The Kentucky Senate is poised to pass a bill allowing the Bible to be taught in public schools. Sen. David Boswell (D-Owensboro) modeled the bill on a Texas measure.
While Boswell insists that “the purpose is to allow the Bible to be used for its literature content as well as its art and cultural and social studies content,” the ACLU insists that legislative statements reveal an intent to establish religion. There is no constitutional barrier to the Bible being included in material that looks at a variety of religions or legal sources. However, to the extent the effort is to establish religion or has such an impact, it could lead to litigation.
For the full story, click here.
LOL – Wonder if they’ll give the Torah and the Koran just as much face time as the bible …
Thanks Ecookie, I am going to sleep better knowing that I am being watched over.
“Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction.” – Blaise Pascal
“You can’t run a country by a book of religion
Not by a heap
Or a lump
Or a smidgeon
Of foolish rules of ancient date, designed to make you all feel great while you fold, spindle and mutilate those unbelievers from a neighbouring state ” – Dumb All Over by Frank Zappa
empirecookie–
I found that story hard to believe at first–so I checked it out and found an another article about it at CBS News.
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/02/19/crimesider/entry6223385.shtml
What were those school officials thinking? Or were they thinking???
empirecookie – Thanks for the link to the following story — a “must read”:
School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home
By Cory Doctorow at 11:49 PM February 17, 2010
If they teach the bible as literature, will they teach Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason as well. Now we all know the answer to that.
Oy,check this out:
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/02/17/school-used-student.html
Off topic–but related to religion and education:
From The Texas Tribune (2/19/2010)
Meet the Flinstones
by Ross Ramsey
Excerpt:
Nearly a third of Texans believe humans and dinosaurs roamed the earth at the same time, and more than half disagree with the theory that humans developed from earlier species of animals, according to the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.
The differences in beliefs about evolution and the length of time that living things have existed on earth are reflected in the political and religious preference of our respondents, who were asked four questions about biological history and God:
• 38 percent said human beings developed over millions of years with God guiding the process and another 12 percent said that development happened without God having any part of the process. Another 38 percent agreed with the statement “God created human beings pretty much in their present form about 10,000 years ago.”
• Asked about the origin and development of life on earth without injecting humans into the discussion, and 53 percent said it evolved over time, “with a guiding hand from God.” They were joined by 15 percent who agreed on the evolution part, but “with no guidance from God.” About a fifth — 22 percent — said life has existed in its present form since the beginning of time.
You can read the rest of the article here:
http://www.texastribune.org/stories/2010/feb/17/meet-flintstones/
Sorry–I misspelled empirecookie!
empircookie–
Pastafarianism sounds good to me. I’ve been studying the rites of Rigatoni. I’m ready to make my sacred vows of Vermicelli. I can’t wait to be Marinara-ied!
Perhaps I can convert you to Pastafarianism …
http://www.venganza.org/about/open-letter/
ECookie,
The only time I recall the Flying Spaghetti Monster was after I took part in the various ceremonies celebrated at the Flying High Maple Leaf Torch. Then we were all branded as such…..
How are you doing this fine day….
When I was in high school, the bible was used in various courses (Ethics as well as literature classes). As I recall, the people who had a problem with it were those who were quite religious–they had trouble bringing the same critical thinking to it as they did to the other works utilized. It seems to me that the people sponsoring this type of legislation have not really considered whether they want their children learning to think critically about the origin and contents of the bible.
AY, you forgot the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Go figure! We in a left-wing, socialistic/communistic, liberal, elitist, heathen northeastern commonwealth are way ahead of the Kentucky educational system–Biblically speaking. Teaching the Bible as literature has been part of our the Massachusetts English Language Curriculum Framework for at least a decade.
This framework went into effect way before Scott Brown was elected senator!
Heck, enjoy yourself. Believe it or not, we still have a little snow on the ground here in Texas.
Hi AY,
I’m currently in the bosom of my family so my PC time is limited to occasional peeks. Damn it’s cold up here and somehow the snow no longer rouses my romantic instincts.
Good Morning, Mr. Spindell.
Ah hell, man you mean they are just going to teach the bible. I think L. Ron Hubbard should have his books, all of em read in English Literature. Then maybe Zoroastrian as the advanced course in Miracle with a little Wiccan to flavor the pot then go back to the root of Christianity for a full roast flavor. It should not be taught as just an elective. They should also tithe as well and the proper purpose of tithing and how the money is really spent. This would make them want to start there own churches. Yacth’s TV’s, Entertainment, Vacation homes in multiple locations. Servants of the lord, Man Servants, Maid Servants…..It is all there’s for the taking.
The trouble with living for awhile is that you begin to see the same patterns emerge time and again. Those who believe in fundamentalist religion return each generation with the same nonsense and since their audience has no historical reference points, the same attempts to undermine our constitution get replayed over and over throughout America’s history. The bible does not belong in public schools. Each person’s religious belief should be dealt with outside the public arena.
Nevertheless, the fundamentalists are really about gaining political power and will use any strategem to achieve their aims. They deal in ignorance, with a following steeped in ignorance and willing to believe their eternal life is involved with issues that have little resemblance to the philosophies that spawned them. This is clearly ignorance since in their holy scriptures they have the source materials, but are content to listen to the interpretations of sociopathic leadership. It gets tiring as one lives a long life to have to continue to re-fight the same battles, with yet a new generation of ignorant fools.