[Laura]

Creaux, I suspect you're talking about a youth group. Youths always manage to make everything about sex. I never went to a large church, but friends in high school who did mainly seemed to use it as a chance to socialize and get into melodramatic relationships with other churchgoers' kids. I guess that's what happens when you hit a critical mass of teenagers.

Even for adults, I think many of them use church (any church) as much as a form of socialization as to get in touch with their religious side. I mean, if you just want to spend some time reflecting on religion, why not do it at home?

Also: The people who go to the conventions are not reflective of the general population. That's true across various situations.

[Creaux]

I sort of figured that was the case, but them being my only interaction with the group, I had nothing else to base my ideas off of.

[Slade]

Sime - That sounds to me like you are saying that it's allright to force one's religion upon another. Is that what you're getting at? Or is it a "Well, you're going to a CATHOLIC school, so one would expect it to be religious based..." thing? Expound!

[Laura]

Well, a private institution can do whatever they want. In state sponsored schools, students should never be forced to attend a religious ceremony. Separation of church and state is essential (but also essentially meaningless in this "sanctity of marriage" obsessed country, unfortunately).

However, private schools can certainly have things like mandatory mass. If you don't like it, go to public school.

[civilian_number_two]

This is really a pointless random thought:

If there were no God, what would the atheists not believe in?

I shouldn't reply like you were serious, since I know better:

If there were no gods (there are no gods) then people would invent them (people invented gods) and atheists would not believe in those invented gods.

If there were a real god, I would believe in it.

[SimeSublime]

Good job Laura, save me a reply

[Dragonspawn]

Well, a private institution can do whatever they want. In state sponsored schools, students should never be forced to attend a religious ceremony. Separation of church and state is essential (but also essentially meaningless in this "sanctity of marriage" obsessed country, unfortunately).

However, private schools can certainly have things like mandatory mass. If you don't like it, go to public school.

well, for your info my schools public! and it still has mandatory mass (every school in the country does, which is bullshit!)

[Laura]

Sorry. I keep responding as if you're in America.

But I feel like if mandatory mass is part of the school, you can't expect to get out of it by saying you're an atheist. I can see possibly if you were part of an opposing religion, MAYBE, depending on how strongly that religion came down against even being exposed to the beliefs and traditions of another religion. I respect that participating in a religious ceremony you don't believe in can make you feel uncomfortable, but unfortunately I don't expect the school administrators feel the same way.

Still, by going to the ceremony, you're not necessarily saying you prescribe to the religion. Especially if it's mandatory.

[SimeSublime]

Failing that you could push your luck by heckling the priest. I wouldn't do it, but hey.

[Diablos]

I agree with Dragonspawn, i also live in Gozo and it is like what he says it is. Everone here is christian, and it is definately forced on everbody.

[Dragonspawn]

well im glad to have a christian from Gozo agree with me, damn the religion here sucks

[SimeSublime]

I find it hard to imagine people forcing beliefs on others. I know it happens, but everyone here is so PC that it seems really odd.

[Dragonspawn]

Well, it happens, and Malta and Gozo are the biggest examples, the only religion here is katholicsm cos its forcd ont everyone, and ive always been a rebel, hey where i born anywhere else i might hae actually been kathlic!