Kelly Lenhart

I'm in the same Pagan boat as you, so I'll take a stab from that
perspective.

I think it's a matter of trust. You have to "show" them your faith and
explain it and give them chances to experience it with you. If you do that
from an honest place, with no coercion, then they will at the very least
respect your religion.

(Now this is where it gets tricky.) There are Christians who follow what I
think of as a "coersive" version of Christianity. You must believe exactly
this or you will go to hell. End of discussion. We've all talked to them.
I believe (in my opinion, just my thoughts, any more disclaimers
necessary???) that is an interpretation that is built into the religion. If
you have that interpretation, then no, I don't think you can unschool it.

But, if you can look around and see that others are happy in their faith, or
lack of it, and say, "I think they are wrong but it's their choice," then
you can unschool it.

Frankly, if my son came home and said he had decided he was Christian, in my
heart of hearts, that would be my response. "I think you are wrong, but I
love you so..." Not sure how I'd present it to him, but that's how I'd
feel. I know it's how his grandma feels about our Paganism.

But again, it's a matter of trust.

Kelly

[email protected]

In a message dated 5/1/03 10:51:13 AM Eastern Daylight Time, mina@...
writes:

> (Now this is where it gets tricky.) There are Christians who follow what I
> think of as a "coersive" version of Christianity. You must believe exactly
> this or you will go to hell. End of discussion. We've all talked to them.
> I believe (in my opinion, just my thoughts, any more disclaimers
> necessary???) that is an interpretation that is built into the religion.
> If
> you have that interpretation, then no, I don't think you can unschool it.
>
>

This isn't from my personal experience but I think you can unschool it if you
are willing to let your children make the decision for themselves. Them
knowing what you perceive the consequences to be. Let them decide even if
you think they will go to Hell if they choose a different path. Would be a
hard road to take as a parent. Thinking that your children will end up in
Hell. But I think it is possible.


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unolist

--- In [email protected], Shyrley
<shyrley.williams@v...> wrote:
>
>
> Having been discussing with someone how unschooling affects all
aspects of one's life, not just the learning journey, we were
wondering how religion can fit into this.
> Can you be deeply religious and yet 'unschool'?
> The majority of religious people want their child to follow their
religion. Can you truly let your child make a choice if you believe
that the wrong choice will lead to hellfire or whatever the penalty
> in your religion is?


I try to treat religion for my kids the way I treat education:
Choice. I am a pretty fundamental Christian, and I am that way
because of the free will God gave me. I chose it. I hope my kids
choose it, and they see its importance in my life, but I don't push
it on them. I think pushing it would drive them further away. It's
all about free will and choice to me.

Ang

Shyrley

Having been discussing with someone how unschooling affects all aspects of one's life, not just the learning journey, we were wondering how religion can fit into this.
Can you be deeply religious and yet 'unschool'?
The majority of religious people want their child to follow their religion. Can you truly let your child make a choice if you believe that the wrong choice will lead to hellfire or whatever the penalty
in your religion is?

Now I don't want to start a heated debate and the question is for all religions.
So I'll answer first ;-)
I am a pagan and have certain beliefs that tie into the environment and how to live on the earth. I also have beliefs about spirituality.
As of yet my kids do not share my paganism deep down. They can name deities, know how a circle goes, celebrate the 8 festivals. They are free to choose not to come with me and they are free to explore
other faiths. If they choose the pagan path when older that is up to them. I believe spirituality is a personal thing and while we might wave incense around in company or whatever, what goes on
internally is between a person and the universe.
Whatever my kids choose I will siuport them 100%. Iif they become conservative evangelicals or choose to follow Islam or join that guy who dresses in orange or go to India to find a guru. Whatever. I
know I will not be disappointed cos there are so many different paths in the universe and my children are individuals who will find their own.

Right, someone else's turn....

Shyrley the ponderer


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[email protected]

In a message dated 5/1/03 8:35:58 AM, shyrley.williams@... writes:

<< Can you be deeply religious and yet 'unschool'?
The majority of religious people want their child to follow their religion.
Can you truly let your child make a choice if you believe that the wrong
choice will lead to hellfire or whatever the penalty
in your religion is? >>

I don't think so.

Shyrley wrote: "I
know I will not be disappointed cos there are so many different paths in the
universe and my children are individuals who will find their own."

That's because you believe there are many different paths.

If a family believe there is ONE path to avoid hellfire (your own stated
example up above) they cannot risk anyone getting off that one (narrow) path,
or they risk their own souls and their own relationship with God.

There is a kind of unschooling, though, that can be done, and that would be
living a rich life within the prescribed bounds the parents have set. If the
kids can read anything or watch or do anything which the parents don't
consider to be against their religion, that could be unschooling. They would
unschool and still not really hobnob with heathens or evil elements. They
might unschool creationist science books and resources only. But I don't
think a strictly religious family could really cut loose and trust children
to check out the whole earth freely. Life's too short and if the music ends
while they're dressed in orange in India, hellfire is inevitable.

Sandra

[email protected]

I hate these ding dang labels :) I'm a spiritual explorer <bg> I love taking
truths from everywhere and *diana-cizing* it all together. Which is what
brought me to the UU church :::happy dance::: I've never been so comfortable
in my life ~ I feel like I'm de-churching and I'm certainly un-churching the
kids. They're free to learn, explore, question, reject, embrace... just like
the rest of their life. Our congregation is very, very small [we're in a
bible thumpin town of only 60,000] and there are no other homeschoolers but
we're well received as is everyone else who comes... amazing!

So, no, I don't think you can unschool a prescribed notion/religion if your
way is the *only* way.

diana,
The wackiest widow westriver...
“I'm just a human being trying to make it in a world that is very rapidly
losing it's understanding of being human" John Trudell


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