I have been doing some thinking as a result of a challenge on social media, and will get a few things down here (briefly: life has other demands):
- informed choice is key to living life, and thus I consider kids should be taught comparative religion, including atheism. Where this should happen I'm still considering - our schools have had so much abusive mainstream religious influence that I think it is wrong to allow any religious influence there, so it is back to parents (and that is certainly what I've seen with step-kids, most of whom couldn't care a hoot about any religion, which is fine);
- religion has NO place in government - and the use of a christian prayer, or any prayer (trying to, for example, rotate through religions is impractical, and would also have to include atheists, and still breaches the principles of secularity), should stop;
- those trying to condemn or comment (especially scientists who are sceptical, not objective) on religion who haven't experienced any religious experience don't know what they're talking about (they are as bad those homophobes/transphobes who think being LGBTIQ+ is wrong or undesirable or unnatural [or "taught" by parents/teachers]), but I actively judge religious experience - yes, it can be moving, powerful, overwhelming even, but you have a mind and a heart for a reason - use them. It wouldn't matter how many and how deep the experiences I had if they were preaching hate: reject them. Not to do so is to go down the Jonestown and similar abusive, insane path. The experience must pass the common sense test of the open-minded (which excludes those who are anti-religion).
