h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

i don't feel that exposing children to religion equates 'brainwashing' them. i don't see anything wrong with teaching religion in private religious schools. i don't think you'd meet a great deal of success telling people they couldn't impose religion on their own children.

a majority of children raised in a religious faith turn out alright. you can certainly choose not to expose your own children to religion, but don't expect to shelter them completely. the concept of god has crept into nearly every aspect of society.

It hasnt crept into education, religion is how schools and universities got started.

We all believe in maths, french, woodwork, netball and chemistry. Why are our taxes being used to tell fairy stories about virgin births when sex education in britain is so poor that we have the highest teen pregancy rates in europe

Religion can be a good thing. remember most of the holy texts were put on paper by people who were full generations away from those who actually experienced some of the incredible things the bible mentions. It is also a good way to teach children valuable lessons that apply to real life. "Don't steal, love thy neighbour, don't kill" the list goes on. Certainly educating children about the real values of religion is better then having them learn about it through television. where more often then not the values and beliefs of some religions are stretched.

you can learn loads from TV "littlest hobbo" he was a good guy. If your a fat second hand car dealer steer clear of chubby faced ex prossies. Best part of all its not mixed in with mumbojumbo about not eatin shellfish, caste systems, reincarnation or shunning menstruating women.

I agree with a post back there, somewhere...
I used to really hate how some people are obsessed with religion, and especially if they try to convert people or get angry at them for not believing anything. Really I still do, but not as severly, because it is my beleif that religion is an ancient tool from the BC times or so, used to keep the common people under control. If you can convince them about your religion, and that religion includes incentives to be good, and punishments for evil, people will try to be good.
However what I hate, is that by taking it too far, it caused things such as the crusades... it's really awful when you going killing someone because they won't willingly convert(submit to domination)...

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Like the christian God you mean?

az

Cue the big philosophical/theological debate.

If you do not beleive in God who created the universe, and a heaven and hell where your eternal soul could end up, why bother being nice to people?

Excuse me...az..did your cat recover: the hip problem?

Also, why bother spelling God with a capitol if you do not recognise him as an entity?

Yes, Oetzi, she is much better now, thanks.

hi Si9mon,

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ummmm . . . is this a trick question?

az

if you're ncie to them they won't randomly kill you, plus it can make you feel good.

If there is no God and no eternal soul, why does it matter if people kill you? What difference does it make?

hmmm . . . trickier and trickier

Because then I'd be dead?

az

Well, personally, I'd like to live as long as possible.
There are still are the concept of morals involved... which are also a method of control, I believe, if everyone is nice to each other the society does much better as a whole. But that's not the same thing.

so? then thats it, thats the end, you arent around to disappreciate that you no longer exist, so wheres the problem with that? the world will surely still go on?

What morals!? surely they are a made up control thing that dont need to be considered? and why do you want to live longer? its not like your life means anything? (that is, if there is no God or eternal soul)

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Hey, speak for yourself!

It's *my* life and I can value it and give it as much meaning as I like, gods or no gods.

az

Do you beleive in evolution?

> brainwashing- yes, i'm against that.
> freedom of beliefs-i'm all for that

I couldn't agree with you more.

Not may people know this. Heck, it's probably the first time I've actually mentioned it in public, although my home page hints at a little. I was brought up CofE, attending a church school, with a headmaster who preached fire and brimstone every morning. Such things put you off organised religion for life.

It seems odd, therefore, that I find myself embracing buddhist ideals at age 35. I'm as suprised as the next guy. I read 'sayings of Buddha' a number of years ago, and woke up in the middle of the night suddenly understanding a whole bunch of things I hadn't even thought of before. The feeling this gives you is totally without comparison. However, I'm not going to bore you with the details.

Having, as far as I'm concerned, understood the greater meaning of many things, my philosophy now boils down to one thing. This one thing is THE thing to impress upon children of any age.

NEVER run out of questions. NEVER trust anyone who has no questions but only answers. Anyone who claims to posess all the answers, but has no questions is likely to repeat the errors that have plagued human history for millenia (think about the nazi party, and other institutionalised hatred). Such people WILL lead you down a path that you would be wise not to follow. Ask the right questions, and make your own way.

> Do you beleive in evolution?

Is that question even relevant?

Evolution just is, or perhaps just isn't. The closed mind that denies evolution in places such as kansas, USA, does more to damage the development of children, than even the most determined dogmatic priest.

As I've said before, never run out of questions. Do not trust those with all the answers but no questions, and find your own way.

As far as I'm concerned, evolution makes perfectly good scientific sense. I find as much need to beleive in evolution as I find need to beleive in gravity. As far as I am concerned, it just is. It will take many generations to have an effect on me, and whether I beleive in it or not will have no bearing on the outcome, by which time, I'll be out of the equation. It is, however, a useful idea in trying to understand the universe around me. In that context, yes, I do beleive in evolution.