What are your religious beliefs? (or non-beliefs)

[Areym]

Joelcool7 said:

Areym said:
I went with freethinker. I was raised catholic, but my parents never took me to church, but still told me to pray and have some faith. Once I grew and during my years in a christian school, I took a strong dislike of religion in general. I was pretty much forced to read the bible and remember verses and forced to go to church. They would fail me for the entire year if I didn't pass or cooperated, even if I got all 100/A on my other classes o_o I shit you not. This was not in the U.S. by the way. Years later, I think for myself, I believe and pray for myself, not sure if it makes sense :D I don't hate religious people, honestly, I'd like to understand all religions, to show everybody that we are all the same, doesn't matter who our "god" is or isn't. It's easy to coexist if you're willing to understand.

Sorry for rambling, I felt like sharing :)

I can confirm that, I attended a Christian school till Grade 9 and was expected to pass Bible class in order to advance to further grades. Fact is it wasn't that difficult to pass all you needed was 50% attendance alone gave me like 20% and the rest was easy to make. I didn't need to memorize every verse to pass the course just one a month or so (There was a verse each week assigned) then do the homework and show an understanding of the Bible and woolah you passed.

In fact I don't know anyone who actually failed Bible. I did come very close once but still managed a 60% or so by the end of the year.

I also don't think its stupid. Christian School is a private education system that educates students the way the parents want their children educated. A Christian School needs to educate its students in Biblical theology and the Bible itself. All other religious schools teach their students the religious beliefs the school is aligned with.

As for going to church I assume you mean chapel? At my school we had chapel once a week. It was essentially church but was a large part of the education process. It taught you about Christian culture and how church actually operates. Not to mention you'd get out of a block from another course and it was definitely better then being in a boring Math class (I hated math).

I'm glad you don't hate Christian's or religious people. Being a free thinker is great at one point I abandoned my faith and looked for truth elsewhere as well. I don't see anyone looking to find their faith as being stupid or bad.

But I think Christian school does play a very big role in understanding your faith. Every Christian should attend Bible Class either in school or college or even a Church lead course. Simply because too many Christians have absolutely no clue about their faith more then half don't even pick up Bibles.

Not to mention the public school system at least in Canada is very anti-religious. At my last highschool I couldn't even pray publically or have a Bible group. At my prior Traditional School I had a Bible group a group of Christians who would meet at lunch to read the Bible and talk about God. But at my last school we had to meet secretly if at all because praying in classrooms was forbidden and the school would not authorize an official group.

So why should a Christian parent send their student to a public school system that will impose their anti-religious views on the student? It is pretty much religious persecution at public school. Your taught only Atheistic theology and aren't allowed to freely express your religious beliefs.

I did get warned once at lunch time because I was in my class folded my hands and prayed for my meal. My teacher told me that I was being disrespectful to those that didn't believe in my God. He said it was inappropriate for the classroom and that I should pray in my head or somewhere that it wouldn't offend other students.

Thats the kind of bull shit that happens in the public system. If it isn't happening in your public system it will very soon. I admire any parent that sends their child to a Christian school, at least at Christian school one can express their beliefs freely. In fact Evolution is taught in Christian schools in Canada as well giving students a less biased education. The students actually learn there are more then just one theory of how the earth was created.

I think people of all religious back grounds should be able to receive an education that meets their values and allows them to freely practice their beliefs. The public system is a joke and anybody who can afford to send their children to a private school should do so, public schools pump out moron's who believe everything they learn in science class with no knowledge of facts to support their beliefs or knowledge of other religions beliefs. Not to mention at my Christian School I had already learned almost everything I would learn in Public School through Grade 12. I knew all of the Science and all of the Social Studies , Geography etc....etc... I had failed math but everything I learn't about I had already been taught to a degree. The only real stuff I learn't about in Public school was technology related and politically related.

Glad to know i'm not the only one with a similar experience. But yes, the class itself wasn't difficult. Even though I didn't enjoy it, I still worked and did my work to pass it, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. and I do mean church, they had a church very close by. We would have to go at least twice a month i believe, and you would have to show your teacher than you attended either by getting little pamphelt signed or just reporting to the teacher present. Granted, it was a private school. My parents thought it would help my studies rather than going to the horrendous public school also available. I suppose it could have been worse however, it didn't scar me or anything. It was still a very nice and clean school and the teachers were very kind as well.