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NEWS: Bible Textbook for Public Schools Planned

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posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 02:10 PM
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The Bible Literacy Project of Fairfax, Va. is releasing a text book aimed for Public High Schools that will teach "the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities". The text book is named "The Bible and Its Influence." has received endorsements from experts in literature, religion as well as church-state law.
 



abcnews.go.com
Sep 22, 2005 — An interfaith group is releasing a new textbook aimed at teaching public high school students about the Bible while avoiding legal and religious disputes.

The nonprofit Bible Literacy Project of Fairfax, Va., spent five years and $2 million developing "The Bible and Its Influence." The textbook, to be introduced at a Washington news conference, won initial endorsements from experts in literature, religion and church-state law.

The textbook "shows that it can be done," said American Jewish Congress attorney Marc Stern, an adviser on the effort. "And it will short-circuit people who would take religion entirely out of the public school curriculum."


Please visit the link provided for the complete story.


Although I consider myself a christian, I sincerely cannot find any reason whatsoever that would support bringing a "text" book advocating any one religion into a public classroom.
This seems to be just another attempt by Crhistian Fundementailist to circumvent the laws governeing the separation of church and state.

Related News Links:
www.bibleliteracy.org

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posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 02:36 PM
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This is an interesting situation. The Bible is a perfect example of "classical" literature and its creative writing merits are extensive and cannot be ignored - however, the same can be said about the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Teachings of Buddha, the Bhagavad Gita, ... The list goes on.

That is why most of these works are briefly overviewed in public school classes, rather than examined in depth, as this Bible textbook proposition appears to imply. This system has worked well for decades.

I'm going to go with the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" camp on this one and say that such a class or textbook introduces unnecessary problems into the public school system.

Zip



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 02:50 PM
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In my opinion, if public schools wanted to teach kids about religion at all. They should have high schoolers read "The Worlds Religions" by Huston Smith.

It is very non biased and covers most of the major religions. This singling out of one religion is what makes me feel uneasy about this "text" book.

Just my 2 cents.



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 06:25 PM
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I guess the agenda to bring the bible and religious studies to the school is still going on and have not give up yet.

If this doesn't work I wonder what else will they try next.


I got it "The bible as a book of poetry"



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 06:29 PM
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I suggest Holy Qu'ran to be Next - so that it's a Fair Deal!

OR is Holy Bible More important?

IF there is a Class about Religions, let there be a WORLD Religion Class, not focused on Christianity only.



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 06:33 PM
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Originally posted by Souljah

I suggest Holy Qu'ran to be Next - so that it's a Fair Deal!

OR is Holy Bible More important?


It appears this is supposed to be an unbiased review of the Christian religion and its impact on Western Civilization. Since we are part of Western Civilization, It'd say yes, the Bible is far more important than the Koran. The Koran hasn't had much an impact on our civilization, at least not until 9/11.



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 06:42 PM
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This makes me sick.


If people want their kids to know about the bible, there's bible school for that. I went and learned all about it.

If a further curiosity about Chriatianity is desired, a college course on Religions or Christianity would fit the bill.

This is another pathetic attempt to shove religion down the throats of people and into the public government schools where it has no business being.

Seems like every day, someone's forcing their religious agenda and it's just so lame!



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 08:49 PM
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This is a forced propaganda!! And to our children!! I'm fully against those christians extremist that control this country...
And with the propaganda, they will be able to lead us to another religion war against muslims.



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 08:57 PM
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as taken from the article
"And it will short-circuit people who would take religion entirely out of the public school curriculum."


Amen, errr, I mean very cool.
Reads to me like those who wish to remove religion from every aspect from American society are going to be quite pissed. Great stuff.







seekerof



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 09:16 PM
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Originally posted by Seekerof
Amen, errr, I mean very cool.
Reads to me like those who wish to remove religion from every aspect from American society are going to be quite pissed. Great stuff.


You're Kidding me....right?

That sounds like incitement, Seekerof.

America...correct me if I'm wrong, was instituted as free reign throughout the populace upon the inception of our country. However....what also occured was the seperation of church and state. State mandated education, correct me if I'm wrong, should center more heavily on the ability of the individual to assimilate themselves into popular society....meaning base concepts that can be derived from math...science...history.(despite the very contendable acccuracy/omission)..and even the arts.

Religion is a personal philoshophy that helps an individual deal with the overwhelming human questions (as it should be), and a construct of human morals (as it actually is.) I don't want to begin a debate on the virtues of religion, but the context of societal education and personal identifiers is completely different.

Those who wish to see religion banned from our popular culture (myself included) do not see this as a positive step (I'm assuming.) Those who wish to propagate a base philosohpy into an institution of accepted (and easily verifiable) fact.....are quite simply.....missing the point of what ann integrated society should be. Division at an early age is not the way to go....in my opinion.

