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[Xe4]

I have no problem with the bible being taught as literature, so long as it is a non-required elective, not theocratic (taught as literature, instead of truth), and other religions are also offered upon request.

Now whether every public school district in Kentucky will follow those guidelines... remains to be seen.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Why can't they do this in a general religious studies class?

Why do they need a class specifically for teaching the Bible?

 

[FyreWulff]

Why can't they do this in a general religious studies class?

Why do they need a class specifically for teaching the Bible?

it's pretty obvious they want it as a submarine church class in the school. an actual theology class would study all the books.

 

[Caddywompus]

They could have at least attempted to hide their agenda behind a World Religion elective.

 

[g11]

I went to a private religious school from 1st to 8th grade and all it did was teach me how ludicrous Christianity (and all religion, really) is. And they were the hippy kind of Christians too, not even the fire and brimstone Christians.

 

[dabig2]

I went to a private religious school from 1st to 8th grade and all it did was teach me how ludicrous Christianity (and all religion, really) is. And they were the hippy kind of Christians too, not even the fire and brimstone Christians.

I was pre-K to 12th grade in a private mostly white fundamentalist Christian school and then black non-denominational church every Sundays and Wednesdays for most of that time too. Both believed in a quite literal Bible. Black church was more fun, of course, but they tended to get more crazy with the speaking in tongues and live exorcisms (I attended about 5 of them and saw some craziness).

Shit got weird. Being that this is Kentucky, I firmly believe that shit will get weird for all these kids as they won't be receiving education but indoctrination. And woe to the unbeliever who distrusts this bullshit because Lord knows they will be in the minority. It is Kentucky after all.

ACLU is going to be busy for a long time yet.

 

[gaugebozo]

It's surprising there isn't greater push back from Christians. You want somebody who maybe has a totally different interpretation teaching your kid?

 

[LegendofDragoonLives]

Why are people on gaf up in arms about this? Would be nice to at least add another religious class to include other religions. Surprised 70% of Americans identify as Christian, I suspect that number is a lot, lot lower here in CA.

 

[ianpm31]

Gotta keep them under control for years to come

 

[Camwi]

Fucking religious assholes in government.

 

[thehypocrite]

We are all saved!!

 

[AllGamer]

Why are people on gaf up in arms about this? Would be nice to at least add another religious class to include other religions. Surprised 70% of Americans identify as Christian, I suspect that number is a lot, lot lower here in CA.

Religion shouldn't be taught at all at school.

 

[Chococat]

Why are people on gaf up in arms about this? Would be nice to at least add another religious class to include other religions. Surprised 70% of Americans identify as Christian, I suspect that number is a lot, lot lower here in CA.

In a public school setting, no one religion should be favored in teaching. By offer a lit class just of Christianity literature, that would be favoring one religion. I don't want my tax dollar going towards that. Education should be about giving students to tools to deal with the world around them. Not narrowing their view to just one philosophical belief and teaching.

Teaching one religion's literature is likely to make kids bias against people of other religions/atheism. The core of Christianity is that there is only one God and all others must be vanquished or converted. In a country of immigrants and multiple religions, it is showing favoritism and is against the core ideals of the Constitution.

What would be highly useful would be a world religion class, that teaches the basic tenants of all major and minor religions taught as a combination of a philosophy, history, and world government class. That would help everyone have a better idea about the world around them. Sad to say, I really had no understanding of Muslims and Islam until after 9/11. The only time in public school that Islam was mention was during the Crusades. The way it was taught, I got the impression it was a dead religion like, Greek, Roman, and Norse religions. During my schooling, history is already crafted and bias around Western and Christian philosophy/ world view.

Leave Christian literature to Bible schools, college studies, and self study.

 

[Regulus Tera]

So this will more than likely go to the SCOTUS, when this get struck down will it prevent other states from being this stupid?

Dude you haven't been hearing the rumours about Kennedy have you?

 

[Kthulhu]

So this will more than likely go to the SCOTUS, when this get struck down will it prevent other states from being this stupid?

Lol, no it won't.

Shit like this happens all the time and it always gets struck down in the lower courts.

 

[Zoe]

Why does it need to be in public schools though? Universities and colleges have some great courses in Theology and when kids are older and have more adept minds wouldn't that be an even better time to compare it to contemporary society and culture because they will have a better understanding of it?

Or am I expecting too much out of Kentucky?

People read more classical literature during middle and high school than in college.

 

[ZaCH3000]

Satanism class next year.

What a great teply. Replies like this make me wish I was stuck in groundhog day. How many ways could I fuck with the minds that made such a step backwards possible?

 

[Haunted]

keep 'em stupid, keep 'em (R)

 

[mckmas8808]

Gonna flip their shit the second some teacher refers to any of it as fictional.

