Texas public schools require Bible this year

[skurry]

http://www.kltv.com/global/story.asp?s=10933571

*sigh* *facepalm* *etc*

[curiosityandthecat]

"I think it is a good thing because a lot of kids don't have that experience, and they already want to take prayer out of school as it is-- and you see where our kids are ending up!" said Tyler resident Laura Tucker.  

People like this make baby Jesus cry.

I do think that having knowledge of the Bible as a literary work is important. Countless references are made to it in both modern and classic fiction. But, for a course like that to work it has to be taught by someone without a vested interest in promoting the Bible as doctrine. Now, who could we get to do that... oh, yeah! Atheists!   Also, teaching children at a young age that the Bible and other religious texts are viewed as fiction is a good way to keep them from forming a literal dogmatic take on it. After all, we all know that nothing makes you an atheist quicker than reading the damn Bible, amirite?

[Squid]

As far as I know it's an elective course, which I don't see a problem with.  However, I think they should offer other religious texts for study in that context as well such as the Torah, the Koran, the Eddas, the Tao Te Ching, the I Ching...all of those wacky texts...Let's not stop at just one, let's offer texts for all of them.  Although, that would require high school teachers to learn about those texts...........that's asking a lot of them[/sarcasm].

[AlP]

Texas House Bill 1287

I somehow linked halfway through. Scroll up a page or so to find the start of section 1.

This is my reading. It's elective. The old testament course is worth a half credit. The new testament course is worth a half credit. Schools can teach other religions; only Christianity is mandatory.

[Whitney]

I don't think this is being implemented in the Dallas area schools since none of the freethinker teachers I know have complained about it.

[SSY]

If this goes through,


*PACEFALM*

[Ninteen45]

All I got to read was homer's Odyssey.

 

[Squid]

All I got to read was homer's Odyssey.

 

A much better and more entertaining read IMO, the Illiad was awesome too.

[MommaSquid]

I didn't retain anything from the books I was forced to read in high school.  I was of the 'read the book, take the test, promptly forget about it' mind set.  I know I read The Outsiders, several Shakespear stories and Animal Farm but I had to re-read them as an adult to really absorb anything.  Maybe the kids who take the bible classes will have the same low level of enthusiasm as I did.


I still haven't gotten around to re-reading The Outsiders, yet.  Can anyone tell me if it's worth reading?

[Big Mac]

Those books don't threaten you with burning in hell forever.

I had to read the bible in my English class in my Sophomore year. I aced the section because I was raised Pentecostal. The bible was pounded into my head since I was born. It was total bullshit but one thing hardcore fanatics are definitely a crafty bunch of folks.

[shanster]

it saddens me how nobody follows the constitution anymore

[Big Mac]

it saddens me how nobody follows the constitution anymore

To be fair, they're argument would probably be hard to fight in court. They strictly hold it as a literary device which sadly it is for a lot of classic pieces. Dante's Inferno, Paradise Lost, Moby Dick, The Green Mile, etc. this book is sadly a big influence on western literature.

I love Texas, I just wish we were more progressive.