Evangelical Group To Convert Kids As Young As 5 At Portland Pools, Parks

So you're saying that in his heart he truly believed in Christianity?

Interesting theory.

 

How do you know they don't simply because they don't object to a public education?

 

This is a 1995 (pre-free internet curriculum) survey of what was spent by a few (by today's standards) relatively wealthy families.

I'm open to being convinced by evidence, but this survey is utterly irrelevant.

 

No I didn't say anything close. I did say he was a despot that used atheism for his purposes.

 

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/advice/20041109a1.asp

$2,500 for Internet home schooling.

 

Yes, and if he didn't believe in Christianity, he was an atheist...unless you believe he was an adherent to another organized religion.

Saying "he used atheism for his purposes" implies that he wasn't truly atheist, just using it conveniently. The reality was that he was going to remove all threats to his power and, being atheist, had no compunction in adding religion to that list. A religious despot would likely have kept religion alive but simply controlled the churches.

 

He saw himself as the leader of intelligentsia where it was necessary to express atheism to be a member. In order to have the masses follow his Religion ( Stalinist Communism) he put down all other religions
so that his was the only choice. Does a despot believe he is right? I rather doubt it, too illogical, but then he doesn't need to believe, if he has the power.

 

His intention was only to hasten their entrance to heaven. He and you believe he did them a favor.

 

I didn't see anything in the 2007 survey that indicated that. Also, even if there is some sort of correlation between "middle income" and a higher percentage of homeschooling it could be driven by other factors besides income.

kind of a side point, but the article argues that higher test scores for homeschooling might not actually be an accurate comparison.

 

70 years ago, the religious schools were not superior, even 40 years ago. Today, vastly better and there is zero local control now, so it will only go south. Washington has no business running schools period.
We choose to send the grand kid to Catholic School.

 

2001 (or earlier). getting closer

 

If you call communism a "religion," then you're basically making up your own definitions of words. Drug addiction is a religion. A love of music is a religion. A preference for sunsets and long walks on beaches is a religion.

You can attempt all the mental gymnastics you desire (like "expressing atheism" or "using atheism"). The reality, from all the evidence available to us, was that Stalin was an atheist.

Though, I'm not sure why this is even a point worth arguing. I'd have thought you'd love to stuff Stalin on the atheist side, since religious folks generally love to say "So-and-so was atheist, see, atheism is terrible."

 

You mean like when atheist use the atrocities the Roman Catholics did a thousand years ago and say how Christians are terrible?

 

I thought atheists usually use recent things, like murders of abortion clinic doctors and homophobia.

 

Not on the religious vs atheist debates I've seen. You must have missed it...

But here you are generalizing accounts from a small group to the vast billions. You get a gold star for effort!

 

Oh no sir religion is the origin of politics. Atheism is simply a lack of belief. You don't know that about Stalin, but we do know he wanted others to follow him and to expedite that desire he eliminated the religion the people followed, leaving him and his government the only choice.

 

Personally, I believe that desire for power is the origin of both religion and politics, but then I'm just cynical like that.

I agree, we know that Stalin had a great thirst for power. He chose to go the political (despot) route rather than the religious (despot) route.