[email protected]

Hi, I'm a relatively new member of this group, and I've been trying hard to
be patient and read for a couple of weeks before responding, but I just
couldn't wait.

I've enjoyed reading all the messages very much!


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

In a message dated 12/9/2003 9:26:00 PM Eastern Standard Time,
marbleface@... writes:
Respect for how families
approach these deeply personal subjects, it seems to me, would be an
important part of unschooling. Acknowledging that not every family will do it
like
yours. Some of us are not religious at all, some are, some have had good life
experiences, some deeply traumatic -- all of these things and more inform how
we
unschool and live.
I couldn't agee more. In response to "Can religious people be unschoolers?"
Isn't "religious" a pretty broad term. My dictionary defines it as
"manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality." Using this
definition, I think a lot of us might be more "religious" than we think. lol.

--Jacqueline


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

In a message dated 12/9/03 9:20:12 PM, ivorygrace7@... writes:

<< In response to "Can religious people be unschoolers?"
Isn't "religious" a pretty broad term. My dictionary defines it as
"manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality." Using
this
definition, I think a lot of us might be more "religious" than we think. lol.
>>

Yeah, some of used to joke years ago that we were becoming nuns in the Church
of John Holt. <g> For a while there were a couple of places where religion
was the only legal reason to homeschool, so we grabbed that as "religion." But
it was a joke.

<<Respect for how families
approach these deeply personal subjects, it seems to me, would be an
important part of unschooling. >>

Claiming respect for things we don't really respect is only a part of
hypocricy and dishonesty. I don't "respect" a family's right to spank, ground and
shame their kids into blubbering lumps of future crime and degradation. Yes,
they have the legal right to do that, but I sure don't respect the way they
approach that deeply personal subject.

Sandra

Ren

"I don't believe the Bible is literally true, though at one time I did.
Reading more about the history of the Bible and then reading other religions'
sacred texts cured me of the idea that the Bible was something really unique and

special. It's a collection of things of varying relative values, and not a
monolithic item created in a moment by a clear-eyed entity. "

Yes.
And beyond the Skeptics annotated bible, one should really bone up on history! Understanding Constantine's influence on Christianity, some of Paul's agenda and the influence of Mithraism at the time is hugely eye opening. Interestingly enough, Mithra was born of a virgin mother (in a cave) performed many miracles and paralleled the Jesus story over and over in many ways. Mithraism was the leading religion at the time and I believe it influenced the stories about Christ.

But that's a whole nuther topic.
I have enjoyed your transformation Sheila...many of your changes and questioning have paralleled my own, I just went through it a few years ago. I came to the conclusion that I am not a Christian, that there is no hell but that which we create for ourselves and that my spiritual self is better served by not being religious.:)
Interestingly enough, I do go to church most every Sunday now. Unity has drawn me with it's openness and focus on healing and joyful living. They have classes on everything from Buddhism to Ancient healing, Yoga and Chakras etc...
I went to church alone for a while, Sierra joined me some. Then dh started coming and now Trevor (14) has come for two weeks and joined the youth group.
He had been craving more teen interactions and I'd mentioned the teens there several times. Church just didn't sound good to him yet. Last week he excitedly told me one of the guys there loves Adult Swim and shared his belief that hell is a control method of religion.
He seemed surprised that church folks were so open minded....I just said "cool, I'm glad you found some likeminded people", but I was thinking "I told you so"...snark, snark.

I knew it was the church for me when Sierra informed her "teacher" (more like an adult friend that brings cool art stuff and hangs out with them) that she wanted to be a devil for Halloween and Judy whipped out a pair of red devil horns and said "why don't you be a devil today?"
Dh and I looked at each other and thought "we're HOME"...hehe.

Ren

J. Stauffer

<<<<Unity has drawn me with it's openness and focus on healing and joyful
living.>>>>
*******************************************

I have had the same experience with Unitarianism. I started going by
myself, then one kid started, and eventually all 5 started asking on
Saturday night if I would get them up on Sunday morning so they can go to
church.

Dh isn't as thrilled. He is the lone conservative in the bunch and simply
doesn't spend to much time thinking on spiritual matters, although he
doesn't mind us doing it.

Julie S.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ren" <starsuncloud@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 10:37 AM
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] extreme behaviors


>
> "I don't believe the Bible is literally true, though at one time I did.
> Reading more about the history of the Bible and then reading other
religions'
> sacred texts cured me of the idea that the Bible was something really
unique and
>
> special. It's a collection of things of varying relative values, and not
a
> monolithic item created in a moment by a clear-eyed entity. "
>
> Yes.
> And beyond the Skeptics annotated bible, one should really bone up on
history! Understanding Constantine's influence on Christianity, some of
Paul's agenda and the influence of Mithraism at the time is hugely eye
opening. Interestingly enough, Mithra was born of a virgin mother (in a
cave) performed many miracles and paralleled the Jesus story over and over
in many ways. Mithraism was the leading religion at the time and I believe
it influenced the stories about Christ.
>
> But that's a whole nuther topic.
> I have enjoyed your transformation Sheila...many of your changes and
questioning have paralleled my own, I just went through it a few years ago.
I came to the conclusion that I am not a Christian, that there is no hell
but that which we create for ourselves and that my spiritual self is better
served by not being religious.:)
> Interestingly enough, I do go to church most every Sunday now. They have
classes on everything from Buddhism to Ancient healing, Yoga and Chakras
etc...
> I went to church alone for a while, Sierra joined me some. Then dh started
coming and now Trevor (14) has come for two weeks and joined the youth
group.
> He had been craving more teen interactions and I'd mentioned the teens
there several times. Church just didn't sound good to him yet. Last week he
excitedly told me one of the guys there loves Adult Swim and shared his
belief that hell is a control method of religion.
> He seemed surprised that church folks were so open minded....I just said
"cool, I'm glad you found some likeminded people", but I was thinking "I
told you so"...snark, snark.
>
> I knew it was the church for me when Sierra informed her "teacher" (more
like an adult friend that brings cool art stuff and hangs out with them)
that she wanted to be a devil for Halloween and Judy whipped out a pair of
red devil horns and said "why don't you be a devil today?"
> Dh and I looked at each other and thought "we're HOME"...hehe.
>
> Ren
>
>
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>

Devapriya

Thanks you all! for the clarification on condoms and conversation.
Sorry for any doubt. I just really feel for all the children in the
messy situations, as I KNOW all of you do too.

I'm really happy for all the kids who get to grow up in your families
and for all the ways in which they will touch other peoples lives.

Kathy