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I don't understand why we should not let our RES'es in direct sunlight?

You should not put the tank in direct sunlight inside (like by a window) because it will heat the water up really fast but when the weather is nice outside like 70 and sunny you can take your RES outside as long as you watch him/her closely- because of predators and making sure they don't escape- and make sure they have shade to get out of the sunlight when they want! I was told to get a baby pool and put some water in it and scatter leaves around on top so they'd use those as they're source of shade! I'm sure others have some great "taking your RES outside" ideas!

Direct sunlight is great for them, assuming they get it safely and they can't escape. Don't ever put them in a glass aquarium, however, as the water will heat up too quickly and can easily become downright dangerous. If they are in a container, part of it should be shaded so they can get out of the sun if they want to. And it's best to supervise them while they're outside.

Hey there, I have my turtle in a baby pool also, it is blue and she loves it in there, I have a stone in the middle so she can get out of the water, half in the shade and half in the sun. I made her a wooden cover that goes over half her pool at all times so she can be in the shade if she pleases.

I have my tank right at my window but I get very little sun not nearly enough to heat the water up. I had at first put the tank near the window thinking the sunlight would help with the UVB rays but since I found out it doesn't I plan on getting me a UVB bulb tomorrow.

Is the glass filtering the UVB rays?

Yes, glass will filter the UVB rays.

If i have ~3-4" of a 55 Gal tank, (48" across) infront of a window with a shade, only little specs of light would come though, i dont think i should have an issue right? I'll monitor temps closely as always.