Religion in School by Sara Eastham

Religion is a big and important part of each person's life. It is something we seek to find answers to life's biggest questions. We choose a religion and make ourselves vulnerable, placing all of our trust and beliefs in it. Religion affects the way we live, the way we interact with others, and even the way we think and feel about ourselves. I believe that world religions should be taught in school because it's good to have a general knowledge of all religions and it's important to respect each individual's personal beliefs. It's good to have a general knowledge of all religions. When it comes to religion, we tend to be uninformed. We only know the religions of those around us, such as friends, family members, and neighbors. In general, people tend to flock towards people of the same religion as them, or adopt the religious habits of those around them. For example, my parents are Christians and have been taking me to church since I was born. Naturally, at the age of four or five, I became a Christian and have been ever since. I am involved in activity at church six days a week and help to lead the Christian club here at OM. Needless to say, I have a lot of exposure to the christian faith, and very little exposure to other religions. This limited exposure to religion is true for many people. Because religion is something we base our whole lives on, it is wise to know about all religions, so we don't sign our lives away blindly. We should learn about all the religions in school and then, we can make an informed decision about which one we believe and dedicate our lives, too. It's kind of like doing a background check on a babysitter before hiring her, so you know you're leaving your child with someone safe. Also, you might learn of a religion that happens to coincide with some of your personal convictions and would, therefore, be a good fit for you.

It's important to respect each individual's personal beliefs. Every, single person is unique, so everyone's belief's are unique as well. For example, I believe that I can personally confess my sins to God and be forgiven, while Catholics believe that they have to confess to a priest. Both of these beliefs are okay. I can confess to God and Catholics can confess to a priest without bothering one another. We can accept each others' beliefs without agreeing with one another. This is true for all religions. It gets a little more tricky when it comes to issues with the government, but acceptance and compromise are still possible. For example, abortion is a very touchy subject. As a Christian, I believe that abortion is wrong. However, there are many others who believe women should have that choice. Ideally, the congressmen vote the way the majority wants and whatever the majority wants is what we go with. Religions have to learn to compromise with each other. We can each practice our own religion and respect others by allowing them to practice theirs without putting each other down. I believe the best way to gain an acceptance and respect for each religion is by learning about them all.
Religion has been around as long as history has been recorded and will remain with us until this world is no more. It has shaped and molded our hearts and our world. So many everyday things come from different religions. For example, the days of the weeks are named after Norse, Greek, and Roman gods. We are blessed enough to live in a country where we are free to practice any religion we choose. We need to make sure we keep that freedom by learning about all the religions instead of just settling for the one that's right in front of us, as people in other countries are forced to do. Another way we can exercise that freedom is by allowing each person to practice their religion without making them feel ashamed, attacked, or frowned upon. Lastly, school teaches us most of what we need to know to be prepared for the real world. The real world is full of religion, so I believe we should learn about it in school.

Created for Mr. Richardson's class