That would be a very interesting situation I'd love to see.

 

[ahoyhoy]

Lol, no it won't.

Shit like this happens all the time and it always gets struck down in the lower courts.

They can just appeal it up to SCOTUS right?

 

[shawnbuddy]

I have no problem with the bible being taught as literature, so long as it is a non-required elective, not theocratic (taught as literature, instead of truth), and other religions are also offered upon request.

Now whether every public school district in Kentucky will follow those guidelines... remains to be seen.

As a Kentuckian, lol.

 

[Bolivar687]

Good. Removing religion from education is as foolish as how they removed the music, or the current marginalization of the humanities in favor of STEM. The Bible has influenced our laws, idioms, and logic too much for you to ignore it and expect a child to become a knowledgeable adult.

Teaching one religion's literature is likely to make kids bias against people of other religions/atheism. The core of Christianity is that there is only one God and all others must be vanquished or converted. In a country of immigrants and multiple religions, it is showing favoritism and is against the core ideals of the Constitution.

This argument fails on it's own terms. You may as well say teaching American literature, sociology, government or history is likely to make students bias against other societies. In fact, those subjects are more likely to turn students against immigrants than teaching the Bible would, since the vast majority of people coming to this country are also Christians:

Additionally, I've been attending mass regularly for five years and have never once been told to vanquish anyone.

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

In a vacuum, there's absolutely nothing wrong with this.

The bible is the most influential text probably in human history, or at the very least in the English language. Having an elective high school class dedicated to it is reasonable. Sadly we don't live in a vacuum and this will probably be terrible.

This. In theory teaching an extremely prominent and influential literary work should be fine.

I see no reason that theory will pan out.

 

[reckless]

Well hopefully the ACLU sues the state since everyone knows the purpose of this and its pretty much just a matter of time until it becomes preaching.

 

[UberLevi]

But he thinks funding for college arts programs should be taken away and better used for STEM. Fuck Matt Bevin.

 

[Frozenprince]

Good. Removing religion from education is as foolish as how they removed the music, or the current marginalization of the humanities in favor of STEM. The Bible has influenced our laws, idioms, and logic too much for you to ignore it and expect a child to become a knowledgeable adult.



This argument fails on it's own terms. You may as well say teaching American literature, sociology, government or history is likely to make students bias against other societies. In fact, those subjects are more likely to turn students against immigrants than teaching the Bible would, since the vast majority of people coming to this country are also Christians:

Additionally, I've been attending mass regularly for five years and have never once been told to vanquish anyone.

So if I am Muslim or Jewish I am exempt from this right? If I'm gay this won't just be another part of my young life lecturing me on how I'm inferior and wrong right?

This isn't teaching the Bible as literature this is "Bible proficiency", an entire fucking class dedicated to Jesus and why he's the best. It's discriminatory. It's forcing it down children's throat and dehumanizing and debasing those that don't follow along. How is it not discrimination to a Muslim or Jewish or Hindu student?

There are millions upon millions of "knowledgeable adults" who don't know a single Bible verse. What a ridiculous presumption to make that's based on nothing but wanting to propagate your own religion above all others.

 

[Uncle_Classy]

Quickest way to make an atheist is to make a Christian actually read the bible.

Yep. This could actually be a positive if the class doesn't become Sunday School. This is Kentucky after all, though, so we know that won't happen.

 

[Netherscourge]

If it's an elective, why not just add it as part of the curriculum for the Mythology Class?

Kill two birds with one Holy Hand Grenade?

 

[OfficerRaichu15]

Speaking as a resident of Kentucky, yes, absolutely.

Seriously, this Bevin guy is a total ass clown. To think we went from a Democratic governor who helped the state adapt to the ACA to "let's teach the Bible in public schools and pray away all of our problems."

As a Kentuckian I agree how the fuck did this happen??

 

[Frozenprince]

If you wanna teach religious literature, just teach religious literature. An all encompassing class.

And if you want kids to know something that "forms the basis of many of our laws and logic", teach a classics course, which is where far more of our morals and logic stems from.

 

[MagnaderAlpha]

Only be okay under two conditions:

1. It is categorized under "Mythology and Lore" and taught during the times they talk about Greek, Roman and Norse mythology in History or Literature class.

2. They take that one right-wing reading list a teacher was trying to force on students (in another thread), as well as similar "literature" as "Political Fiction" or come up with a new genre called "Skewed Bullshit"

 

[Faiz]

I have no problem with the bible being taught as literature, so long as it is a non-required elective, not theocratic (taught as literature, instead of truth), and other religions are also offered upon request.

Now whether every public school district in Kentucky will follow those guidelines... remains to be seen.

I guarantee many non-metro area schools will push that boundary as hard as they can.