There should be a comma after Qu'ran, because the Qu'ran isn't about the history of Islam.... Well it might include it, but I didn't mean it that way

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Did you know that in a survey in one of the papers today (I forget which paper, sorry) about religion showed that Atheists and Agnostics actually know more, in general, about specifics of religious beliefs? Does that make sense? Example: They asked a group of people, some claiming to be Christian or what-have-you, and others being Atheist/Agnostic which religion the Dalai Lama belongs to, and more of the non-religious group knew the answer. Not that this interesting article has anything to do with your post, I just thought it was interesting... Anyway, I think that the problems come from too many people wanting to be politically correct that they've gone a step or two too far.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

The Dalai Lama is Buddhist. Who doesn't know this? He's like the pope of Buddhism.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I know. But more Agnostics/Atheists knew this than any other group surveyed. The groups included Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, and those of no religion, as well as some others I believe. I dunno, my prof showed it to us today. I thought it was interesting.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Meh, I'm not surprised, there are a lot of ignorant idiots out there and it really pisses me off that they use religion as an excuse. I mean I personally am open minded and I attempt to learn what I don't understand. However I realize not everyone is like that and it seems those people have a higher voice, (i.e. Republicans in America...) I don't think political figures should involve themselves in religion, because they are some of the most corrupt people in the world. Also usually people turn to Atheism when they feel like they know better than others and they usually get this way, because they DO get educated well, however the majority of the population is Christian, at least in America, so I mean even if the ratio of idiots to those who know what they are talking about may be equal, you will probably come across the religious idiots more often, just because there's an overall greater amount of them. I believe you can be religious and still be educated..

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Does that make sense?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Makes perfect sense. I just think it's crazy that someone can say they're of a certain religion and know nothing about it. I mean, it's one thing to have a belief system, but to claim you're part of a religion and not know it, is strange. How can you claim to be of a religion, and yet not know what exactly they stand for, or how they worship, or whatever? Know what I mean? I'm not saying be a scholar when it comes to your religion, but at least know it well enough that people who've never studied that religion don't know more than you.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I know exactly what you mean. My friend is Wiccan and got offended when someone mentioned Halloween being the main holiday of her religion, because she thought it was a joke. She didn't know that is actually IS, but is called Samhain. I know more about her religion than she does :S

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Yeah, I was confused until I read that whole comment because the only religion I ever practiced was Wicca lol.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I saw something about that and I wasn't surprised. I'm atheist and know more about religion then almost anyone else I know in real life. I think it's easier to believe in it if you don't know much about it.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

True. I'm agnostic and I'm taking university religion courses lol.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

The@631066 (BreakfastFan): So, did you learn about Chirstianity because you were trying to prove it wrong or were you once apart of it?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I went to a catholic school when I was little. Then I completely forgot about religion for like two years until my friends parents asked me if I was religious when I was 11. I did some research and decided to become agnostic/atheist.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

agnostic and atheist isn't the same thing

by Anonymous 13 years ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkEJtQJ5tz4

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Exactly... you said you were agnostic/atheist, when atheist means you believe there is no God and agnostic means you are unsure whether or not there is one. BTW I'd love to have breakfast with you.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Yeah I'm an Agnostic Atheist as in I don't beleive in God, but admit that there is a chance, however small, that I'm incorrect. And yeah I'm thinking about hosting a BreakfastFan banquet for Amirite members...

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Okay I get it thanks :) and that would be pretty amazing... where at may I ask?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Good question... I was thinking that we just pick a random amiriters house and just show up one day

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Or better yet not even tell them... "WHO THE HELL ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE AT MY HOUSE!!!" "Surprise! It's Anthony and BreakfastFan and the entire amirite community!"

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Actually, I'm taking AP world history and we are studying Hinduism at the moment we just went over Christianity and Judaism.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's just that i've never been accosted on the street/on a bus or train/by friends and family or on the internet, that has been any other religion except christian, trying to convert me. Well except by one buddist, who gave me a free book and said I seemed like a spiritual person and I was free to attend their meetings if I pleased (I didn't).

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I was taught much more about Christianity then just the bad things, but the fact is that before the reformation there was very little good thing to say about Christians. Friars and monks sold indulgences (they allowed you to buy yourself or someone else into heaven) and peasants starved themselves to save up money so they could buy some. Dozens of medeival Popes lived in extreme luxury and had massive sex parties and orgies in the Vatican and a few even knocked up their own daughters. The nieces, nephews, and illegitimate children of Popes were awarded Cardinal hats, and one even made a 5 year old big the Duke of Milan. There just aren't any good things to learn about until more recently.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Yes, see I had said their faults.... And you listed quite a few and sure the people aren't perfect, no one is. However, my little brother who is in 7th grade is learning about the 5 pillars of Islam, he knows most of the Hindu gods and goddesses, he can tell me about Mayan rituals and their beliefs, and all their accomplishments, but when asked what he has learned about Christianity it's mostly the negatives such as the ones you listed he knows about.... Save the rape and sexual part that is

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Maybe they haven't gotten to the reformation yet? Like I said, there aren't many positive things going on before that. All of those other things happened before the 1500's, so they may not have gotten that far in history yet. I remember learning about Martin Luther in 8th grade but before that it was mostly the old testament, Islam, and other nonchristian things.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Well I'm in college right now taking my last history course, I hope and I really haven't learned that many good things about Christianity from schools either, I mean the only people that try to teach are the ones going around telling people they are all bad people, unless they do what they say.... I even had one history teacher in high school who told me Jesus wasn't a real man....

