Texas Public Schools Must Offer Bible Course - Page 5

Slippery Slope · 10-06-08, 01:48 PM

If you read the quotes in the article as well as the bill it's quite obvious that the intent is to get the bible into the classroom. Period. They try to obscure this by claiming literary or historical value.

The article even contradicts itself on whether or not it's required or an elective. Funny, I've never heard of mandatory freedom.

Tucker Case · 10-06-08, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slippery Slope

If you read the quotes in the article as well as the bill it's quite obvious that the intent is to get the bible into the classroom. Period. They try to obscure this by claiming literary or historical value.

The article even contradicts itself on whether or not it's required or an elective. Funny, I've never heard of mandatory freedom.

Just to be clear, World News Daily x 7 = World Weekly News.

I take both sources with the same credibility. Although I could actually believe that there was a "Bat Boy found living in cave for 12 years".

The bill states clearly that this is an elective course.

Cephus · 10-06-08, 02:13 PM

The real problem with the Texas law isn't that the Bible is being taught, I've got no problem with it being taught as literature or in a comparative religions course, it's that it only demands that a class be offered as an elective, but it doesn't detail what kind of class it needs to be. This leaves it entirely up to each school to come up with some sort of class that fulfills the requirements, but can vary wildly from school to school. In one school, you can get a comparative religions class, in another you can get pure proselytizing.

They need to come up with better guidelines before it all turns into a giant legal mess.

Slippery Slope · 10-06-08, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tucker Case

Just to be clear, World News Daily x 7 = World Weekly News.

I take both sources with the same credibility. Although I could actually believe that there was a "Bat Boy found living in cave for 12 years".

The bill states clearly that this is an elective course.

Yes, an elective course that the school is required to make available. Why not make it an extracurricular activity? Because they want it to open the door to more xianity in schools.

Tucker Case · 10-06-08, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slippery Slope

Yes, an elective course that the school is required to make available. Why not make it an extracurricular activity? Because they want it to open the door to more xianity in schools.

Section two pretty much sets limitations

Quote:

SECTION 2. Subchapter J, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 21.459 to read as follows:
Sec. 21.459. BIBLE COURSE TRAINING. (a) The commissioner
shall develop and make available training materials and other
teacher training resources for a school district to use in
assisting teachers of elective Bible courses in developing:
(1) expertise in the appropriate Bible course
curriculum;
(2) understanding of applicable supreme court rulings
and current constitutional law regarding how Bible courses are to
be taught in public schools objectively as a part of a secular
program of education;
(3) understanding of how to present the Bible in an
objective, academic manner that neither promotes nor disparages
religion, nor is taught from a particular sectarian point of view;
(4) proficiency in instructional approaches that
present course material in a manner that respects all faiths and
religious traditions, while favoring none; and
(5) expertise in how to avoid devotional content or
proselytizing in the classroom.
(b) The commissioner shall develop materials and resources
under this section in consultation with appropriate faculty members
at institutions of higher education.
(c) The commissioner shall make the training materials and
other teacher training resources required under Subsection (a)
available to Bible course teachers through access to in-service
training.
(d) The commissioner shall use funds appropriated for the
purpose to administer this section.

Especially 4 and 5.

obvious Child · 10-07-08, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cephus

They need to come up with better guidelines before it all turns into a giant legal mess.

That actually wouldn't be the major problem.

Imagine the riots we'd have if Christanity was taught as equally true as Norse, Egyptian, Greek, Aztec, Zoroastrianism, Taoism and a whole host of other religions?

The LAST thing many Christians want is having their religion placed into a context where it's just a historical belief.

You won't believe the kind of rage some fundies go into when you suggest that Norse Mythology and Creationism should be compared to see which is true along with evolution.

Jerry · 10-07-08, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by obvious Child

You won't believe the kind of rage some fundies go into when you suggest that Norse Mythology and Creationism should be compared to see which is true along with evolution.

You imply that there would be mass riots and the end of civilization were Norse mythology said to be equal to Christianity. Since you also claimed that Norse mythology were equal to Christianity in that post, where is the equivalent scaled-down riot in DP?

You see, that claim is something the average Christian lives with every day, and there are no riots.

Frankly I would enjoy the opportunity to demonstrate how the localized Norse mythology fits into the global Abrahamic picture, since most of the Norse gods were nephilim, in an academic setting. So, I guess that out of the very few Christians who would be inclined to riot, I'm not one of them.

Tucker Case · 10-07-08, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry

You imply that there would be mass riots and the end of civilization were Norse mythology said to be equal to Christianity. Since you also claimed that Norse mythology were equal to Christianity in that post, where is the equivalent scaled-down riot in DP?

Cephus · 10-07-08, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by obvious Child

The LAST thing many Christians want is having their religion placed into a context where it's just a historical belief.

Of course, but that's exactly why the standards are so vague. Schools have to offer some "class" about the Bible, but exactly what kind of class... who knows? They're hoping that you'll end up with Christian teachers who are going to teach that the Bible is true, but when that comes back to bite them, at least the school board can say "we didn't tell them to do it!"

Quote:

You won't believe the kind of rage some fundies go into when you suggest that Norse Mythology and Creationism should be compared to see which is true along with evolution.

About the same as comparing their belief in God to believing in Santa Claus, I'm sure.

Jerry · 10-07-08, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cephus

Of course, but that's exactly why the standards are so vague. Schools have to offer some "class" about the Bible, but exactly what kind of class... who knows? They're hoping that you'll end up with Christian teachers who are going to teach that the Bible is true, but when that comes back to bite them, at least the school board can say "we didn't tell them to do it!"

Who said this?