In 2007, Texas passed a law that “encouraged” public schools to
educate students about the role the Bible has played in society and
literature. Shockingly, the guidelines set down by the law to prevent
proselytization were completely ignored. The result?

Instructional material in school districts teach that racial
diversity today can be traced back to Noah’s sons, a long-discredited
claim that has been a foundational component of some forms of racism.

Religious bias is common, with most courses taught from a
Protestant — often a conservative Protestant — perspective. One course,
for example, assumes Christians will at some point be “raptured.”
Materials include a Venn diagram showing the pros and cons of theories
that posit the rapture before the returning Jesus’ 1,000-year reign and
those that place it afterward. In many courses, the perspectives of
Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians and Jews are often left out.

Anti-Jewish bias — intentional or not — is not uncommon. Some
courses even portray Judaism as a flawed and incomplete religion that
has been replaced by Christianity.

Many courses suggest or openly claim that the Bible is literally
true. “The Bible is the written word of God,” students are told in one
PowerPoint presentation. Some courses go so far as to suggest that the
Bible can be used to verify events in history. One district, for
example, teaches students that the Bible’s historical claims are largely
beyond question by listing biblical events side-by-side with historical
developments from around the globe.

Course materials in numerous classes are designed to evangelize
rather than provide an objective study of the Bible’s influence. A book
in one district makes its purpose clear in the preface: “May this study
be of value to you. May you fully come to believe that ‘Jesus is the
Christ, the son of God.’ And may you have ‘life in His name.’”

A number of courses teach students that the Bible proves Earth is
just 6,000 years old.

Students are taught that the United States is a Christian nation
founded on the Christian biblical principles taught in their classrooms.

Academic rigor is so poor that many courses rely mostly on
memorization of Bible verses and factoids from Bible stories rather than
teaching students how to analyze what they are studying. One district
relies heavily on Bible cartoons from Hanna-Barbera for its high school
class. Students in another district spend two days watching what lesson
plans describe as “the historic documentary Ancient Aliens,” which
presents “a new interpretation of angelic beings described as
extraterrestrials.”

- - -

Texas is not the only state in which this sort of Christian religious
bull**** is being allowed into public school classrooms and teaching
materials.

We have met the ayatollahs, and in this country, they are wearing
crucifixes.

On 1/22/2013 6:09 AM, ESAD wrote:

In 2007, Texas passed a law that “encouraged” public schools to
educate students about the role the Bible has played in society and
literature. Shockingly, the guidelines set down by the law to prevent
proselytization were completely ignored. The result?
...
We have met the ayatollahs, and in this country, they are wearing
crucifixes.

I wish an objective comparative religion course were part of everyone's
education.

On 1/22/13 11:31 AM, thumper wrote:
On 1/22/2013 6:09 AM, ESAD wrote:

In 2007, Texas passed a law that “encouraged” public schools to
educate students about the role the Bible has played in society and
literature. Shockingly, the guidelines set down by the law to prevent
proselytization were completely ignored. The result?
...
We have met the ayatollahs, and in this country, they are wearing
crucifixes.

I wish an objective comparative religion course were part of everyone's
education.


It's the sort of thing that *should* be available outside of the K-12
public schools because if it is available at these schools, the
christians will dominate the materials and the teaching. There are
internet classes available, and there certainly are plenty of
well-researched and available books, too.