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Trump praises Bible literacy classes in public schools amid legislative proposals in states
Christian Post ^ | 01/29/2019 | Brandon Showalter

Posted on 01/29/2019 8:00:44 AM PST by SeekAndFind

President Donald Trump thinks it is "great" that the option of Bible classes is returning to public schools.

"Numerous states introducing Bible Literacy classes, giving students the option of studying the Bible. Starting to make a turn back? Great!" the president tweeted Monday.

Numerous states introducing Bible Literacy classes, giving students the option of studying the Bible. Starting to make a turn back? Great!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 28, 2019

In six states across the nation, bills to allow the Bible to be taught in the classroom, not as theology but on "Bible literacy" and historical grounds, are being considered.

In an interview on Fox and Friends Monday morning, North Dakota state representative Aaron McWilliams explained that the bill is important because it permits students to study what provided the foundation for American society, including how it informed the Constitutional Congress.

Yet groups like Americans United for Separation of Church and State are opposing the measures, asserting that they are part of a scheme to impose Christianity on public school students.

While separation of church and state is important, McWilliams said, it is impossible to separate books from education, citing a 1963 Supreme court case in which the high court ruled that it was permissible to do Bible-reading in school provided that it was done from historical and literary context.

"As long as we're not teaching faith in the school, we can go for it," he said, noting that the proposed Bible literacy class is not compulsory, but an elective.

"When you look at the Bible on its influence on our history, the system of judges comes from Exodus 18," he added, referencing principles in the legal system that have biblical roots.

In Missouri, state representative Ben Baker filed a bill to allow school districts in the state to teach the Bible as an elective.

"The history of our country, a lot of it is tied to principles that are there, and so, from a historical perspective, and it would be something that is an elective that is an opt-in for students, so, and I think it's some great legislation that hopefully we can see move through the process. There's a lot of steps for that to get to where I'd like to see it,” Baker said earlier this month.

Similar bills are also presently being considered in Indiana, West Virginia, Virginia and Florida. Last year, Alabama, Iowa, and West Virginia considered bills but none were adopted.

When schools disallow religious texts like the Koran and the Bible into the school, a secular religion is essentially established in the vacuum, McWilliams explained Monday.

Soon after President Trump's tweet praising the Bible classes, a few jokes appeared online.

"Biblical literacy would actually undermine Trump's support so not sure why he's promoting it," tweeted David Gibson, the director of Fordham University's Center on Religion & Culture.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Alabama; US: Florida; US: Indiana; US: Iowa; US: Missouri; US: North Dakota; US: Virginia; US: West Virginia
KEYWORDS: aaronmcwilliams; alabama; antipope; benbaker; bible; education; exodus18; florida; homosexualagenda; indiana; iowa; missouri; northdakota; popefrancis; publicschool; romancatholicism; trump; trumpbible; virginia; westvirginia
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1 posted on 01/29/2019 8:00:44 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Even better if they teach KJV, which is written beautifully, and actually could be justified as literature in that format.


2 posted on 01/29/2019 8:02:53 AM PST by MayflowerMadam (Jeremiah 1:5 - "Before I formed thee ... I knew thee.")
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To: MayflowerMadam

I took a Bible as Literature class in college. If they’re worried about religious conversion, they needn’t be. It was no more or less influential than a course in Greek theater.


3 posted on 01/29/2019 8:06:47 AM PST by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
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To: SeekAndFind

When schools disallow religious texts like the Koran and the Bible into the school, a secular religion is essentially established in the vacuum, McWilliams explained Monday.


That’s assuming the kid’s parents are totally secular, in which case it isn’t the school’s job to rectify that.


4 posted on 01/29/2019 8:08:49 AM PST by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
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To: sparklite2
"I took a Bible as Literature class in college. It was no more or less influential than a course in Greek theater."

But it did provide Christians taking the class an excellent opening and opportunity to evangelize to their classmates.

5 posted on 01/29/2019 8:12:10 AM PST by circlecity
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To: SeekAndFind

6 posted on 01/29/2019 8:12:29 AM PST by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: SeekAndFind

It is about time, after all, public schools are teaching islam starting in middle school up through high school.


7 posted on 01/29/2019 8:14:54 AM PST by Hulka
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To: circlecity

Agree. God’s word does not return void.

