Non-Catholic Role Models

[scardella]

I got into a discussion with a friend of mine, and this topic came up....so I figured I'd ask.

He argued that (and I'm simplifying for the sake of the discussion) you should present admirable non-Catholics as worthy role-models in religion classes. He specifically mentioned Ghandi and Martin Luther King.

I argued that if they're not mature enough, it could wind up sending a confusing message to the students. It may lead them to believe that religions are roughly equivalent, and whichever way you want is ok.

What do you think?

[peach_cube]

There are so many Catholic role models that need to be known, I wouldn't want to push them out in favor of a non-catholic. Besides Martin Luther King and Ghandi will get tons of "airtime" in this secular world. Kids that go to CCD are usually going to a public school, and the public school will not go into the lives of saints.

Besides, I think that for a kid some of the things that the saints did are far more exciting and easier for kids to understand.

[Guest Eremite]

I agree with your logic. The purpose of a Catholic religious class is to impart, well, the Catholic religion. What better way to do so than by holding up great Catholic figures.

As a compromise, you can throw in a few non-Saints, such as Frank Sheed, GK Chesterton, John Cardinal Henry Newman, etc.

[Cam42]

[quote name='scardella' date='Aug 7 2005, 06:20 PM']I got into a discussion with a friend of mine, and this topic came up....so I figured I'd ask.

He argued that (and I'm simplifying for the sake of the discussion) you should present admirable non-Catholics as worthy role-models in religion classes.  He specifically mentioned Ghandi and Martin Luther King.

I argued that if they're not mature enough, it could wind up sending a confusing message to the students.  It may lead them to believe that religions are roughly equivalent, and whichever way you want is ok. 

What do you think?
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I think that some are and some are not. If they are in harmony with Catholic thought, then sure....there would be no problem. A great example does come to mind.....C.S. Lewis (never converted).

[annie]

Excellent point, and if Lewis had lived much longer, I think he WOULD have converted....

[Colleen]

There are so many great Saints, so many great examples out there. I agree that it would most likely cause confusion for children if secular examples were given, especially within the context of a religion or CCD class. There's a time and a place for acknowledging the great things that people like Dr. King or Ghandi did. But that place would not be a Catholic religion class.

You can find tons of role models by examining the lives of the Saints . . . great thinkers, writers, priests, nuns, children, elderly, rich, poor, kings and queens, beggars and cripples . . . people who were just like you and I, struggling to do what's right and further our relationship with God. Many of them, like Dr. Martin Luther King, did great things for others, such as working for social justice (like St. Martin de Porres for example). But what makes this particular Martin (St. Martin) really extraodrinary is that he not only cared about helping others gain social justice, he cared about serving God through the Church and living a holy life as well.

I think that within the context of a religion class, where the whole purpose of the class is to help children grow in knowledge and love of God and His Church, that the Saints should be primary examples of doing great things for God and most importantly, living a holy life and gaining eternal happiness with God in Heaven.

[Kilroy the Ninja]

Unless one is ready to get into the "Salvation outside the Church" discussion with children - not recommended - then really one should stick to Catholic saints.

Which is not to say that there are not good people/examples outside the Church, but it might open up a nice big bucket of theologic worms when a child asks if Ghandi and MLK are in heaven. (The correct answer being, "We hope and pray they are.")

That being said, there are many modern Catholics who can be held up as shining examples of worthy role-models.

[dspen2005]

it is vital that children/students in CCD classes have pride and appreciation for Catholic role models-- saints, martyrs. As someone said earler, MLK, Ghandi, and other non-catholics who did immense good will have airtime via media and secular world. CCD is a Catholic course and so it is reasonable to expect that CATHOLIC subjects/individuals will be discussed.

[scardella]

I just looked up some of Ghandi's stuff to see if it was compatible with Christianity, and I found direct quotes from his works that are in conflict with Christianity within 5 minutes. I think there's also a misguided attempt by some people to make out "great" people such as MLK or Ghandi as being "virtually" Catholic or Christian or Christlike, which ultimately serves to muddle the issue for people who don't know any better.

Edited August 10, 2005 by scardella

[sweetpea316]

And then there's Brett Favre.... does he count?