Agnostic.com

21 4

How many of us here went to a religious school? What was your experience there?

I went to a Baptist school and remember being taught in science class that the earth is 6,000 years old, humans lived with dinosaurs, and how to refute the arguments of evolution. I got detention every week because I wouldn't complete lessons and I openly opposed their religious teachings in class.

There were some positives to going to a school with smaller class sizes, though.

Seafoamgreen 4 Jan 3
Share

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

21 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

5

Went to public school in what might be the most liberal state in America. Learned about evolution in ninth grade. I even remember the illustration with giraffes that demonstrated natural selection.

3

I went to catholic school and had a bad experience .The nuns were sadistic,prejudiced and simple minded .I always hated how they practically drooled over the priests . I can not believe I had to memorize all those stupid prayers that I can still remember to this day

I was considering sending my oldest to either military or Catholic school (he was having issues in school). My father, who was a strict Catholic, told me if I did her was dis-inheriting me. He went to Catholic School when he was a kid and hated it.

3

I feel sick in the pit of my stomach when I hear about "schools" teaching lies. Mistakes have always been made in science and history, but this goes beyond mistakes. This is just intentionally misleading young people to the detriment of society. Something needs to be done, but I feel helpless to make a difference.

3

Seven years of Catholic parochial school, followed by six years of nonreligious public junior-senior high school, followed by three years of strict Catholic college and a fourth year at a Catholic college with no religious requirements.

@silvereyes If anything, some of that experience contributed to my rejection of religion. The college years in particular were formative, because I may not have focused on the deeper aspects of Catholicism had I not gone to such a religious college. I may have eventually still have given up on it, but it may have taken longer. As it was, it forced me to take a hard look at what I really believed and whether it was in line with Catholic doctrine, ethics, theology, etc., which led to the unraveling of Christianity and theism in short order.

2

I went to a Methodist school. Religion showed up in morning assembly and twice-weekly religious education classes. Otherwise it might just as well have been a secular school, for which I am grateful. They had no silly ideas about science, which was taught, well, scientifically. (I became a scientist.)

2

In Italy we use to say that send a child to a religious school is the best way to make him an atheist. But, no, I did not go to a religious school, what I had at home and others was enough.

2

Kindergarden an episcopal school. 1-6 catholic school. By then I was ready to leave before god realize I been receiving host under sin and lying my ass off in the confessionary... I do remember a priest cussing me out in the confessionary... so why in the hell I went to a private catholic college to go to religion class again? But that was were the girls were. Always the ladies. My downfall.

1

I ran away from my Catholic school when a nun decided that all the students in the class deserved a tongue lashing and whiping with a meter stick. I ran two blocks and three flights of steps with the nun running after me. My mother opened the door when she heard my screams. She could not believe that the nun followed me all the way home. That was my last day at the catholic school.

That's awesome

1

This is just absolutely mind altering to me. I really did think it was so stupid it would never really grab hold of some. I am also so proud of those who were forced to go to these schools and you are here . congratulations for being a real free thinker

EMC2 Level 8 Jan 4, 2018
1

My best friend in high school had her children schooled in an ABEKA school. The entire family still believes that the Earth is 6000 years old, and all the other b/s that is "taught" to conservative Christians. This woman is an RN, and her sister is an Occupational Therapist so you would think they would be smart enough to evolve.

Apparently not.

1

Catholic school for 6 yrs. while overseas. This was during their big ecumenical, Vatican 1 and Vatican 2 phase so I didn't experience anything hardcore. I remember one of the brothers during religion class saying the reason the west was doing so well was because of christianity. Don't believe that anymore! Also when younger my mother sent me to Sunday school to appease her mother. My mother encouraged scepticism (as long as you didn't disagree with her) so it didn't stick. Like the story of your rebellion. Good on you!

1

Yep! Same here.

I remember vividly the pastor's wife stepping in to teach us "science" in the 4th grade, and her heartfelt speech to never ever believe that man came from apes. Okay.

The one thing I still do have from my time there is my textbook that we used for Bible Class. It actually has served as a pretty good reference tool to untangle the convoluted history of Christianity over the past 2000 years. I've used it effectively for debating people who want to witness to me. It's true what they say, evangelicals know less about the Bible than atheists do.

Yes! I say this often. I don't go out of my way to debate religious folks, but I likely know more about their texts than they do. I know their arguments already.

1

I went to a religious high school and college. I left that college after two years. Got sick of the narrow mindedness and the judgmental attitudes, got sick of being told that all non-christians will suffer in Hell.

SKH78 Level 8 Jan 3, 2018
1

The part of what you say I find astounding, You are quite young which means to me that this type of teaching did NOT go away, I am late 60's now and well read but the 6000 years debate Still being mentioned, Thank you enlightening me once again

EMC2 Level 8 Jan 3, 2018

This was the 90s...but, yes, I'm sure They have the same curriculum today 😟

1

LOL I also went to baptist school and I always wondered y they even bother having a science class.

1

at the beginning of Fourth grade, my parents put me in a religious school. I could only deal with their BS for four days, after which my parents (once they saw what was really going on) put me back in public school.
That was over 35 years ago. Glad to hear their dogmatic 'instruction' hasn't changed :/

0

Didn't go to religious school but was actively getting BRAINWASHED by christians! Till i looked for answers myself and figured out that you can see what you want or understand with a jesus filter the way the believers think you should!! I am my own god is what i decided!!

0

Well I went to catholic school until 3rd grade. Don’t remember much frankly but my first grade teacher was a nun but in her free time she was a clown ???? so us students loved that.

0

Catholic orphanage, Catholic hospital, Catholic school, absolutely horrible. Sexually frustrated priests and nuns, some of them mean as hell, physical and mental abuse. Fright. Constant church.

0

I have brother who is a pastor of the Baptist . He believes dinosaurs and humans existed together. No science on earth could convince him other wise, The thing is he is a great guy, very well read regarding philosophy and sociology , But to give up that the bible is incorrect it is just pure convincing denial.

EMC2 Level 8 Jan 4, 2018
0

Wow really? I know there is a movement to push that stuff in schools, but I didn't think they were already being so aggressive. That's horrible. I

Write Comment
You can include a link to this post in your posts and comments by including the text q:12531
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.