Re: Current Issues in Religious Tolerance

Greetings;

Paul, your comments are insensitive and culturally biased against the
Coptics who fled persecution.
If the school is going to teach about Islam, it should teach not only
the fuzzy warm topics, but also the blemished side as well.
How about a short course enabling students to empathize with the
experiences of persecuted Coptics?
[More comments below]

[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Paul Hammond) wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> > 
> > Superintendent John Roach insisted the teacher meant only to promote
> > empathy with Muslims, not with Islam.
> 
> I can't see the distinction here.

The distinction is clear.  Empathy with people is a good thing. 
Empathy with a religion, taught by government funded schools, comes
close enough to advocacy as to raise cautions.  Does the school
encourage its students to give something up for Lent?  To experience
immersion baptism?
> 
> > He conceded the instructor told parents in his letter the assignment
> > was about empathizing with the Islamic religion.
> > 
> > "If I had the opportunity to correct the letter before it was sent
> > out, I would have changed that paragraph," he told WND.
> 
> Why shuld anyone think there is anything wrong with empathising
> with Islam?

Why don't you try seeing it through the eyes of someone who has
suffered at the hands of people pronouncing it as the true religion?

>  Isn't the best way to understand another person
> to walk a mile in his shoes?  Taking part in the fast
> and doing the five prayers for a couple of days might be
> a very valuable experience for these kids.

So try walking a mile in the shoes of the Coptics.
As to learning gun safety, do you favor teaching that in school?
The suggestion was in one instance rejected on the grounds that it
would constitute an advocacy of gun ownership rights.  Do you agree?
>  
> > Roach said he most certainly would have put a stop to the assignment
> > if it had been about promoting Islam and can understand why some
> > people would make an issue of it.
> 
> Ah, now we have a new move "empathising with Islam" is now
> the same thing as "promoting it".

At least Roach has some sensitivity.
> 
> "But just ask the medieval Jew how murderous and terrorist
> Christianity is.  Let them eat pork!, a pope was heard to
> say"

The next time I encounter a medieval Jew, I'll be sure to ask:)
> 
> I'm pleased to learn that many American schools are doing their
> best to counter media mis-information about Islam.

Now, if they could just do the same to counter media disinformation
about Christianity!