I went to a Catholic school and one lad was allowed to opt out of R.E. so if they teach evolution then the option to opt out of that should be available.

Why not opt out of math, or reading, or any other subject?  Evolution is just as true as 2+2=4 or a round earth. 

I just don't see how allowing people to be ignorant is a viable option here.

It's just the way things are.
Why be able to choose between Geography and history. Why not both. The subject at the moment is too sensitive.

Religious people shouldn't be given a 'get out of stupidity' free card because they believe in a deity.

If I do something stupid, say design a bridge with weak supports that cost less, should I get a 'get out of stupidity' free card when the bridge collapses because I believe in making money.

It's a shame that that actually happens.

I agree with you though. Only R.E. and P.E. (with a very valid reason) should have the option.

Maybe if you were more condescending and pompous, those stupid religious idiots might respect you and start caring about your opinion.

Why should I have to be 'nice' to the most intolerant and ignorant people in the world?  I grew up in the rural Bible Belt and no one hesitated to tell me I was going to hell for accepting mountains of evidence for science.  I didn't even know that a perosn could go to hell for believing in black holes (different people actually told me that).  I'm tired of Christians and Muslims alike preaching to me about how I am incorrect in my thinking and this will somehow lead to some fantastical punishment.

I'm also not naive enough to believe that anything I say on an internet forum will change anyone's mind.  So I'll continue to consider stupid people as being stupid until they earn mine and other people's respect.  When I do stupid things, I expect the same treatment in return.

everyone, including religious people, have different approaches to address their opinion. I try not to insult the person because it doesn't help them agree with me. I like to show evidence because evidence speaks for itself!

Wow, I had no idea you grew up around such influences. For the record, the belief that any one specific action/sin can automatically send you to hell is not biblical at all. I don't know where those people were getting their information about hell, but it certainly wasn't the Bible. Sorry you had to hear such things. They're certainly not true. God doesn't force Himself upon people. If a person dies and ends up in hell, it is not because he was "sent" there by God.

You have every right to feel exasperated. Nobody should be preached to about going to hell; that doesn't accomplish anything for anybody, and it angers me that there are people out there who quickly turn others off to Christianity because of this kind of self-righteous talk.

As for this forum, I'd say that anything a person posts has the potential to influence the thoughts of someone else, just like reading an editorial in a newspaper has the potential to influence the reader. But if we're belittling each other all day, the chance for intelligent debate dies rather quickly. (Believe it or not, you are quickly becoming one of my favorite people on this site to debate things with.) I would simply suggest to not outright call a person or a group of people "stupid" (even if you truly believe they actually are)... but that's up to you.

I honestly get sh!t from both sides.......my gay friends hate christianity, and rightly so imho b/c christianity has flat-out rejected a group of people for little or no reason except that they dont fit into the husband and wife kind of mold.

I also have had a pastor that wanted to convert me from bisexuality to hetero and he has basically said that gay relations are worse than hetero ones..... and this conversion thing just ain't gonna happen, i'm always going to be attracted to both cant give either one up unless i'm dating and I haven't came back to christianity since then. So, I think that it runs both ways honestly, and I love all religions, always been facinated by religion, but i'm not going to have somebody tell me how to live my life or what I should like and that goes for both sides imho.