Why I Support Religious Freedom

Have you noticed some men who live in your neighborhood wear turbans and some others may always cover their heads by wearing a skullcap? Have you found out that sometimes when you get invited to dinner with a friends’ family, when people sit down around the table, someone starts to pray with gratitude while you are just about to grab the biggest juicy dumplings out there? Have you ever wondered why some people pick groceries labeled with “kosher''? Have you ever been to a temple and lit incense with your family? The things above are all somehow related to world religions. According to the research, about 85 percent of people in this world adhere to some sort of religious traditions or practice. As a 5th grader, I strongly support the idea of teaching about world religions in public schools.

Religion plays a huge part in history, culture and politics in the world. In the past, many wars and immigration waves were caused because of religion. The pilgrims came to America from England because they were looking for a place where they could worship freely without being prosecuted. Religion was a major part in the American Revolution because most Americans believed that the war was “justified on the side of God”. By getting to know world religions, students will have a better understanding of things that happened in the past, and some things around the world happening now.

Knowing about world religions can help students respect themselves and others behavior and choices. You will get a chance to understand people who are different from you, while also being aware of your beliefs and perspectives. You will be more open minded when you look at the world around you. For example, there were lots of anti-Muslim events that happened after 9/11 in the U.S or other countries, but people need to know that Muslim people are not equal to terrorists. If your parents came from China and were brought up to be atheists, you can’t think they don’t have morals because they are not religious. Why do some people go to Church on Sunday and others don’t? Why do some people only buy kosher fruit at the markets? Why do some people wear turbans and others don’t? The simple answer to all those questions is because of their religion and beliefs.

Learning about world religions can help make students understand world literatures and social studies better. We all read classic books, from “Little House on the Prairie '', “Around the World in 80 Days' ' to “Chronicles of Narnia”; there are so many religious elements in the books. As a fervent Japanese anime and manga reader myself, I have learned many things about Japanese religions. For example, Japanese people believe in Shinto (The Way of God). If you’re watching a Japanese movie (ex. Mononokehime) and if you've never studied about Shinto before, then the tree spirits and dust spirits won’t make any sense. In other words, you won’t be able to enjoy the books if you don’t know some of their religions.

As students, we often hear teachers say, “America is a nation built by immigrants”, which means we are all living in a very diverse society. If world religions can be taught in public schools, students will have a better understanding of world history, culture and politics. Also, they will be more open-minded and respect others more. Finally, students get better perspectives when they study subjects such as literature and social studies. In conclusion, I believe that world religions should be taught in public schools.