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Crazies like that teacher are no better then the crazies who knock on your door holding Bibles. Anyone who has studied history would know that he was a real person. I think that another part of it is that most people in America already know a lot about Christianity, and were mostly told good things about it when they were kids, so it's possible that schools are trying to offset that. When I was 12, I had legitimately never heard of Islam and knew nothing about Hinduism and Buddhism except for their names. However, I already knew a lot of (mostly good) things about Christianity even though I don't go to church. So for me at least, learning it that way strengthened me in areas where I was weak.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Indulgences and the likelyhood of the corruption of the church are part of the reason I'm not catholic.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Im am fourteen so you can't get much from me. I am a christian and I will be my whole life. Something that I learned is thatost people who say they are atheist are really just agnostic. Like most kids my age who say they are athiest most likely aren't, they probably don't know what they believe so they just put that label on them. And I didn't know who dalai lama was..... And I am catholic.... But I am fourteen so I don't know if that makes a difference.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I knew who he was and I'm 13. I also happen to be Atheist/agnostic. :P Just saying.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

no I knew who he was I just didn't know what religion he was =p

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Then you don't actually know who he is/was.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I am 13 too and I know who he is and what religion he is. We learned about him in 7th grade.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Oh I never did. I think I will learn it soon though....

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I knew about him when I was around 11? I don't exaclty remember where I learned it, maybe my parents, King of The Hill, or just hearing it somewhere.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I don't see the big deal about learning about other culture. Part of my 8th and 10th grade social studies classes were about other religions and what they believed in. And evolution is theory, why can't we teach kids about the theory of evolution, but we can teach them about many other theories. Theories are just ideas, just like religion is an idea, neither have been completely proven. But obviously because it 'challenges' a religion we can't hear about it. Which to me is unfair that in social studies I can learn about other's beliefs but in science I can't learn more about evolution, which is what I believe in.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

(:(): In the scientific world, "theory" is the highest status something can have. I'm pretty sure that when its used in a scientific context, it means it has been sufficiently proven. Technically, things like the way light works are just "theories". Anyway, technicalities aside, how can your school not teach you evolution? That sounds horrible. :( Is that even legal, to omit quite a lot of (what is widely regarded as) scientific fact from the curriculum just because some people don't like it? Also, if you're that interested in evolution, a fun way to learn about both that and religious beliefs is to find one of the many controversial religion/anti-religious posts on here and read the comment-fights. It can be quite educational! :)

by Anonymous 13 years ago

the highest status something can have in science is "law". Ex: The four laws of thermodynamics, Newton’s three laws of motion, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, Law of conservation of energy.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I was taught that theories and laws are on the same level. Laws describe phenomena, and theories explain them. (For example, gravity is a law because no matter what, what goes up must come down. It never changes. Evolution is a theory because it EXPLAINS how humans and other species came to be. Also, theories can be adapted with new evidence, but laws can't)

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Yep, that's what I heard, except I couldn't remember the exact way to explain it. :)

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Well in my school which is supposedly non-religious/multi-religious, the only religion they REALLY teach us is Christianity, and they tell us the Christian beliefs as if they're the absolute truth. When we occasionally touch on another religion, we will be told about it as if it's completely untrue. Just my experience.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Argh, beat me to it.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Right now I'm in AP Lit, and we're studying allusions to the Bible. We're going to have quite a few tests on them. What bothers me is that my teacher is making us learn these allusions on our own time, because she feels people will be offended if she teaches them. It would be so much easier for me if she would teach us, because I know nothing, and am not going to have the desire to memorize something I feel I have little connection with on my own.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's important to learn about all cultures so we can all understand one another better as well as our own relationship with God and our religions. I find religion facsinating, I can't imagine why you wouldn't talk about all religions in class.(of course, aatheism and agnosticism don't have much of a defining history or any moral guidlines to be followed, so there's not much to learn.) The only reason you shouldn't talk about a religion in history is if it's scientology.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

There's a quote I like by Ursula K. Le Guin: "If it were proven that there is no God there would be no religion. ...But also if it were proven that there is a God, there would be no religion." And if it's any consolation to your post, I gave up on Christianity about halfway through high school, just because I decided to research claims and stories from it. I'm not saying people who are Christian are wrong, just that it's not for me.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Heh, good quote and I'm not going to push Christianity on you, because I'm really not religious, it's just from watching around me and what people say and my own personal experience, that I came to the conclusion I did.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Maybe it's because Christians do a good enough job advertising the positives of their religion without the help of the school system? Minority religions have less of a sway on the general public.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

That's really not the point, if all you learn in school is the negatives of Christianity, then those ads are pointless, because you don't even want to listen to them.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

i knoe exactly what you mean. i used to go the a private Catholic school and i am a Hindu. in SS we would learn about all sorts of religions and cultures and the evolution theory and in Religion we would be learning about Christianity and i would just sit there wondering "what the fuck???"

by Anonymous 12 years ago

So you wanted to learn more about Christianity in all your classes or what?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

no i just was confused on what they wanted us to believe. i didnt like learning about Christianity because they forced me to pray to Jesus. (no offence to anyone)

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Well you can make an educated decision by knowing being well... educated. And I mean if you're going to a Catholic school, you should expect to pray to Jesus?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

i only went to the Catholic school because it was the only.... semi decent school in the area

by Anonymous 12 years ago