do people have the right to judge religion?
By srpkinja
@srpkinja (375)
Canada
July 8, 2008 12:47pm CST
i had a geography teacher this year that would always tell his students how religion is not real. he would start off by saying, "noone can go up to someone and say your religion is not real, science can prove it. everything you believe in is wrong" but then he went a did that anyway. He was italian. his parents were immigrants to Canada and he was born in Canada. i would assume religion was not a huge part of his life and he was not raised believing in one religion. he is a man with a lot on his mind. he would always talk about religion and get out of line. he believed in "the truth". If someone could not prove something, he didnt believe in it. which is a good way to look at things, i guess but youre not being open minded. he would go on to tell students how Jesus was just a man who people talked about a lot because of what happened to him, which is what made him so "popular" and why everyone worships him. you can tell that my teacher was an educated man but educated people should not be forcing their beliefs onto someone else. yet discussions their point of views as intellectual people. he would go on to talk about Islam and Christianity and how there are so many similiarities in the Kouran (i dont know if its spelled like that) and the Bible, how Jesus was a prophet of Islam, how thats a little suspicious, etc, etc... By the end of the year I could not listen to this man anymore. He had become so preachy that I didnt even want to come to his class anymore. but on a more serious note, does anyone have the right to judge religion? if people do not practice religion or are agnostic/athiest are they right to judge another persons views? Is this morally correct? Do people who practice religion judge people who dont? I want to know a little bit more about this topic!
1 person likes this
11 responses
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
9 Jul 08
You can be critical of religion. I'm not sure that judging religion is possible though.
I, personally, don't believe in religion.
1 person likes this
@choybel (5042)
• Philippines
8 Jul 08
Wow, you're teacher was/is similar to my english prof but with a slight difference. He was a Muslim and on every meeting he would start his class by debating that Christianity is wrong and Islam is right, etc. Of course, none of us wanted to comment for perhaps fear of giving him a reason to give us low grade, etc. so by after the third meeting I decided to drop the subject. I was and still a little sensitive about attacks on my belief. I believe that people should atleast respect anybody else's faith or belief. If one wants to say something against it then say it somewhere else.Be atleast considerate of the the person's feelings. For me, I guess judging is normal but then be atleast a little considerate on the way one must express his/her judgment.
1 person likes this
@Bugsey (775)
• United States
9 Jul 08
In a public classroon NO ONE should have the right to even TALK about any religion. I agree with you Choybel,Muslim teachers should keep their religions to themselves and NOT expect to misuse their teaching positions as a means to brainwash kids. I think it's time that we also be outraged at stories like this.. dang.. being offended. We should be offended at news like this. Yah know, sometimes Fox news does make sense! grrrr!
@alindahaw (1219)
• Philippines
9 Jul 08
I always believe in freedom of religion. Just because someone believed in his or her religion that does not give him or her a license to criticize other religions. Much more, people who do not believe in any religion do not have to make judgements on the beliefs of others.
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
9 Jul 08
Hi srpkinja, A lot of people judge others, but I don't think we should unless that person is hurting another. People who don't believe in God laugh and make rude jokes about those who do. Those who believe are often just as rude with those who don't, or believe something different from them. Religion brings great comfort to many people and no one should take that away from them. On the other hand we all have the right to believe differently. Your teacher had every right to his beliefs but he shouldn't have tried to force his ideas on others. Blessings.
@lazeebee (5461)
• Malaysia
9 Jul 08
Your teacher stressed so much on religions; he seems to have done a lot of research into them. I suppose he's trying to win you guys over to his side (convert?), and not believe in any religions.
Anyway, if only people could be more 'democratic', and respect each other's religion and beliefs. Let people believe in what they want to believe - it's their right. Then there would be less fights, wars, misunderstandings, etc...
@Marley76 (109)
• United States
9 Jul 08
I don't believe people should judge other peoples beliefs. I don't believe in religion but I believe in god. When I tell people that I don't believe in religion the first response I get from people is "So you don't believe in God." I am like when did I say that. And since when is God a religion?
I am sorry that you had a teacher like that. It sounds no fun. Anyone who is too preachy can be rought to be around. I work with someone that tried to make me cathlic. It didn't work.
I am always interested in what people believe. I try to surround myself with people that are different then me. It makes life more fun. Plus you get to learn a lot.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
8 Jul 08
of course not... your geography teacher sounds like a religion teacher rather than a geography teacher... what he is discussing about in the class had nothing to do with geography at all... how can he judge other people's religions when he himself is not perfect??? only God had the right to judge people as He is Holy... take care and have a nice day...
@cynddvs (2948)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I think the only place people should preach about religion is in their church or where ever they choose to worship or not worship. School is no place for a teacher to be shoving their beliefs down students throats. I'm pretty open minded when it comes to other peoples beliefs. My biggest thing is that I don't want to be preached to by anyone of any religion. If I want your opinion about religion I'll ask for it. Until then keep your opinion to yourself. And if someone starts preaching to me about their religion then that gives me every right to judge their religion. JMO.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
8 Jul 08
Your former teacher sounds like a socialist who would rather have everyone thinking the same way than promoting independent thought, which is a real disservice to his profession. In my opinion, no one has the right to judge anyone else's beliefs, whether they believe in a higher power or believe that we came from little specks of dust in the universe...it's a matter of respecting others. It certainly is not morally correct for a teacher, who is in a position of authority over his students, to use his class time to attempt promote his personal beliefs and, if he's still teaching at that school, he should be reported.
@munkysam07 (31)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I really do not think that a teacher should be able to push their religion or their lack of religion on anyone, especially not if it is at a public school. However, outside of a school setting, I think that everyone has their own opinion and should be able to voice their opinion. That is what freedom of religion is all about anyway.
@shlooper (309)
• United States
8 Jul 08
People by nature judge each other, but that doesn't make them correct. I would say that we have the right to judge all we want in relationship to ourselves, but when judgments are taught as truth, that is when religious tension rises. I think that your teacher's main moral infringement was not that he had views that Christianity/Islam/whatever else are incorrect, but that he forced these upon you in a formal setting. It would also be morally incorrect if he acted upon his views by discriminating against another group. People will always be prejudice, but the morals come when they act upon it.
