Bill would bring Bible to Georgia's classrooms

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Tue, Mar. 28, 2006
Bill would bring Bible to Georgia's classrooms
BY AUDRA D.S. BURCH
Knight Ridder Newspapers

In the blur of politics and prayer, Georgia is poised to become the first state in the nation to put legislative muscle behind teaching the Bible in public schools - a move expected to recharge the debate between church and state separation.

A bill that would sanction state-funded elective courses in Georgia public high schools goes before the state Senate next week for final passage. While a few other states offer similar classes, none does so with a law that specifically authorizes courses on the Bible.

''This is very unusual. In fact, it is unprecedented to have these kinds of courses offered with this kind of support from the state,'' said Charles Haynes of the First Amendment Center, a Virginia nonprofit that promotes constitutional freedoms.

The bill passed the Georgia House of Representatives on Monday with an overwhelming majority. Alabama is considering similar legislation. In Florida, incorporating the Bible as a resource within the context of English, history or art classes is at the discretion of local school boards.
''This country is built on Judeo-Christian faith, ethics and knowledge of the Scriptures,'' Sen. Tommie Williams, the bill's sponsor, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ``Our Founding Fathers were often quoting the Scriptures. Our first Congress paid for the purchase of Bibles to be used in public schools.''
(snip/...)

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/news/nation/14204361.htm

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. We got into this yesterday pretty well

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=765913&mesg_id=765913

[BOSSHOG]

2. Yo senator williams, you are a fucking idiot

This country is not built on judeo christian "faith, ethics and knowledge of the scriptures." This country was created to get away from that conceptualization. The only "ethics" todays "christian conservatives" have is hate.

I strongly recommend Georgia taxpayers start pouring the tea in the Chatahoochie River.

[Zhade]

10. BH, have I ever told you I really, really like your sig?

NT!

[BOSSHOG]

14. Thanks very much

It comes from the heart. Why so many do not realize that religious freedom comes from our strong constitution and that is in incumbent upon us to maintain the constitution first is beyond me. "Christians" will tell you that they support the constitution but their actions and beliefs and desires prove otherwise.

[Kerrytravelers]

3. I know where we won't live and where my kids won't go to public school.

I'm sorry if that offends anyone here, but I know myself too well and if I had to deal with this on a daily basis, my head would explode. I would give myself an aneurysm or a heart attack with my frustration.

[jukes]

4. no offense taken here.

i wish i didn't live in this state, & thank yahweh i don't have school-kids.

[RubyDuby in GA]

5. I'm about to pop one out and he's going to be home schooled

I refuse to send my child to a school that "teaches" this crap. Everyone keeps saying 'oh it won't be that bad' or 'they're teaching it as literature' - NO. Not this bunch of biblethumpers. It will not happen. It will become nothing more than a Sunday school lesson on a Tuesday. Trust me. I know the mood of this state now. It's already at the bottom of the educational barrel and it's there for a reason.

[MadMaddie]

6. Maybe someone in GA should try to pass a law to ban

churches....seeing as the kids can only get bible teachings in class...:sarcasm:

this is not the schools job to educate students in Christianity....I would like to see other religions to push getting their curriculum in public education....should be quite a fight......

[toopers]

7. Isn't this an elective?

I see this as an opportunity to find out exactly where each family sits. Kind of identifies the christian right!

[Strong Atheist]

8. I said it elsewhere and I will say it here: This is a terrible idea. nt.

[Zhade]

9. Williams is either an idiot or a liar.

THIS IS NOT A CHRISTIAN NATION, you stupid fuck! Even the Founders disagreed (quite vehemently) with that notion.

This bill must not pass. It is a violation.

[DaDeacon]

11. I support the bill!

Yes I am from GA, and I have two kids, and yes i am a person of faith, but my feelings on this are shaped by my own upbringing. You see many people have NO idea what's in the bible and thus are told what they "belive" by people who only want to see a a few extra bucks in the collection plate. A little "schoolarly" look at the book my open some eyes into both the hypocricy of the modern church & the reality of it's real teachings.

[Phx_Dem]

12. Yea but whose interpretation? n/t

[noonwitch]

13. I don't have a problem with "as literature" or it's "role in history"

The Old Testament is partly a chronicle of the history of the ancient Israelites. Both testaments feature heavily in western literature. Biblical themes are present in Hawthorne, Shakespeare, Steinbeck and thousands of other writers. It is important for high school graduates to understand literary themes, and christianity is a big one in the books read at all levels. Laura Ingalls Wilder talks about the religion of her childhood in her books, "East of Eden" by Steinbeck delves heavily into the story of Cain and Abel and so on.

At a high school level, I have no problem with teachers discussing their own religion with their classes, as long as it does not detract from the kids' educations, and as long as wiccan teachers are as free to discuss it as christian teachers.

[ronnie624]

15. The purpose of this bill

is of course not so the Christian Bible can be studied as "literature", but so it can be ultimately incorporated into all of the curricula. Those who push this garbage envision a school system where the daily lessons are infused and laced with Bible verses purely for the purpose of religious indoctrination.

The text books that were provided by the CIA to the madrases in Pakistan and Afghanistan in the 80s comes to mind. The lessons within were couched in the language of violent jihad to prepare the students psychologically for resistance against the Soviet occupation.

I find this sort of manipulation with the very fabric of our society for the purpose of advancing a particular ideology and political agenda truly frightening and very dangerous. Be very afraid.

[Dark]

16. As long as the classes are electives, this doesn't bother me.

You can't simply discount the Bible's impact on western civilization. But, as long as kids don't have to take the class, I'm okay with it.

[Zynx]

17. THEOCRACY ALERT CODE: RED!

[Roland99]

18. Are they going to teach that Genesis is based on Egyptian mythology?

Something tells me they won't.