Thread: Is catholic school brainwashing?

Originally Posted by dreamingofdreaming

Well, I see your point, but, I just disagree

I do not think those concepts are too complex or should be restrained from being taught to children. Thats like saying that, the pledge of allegience, our government structure, foreign languages, astronomy, science etc... are too complex to teach children.

Perhaps you happened to go to a very strict and forceful Catholic School, I can't argue with you there. However, having grown up in the Catholic education system and known several friends/peers who have gone to different Catholic schools, it is clear to me that none of us experienced any kind of forced learning or "brainwashing" to believe in one and only one thing. Like I mentioned earlier, we would have Theology classes, it was in these classes that ALL religions were discussed. Yes, obviously, Catholicism was pushed, but not forced.

Really, the only differences between public schools and Catholic schools is that C schools have more of a focus on a certain range of beliefs. Theology classes are added to the curriculum (instead of shop/cooking/sewing) Masses are held once a month, and some C schools have uniforms. Everything else, sports, dances, prom, pep rallies, track meets, science contests, art shows, plays, science (including Darwinism) etc... are all the same

Yeah I see what you are saying.. If my school had a theology class instead of just a Christian only class then I would not have minded so much. Also science, astronomy, government structure and languages are not so subject. I dont like that we are taught and made to say the pledge of allegiance either but dont want to get to that.

"Everything else, sports, dances, prom, pep rallies, track meets, science contests, art shows, plays, science (including Darwinism) etc... are all the same" not at all catholic schools... I don't go to catholic high school though, so I don't know how our local catholic school is like...

I spent four summers during college getting to know the school systems, public and private, in eight or ten different cities in Delaware, Mississippi, Georgia, and Alabama, by talking to a thousand or so families in each community.

My experience of Catholic schools is, in the North where most people send their kids to public schools, Catholic schools are mostly attended by Catholic kids and the religious/cultural side is more pronounced. Maybe, together with family life, it constitutes a degree of brainwashing, though a lot of the adults I know who went to Catholic school are kind of "ethnically Catholic" in the way most American Jews are ethnically Jewish--it's more a cultural identity and set of traditions that they accept than a religion that they believe in.

In the South, however, where nearly all white kids and middle-class or higher nonwhite kids in a lot of communities go to private schools, Catholic schools are often among the least expensive and best-reputed options. They tend to be the most diverse (often the only remotely diverse) private schools, attracting many non-Catholic students, and the most open-minded religious schools, compared to their evangelical counterparts.

I wouldn't be surprised if most Catholic schools generate more skepticism toward religion than the public schools, where the topic is taboo, and so more skepticism in general at a younger age. They tend to have solid reputations, academically.

I went to catholic school for Kindergarten and first grade.
I thought it was pretty liberal as far as catholic schools go.

we didnt have uniforms or tests. we discussed the bible and shit but it wasnt crammed down our thoughts.

I actually have some pretty good childhood memories from there

Originally Posted by Matt5678

I went to catholic school for Kindergarten and first grade.

Shit man... you alright?

I doubt there is anymore brainwashing going on at a catholic school than a normal public school. Though perhaps that is open to debate. I am sure you wouldn't want to go if you were a different religion but there is nothing wrong with a catholic school if your catholic. Its kind of like going to church every week. Going to church normally isn't considered being brainwashed.

Originally Posted by Alric

I doubt there is anymore brainwashing going on at a catholic school than a normal public school. Though perhaps that is open to debate. I am sure you wouldn't want to go if you were a different religion but there is nothing wrong with a catholic school if your catholic. Its kind of like going to church every week. Going to church normally isn't considered being brainwashed.

Actually, plenty of non-Catholics go to Catholic schools, simply because they're good schools.

That is true as well. I personally wouldn't mind having to listen to the religious stuff, if it meant a far better education.

Going to church every week may not be brainwash, but think about this: went to Catholic school from k-12 grade. I have at least 100 different phrases and songs stuck in my head pertaining to spirituality. True it didn't keep me catholic, but I've always questioned things and though about things way too much.

I didn't really mean brainwash like Clockwork Orange or something. I was just thinking of how this is just one more way people get stuck with their families religion, rather than thinking for themselves. Because of this most people never really end up with much spiritual understanding. I'm not saying that you have to change your beliefs just to be different, but you have to think about them and decide for yourself if they make sense to you.

Sorry if this makes no sense, I am very high.

Perhaps what you should ask yourself is whether Catholic brainwashing is educational.

All religions push faith on children. It is brainwashing, but there isn't much you can do about it.

Well that happens regardless. If I tell you an opinion and you just believe it, that isn't brainwashing. If you think it is, you might as well say no one should ever teach people anything.

Originally Posted by Alric

Well that happens regardless. If I tell you an opinion and you just believe it, that isn't brainwashing. If you think it is, you might as well say no one should ever teach people anything.

One is taught by showing an example, the other is taught by pretending an example exists somewhere but you wont see it until you die.

I answered "B"

Although I didn't go to catholic schools... I went to Christian schools.

Yeah, I went to one, one guy got a detention for writing an essay on why God shouldn't exist
I mean it depends on the school, but on general I find that my school was COMPLETELY catholic, but thankfully that was also one of it's flaws.
Because it was so ridiculously Catholic, the moment I started questioning anything the whole thread unravelled and I saw how ridiculous religion is, I'm atheist because I went to a Catholic school,

Forcing / Teaching a child about religion is corruption of a minor.

But its okay since religions runs / rules everyone.

Gotta love that more than half the poll is in the "I don't know what I'm talking about, but it's bad, mmmkay?" crowd. You people understand that the Church more or less invented primary education as we know it?

I never went, but one of my brothers did. If it is brainwashing they are doing a very poor job of it since seems like a lot of the anti religious people I know went to catholic school

I think I've found the answer.

I went to a catholic school and it is definitely brainwashing. We had "Religion" class which was the most bogus thing in the world. The only religion we learned about was Catholicism and any other views were completely shot down.

I went to a Christian school, and it wasn't that bad. We had in-school church every Wednesday, and aside from that, the only difference was better morals than most schools. No uniforms, and most classes had nothing to do with God, or Christianity. I was raised to be religious, but I seem to be drifting from my beliefs. I still believe in some sort of higher power, I just refuse to believe traditional Creationism that is tought to children. Some schools are a lot more serious about it I suppose, and maybe my lackluster Christian education is the reason why I'm not very religious at all. That, and I left and went to public school in the 5th grade.

I don't agree with what they're doing, trying to force kids to believe in their teachings instead of letting them decide for themselves. If there weren't extremist ones like the ones I hate, and most people hate, this wouldn't really be a problem.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

Originally Posted by Taosaur

Gotta love that more than half the poll is in the "I don't know what I'm talking about, but it's bad, mmmkay?" crowd. You people understand that the Church more or less invented primary education as we know it?

Taosaur, I don't know how you do it but I'm always quoting you for truth.

EDIT: Apparently, I suck at reading.

Originally Posted by Demon Parasite

Why is there no option for "I went, but it's not brainwashing" on the poll?

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/me points to the attachment

Originally Posted by no-name

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/me points to the attachment

Wow, I read it incorrectly. I feel stupid now, heh.