the ugly that is associated with it, "Those who fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it",  comes to mind. I believe that if your going to be in a space station where technology and engineering will be predominant, then it is going to be more practical to learn more hands on skills and focus more on STEM initiative. However, most educational institutions allow their students to take a certain amount of electives, where students, if they want, can learn more about religion as a whole.