The Ten Commandments: Step 2

[Jayhawker Soule]

One of today's NYT headlines is "Oklahoma's state superintendent directed all public schools to teach the Bible, including the Ten Commandments."

This comes on the heels of the Louisiana requirement. How long before non-Christians are required to wear some symbol designating them as such?

 

[tytlyf]

It's like an alternate version of Sharia Law. But's it's THEIR religion so they don't care... Un-American

 

[We Never Know]

One of today's NYT headlines is "Oklahoma's state superintendent directed all public schools to teach the Bible, including the Ten Commandments."

This comes on the heels of the Louisiana requirement. How long before non-Christians are required to wear some symbol designating them as such?

If they are going to teach the bible, or any religion.. they need to do so in a religious history class that is diverse and the class should not be mandatory, people can take it if interested.

 

[Pogo]

One of today's NYT headlines is "Oklahoma's state superintendent directed all public schools to teach the Bible, including the Ten Commandments."

This comes on the heels of the Louisiana requirement. How long before non-Christians are required to wear some symbol designating them as such?

Since we are aliens to them anyhow

 

[Pogo]

It's like an alternate version of Sharia Law. But's it's THEIR religion so they don't care... Un-American

Apparently there has been an alternate history and civics program having been taught in much of the US for quite a while.

 

[Viker]

If they are going to teach the bible, or any religion.. they need to do so in a religious history class that is diverse and the class should not be mandatory, people can take it if interested

I agree. But that's not happening, unfortunately, in any of these cases.

 

[sun rise]

Since we are aliens to them anyhow

It's time for some Klingon opera

 

[We Never Know]

I agree. But that's not happening, unfortunately, in any of these cases.

Look on the bright side... Its 10 and not 15

 

[Viker]

It's time for some Klingon opera

I would wholeheartedly agree with the Bible and the 10 Commandments being in our schools if they are in Klingon only....and the history of the Klingon Empire is taught as well.

 

[fantome profane]

Look on the bright side... Its 10 and not 15

Actually it is six hundred and thirteen.

But that is a lot of tablets to carry down a mountain.

 

[Balthazzar]

They don't want a satanist temple assembling a majority in another State. Imagine a Satanist temple state majority and it being required that Schools display Satanist Temple literature in the classrooms for their own kids. Oklahoma will never pass litmus, but if Louisianna can pull it off, maybe one day someone else could too.

 

[mangalavara]

This reply is not directed toward any particular poster in the thread.

From an article on MSN…

“It’s crystal clear to us that in the Oklahoma academic standards under Title 70 on multiple occasions, the Bible is a necessary historical document to teach our kids about the history of this country, to have a complete understanding of Western civilization, to have an understanding of the basis of our legal system,” Walters said.

First, the Bible (be it Jewish or Christian) is not a historical document. It is a collection of texts written by different people in different generations, and it is understood as sacred scripture in some traditions for teaching religious truths. A historical document is an original document used by historians to help them write history. That the Bible is counted as a historical document by OK academic standards indicates that something is off over there.

Second, how does the Bible (Jewish or Christian) help teach the history of the US? Were the 13 colonies under the Kingdom of Israel or Kingdom of Judah? Was the US founded on Pentecost in 33 CE?

Third, how is the Bible (Jewish or Christian) the basis of the legal system of the US? I don’t recall there being anything in it about three branches of government, bicameralism, religious liberty for all citizens, no cruel and unusual punishment, etc.

Fourth, the Bible (Jewish or Christian) is not that necessary for a complete understanding of Western civilization. Western civilization, which I assume by the OK educational system is meant European civilization, is really based on Greco-Roman civilization and Western Christianity. Considering that historical Western Christianity (that is, Roman Catholicism and later, Classical Protestantism) is arguably much more than the Christian Bible, texts and other sources written or created by Western Christians in Europe would be far more relevant. They would be far more relevant because the Christian Bible requires interpretation, and its interpretation is part of Western Christianity.