Methinks 8 years of Trump in the White House will leave the USA in a better place than W did in his 8 years.


8 posted on 01/29/2019 8:16:03 AM PST by HombreSecreto (The new Oldsmobiles are in early this year)
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To: Hulka

“It is about time, after all, public schools are teaching islam starting in middle school up through high school.”


Really? What is the source of that information?

.


9 posted on 01/29/2019 8:18:28 AM PST by Mears
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To: HombreSecreto
"Methinks 8 years of Trump in the White House will leave the USA in a better place than W did in his 8 years."

Heck, I think two years of Trump in the WH has already done that.

10 posted on 01/29/2019 8:24:00 AM PST by circlecity
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To: SeekAndFind

Equally as important as teaching the classes will be the teacher. The wrong teacher could have exactly the opposite effect that we would be hoping for.


11 posted on 01/29/2019 8:29:00 AM PST by bramps (It's the Islam, stupid!)
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To: SeekAndFind

Shouldn’t that be done at home?

Schools shouldn’t pick up the slack for what should be done in the home.


12 posted on 01/29/2019 8:31:32 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Mears

THREE EXAMPLES:

1) https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2017/03/31/u-s-education-department-asked-to-eliminate-lesson-plans-on-islam/

TITLE: U.S. Education Department Asked to Eliminate Lesson Plans on Islam

2) https://www.wnyc.org/story/allegations-islam-indoctrination-public-schools-spread-nj/

TITLE: Allegations of Islam Indoctrination in Public Schools Spread to New Jersey

3) https://www.christianpost.com/news/parent-outraged-school-gives-students-worksheet-writing-islamic-faith-declaration-224078/

TITLE: Parent Outraged After School Gives Students Worksheet on Writing Islamic Faith Declaration


13 posted on 01/29/2019 8:31:45 AM PST by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: circlecity

I guess it could have, this was in Atlanta, after all.
But as I recall, the material was more OT than NT. At any rate, no one did any proselytizing.


14 posted on 01/29/2019 8:33:03 AM PST by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
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To: SeekAndFind

We were fortunate to have a missionary come into our little Tennessee elementary school once a week to teach the Bible

She encouraged us to memorize 1 Corinthians 13.....the ‘love chapter’..
....’If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal’

We loved this quiet, soft spoken lady


15 posted on 01/29/2019 8:39:42 AM PST by Guenevere
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To: SeekAndFind

And someone needs to have a session or two on what separation of church and state meant back when it was talked about and what it has come to mean today because of ignorance and hatred towards God.

Here is an excellent article that speaks the truth about what separation of church and state meant originally and what it has been twisted to mean today:

https://www.allabouthistory.org/separation-of-church-and-state.htm


16 posted on 01/29/2019 8:51:14 AM PST by TurkeyLurkey
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To: SeekAndFind
It's a good thing.

However, I must say, Trump himself needs a Biblical literacy class. And I'll say that, even though I voted for and support the President. I mean, "One Corinthians?"

17 posted on 01/29/2019 8:59:19 AM PST by backwoods-engineer (Enjoy the decline of the American empire.)
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To: HombreSecreto

Sure, if the Demonrats don’t start a shooting civil war on white people. But, maybe even then...


18 posted on 01/29/2019 9:00:13 AM PST by backwoods-engineer (Enjoy the decline of the American empire.)
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To: TurkeyLurkey

TurkeyLurkey wrote:

“And someone needs to have a session or two on what separation of church and state meant back when it was talked about and what it has come to mean today because of ignorance and hatred towards God.

Here is an excellent article that speaks the truth about what separation of church and state meant originally and what it has been twisted to mean today:

https://www.allabouthistory.org/separation-of-church-and-state.htm

Many thanks for that link!

I’m glad that states are “turning back”, as PDJT said.


19 posted on 01/29/2019 9:13:17 AM PST by WildHighlander57 ((WildHighlander57 returning after lurking since 2000)
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To: HombreSecreto

Trump did more good in his first week as president than that evil SoB did in 8 years.

He gave us Obozzo.


20 posted on 01/29/2019 9:21:23 AM PST by WashingtonFire (The charisma of Reagan + the vision of Jefferson + the patriotism of Washington = Trump)
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