Quote:Banning religious schools is way short of stamping out religion.
Just like putting Jews on a train is way short of exterminating them. It is merely the first step. Either way, it is still a denial of freedom. Given that all the arguments in favour boil down to 'religion is evil', I find it hard to believe any of you would stop if given any real power.
Quote:I still fail to see how this would impede religious freedom, people are still free to practice whatever religion they like
But they aren't free to practice it how they want to practice it. They are only free to practice it how you allow them to. That is not freedom.
Quote:I maintain that it's a detrimental thing to do
Other people maintain that it is a good thing. While others maintain that it is a bad thing to allow children to attend secular schools because it creates division. Fortunately we live in a free society where we can choose for ourselves how to bring up our children, regardless of what interfering busy-bodies think of our choices. Unless you can demonstrate actual harm to the children, you have no grounds for stealing them from their parents.
Quote:it creates an "us" and "them" mentality, and when it's done so in a developing brain it's very, very difficult to change that mentality. This is why religions prosper.
There are many reasons why religions prosper. That is a long way down the list. You are misrepresenting religion in order to justify denial of religious freedom.
BTW, there are plenty of organisations and institutions in our society who separate people to an equal extent, such as clubs, fraternities, cliques and political parties. Do you want to ban them as well, or are you just clutching at straws for a reason to deny people freedom of religion?
Quote:Is there really a difference between segregating kids based on religion and segregating them based on socio-economic status?
The reasoning is different. Parents also have the right to segregate their children based on socio-economic status.
Quote:Its the same logic, in approaching ISLAM, in being 'tolerant' of ISLAM, imo.
Not quite Yadda. Do you realise that by being intolerant towards Islam and encouraging legal and political intolerance, you are actually validating the legal intolerance of Sharia law?