By Mike Appleton, Weekend Contributor
“It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities.”
–Abington School District v. Schempp, 374 U.S. 203, 225 (1963) (Justice Clark)
“The nation is in danger because of its ignorance of what God has taught. . . . If we don’t know it, our future is going to be very scary.”
-Steve Green, Templeton Biblical Values Award acceptance speech, April 15, 2013.
The three children of Edward and Sidney Schempp attended public school in Abington, Pennsylvania in the 1950s. A Pennsylvania statute in effect at the time mandated that, “At least ten verses of the Holy Bible shall be read, without comment, at the opening of each public school on each school day. Any child shall be excused from such Bible reading, or attending Bible reading, upon the written request of his parent or guardian.” The readings were followed by recitation of the Lord’s Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mr. and Mrs. Schempp, as practicing Unitarians, objected that various doctrines contained in the readings violated their religious beliefs and sought to enjoin the exercises as a violation of the Establishment Clause. The Supreme Court agreed, finding that the Pennsylvania law violated the principle of “strict neutrality” required under the First Amendment. Abington School District v. Schempp, 374 U.S. 203 (1963).
But while the Court found the statute unconstitutional due to its openly sectarian character, it emphasized that its ruling did not preclude entirely the use of the bible as a valuable educational source. “Nothing we have said here indicates that the study of the Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as part of a secular program of education, may not be effected consistently with the First Amendment.” 374 U.S. at 225. The test of constitutionality, said the Court, is whether a statute has “a secular legislative purpose and a primary effect that neither advances nor inhibits religion.” 374 U.S. at 222.
In the years since the Schempp decision, a variety of academic programs incorporating the bible have been successfully implemented in public schools in a number of states. But there is about to be one more, and the early indications are that this one won’t pass constitutional muster. The bible curriculum is the newest project of Steve Green, the President and CEO of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., the company currently contesting the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate in the U.S. Supreme Court. And the school board in Mustang, Oklahoma, only a few miles from Hobby Lobby’s headquarters in Oklahoma City, has already voted to offer the course as an elective at Mustang High School in the fall of this year, despite the fact that the proposed textbook has yet to be made publicly available for review. Mustang school superintendent Sean McDaniel has defended the decision, stating that the curriculum “has been through a rigorous review to check for bias and ensure the content is neutral.” He also says that more than 170 students have already indicated a desire to take the course.
Mr. McDaniel’s enthusiasm is premature, because there is mounting evidence that the proposed course will be largely a primer on conservative evangelical Christianity that, despite its likely popularity in Mustang, will be unable to survive a constitutional challenge.
No one can doubt the religious sincerity of the Green family. It has amassed the largest collection of bibles and biblical artifacts in the world, more than 40,000 items. The collection is to be housed in a multi-million dollar museum scheduled to open in Washington, D.C. in 2017. The family has also formed what is known as the Green Scholars Initiative, described on its web site as an organization of “the world’s leading textual scholars to research and produce scholarship around items in The Green Collection while mentoring students in their respective fields of expertise.” But the Green family’s intense commitment to its own brand of fundamentalism does not lend itself to the development of a detached, academic study of biblical topics.
Consider first Steve Green’s own words. Mr. Green was awarded the Templeton Biblical Values Award in 2013. In his acceptance speech given on April 15th of last year he discussed the Green Scholars Initiative and his desire to develop a bible curriculum for public schools, a curriculum which he wishes to become “mandatory” for high school students in the years ahead. And the goal? “The book that we have is a reliable historical document,” he said. “When we present the evidence, the evidence is overwhelming. … Discovery after discovery supports the history, the accuracy of this book.” (Mr. Green’s speech is available in its entirety on You Tube).
The mission statement included in the 501(c)(3) tax filings of the proposed bible museum confirms Mr. Greens insistence on the literal truth of the bible. It reads, “To bring to life the living word of God, to tell its compelling story of preservation, and to inspire confidence in the absolute authority and reliability of the bible.” The chief operating officer of the new museum is Cary Summers, who also served as a consultant for the Creation Museum in Kentucky.
The Green Scholars Initiative, under whom the bible curriculum has been developed, does include some distinguished scholars, but the list is heavily weighted toward evangelicalism and Calvinism. Catholic, Jewish and secular scholars are absent from the list of participants in the initiative.
