Well, Steve, I guess I have to admit that I would not send my children to schools that take the literalist view of religion that you describe. One of the things I liked best about the Catholic schools my children attended, was that I was always welcome in the classroom. I was invited to sing and tell stories in all the classrooms every fall, and I occasionally taught a class on something or another. I was very much aware of what was being taught to my children - and it was nothing like what you describe.

And this particular Catholic school wasn't unusual - it was typical for most schools in most dioceses in the United States. No, I can't speak for English or Irish Catholic schools. But the general philosophy of Catholic education in the United States is quite progressive - often more progressive than some public schools that have to water down their curriculum to placate the fundamentalists and other special interest groups.

I knew my kids were getting a good education in Catholic school, that they were being taught to think for themselves. I knew Catholics who preferred to send their children to "Christian" (born-again) schools - mostly because they thought the Catholic schools were too liberal. Many of these "Christian" schools took the literalist approach you decry, doing their best to turn out good, Christian, Tea Party Americans.

My oldest son went to Jesuit High School in Sacramento, where often-wealthy students are required to spend a week with homeless people before graduation. Yes, there were complaints of "socialist brainwashing" from some parents, but the Jesuits kept the requirement.

Steve, I totally reject your view that exposing children to religious tradition is harmful. Much of my Catholic religious tradition is rich and interesting. Even if my children don't practice it, I think they learned a lot from it. Yes, there are extremes that are more like indoctrination than education, but I wasn't foolish enough to send my kids to indoctrination.

But more than that, I find your own view of religion to be rigid, literalist, and doctrinaire - very different from my experience of religion. If that's what you experienced in early life, then I'm sorry that happened to you. But that's not the way that religion is supposed to be. For me, it was fun to grow up Catholic.

I know people who grew up Catholic in India, the Philippines, Korea, several African and Latin American nations, England, Ireland, France, and a host of other nations. For some, it was rigid and oppressive. But for many, it was a rich and enjoyable experience - and they received an excellent education along with it.

-Joe Offer-