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> The only sane solution to preserving freedom of religion is to also preserve freedom from it. The government must only promote secularism. Everything else is

> The only sane solution to preserving freedom of religion is to also preserve freedom from it. The government must only promote secularism. Everything else is playing with fire. There's nothing about vouchers that prevents the creation of secular private schools. Religious schools that you have no choice but to attend are very, very different than religious schools that your parents choose for you because they think it's the best place for your education.

cmurf 3y ago
Government providing $1 to a religious private school is finding favor in that particular religion. Since Christian schools are more common than any other, public funding in any amount is the state promoting that religion above others. A possible work around is the state donates $x to each registered religious organization in that state. Every group gets an equal amount. John Rawls "veil of ignorance" thought experiment applies here.
- brightball 3y ago
  Technically, non-Christian public schools are more common than any other now. You need to look at the inverse of this though. If people want to be able to ensure that people without the financial means to participate cannot attend, all they'll need to do is attach a religious label to the school and that will ensure that the funds aren't able to be accepted. Creating an exclusivity by proxy. The other issue is the assumption that public funds aren't supporting any religion already. This is a loop hole by claiming that a religion doesn't have an actual deity and therefore is exempt. Meaning, you can teach anything you want as long as there wasn't a deity involved. Mindfulness, for example, comes from Buddhism but is widely encouraged in public schools. It's only allowed because it doesn't claim a deity. The "Church of Satan" goes out of it's way to claim they don't believe in any god. Hedonism goes back to the days of ancient fertility cults that were typically associated with some type of idol worship, but as long as you don't publicize the idol it passes the "no deity" test. The "veil of ignorance" definitely covers use cases along with this. There are a lot of parents who are very aware that belief systems are being taught in schools, deity or no.
  - vacuity 3y ago
    Seems like a stretch to say that the "mindfulness" that schools teach is remotely promoting Buddhism. If that's the extent of "belief systems...being taught in schools", I'm not concerned.

cmurf 3y ago

Government providing $1 to a religious private school is finding favor in that particular religion. Since Christian schools are more common than any other, public funding in any amount is the state promoting that religion above others. A possible work around is the state donates $x to each registered religious organization in that state. Every group gets an equal amount. John Rawls "veil of ignorance" thought experiment applies here.

brightball 3y ago
Technically, non-Christian public schools are more common than any other now. You need to look at the inverse of this though. If people want to be able to ensure that people without the financial means to participate cannot attend, all they'll need to do is attach a religious label to the school and that will ensure that the funds aren't able to be accepted. Creating an exclusivity by proxy. The other issue is the assumption that public funds aren't supporting any religion already. This is a loop hole by claiming that a religion doesn't have an actual deity and therefore is exempt. Meaning, you can teach anything you want as long as there wasn't a deity involved. Mindfulness, for example, comes from Buddhism but is widely encouraged in public schools. It's only allowed because it doesn't claim a deity. The "Church of Satan" goes out of it's way to claim they don't believe in any god. Hedonism goes back to the days of ancient fertility cults that were typically associated with some type of idol worship, but as long as you don't publicize the idol it passes the "no deity" test. The "veil of ignorance" definitely covers use cases along with this. There are a lot of parents who are very aware that belief systems are being taught in schools, deity or no.
- vacuity 3y ago
  Seems like a stretch to say that the "mindfulness" that schools teach is remotely promoting Buddhism. If that's the extent of "belief systems...being taught in schools", I'm not concerned.