Most damning of all to Mr. Green’s promise of a non-sectarian course, however, is the textbook itself, a draft copy of which was recently secured by the Freedom From Religion Foundation from an anonymous source. The textbook is based solely upon the Protestant biblical canon, and published excerpts reflect a narrative which is biased and fundamentalist. For example, a section entitled “Bible History” opens with the headline, “How Do We Know That the Bible’s Historical Narratives Are Reliable?” Another section lists the “Holy Grail” and “Noah’s Ark” as “Secrets from Biblical Times Yet to Be Discovered,” as though archeologists merely need to redouble their efforts to confirm these additional truths.
Is the anonymously leaked textbook fraudulent? I have no way of knowing. But it is certainly consistent with the religious views of the Green family. And it certainly fails to meet the requirements of the Establishment Clause.
Sources: “The Ark Encounter Q & A,” http://www.answersingenesis.org (March 14, 2011); Grelan Muse, Sr., “Hobby Lobby president to receive business honor from Bible organization,” Inside the Pew (March 1, 2013); “Hobby Lobby President Steve Green wins Templeton Biblical Values Award,” http://www.wn.com (April 20, 2013); Jon Watje, “School district considers adding Bible course,” http://www.mustangpaper.com (November 13, 2013); Norma Caplan-Bricker, “The Hobby Lobby President Is Also Building a Bible Museum for Over $70 Million,” New Republic (March 25, 2014); Michael Gryboski, “Okla. School District Approves Hobby Lobby’s President’s Bible Course,” The Christian Post (April 16, 2014); Mary O’Hara, “Oklahoma School’s ‘Hobby Lobby Bible Curriculum’ Raises Bias Concerns,” http://www.news.vice.com (April 19, 2014); Hemant Mehta, The (First) 7 Problems with the Hobby Lobby Bible Curriculum,” patheos.com (April 25, 2014); http://www.greenscholarsinitiative.org
The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays of art are solely their decision and responsibility.
The one percenters want to control population? You mean they advocate abortion? Or do you mean they want people to have many children to have a huge workforce that will be so downtrodden they will work like for less than subsistence wages? I’m confused by your comment Samantha.
So the one percenters don’t like Christians and want to silence them? First I heard of that. Isn’t the family that owns Hobby Lobby part of the one percent? I thought the one percenters pushed religion, opium for the masses.
One fact that isn’t given enough weight, is that government is really nothing more than rich men in charge, the one percenters. They make the rules for you to live by while excluding themselves. And going by all the attacks on your personal rights and freedoms, the one percenter G Men all are indeed a paranoid lot. They’re going after your free speech, your guns, your privacy, your religious expression, your freedom to move about, etcetera. They are doing all these things because they see you as a threat, more so if you are Christian, T-partier or conservative — perceived by them as the most dangerous because morality unites. You are less of a threat if they can make you shut up, take your guns away, and monitor your every move. And if they can destroy your sense of morality, well, all the more easy to enlist you to help control population, fund and fight wars, abort and euthenize, and imprison millions — all the while you are not even aware that you are a willing participant, untill the day you wake up and find yourself in line for the slaughter house, too.
Studying the bible certainly could be as valuable as any other of the history, literature, or poetry that we studied in school. The difference, of course, is that students are not allowed to question it, to evaluate it, to use critical thinking skills as they should do with all historic, literary, or scientific interpretations. When ideas are presented as absolute, it is no longer education but simple brain-washing.
Chuck,
I’ll go one further. Anyone who wishes to live in a Theocracy should go live in Saudi Arabia or Brunei. Places that judge their society by their Holy Book. Bu…bu…but these X-tianists are supposed to be against Sharia style laws. They’ve even tried to pass laws outlawing Sharia (aka FAITH BASED) laws in State Assemblies. Of course, it’s never forced religiously based laws when X-tianists do it…
Samantha,
Your last comment expressed both the sense and spirit of the First Amendment. Religion is a private thing, and anyone who wants to manipulate the government into pushing their own religious agenda should, “Just leave people the hell alone.”
Anyone who is a government actor in any official capacity at all needs to leave it at home. That includes schoolteachers, anyone who is required to have a state or federal license (pharmacists, doctors, barbers, accountants, etc.) and public officials, should never, ever, impose their own religious beliefs–or non-beliefs–on the public.