All in all, either the OK educational system fails to understand these things, or the OK educational system has individuals in it who want to make their brand of Christianity part of the system.

 

[Pogo]

This reply is not directed toward any particular poster in the thread.

From an article on MSN…



First, the Bible (be it Jewish or Christian) is not a historical document. It is a collection of texts written by different people in different generations, and it is understood as sacred scripture in some traditions for teaching religious truths. A historical document is an original document used by historians to help them write history. That the Bible is counted as a historical document by OK academic standards indicates that something is off over there.

Second, how does the Bible (Jewish or Christian) help teach the history of the US? Were the 13 colonies under the Kingdom of Israel or Kingdom of Judah? Was the US founded on Pentecost in 33 CE?

Third, how is the Bible (Jewish or Christian) the basis of the legal system of the US? I don’t recall there being anything in it about three branches of government, bicameralism, religious liberty for all citizens, no cruel and unusual punishment, etc.

Fourth, the Bible (Jewish or Christian) is not that necessary for a complete understanding of Western civilization. Western civilization, which I assume by the OK educational system is meant European civilization, is really based on Greco-Roman civilization and Western Christianity. Considering that historical Western Christianity (that is, Roman Catholicism and later, Classical Protestantism) is arguably much more than the Christian Bible, texts and other sources written or created by Western Christians in Europe would be far more relevant. They would be far more relevant because the Christian Bible requires interpretation, and its interpretation is part of Western Christianity.

All in all, either the OK educational system fails to understand these things, or the OK educational system has individuals in it who want to make their brand of Christianity part of the system.

That is rather the question, did the education system fail these lawmakers in the past such that they don't know these things, or are these lawmakers doing it in spite of these things to impose ignorance on future generations?

 

[Viker]

That is rather the question, did the education system fail these lawmakers in the past such that they don't know these things, or are these lawmakers doing it in spite of these things to impose ignorance on future generations?

More like the latter.

 

[Revoltingest]

I would wholeheartedly agree with the Bible and the 10 Commandments being in our schools if they are in Klingon only....and the history of the Klingon Empire is taught as well.

Aye, to be fair & to comply with the 1st Amendment,
teach all known religions, & their histories...warts & all.
Of course, read'n, write'n, & 'rithmatic must fall by the
wayside. Other countries will train their kids in those.

 

[Estro Felino]

At least there will be safe spaces Christians will want to move to, in order to raise their own children.
I guess that the rule should be: if you don't like Oklahoma, don't move to Oklahoma.

 

[Viker]

Aye, to be fair & to comply with the 1st Amendment,
teach all known religions, & their histories...warts & all.
Of course, read'n, write'n, & 'rithmatic must fall by the
wayside. Other countries will train their kids in those.

Since we have Salem as a historical reference, we should teach about witchcraft (from actual witches)..... seeing how it's of significant impact/influence on world and American history.

 

[Viker]

At least there will be safe spaces Christians will want to move to, in order to raise their own children.
I guess that the rule should be: if you don't like Oklahoma, don't move to Oklahoma.

They already have those places, churches, Christian schools and Christian households. Those aren't perfectly safe anymore. But with all the guns and gun toters public schools are probably the least safe.

 

[Viker]

At least there will be safe spaces Christians will want to move to, in order to raise their own children.
I guess that the rule should be: if you don't like Oklahoma, don't move to Oklahoma.

Also, there's a lot of Native American reservations in Oklahoma. Fortunately, they have their own education system.

 

[Revoltingest]

At least there will be safe spaces Christians will want to move to, in order to raise their own children.
I guess that the rule should be: if you don't like Oklahoma, don't move to Oklahoma.

Will teaching the Bible in public school make Christians safer?
Is the Constitution not governing law for the whole country?
Will OK become unsafe for Muslims, atheists, Hindus, etc?
If OK can make itself a Christian state, would Dearborn MI be
able to make itself an Islamic city...a "safe space" for Muslims?