As an agnostic, I have no problem with comparative religion classes, or teaching the historical impact of the many religions (Including Christianity) over the last several 1000’s of years.
But, as usual, religious zealots take it too far…
Then claim they are the victim.
Why?
Bible literacy" classes being taught in some Kentucky public schools appear to violate the Constitution by promoting Christianity and Sunday school-style “religious life lessons,” according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky.
They’re doing this because they’re hoping to get the Lemon test overturned. Watch how much conservative foundation money flows into this case. They did this in my state with “intelligent design” but failed ten years ago.
What’s fun is when the Satanists will piggy back on these Trojan Horse attempts to promote Christianity in public schools and send the people who initially thought it was a great idea into fits of hysteria.
No objection here to a course taught about the Bible. I like the ideas of the one Republican Representative who argued the Bible had an impact on western culture. The teacher who takes her history students to various houses of worship for a lesson in how history & faith explain the design of various houses of worship also has good ideas on incorporating faith into history, IMO.
But it’s gone too far when students must memorize verses, or are instructed to “form friendships with other Christians”. Unlike the ACLU, who seems to want the baby thrown out with the bathwater, wouldn’t it be better simply to drain the dirty water & improve on the baby—the Bible course?
Don’t Arizona public high schools offer a course in the Bible, but as a literary work & from a historical POV, & not as a promotion of Judaism or Christianity?
Why enforce laws? If one doesn’t object to a sanctuary city, why would you object to another place not enforcing some other law. Either way, you don’t live there so why object and why the difference between the two?
Well, first, it’s not local law enforcement’s jurisdiction to enforce federal immigration law. They are not breaking the law when they don’t adhere to detainers. They are not required to look up the immigration status of those in custody. On the contrary, they are likely violating the constitution if they do adhere to ICE detainers.
In this case, the local schools are violating the law. They are required to abide by the constitution in not promoting a specific religion. There’s a stark difference between the two.
Yet if we look at the Bill of Rights to the Constitution we read that there shall be no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…
People who believe immigrants should be able to cross any national border at will, must certainly believe that people may cross the non-Constitutional borders about any practice of religion.
I agree with Janet’s post. If people who have children in that school (not the ACLU) are concerned about the curriculum, then the solution is to tweak it, not eliminate it.
First, ake your straw man home. Second, sanctuary cities aren’t a matter of crossing a border. They are a matter of local law enforcement not being commandeered by federal law enforcement. Like with the establishment clause, the case law on this is quite clear.
Think again. Not a straw man. I wasn’t speaking of sanctuary cities, but addressing those who believe in open borders when it comes to immigration, but closed “borders” when it comes to religion appearing in the public square.
Further, this is a matter for the local school board, not the ACLU.
As a cultural artifact, the bible is important. But is it worth a whole High School level course?
How many High School’s english departments offer a whole course on Shakespear? That’s because, although important, there are other important things to learn, so a single subject of study is a bad use of time.
Is the Bible worth a whole semester?
The Bible = cultural artifact argument seems similar to the inteligent design = philosophy argument, i.e. a disingenuous attempt to sneak religion in under a different label.
Have you considered that religion should be offered as an elective? You mention Shakespeare. How many people do you suppose bother with Shakespeare after high school or college? Compare that to the number of people who follow religion long after they have graduated.
Humans are made up of body, mind, and spirit. To me the greatest irony of our time is that we absolutely insist upon educating about the body, educating the mind–while also insisting we ignore educating the spirit. Meanwhile, as depression and suicide rates soar, we look for a pill to provide answers.
As is our ability to demonstrate why another agency (such as the local school board) is better equipped to handle any complaints. Personally, I can’t stand the overt arrogance and superiority the ACLU currently exudes. Let us little people address our own problems.
