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LOLatChristians
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 Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 12:47 am Post subject: Ga. moves closer on school Bible classes |
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Ga. moves closer on school Bible classes
| Quote: | Georgia is poised to introduce two literature classes on the Bible in public schools next year, a move analysts say would make the state the first to take an explicit stance endorsing and funding biblical teachings. The Bible already is incorporated into some classes in Georgia and other states, but some critics say the board's move, which makes the Bible the classes' main text, treads into dangerous turf.
On a list of classes approved Thursday by the Georgia Board of Education are Literature and History of the Old Testament Era, and Literature and History of the New Testament Era. The classes, approved last year by the Legislature, will not be required, and the state's 180 school systems can decide for themselves whether to offer them.
The school board's unanimous vote set up a 30-day public comment period, after which it is expected to give final approval.
Senate Majority Leader Tommie Williams, the Republican who sponsored the plan, said the Bible plays a major role in history and is important in understanding many classic literary works.
"It's not just 'The Good Book,'" Williams said. "It's a good book."
Charles Haynes of the First Amendment Center, a nonpartisan civil liberties group, has said the Georgia policy is the nation's first to endorse and fund Bible classes on a statewide level.
The bill approved overwhelmingly in the Legislature was tailored to make it clear the courses would not stray into religious teaching, Williams said.
The measure calls for the courses to be taught "in an objective and nondevotional manner with no attempt made to indoctrinate students."
But critics say that while the language may pass constitutional muster, that could change in the classroom if instructors stray.
Maggie Garrett, legislative counsel for the Georgia branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the curriculum approved Tuesday like the Legislation itself is vague.
"They didn't put in any outlines describing what they can and can't do constitutionally," she said. "The same traps are there for teachers who decide to teach the class."
Some teachers might seek to include their own beliefs or be pushed by students into conversations that include religious proselytizing, Garrett said.
During last year's campaign-period legislative session, Democrats surprised majority Republicans by introducing a plan to teach the Bible in public schools. Republicans, who control both chambers, quickly responded with their own version, which passed and was signed into law by Gov. Sonny Perdue. |
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AmericanIdle
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| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 3:30 am Post subject: |
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Welcome....LOLatChristians.
| Quote: | said the Bible plays a major role in history and is important in understanding many classic literary works.
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Especially those it ripped off !
| Quote: | "It's not just 'The Good Book,'" Williams said. "It's a good book."
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Yuk Yuk !! It sure is.....
Numbers 15:
15:32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
15:33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
15:34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
15:35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
15:36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.
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Strafio
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| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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This could actually be good for atheism.
It depends on how the lessons are taught.
If it's treated properly as a piece of literature and if kids are encouraged to study it from the same perspective as they would other myths and legends...
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rickcopeland648
The Phantom Teabagger
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| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Strafio wrote: | This could actually be good for atheism.
It depends on how the lessons are taught.
If it's treated properly as a piece of literature and if kids are encouraged to study it from the same perspective as they would other myths and legends... |
Yes it would. I wouldn't mind seeing it taught alongside other creation myths and stories of cultural identity. Bob price has touched on echoes of polytheism in the Old Testament that I find quite fascinating, and I think those should be taught as well...
But I suspect the same people behind it will be the first to complain when it's pointed out that, contrary to the claim in "Leviticus", hares don't chew their cuds... We all know this is just the same old people trying to snake Jeebus in through the back door...
It's almost as though the southern part of the US is proud of their reputation for being backwards....
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Friend
thinking
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Strafio wrote: | | If it's treated properly as a piece of literature and if kids are encouraged to study it from the same perspective as they would other myths and legends... |
The problem is they aren't being taught the bible along with other religious fiction books such as the Koran, or The Book of Coming [or Going] Forth By Day. In giving the bible a special course all its own, they suggest it a certain sense of special pleading, as if it was above the other fiction books mentioned. What the course should entail is study of all ancient mythology revealed by Archeology, not just biblical, and the course should be called Ancient Texts. |
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Uncertainty
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| Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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Am I the only person who doesn't think the bible is a good book? I see atheists saying it is like it's a fact everyone knows a lot, especially in debates. I think Robert Price once said anyone who says it isn't is dumb or in denial. (I'm sure I butchered that, bad memory  ) |
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Strafio
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| Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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It's not the best written book and out of the entire book, only about 0.1% will be the 'good bits'. It does contain so many classic stories though and is a cornerstone of our culture. The mythology of Genesis, Jesus' parables, the story of Jesus...
I think you guys are right though.
While it's potentially legit, you just know by reputation that it's a bunch of fundies trying to spread their 'good book' by any method they can! 
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SvZurich
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| Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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Welcome LOL!
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redraiderdude187
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| Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 11:58 pm Post subject: |
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I wouldn't say there is anything wrong with teaching the Bible as plain literature, as long as it is taught side by side with other "holy" texts. Where the great ole state of Jor-ja could go wrong here is if that either state partiality to Christianity in public schools, OR if they don't have literature classes for the Qu'ran, the Bhagavad Gita, etc.
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LOLatChristians
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| Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:05 am Post subject: |
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This is a thinly-veiled attempt at brainwashing students and integrating religion with government-funded (and tax-funded) schools.
If they were really interested in educating, they'd incorporate it with the other theological texts of the time. |
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monty
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| Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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| LOLatChristians wrote: | This is a thinly-veiled attempt at brainwashing students and integrating religion with government-funded (and tax-funded) schools.
If they were really interested in educating, they'd incorporate it with the other theological texts of the time. |
I couldn't agree more. I'd be fine with a world comparative religion class - or a critical analysis of the bible class - if I didn't know it was going to be all "wink wink nudge nudge say no more Gov'na!". |
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A_Atheist_named_Christian
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| Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | "It's not just 'The Good Book,'" Williams said. "It's a good book." |
Tell tale sign of someone who has never read it cover to cover.
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Citizen X
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| Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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I see nothing good coming out of teaching history and literature of the New Testament. The only real "history" lessons that can be taken out of the New Testament are located in the Books of Acts and Romans, and are few and far between. Very little pertinent history may be acquired from the rest of the New Testament. As for teaching the literature of the New Testament, are we supposed to believe that the goal here is to teach our kids the "beauty" and the "art" that is New Testament literature? There are numerous "books" that have survived this era that arguably have identical "beauty" and "art", but were excluded from the New Testament or are part of a completely different cult. Why not include the Book of Thomas, the Book of Mary Magdalene, etc.? Because there is an alterior motive. It is not about teaching the history and literature of the Bible. It's about teaching our kids the "written word of god".
As for the Old Testament, there is much history that may be obtained from the first and second Book of Kings. There are other Books that also have a little to offer historically, such as 1st and 2nd Samuel and the Book of Judges. The Book of Genesis has a lot of good stories, but so does my uncle. Should we really be teaching the stories that are the foundation of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity in our schools? And if so, how would this be presented? As fact? As actual history? I seriously doubt that in the good ole US that the populace would allow the Book of Genesis, or any Biblical book for that matter, to be taught as myth in a public school.
If someone were to dissect the Bible and only allow the books or portions of books that actually contain historical value to be taught, I personally would not have a problem. Or if one was to teach the literature of the Book of Psalms, I could somewhat live with that. But to take the Bible as a whole, as it currently exists, and try to establish a class in public school that teaches the history and literature of the Bible with the Bible being your text book, is something that is blatantly a disguise to teach our kids Christianity.
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Ch1mera
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| Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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Our (public) school already has a class called "Bible as/in Literature" which I took. The teacher didn't seem preachy and didn't impose on us to believe it, so I didn't find a problem with separation of church and state.
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