Religion in Schools and the Effect on Students

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

I don't actually know how careful we have to be now, religion discussion have had a bad reputation in the past. Your starter post has kinda objective approach, and I find it good and will try to go with it.

So, here in Finland most of us are taught Christianity at school, and other religions are quite ignored. The 6-13 year old Ala-aste (Lower Level) students don't really know anything about the alternatives. The effect of this can be argued, little children aren't supposed to be able to choose their religion. We have 9 years of compulsory education here in Finland, and only one year, the 7th form (children usually go there whan they are 13) is the only year there we are taught other religions as well. Then we have this "Elämänkatsomustieto", a word monster meaning something like "The Attitude of Life Philosophy" which can be chosen instead of religious studies, I don't actually know who is to decide which one the child is learning.

I don't recall anybody teasing anybody too openly because of the religion at the schools where I've gone to, except for a few cases. But they do talk bad about Laestadianists, denominationalists and such with friends. And my mates were a bit surprised when they found out I wasn't going to confirmation school. One atheist said they go to confirmation school in order to laugh at the Christianity and that made me wonder too. I was a polytheistic plus I wanted to be different and that's why I didn't go. Now I am sceptic, but, paradoxially, like to speak about religions with pathos. My worst mistake is the attitude "If you're a Christian, why don't you do everything as The Bible suggests?" and that's a critical mistake because it's impossible to perfectly follow The Bible.