Why not Bible study in schools?

[nonda]

I remember when I was in grade school, we had Bible study every Tuesday. For an hour we would read stories about important people in the bible. Animated boards to tell stories. I enjoyed very much.

Why do people want to get rid of bible teachings, it promotes good behavor and how we should treat one another. Just don't understand!

 

[Jaymes]

If you're going to teach the Bible in a public school, you damn well better teach a wide variety of other religions as well or none at all. Preferrably none, since teaching it is endorsing it, and the state isn't supposed to endorse any one religion.

 

[Mister Emu]

If you're going to teach the Bible in a public school, you damn well better teach a wide variety of other religions as well or none at all. Preferrably none, since teaching it is endorsing it, and the state isn't supposed to endorse any one religion.

Well it depends, if you teach the morals involved without saying which way about the truth of the story it wouldn't really be endorsing the religion so much as endorsing the qualities that society likes.

 

[Sunstone]

I can see at least one possible justification for studying the bible in schools, and that is because it has had a profound influence on Western civilization. But this argues for a secular study of the bible. That is, a study of it as literature. Rather than a religious study of it as the revealed word of God.

 

[Jaymes]

It's not the state's place to teach morals.

 

[Mister Emu]

It's not the state's place to teach morals.

Why not?

 

[Jaymes]

Unless you only teach things like "killing is bad, stealing is bad, hurting others is bad," you're going to be drawing from one religion or another. Even if you don't say "these are Christian/Jewish/Wiccan/Buddhist/Invisible Pink Unicorn morals," they still are. Which, again, the state has no place putting religion in schools.

 

[The Black Whirlwind]

because inevitably, someone is going to whine about it, and possibly sue. "oh my god, you're teaching the bible, against the law, against the law, my son isn't a christian, blah blah blah,". People in this day and age take offense at everything, it will only be accepted at all christian schools.

 

[Pussyfoot Mouse]

I don't believe people want to get rid of Bible teacings in school. It's just that there are so many different cultures and beiefs to be taught that it would cost so much more money to add this to our daily studies. And some parents believe that this should be taught in the church and how do you enforce this? There are some families that don't have any type of religion in their home at all. What would these children be taught during this class time? It would be quite a controversy.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Sure! As long as we study all the other religious texts in the world, as well. Also, the atheist ones.

But I think school's hard enough to get through as it is right now.

 

[Rick123123]

People I go to catholic school we have bible study literally everyday...

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I know I wouldn't be too happy if I had a kid and the school he went to was teaching Bible stuff. Well, in elementary school that is. If the kid is old enough to wisly make desicions, and wants to learn the bible, then I would have no problem.
But my problem would come from the fact the Bible says witches, psychics, fortune tellers, ect., go to hell. Even though some words don't refer to what it seems like it does, such as witchcraft (I know that the exact word it was originally can be found here on RF a few times in some threads, if I can find one I'll fill in the blank.) A child will take the word witchcraft to be literally, and will start saying I'm going to hell, or will start worrying about going to hell himself. I would have to have a private conversation with that teacher after school. Let the teacher know my son now fears the religion he grew up with, and I have to constantly reassure him there is no hell or devil.
There are other reasons, but that is the first one I thought of.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I don't believe people want to get rid of Bible teacings in school.

I certainly do.

 

[Rick123123]

I know I wouldn't be too happy if I had a kid and the school he went to was teaching Bible stuff. Well, in elementary school that is. If the kid is old enough to wisly make desicions, and wants to learn the bible, then I would have no problem.

Normally in elementary they stick to the better stuff i.e. the new testament, Jesus, and the creation stories. Later in highschool they start getting into the harcore stuff, like where God talks about the sins of man, and all that.

 

[Quoth The Raven]

Normally in elementary they stick to the better stuff i.e. the new testament, Jesus, and the creation stories. Later in highschool they start getting into the harcore stuff, like where God talks about the sins of man, and all that.

Oh, I dunno. My at the time 9 year old son came home from school one day - where incidentally they don't have any sort of R.E. - to tell me that his teacher informed the class that unbaptised babies don't go to heaven. I was unimpressed to say the least and spent a lot of time trying to explain why it was that anyone would think babies wouldn't just go to heaven as a matter of course.

 

[Pussyfoot Mouse]

Sure! As long as we study all the other religious texts in the world, as well. Also, the atheist ones.

But I think school's hard enough to get through as it is right now.

As wonderful as it would be to learn about other religiouns, could you imagine how much time would be taken up to teach all the religions. I think school should be just as it is...to teach our children the accademics they need to succeed in life. And I don't feel that religion is one of them.(sorry).

 

[Feathers in Hair]

As wonderful as it would be to learn about other religiouns, could you imagine how much time would be taken up to teach all the religions. I think school should be just as it is...to teach our children the accademics they need to succeed in life. And I don't feel that religion is one of them.(sorry).

Hehee, I'm not arguing with you! I completely agree, but was putting it in different terms. (Sorry if it was a bit confusing!)

 

[Ulver]

My Comparative Religion class in high school was my absolutely favorite class I ever took there (because of the course and the teacher). So I think bible study can be allowed in a Comparative Religion class where other Religions and their documents are presented with no specific preference being taught. A independent Bible Studies class that was part of the daily classes I would not support because it is basically the state putting preference to one religion... the only way to conter-act that would be to give a class for every big/major/well known religion at least. Overall it just makes sense to keep it to one class.

A bible study club/group that meets at a school before or after regular school hours, however I think is perfectly fine. As long as any other religious group of students would be allowed, if they wanted to, to conduct their studies after or before regular school hours.

 

[Sunstone]

Good points, Ulver! Bible study in public schools would be acceptable to me if it were done in the context of a comparative religion course such as you describe.

 

[Valjean]

I have no problem teaching the Bible as literature or a critical philosophical analysis of it. It has great historical and sociological importance and ignoring it for political reasons is like ignoring a 200 Kg gorilla in the parlor. I would have a problem with public schools using it as an adjunct to Christian proselytizing, however.