I am not short circuited. I rather see ever more clearly the division of society becoming a priority....the more idealogy becomes a base education, the less critical and contextual our young minds will evolve......



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 09:20 PM
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What makes one type of Christianity so much more viable, as a faith, than Pantheism, Deism or Buddhism? Should the public schools be allowed to become indoctrination centers for the children of America? If a book espousing the beneficial aspects of the bible is to be taught, then it had better be careful to not alienate any of the hundreds of faiths based on Christianity.

This smacks of a political manuever and, imo, politics and religion should be seperated. There are seminaries all over United States that serve this purpose. Why foist it in the public schools? Is Sunday School not enough anymore?

What is the purpose behind this scheme? Forced evangelism?



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 09:22 PM
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I don't really think this is a problem, if it is just studied as literature, which it is, just like many other religious books studied in school...the only problem is that, at a young age, kids tend to accept things without really analyzing the value of what is being said, the meaning, difference between fact, truth, and a story...you have to discern that for yourself whenever reading anything, especially with religion.

If it is presented to kids as a "text book", it is treading closely to "brain washing" etc...it really depends on how it is taught, being up to whoever writes the material, as well as the individual teacher. I suspect teachers will throw their own spin on the teaching, either teaching it to kids as a story, or as a truth...which could pose a problem. It will be interesting and probably entertaining to see where this goes, and the disputes that come with it, but I bet the idea won't last long.

[edit on 22-9-2005 by Shoktek]



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 09:28 PM
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Originally posted by MemoryShock
You're Kidding me....right?

Erm, no, I am not.




That sounds like incitement, Seekerof.

And?




America...correct me if I'm wrong, was instituted as free reign throughout the populace upon the inception of our country. However....what also occured was the seperation of church and state.

Might want to read up on that "separation church and state" myth.
Furthermore, this country was founded upon what religious principles?





seekerof



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 09:33 PM
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Our nation was founded in the religious principles that we all free to worship the religion of our choices.

That people has make it a majority Christians is one thing but we all free to have any religious principles we want as under the constitution.

Freedom of religion, no forced Christianity.


[edit on 22-9-2005 by marg6043]



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 09:36 PM
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Really Marg?
I find it ironic that all 50 states acknowledge God in their state constitutions.

Interesting, no?






seekerof

[edit on 22-9-2005 by Seekerof]



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 09:42 PM
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Originally posted by Seekerof

Furthermore, this country was founded upon what religious principles?



I believe it was Deism. I believe that the first settlers from Europe came to America's shores to escape religious persecution.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

But this is leading astray from the purpose of this thread, which is to question the rationality of teaching Christianity in the public school system to kids of unknown religious background via an unknown and unread (by me, anyways) textbook on that religion.

Truth is...we just don't know what that book says. Does anyone?

Maybe it's the 100 Minute Bible.

www.web.mid-day.com...



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 09:43 PM
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Seekerof is only one creator, I have never said it wasn't one, I am just not into the Hebrew god believes, all religions in the world worship a God, with different names but the same creator. I just tried to keep it away from any religious fraternizations or affiliations.


That is my constitutional right my creator is not the one that likes to be worshiped under the name of Christianity.

That's all.



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 09:46 PM
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Originally posted by masqua
[I believe it was Deism. I believe that the first settlers from Europe came to America's shores to escape religious persecution.

Erm, no, incorrect.
That might work for folks like Ben Franklin, etc., but the heritage and principles I refer to are those that are labeled: Judeo-Christian.








seekerof

[edit on 22-9-2005 by Seekerof]



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 09:47 PM
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So you're saying...Seekerof...that Freedom of Religion was a fallacy from the get go?

What might that say about the integrity of everything else our government propagates?

Of course...the fact that 'God' was mentioned in the state constitutions may just reflect on the authors of said constitution.....seems to me that if Freedom of Religion was a concept that was not intended to be a pacification, then 'God' would have been omitted.....

Which leaves us where we began....why exactly should a singular religious concept be propagated as a whole? Where everyone has the idea that Freedom of Religion means that you have a choice? This would be forced subjugation.............

[edit on 22-9-2005 by MemoryShock]



posted on Sep, 22 2005 @ 10:04 PM
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I would be disturbed at the notion that what I have taught my children could be undermined by the machinations of a meddling government. The spiritual leanings I myself have established over the many years of my life are for me to pass on, not by some bored public school teacher who probably has no belief in it at all. It's wrong.

btw
I am not going to, in this thread, get into an off topic dustup over Deism. We'll leave that for Conspiracies in Religion. OK?




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