I just found this article in the San Luis Obispo Tribune discussing whether or not a religion class should be allowed in school.
The Atascadero school board voted Tuesday night to reconsider a controversial resolution allowing students to attend a church class during school hours.
And then farther down …
Santa Margarita lawyer Michael Blank offered a different viewpoint. “There’s a lot of cults and sex out there that may be unattractive to this board,” he said.
He asked school board members how they would react if the “Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster,” a parody religion, wanted to offer a class for students.
I’m not sure which category we fall into. Probably cults.
My view is that religion classes should be allowed in school but that they shouldn’t be taught by any member of that particular religion. Unless we’re talking about Pastafarianism, in which case the teacher should be a devout Believer, dressed in Pirate Regalia.
Here’s the link
“I’m not sure which category we fall into. Probably cults.”
On what basis is the difference between a cult and a religion distinguished?
.
The Cult Test, Questions 1
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-cult_q1.html
.
Who decides? Does it depend on how long it has been in existence or on the number of adherents? Are the guidelines for distinquishing between the two ratified somewhere?
“He asked school board members how they would react if the “Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster,” a parody religion, wanted to offer a class for students.
His point was that any group claiming religious affiliation would have to be considered by the school board.”
Eagerly await their handling of this issue. :)
I say that no. because then are we any better than the little bicycle mormons?
If they want to teach a religion class, why not include all religions to be fair with perspective to allow students to make their own decisions? that’s what school’s supposed to be about, isn’t it? Well, they really should teach FSM if they’re going to teach ID.
As for the distinction between religion and a cult…hmm…hadn’t thought about that before. I’ll leave that to the philosophers here.
a cult is like a religion that’s fake. and quite obviously fake. and they brainwash u and take ur money.
@chemstudent
“As for the distinction between religion and a cult…hmm…hadn’t thought about that before. I’ll leave that to the philosophers here.”
Personally I’ve never been able to distinquish the difference!
@Rob Feb 9th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
“a cult is like a religion that’s fake.”
So can do you define a “non-fake” religion for me?
ugh
Joe Feb 10th, 2007 at 12:33 am
ugh
.
Thats why they teach.