Exactly, don’t push religion down the throat of secular America.
I do understand what causes a lot of the suffering in the world, thanks to my understanding of complex exchange economies, which makes us all guilty by proxy.
Max, what chapter and verse of your source can I refer to that explains the origin of genomes?
I’m no scholar of religion or the bible, but I know lots of people who are, and many who benefit from it far more than they benefit if they were disciples of those who push government for an alternative. I think we should just let people believe in what they want to believe, do what they want to do, let them have the freedom we’re all supposed to have. This is not to say that we should not express our opinion, but it does mean we should make no laws one way or the other.
The one thing that I am sure of when it comes to religion, is that its expression is inversely related to affluence, which in turn is directly related to the amount of suffering in the world. The disciples of exploitation are the scourge of the human race. Ironically enough, no tragically, these same disciples then demean the very people whom they exploit, people who have no where to turn but religion that helps them imagine a better life, salvation, and provides a measure of comfort. Just leave people the hell alone.
Chuck,
I like this woman’s view… Science proves God’s construct.
Hallelujah brother Max! Testify!
Annie,
A “Christian Nation” that:
– Constructs war for
peaceprofits– Tortures and imprisons
– Executes prisoners (sans the lions)
Amen
Ever closer, ” A Christian Nation”. Perhaps not succinct enough,” A Fundamentalist Christian Nation” might be more accurate. For those of us who have eyes, now’s the time to open them.
Ask a creationist to explain Light Speed…
… And distant galaxies billions of light years away.
Ask of them, what chapter and verse can I refer to?
There is no Bible mentioned in the Constitution and there certainly isn’t a Constitution found in the Bible…
ALL history as considered TRUE today, is not necessarily PROVEN, but is in a state of “seems to be proven, unless/until found incorrect”, with the only exceptions being of those current facts that we have easily understood records of. The bible in the English language gets treated as tho “God” himself/herself is actually speaking, but it is only translated text based on what the translator understood from the original. That original is a COLLECTION of writings by various authors. The way they just believe everything they read in that book is really quite incredible. All of us have a deep desire to know what the reality is of our existence and have trouble understanding why we are where we are, so any religion fills that desperate need. But it does not really answer ANYTHING if you ask questions, you are told to ‘just believe’ and then accept the ghastly lives that some poor humans live – where is there any logic in any of this – the only answer to me is that there is no active ‘Godly’ interference in this world, we are on our own. That hurts our ideas of our own importance and the uniqueness we feel we have in comparison to other species on this world. If you look at current science on the subject of what animal species ‘know’ you might start to feel a little less ‘superior !!
‘God’ appears to be just watching the whole thing as an experiment – I do feel that there may have to be a big argument if/when I get to some other existence and find out what this is all about, but it does not make me happy to consider that ‘God’ (who gave me a pretty good life) did not do the same for multitudes of starving, hurting people and animals on this planet. They do not deserve to suffer. Those religious texts are just books, not ‘the truth’, and to think multitudes of people would kill others because they do not follow the right book – how stupid and mean is humanity at times !!!
Sandy, Interesting comment. Can you give more details?
To successfully utilize a ‘snitch’, one must have a mouthpiece for it’s use and a receptive audience to content.
Presentation of a 5,000 page binder to the Department of Justice reflecting egregious fraud, collusion, and harm has gone nowhere for 24 months. I suspect in part because the subject is administration donor.
Sorry – off subject. Merely frustrated with costly, slow ‘justice’ wheels.
Mike,
Thanks for reminding us of the real Hobby Lobby agenda. Their sole goal is to make their bible and their religion the only religion in schools. I hope the Supreme Court is reading this!
Mike, well researched piece. I have a specific take on this. The Gaylor family are the matriarchs of Freedom From Religion. They reside in the secular Mecca of Madison. I have expressed here I support a few of their initiatives but find many bombastic. I tend to agree w/ Gaylor on this. What makes me chuckle a bit is they have snitches feeding them leaked copies of stuff. That actually raises them in my eyes. You need snitches. sources, etc. if you’re going to survive in this culture. I didn’t think Ms. Gaylor had it in her. I’ve been castigated for having snitches and sources by some folks here. As I told them, you can be sanctimonious about back channels, until they help you. I’m going to assume they’re just fine w/ FFR having sources.