Indeed, what conundrums we humans get ourselves into. We built a country to protect religious freedoms. Smart design. By doing so, the government protects itself from the downfalls observed in other countries where the dominant religion was entangled with the government and the religion ultimately ruled supreme. The government wasn’t designed to be separate from the religion and thus collapsed. Let’s give a round of applause to our government’s foresight and intent.
This now leaves our government 200 years later with the engrained position of non-advocation of any religion. Again, this was the intended outcome of the original design. So the government funds and curriculum for schools can’t be biased. Obvious problem: if the government includes religion in the schools or anything referring to GOD, then which one do they choose?
The only real option is to teach them all. We all recognize this would take up too much class time. So what do they do? If they decided to teach the Hindu faith, then all the other religions would rightfully take action and protest. Let me remind everyone that this is our government protecting our religious freedoms.
A Resolve to the Conundrum
I don’t think this problem can be solved the way it is being addressed. “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."–Albert Einstein
Maybe we are looking at the wrong curriculum here. Let’s say we shift our focus to us…human beings. After all, isn’t this the common denominator of all belief systems? Maybe it’s time we humans updated our curriculum a bit to include more current subject matter. Given our shared common denominator, shouldn’t an understanding of us, human beings, be a worthy subject matter? Let’s take a look and see what you think…
Genre: The Human Race
There are some key ideas all religions teach us. In fact, they aren’t even religious ideas at all…only adopted by religions. If I teach kids not to kill people, then which religion does this belong to? If I suggest kids treat others with kindness and love, which religion owns these rights? Are these bad subjects to teach? Shouldn’t these basics be the beginning of the process?
So, given the government’s conundrum, I would like to make a suggestion: a real paradigm shift in thinking. Instead of teaching kids which religion to believe in, why don’t we teach them what we scientifically know about how they exist here and let them learn how they are being human beings in every religion? This is better armament for understanding their own faiths…whatever they may be. Confused? Let me elaborate.
Think about this curriculum.
Human Race Biology 101
We have unraveled the human emotional system. It is no longer a mystery as to the effects emotions have on our own bodies. Every emotion secretes a unique protein into the body, and the receptors on every cell in your body take them in. This process changes the chemical structure of every cell. You physically are what you are feeling. Even a child can determine that feeling angry is not something that makes them feel good. Shouldn’t they know what feeling anger does to them at their cellular level? Is teaching them to be stingier about employing this emotion a bad idea? Instead of focusing on their religion, let them focus on what their beliefs, their states of being, are doing to them! Make it personal because it is personal. Should any religion teach them to hate, then they fully comprehend what this hate does to them…first! Worthy to be taught? Is this religious?
The Being Human Relations 101
Masaru Emoto in Japan published all his work regarding how emotions change the physical structure of water. He simply photographed water being exposed to various emotions. Love makes a water molecule crystallize like a diamond. Anger makes it look like frozen vomit. Hey, he isn’t making this stuff up…he is recording it! Our emotions not only affect us at our cellular level but also affect everything around us. The world is mostly water. Human beings are mostly water. I bet these kids are unaware they are having such an impact on things. Don’t you think they should know this? Should any religion advocate they use any negative emotion, then these kids will understand the impact of adopting that belief. Worthy of knowing? Is this religious?
The Discovery and Vision Class 100
What if we had a “discovery" class to include the newest findings about us, human beings? Is this such a bad thing to know? For example: Lynne McTaggart has conducted experiments to measure the effects of our thoughts and emotional states of being and published a book on the matter. Her experiments followed standard scientific protocols. She placed a bunch of folks in a room in London and had them concentrate on only one thought and feeling: make a leaf glow. We all know leaves don’t glow…right? The leaf was in Arizona in a lab being monitored with light sensing equipment. They didn’t need it. They observed the leaf glowing with their naked eyes. Is this something our kids should know? Isn’t it their minds that will solve the next big problems in the world? I think if I were a kid I would like to hear what is going on out there and see if any of it interests me. Cutting edge today is tomorrow’s job market.
The Human Physics Class 200
Have you ever heard of the “Quantum Eraser" experiment? It takes a past event that has already occurred and changes it back to its original state before it happened. Sound impossible? It isn’t. This is a repeatable experiment. Is this too dangerous for us to know? Let’s allow kids to think. There is something going on here, and I bet you don’t know what it is. Well, me either. Who do you think is going to figure this out? My guess is that it will be one of your kids.
Back to Our Government
Now, let’s go back to our government for a second. Do these classes offend any government position? No religions are involved…or are they? All religions teach us how to feel, think, and then be in relation to matters. Knowing what these feelings are doing to you physically and to all matter around you provides a keen tool for helping decide if you would like to subscribe. The result is a generation of beings being careful about how they feel about themselves, you, the world, and life. Isn’t this the positive effect Christians would like taught in school? What about Muslims? Buddhists? Aha! Maybe we have found the solution. What if you had known about these discoveries when you were growing up? Do you think it might have had an effect on you?
» left by James P Krehbiel(1,145) James P Krehbiel (2 years 126 days ago.)
James,
I understand your point and agree. I respectfully submit, however, that there is nothing new here. Arthur Colmes, an educator from Arizona State University called for this back in the 60's. However, the movement got branded as "humanistic" thus anti-religion. As a school counselor, I ran citizenship groups in the schools to teach kids about feelings, behaviors and civility. Right wing Christians considered this a problem because it took time away from the ABC's of learning. So it appears that your article comes full circle. Don't get me wrong, I agree with it but I'm not optimistic that school districts will choose to incorperate affective education based on religious principles anytime soon. Respond to this comment
» left by James Taylor(829) James Taylor (2 years 124 days ago.)
Mr. James,
If you see obstacles in the way of achieiving this, then you are looking at it with the wrong view. See the compelling reasons it will happen and it will have a much better chance. No disrespect intended, but I have reveiwed many reasons why this could never happen...none were of assistance to me. By contrast, I see the scientific evidence at hand. It isn't religious. It is just truth in what we actually know. I see the subject matter as impossible not to surface in the schools. The only question is when. That is where you and I come in isn't it? Thanks for the comments. Peace, James Respond to this comment
» left by David Tanguay (2 years 126 days ago.)
Interesting article, thanks for sharing Respond to this comment
James, I am new to searchwarp. One of my coming articles, "Wages Of Sin" addresses this same issue from a social impact point. You are very close to seeing what mankind really is capable of doing. Jesus said "If you had the faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this tree 'be thee uprooted and cast yourself into the sea.' and it would be done." His statement was not precluded by religious denomination, only by pointing out that anyone with true faith can move mountains. You see, mankind was created in the image of God and therefore endowed with great power. He is yet to understand just what that means. This is why you have witches casting spells that work, Priests exorcising demons, the Apostles raising the dead and hundreds of documented events like the ones you described in your article.
Yes, we have great power at our fingertips and man’s interpretation of Religion has been a major problem in society. Truth is what this world needs and good faith to move it. Practice your faith and see what happens. Great article!
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