How can I teach acceptance of sexual orientation issues and acceptance of faith when their beliefs do not agree with one another?
You are teaching acceptance of people while also teaching for the awareness of the experiences and beliefs of others. Also, do not assume that because people fall into different groups, that their beliefs are different. We all have common ground and that should be the focus of all teaching in this area.
People without faith in a higher being generally make decisions based on moral grounds – what is right and what is wrong. Faith teachings do the same and include guides as to what is right and what is wrong, most of which agree with what most of society believes morally (killing, stealing, envying others, etc. is wrong) even today. Most faiths teach that we are to love and serve one another and treat others as we would have them treat us (the Golden Rule). We should be able to say that without faith we believe in this same Golden Rule.
It is as unfair to judge any group or religious sect based on the actions of a few who claim to be members of that group (and who may in fact not be) as it is to judge members of a race based on the actions of a few individual members of that race. That kind of thinking always divides us, as was apparent in WWII when Japanese Canadians were moved to Internment Camps, and after the events of 911 when all members of the Islamic faith (Muslim culture) were under attack because of the actions of an extremist group not living the Islamic faith, but claiming it. Knowledge is always power. When in doubt, go to the faith groups, or the organizational groups themselves to find out what they believe and what actions they promote. Listening to those who make judgements and assumptions only serve to divide us, they do not help create a peaceful society.
(For more information on the effects of 911 on members of the Islamic faith in the United States go to
http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/issues/post-911 )
When sexual orientation at the primary level is presented as “there are all different kinds of families and they all have the purpose of creating a loving, caring and safe place for its members” and faith is presented as “there are all different kinds of faiths and they all teach us to love, care for and serve one another”. Then there is no disagreement. The critical thinking piece is that in whatever groups we belong to we should always make sure the focus is on loving and caring for one another. As soon as a group teaches you to hate or act in negative ways towards others you know there is something wrong. Use what your mind and your heart tell you to decide how you should act.
A strategy for building acceptance for diverse family models is to focus on the characteristics of positive families, not who is doing them . Another strategy is to focus on the similarities of our families, not the differences – ex. “Who has someone tell them a story (oral traditions in some cultures) read to them before they go to bed at night? Great. When someone chooses to read to someone else which grandfather teachings or character traits are they demonstrating? Great. Now, who here is the one who tells stories or reads to others in their family? Great, you're showing those grandfather teachings. You are showing your love for your family by serving them in this way. Who else might read or tell stories in families? Reading to others in your family shows you care for them. Read to someone tonight and then come back tomorrow ready to tell your story of who you read to.
What are some other things that members of a positive family do for one another?...
Does it matter who in our families does these things we have been talking about? Does it matter whether our family has 2 or 5 or 10 members? Does it matter where we come from or how much money we make, or whether we have no moms or two moms? No, what matters is that we all love and care for and serve and help one another.”
And for another day...”What if our family does not have these characteristics right now? Just as we are growing as individuals, our families can grow closer together over time if we work hard to make it that way. What can we do to help our families become positive places where we love to be?”
You are teaching acceptance of people while also teaching for the awareness of the experiences and beliefs of others. Also, do not assume that because people fall into different groups, that their beliefs are different. We all have common ground and that should be the focus of all teaching in this area.
People without faith in a higher being generally make decisions based on moral grounds – what is right and what is wrong. Faith teachings do the same and include guides as to what is right and what is wrong, most of which agree with what most of society believes morally (killing, stealing, envying others, etc. is wrong) even today. Most faiths teach that we are to love and serve one another and treat others as we would have them treat us (the Golden Rule). We should be able to say that without faith we believe in this same Golden Rule.
It is as unfair to judge any group or religious sect based on the actions of a few who claim to be members of that group (and who may in fact not be) as it is to judge members of a race based on the actions of a few individual members of that race. That kind of thinking always divides us, as was apparent in WWII when Japanese Canadians were moved to Internment Camps, and after the events of 911 when all members of the Islamic faith (Muslim culture) were under attack because of the actions of an extremist group not living the Islamic faith, but claiming it. Knowledge is always power. When in doubt, go to the faith groups, or the organizational groups themselves to find out what they believe and what actions they promote. Listening to those who make judgements and assumptions only serve to divide us, they do not help create a peaceful society.
(For more information on the effects of 911 on members of the Islamic faith in the United States go to
http://www.pluralism.org/religion/islam/issues/post-911 )
When sexual orientation at the primary level is presented as “there are all different kinds of families and they all have the purpose of creating a loving, caring and safe place for its members” and faith is presented as “there are all different kinds of faiths and they all teach us to love, care for and serve one another”. Then there is no disagreement. The critical thinking piece is that in whatever groups we belong to we should always make sure the focus is on loving and caring for one another. As soon as a group teaches you to hate or act in negative ways towards others you know there is something wrong. Use what your mind and your heart tell you to decide how you should act.
A strategy for building acceptance for diverse family models is to focus on the characteristics of positive families, not who is doing them . Another strategy is to focus on the similarities of our families, not the differences – ex. “Who has someone tell them a story (oral traditions in some cultures) read to them before they go to bed at night? Great. When someone chooses to read to someone else which grandfather teachings or character traits are they demonstrating? Great. Now, who here is the one who tells stories or reads to others in their family? Great, you're showing those grandfather teachings. You are showing your love for your family by serving them in this way. Who else might read or tell stories in families? Reading to others in your family shows you care for them. Read to someone tonight and then come back tomorrow ready to tell your story of who you read to.
What are some other things that members of a positive family do for one another?...
Does it matter who in our families does these things we have been talking about? Does it matter whether our family has 2 or 5 or 10 members? Does it matter where we come from or how much money we make, or whether we have no moms or two moms? No, what matters is that we all love and care for and serve and help one another.”
And for another day...”What if our family does not have these characteristics right now? Just as we are growing as individuals, our families can grow closer together over time if we work hard to make it that way. What can we do to help our families become positive places where we love to be?”