Religious Tolerance.

(Yea, two rants in a row, I've been feeling motivated lately).

Ok, granted this article is from almost five years ago, but the issue is still big.

In the article, it discusses how schools in France are trying to ban all symbols of religion, mainly Muslim head-scarves. I watched an ABC news special where one school principal in France said that the scarves should not be allowed because "they are a symbol of a submissive woman"; and the president of France himself says that no religious symbols, or even talk of religion, should be in schools, because religion should not be imposed upon our children in that form.

I must have missed the memo when teaching and imposing became synonymous with one another.

A lot of people will argue that religion should be left out of schools because it's the parent's job (ahem, choice), what religions their children are exposed to. I think a lot of us understand that most parents are against schools teaching religion because they feel that their sensitive, corruptible child is going to be indoctrinated into something that goes against their own beliefs (honestly, if there's another reason I'm missing, tell me, but as far as I'm concerned this is the only one).

I'm going to be very blunt. I think that taking every aspect of religion out of schools is bullshit. First of all, it's not telling our children the reality of things. Out in society, out in the world, no one is going to hide their religion, take down symbols of religion, remove their cross necklaces or take off their head scarves just for you to feel more secure. Second of all, I think that it is doing more harm than good because it isn't teaching a single ounce of religious tolerance, something that every person DESPERATELY NEEDS IN ORDER TO NOT BECOME A PRETENTIOUS BIGOT.

In all honesty, I think that public High Schools should have one, just one required religion course, to provide them with the facts and basic background information of the worlds most prominent religions. And I understand that this is essentially a Utopian dream, because tons of parents would whine and bitch and take legal action and protest until they are blue in the goddamn face, just to keep schools from "imposing religion" upon their children. Yet these same parents will not bother to teach their child about different religions on their own. Parents don't want to do it! But oooh, when the schools step in and say "oh, we'll educate them in it for you if you want, since this is kind of important", there is an outcry of "NO THAT'S OUR JOB WE'LL TEACH OUR CHILDREN RELIGION NOT YOU!"…BUT THEN THEY DON'T DO IT! !@#%$^%*

So many people can't grasp the simple concept that there is a huge difference between just plain teaching religion, and teaching religion with the intent to promote understanding and tolerance of religious diversity! Some people are just so convinced that a fifteen minute module on the history of a different religion is enough to convert a 17-18-year-old into some terrible cult involving the sacrifice of puppies and kittens or something! OMFG!

Ok. Ok. I'm calm. Perfectly calm.

That's it. All I wanted to say.

(PS: Tolerance FTW).