I have always wanted to send my children to a pagan school, but at the moment there's only one that I know of in the UK and it is too far, so:
Do you think a more modern lesson in Religious Education would benefit those who wish to know more about the religion to dispel the 'rumours' and / or know more about the practises as a religion?
Also I remember whan I was back in school and the only information on Witches and witchcraft was in the history lessons on the burning times.
Personally I don't think that religion should be taught in schools except as an optional subject and then it should cover all world religions. I think that religion is pushed on kids a lot of the time and that can actually turn them off it more than if it was an optional subject where they were taught equally about all religions and could then make informed choices. I think it would also benefit us in todays diverse society for people to be more aware about other religions, what they believe and their values, morals and ethics. I don't think anyone should be singled out for teaching bar at a religious based school whereby you choose to send your children there to practise that specific religion and even then I think it would be beneficial for the kids to learn about all the other religions to broad their minds and reduce prejudice.
I don't think religion should be in schools. If I HAD to send my kids to a school, I would rather they go to one with pagan values and teachings. Christian teachings are mostly false and use blame to solve everything.
It should definitely be on the curriculum the same as every other religion. Kids need to be told where all these different religions come from, to be told that they are all basically following paganism under a different name.
no i dont think it should be explicitly taught as such but surely you cannot teach religion without touching upon other beliefs so as a subject by itself no, but as a part of a rounded religios education class maybe along with every other religion
Paganism has its place in religion, as does christianity, muslim, islam, judaism etc, however, paganism is one which worships the devil, so I understand, rather than the creator, which other religions embrace. I do not feel that the worship of the devil, pagan arts or whitchcraft should be taught to our children. However, I may be wrong in my appreciation of this cult, and do not wish to deny you your beliefs. Perhaps this is something which should be addressed through the NC, in the respect of history, which I think it already is, but should not be made a part of the NC as a religion. Sorry if you disagree with me. In Schools, I belive that all children should be taught respect of ALL religions, and be able to make their own decision. We SHOULD be an equal community and religion, when followed properly, embraces this.
Now that religious education in our schools is meant to cover the many religions practised in this country and not just Christianity i find the exclusion of paganism quite galling. I am not a pagan myself but i have many friends who are, and they don't all follow the same form either as some tend towards Wicca while others are Asatru. But the impression of these differing religions that is given is that they are somehow whacky, with no consistent theology and of little historical standing. That they are in fact modern inventions. Well all religions were a modern invention at some point, so i don't know what that has to do with it, even if it were true. They also get it mixed up with Satanism, which is something else entirely. There is a quite high number of people who practise paganism in this country and so it should be taught. After all my children have studied Zoastrianism and there certainly aren't that many of them in Britain, there are probably more pagans.
Education