[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- ACADEMYOFIDEAS.COM -- [ISMAILI DIGEST ED: This otherwise outstanding video suggests "profiting from the truths of the great religions can be accomplished through a personal effort." However, as Hazrat Ali warns us, "To devote oneself to the religious life without being taught is to resemble the mill-donkey going round and round without moving from the place." ~~ Hazar Imam, 1965: "When the Faith is broken down everything goes with it: the family, society, the individual, the intelligence."] ARTICLE: Today many view religion with derision and scorn, considering this as a sign of enlightenment and progress. In a 1937 Yale University lecture titled Psychology and Religion, Carl Jung called atheism the "urban neurosis" and wrote "Among those in the second half of life there has not been one whose problem, in the last resort, was not that of finding a religious outlook on life." Perhaps without some form of a religious outlook man descends into the chaos of nihilism, totalitarianism, and hatred of self and society. And for those who think science has ...

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PRAGERU.COM -- As a therapist, I'm often asked why depression and anxiety are so common among children and adolescents. One explanation -- almost surely the most neglected -- is declining interest in God and religion. A 2018 Harvard study of 5,000 examined how being raised in a relgious family affects the mental health of children. The study found that kids who attended a religious service at least once per week scored higher on psychological well-being measurements and had lower risks of mental illness. Weekly attendance was also associated with higher rates of volunteerism, lower probabilities of both drug use and early sexual initiation, and a sense of purpose. Yet, despite all the evidence that religious involvement leads to positive behaviors, Gallup reports ...

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DISCOVERY.ORG -- [ISMAILI DIGEST ED: Hazar Imam, 2006: "Our goal, then, is not to provide special education for a privileged elite -- but to provide an exceptional education for the truly exceptional."] ARTICLE: Here's the sad truth. 25 countries outperform American students. China places first overall and dominates each subject. Americans are 33rd in math, 23rd in science, and 17th in reading. When in-person school resumed after COVID-19, many states continued with reduced instruction hours such as two-and-a-half-hour school days. And, instead of academic instruction, schools focused on "woke academics" under the guise of the innocent-sounding terms diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice. Equity was redefined as equal outcome [everyone should get the same grades] rather than equal opportunity. Any variations in educational outcomes are chalked up to the education system being systemically racist. Consequently, advanced courses are being removed because challenging high performing students is now considered discrimination. Some schools are doing away with standards altogether. The State of Oregon

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WASHINGTONEXAMINER.COM -- As a result of COIVD-19, by the fall of 2021, 11% of American students were homeschooled, a number that's climbing. Another factor driving parents to homeschool is far-left indoctrination dominating today's K-12 classrooms. For example, students as young as age 5 are asked to select their gender identity and the gender they are physically attracted to. Declining academic standards is another concern. Advanced classes and gifted and talented programs are being removed in the name of "equity," denying high performers opportunities. Even graduation requirements have been reduced -- again in the name of equity. Today, more than 71% of American students lack basic academic proficiency at the end of their K-12 school years. As one parent said: "Now that I've started ...

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