I’m against teaching religion in the public schools or making any religion, including Christianity, a state religion.

I’ve lived in some countries where a particular religion was the national religion and was taught in the public schools. Usually it wasn’t the Christian religion. Christian families often sent their children to private schools, including ones run by Christian organizations. Many of the families were fairly well-off expatriates who had the money to do so. Others took advantage of home schooling.

I’m a Christian, but I don’t want public schools favoring my religion any more that I want them favoring one I don’t follow. I don’t want public schools favoring any religion. For one, I think it likely that having a religion forced on you would be a way to encourage you to resent it. More than that, I know of few religions more likely to grow when built on private choice than the one Jesus preached, taught, and died for.

Love God with all your being and your neighbor as yourself were the two greatest commandments, Jesus said. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy might. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:35-40)

Jesus commanded his followers to love, as he loved. He allowed himself to be taken and executed rather than choosing conquest and forcing others to accept his kingdom by physical might.

I certainly don’t want to force on others a religion Jesus himself refused to force on anyone.