Facts Vs. Beliefs.

Yes, very well said. I agree wholeheartedly.

And of course, we can not have a "disclaimer" on every post, but everyone here should understand that it isn't practical, nor is it really necessary.

Logical, or critical thinking may need to be taught in schools, I see a lack of it from many of the young noobs here.
Proof for me is a very high standard. The closest I ever get to it is 99.8 or 99.9% sure. Of anything. Until the perfection of human observation is proven to me, that's as high as it will ever go.
It amazes me, too, the conviction with which someone here has stated something is impossible. I've tried on a few occasions to suggest a specific thing is not impossible, only highly unlikely at this time. Since it usually falls on deaf ears, I have chosen to save my breath, well, at least my typing.
This is a good thread, and I hope it receives wide readership.

If one is throwing around that magick is a science, one should treat it as such. Critical thinking is an essential factor of science, any scientific degree will incorporate it into their curriculum.

I was forced to do Critical thinking in college as I got high grades...I hated every minute of it- they were teaching skills which ought to have been obvious in the first place!

The "mixing" of fact with fiction (or belief!) starts in school, especially religious schools, and it starts at a very early age.
I attended a Catholic school, and the facts and beliefs were bewildering! Paris is the capital of France, and Jesus is the son of God. Australia is an island, and God wrote the ten commandments on stone.
In my opinion,the teaching of religion should be kept apart from the teaching in schools. When facts and beliefs are taught together, a child accepts both as truth!

I personally believe Religion has it's place in school, for example we do need to know about Christianity to understand a lot of pre-1900 English Literature, also to understand English history.

I think the issue is not as bad if the schools would all teach about different religions. Mine did. It shows that there are diverse beliefs and that people believe conflicting things- it shows a child that no one is really sure.

But, in science class they are always told that the sun rises n the East and sets in the West and will do so until the sun, or the Earth, is no more.

I was the kid in the classroom who would question everything- my RE teacher hated me dearly, in our last year we focused on Christianity, he was obviously biased being Christian and more or less refused to talk about the old testamant.

Religion was never forced on me as a child and I read the bible out of choice, as a story book, rather than out of devotion. I think that is the correct way to raise a child- allow the information to be available if they want it, but never force it.

I agree with Hadit; and things are now beginning to change in RE education. But that wasn't the case when I was young.It was taught as an undeniable fact that Jesus was God-made-man, in the same "breath" as that London was the capital of Britain!
Yes, all religious beliefs should be taught in schools. But it was not so when I was at a Catholic school. And many children are still taught that way, in religious schools. Catholic, Islam, Jewish.

That's true, thank you haddit. That clears up a lot of stuff. Everybody is different. This is an example. Some people believe in one deity. While others believe in multiple. Some believe in demon some don't. This is a good post.

There are countless Belief Systems! People will always believe what they want to believe. Whether its religion or politics. For example, I believe that afterlife only occurs if you want it to occur. Afterlife isn't a "place", it's a state of mind. If in your mind you have created a "heaven" with white puffy clouds, that's exactly what you will experience. How long? Who knows. Maybe only for a split second and then - poof! Nothing. Or maybe you have created in your mind that nothing will happen, and for you, nothing will. If you believe murdering innocent woman and children is what your god wants you to do, then when you die, you will get your 72 virgins! Whatever afterlife you create in this lifetime is what you will get in the next. As I said, only if it's just a minute fraction of time, you created it, so it's what you will end up with. The reason why main stream religions teach a God with a judgement angle, is so that you don't go around murdering people. Religion is supposed to teach right and wrong. Good and bad. Scary isn't it?

No not really. It's not scary.

Demon, you don't think religion is scary? Read and study the reports coming from Syria; Iraq; Afghanistan; and many countries in Africa! To say nothing about Israel and Palestine!