Posted on 03/21/2006 7:13:39 AM PST by Crackingham
A bill that allows public high schools to offer classes on the Bible sped through the House on Monday, passing overwhelmingly with no debate. The legislation, which passed 151-7, would allow high schools to form elective courses on the history and literature of the Old Testament and New Testament eras. The classes would focus on the law, morals, values and culture of the eras.
State Rep. James Mills, the proposal's House sponsor, said the legislation would withstand a court challenge because it treats the Bible as an educational supplement. Under the proposal, the Old Testament and New Testament would be the primary text for each class and the local school board would decide which version of the text to use. Students would also have the option to use a different version of the text.
Has the ACLU been heard from, yet? :)
This sounds reasonable - I wonder if they will really treat the text critically - like pointing out that the Gospels of Mathew and Mark appear to have been copied from a common source.
Never mind the ACLU...what about the hard core evolutionists that populate this board...they'll be screaming about 'destroying the sanctity of the scientific enterprise'...or some such thing...
The end is near!!!! Public education is lost!!!
Public school teachers will approach teaching the Bible the way they approach teaching history.
They will "deconstruct" the Bible by teaching children that the narrative is "mythic", they will compare it on an equal footing with pagan sagas and stories, they will promote the documentary hypothesis, etc.
The Bible should be taught to believers by believers in the context of a believing congregation.
what about the hard core evolutionists that populate this board...they'll be screaming about 'destroying the sanctity of the scientific enterprise'...or some such thing...
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I completely disagree. The so-called hard core evolutionists simply don't want creationism taught in science class.
I confess to being one of the evolutionists (don't know if I'm "hard core" or not), but I am totally behind classes such as this being taught.
I don't think one can adequately understand western culture or its history without some background on the Bible.
If they're going to point out canonical historicity, then it should actually be referenced that Matthew and Luke appeared to use both Mark and another source, commonly called Q, thus resulting in the Dual Source Hypothesis...Q is imputed to be a collection of Jesus' sayings; the similarity of some Matthean and Lucan oral material thus posing the hypothesis...
There are plenty of bad teachers out there, many of whom are already bent on undermining their students' values and belief systems.
Whether you like it or not, the Bible is part of western cultural history. I have no doubt that it can withstand the "deconstruction" you speak of. For the believers, it will not change a thing. For those who don't believe, at least they'll have a better understanding of what the book is about.
Bring it on! (the class, that is)
Do you also worry that evolution is not taught critically?
"If they're going to point out canonical historicity, then it should actually be referenced that Matthew and Luke appeared to use both Mark and another source, commonly called Q, thus resulting in the Dual Source Hypothesis...Q is imputed to be a collection of Jesus' sayings; the similarity of some Matthean and Lucan oral material thus posing the hypothesis..."
Is that a recent analysis - that Mark is an original gospel? When we studied the bible back at my Christian school we were taught that Mark was likely based on another account the teacher called "proto-Mark."
No smiley necessary, you'll hear from them. I wonder why my schools never heard from the ACLU when they were teaching Greek and Roman religions ("mythology").
The only problem I could potentially have with this is if a particular teacher crosses the line from teaching into indoctrination. Otherwise, sounds like a great course that I would have signed up for.
Sad but true.
But the kids can't find Asia on a map and generally aren't being prepared to take care of themselves in this world.
Of course it is.
I have no doubt that it can withstand the "deconstruction" you speak of.
I'm not worried about the Bible.
For the believers, it will not change a thing.
You could not be more wrong. Children are often not yet mature in their faith and have not been confronted by attacks on their motives of belief. A teacher, an authority figure, who makes assertions in a classroom than the child cannot verify and cannot challenge with his own internal resources can sow seeds of doubt and disbelief.
I know plenty of people who claim that they were believers until they encountered a teacher or some other older person who "exposed" the Bible or Christianity to them, destroying their youthful faith.
Adults in authority can do tons of damage.
For those who don't believe, at least they'll have a better understanding of what the book is about.
Again, a public school stands little chance of informing kids as to what the Bible is about. The way the history of America is mangled and distorted in our public schools supplies a preview of how the Bible narrative will be treated.
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