Two Florida school officials won't go to jail for praying

[kandrathe]

No, no, no.....I think every atheist knows that certain words or acts are being perceived as hurtful by religious people.....this happens every day. My point was exactly that for the opposite (non religious people being oppressed or disrespected by religious people) there is hardly any recognition. And let me stress it again that this is absolutely not a US problem....this happens worldwide and for centuries already.

What I'm trying to assert it that the answer to harmony (in this case between Christian and non-Christians) is not discord. One problem is the attitude of smugness (on both sides) of approaching the topic as if you know the right answer. Another is that people have forgotten how, or never learned how to debate with civility. Another problem is that people refuse to listen to the opposing side.

Sex education is important for people to become a sane member of society.

I know many a theologian who would make the same claim for faith and morality.

Children can have classes in religion (explaining them about the differences and why some people believe this, and others believe that) but brainwashing is something else.

I enjoyed my courses on comparative world religions (FWIW, they were extremely anti-christian). But, here is where you insult religious people by equating their belief system to "brainwashing". :P If they are religious, then they've become mentally compromised, and incapable of independent thought. In fact, they are shunned for many jobs because they might be mouth breathing, addle pated, automatons subservient to the psychosomatic suggestions of some clergyman's Sunday sermon.

Religion is a powerful tool to mentally handicap people for the rest of their lives when you start 'teaching' it to them as children and this should be realized by adults especially the ones that work with children.

I reject your prejudiced view. I would agree that there are some well publicized extreme cases, like Jim Jones, or David Koresh, where religion is abused as a means to "brainwash" the sheep. I believe the aim of true theologians is to find the truth, or to seek enlightenment, not to create a herd of sheep.