Ga. schools cautious on Bible classes

[shawmut]

Source: AP

By DOUG GROSS, Associated Press Writer Tue May 1, 7:29 PM ET

ATLANTA - Georgia's public schools walk a delicate line as they decide whether to offer the nation's first state-funded Bible classes — measuring the difference between preaching and teaching with the likelihood of costly lawsuits looming for those that miss the mark.

The state school board approved curriculum in March for teaching the Bible in Georgia's high schools, but there hasn't been a rush of schools to start up the classes. Only a handful of the state's 180 school districts have agreed to offer the elective classes so far.

"It has been a very thoughtful, healthy process," said Robin Pennock, deputy schools superintendent of Muscogee County, where the school board decided to offer the Old Testament and New Testament classes next fall. "Most people do realize that this is an area that many people can feel very passionate about."

It's difficult to confirm how many school boards have adopted or are considering the classes. However, Muscogee — which borders Alabama and includes the city of Columbus and the Army's Fort Benning — is one of the state's largest districts to have done so.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070501/ap_on_re_us/bible_classes

[Joanne98]

1. I'm sure Fort Benning," the torture school", will love "Bible" classes,

[Skittles]

2. don't they have enough churches to teach that garbage?

:puke:

[rurallib]

3. No shit. Nobody ever said they couldn't study the bible til their

eyes fall out. Just not on the taxpayer's nickel.

[Glorfindel]

4. Oh, yes, they do...I'm from Georgia originally and I know

There's a 25-member Baptist church at every crossroads in rural Georgia, with more springing up all the time as congregations split over such burning issues as Sunday-school literature. Sometimes there's Big Ebenezer on one side of the road and Little Ebenezer on the other, and they share the graveyard. Whether preachers should be "educated" is also a bone of contention. Some preachers claim to be illiterate except for the Bible, which they can "miraculously" read and interpret. It gets even sillier. Primitive Baptists and Churches of Christ refuse to have "instrumental" music in their churches. Some of them wash feet, others handle snakes and drink strychnine, still others practice glossalalia. And this is the charming mixture of wisdom and toleration they wish to teach in high schools. Thank goodness I'm old and have no children.

[Skittles]

5. I am curious, Glorfindel

I grew up as a GI brat, always moving so I don't know.......I am wondering, in those small towns, I'm sure it is pretty much expected that everyone has to go to church. What happens if a person/family rebels and says, no I don't believe in this crap and refuses to go to any church?

[Glorfindel]

7. Not much, really

One is constantly being INVITED to church, but nobody insists. I've never seen anyone suffer any consequences from not belonging to or attending church, except a bit of social ostracism. The real vituperation is saved for members of other denominations, or dissenting members of one's own denomination. I was reared in the Methodist church, but I stopped attending many years ago, except for weddings and funerals. Methodists, in the small rural counties of north Georgia, are considered a bit "high-falutin'," much as Episcopalians are elsewhere.

[Mendocino]

13. A friend of mine moved to southeastern SC.

He was invited by a neighbor to attend church (Baptist), declined with some smart-alec answer like "Sorry no, I'm a druid". Soon after his property was vandalized and his dog shot.

[DawnIsis]

6. I think our government should fund Sorcery classes

and "If Wishes were Rainbows" and "How to Lure a Unicorn" and "The Lost Art of Human Sacrifice"

[truthisfreedom]

8. Ridiculous. What other holy books will they be teaching next?

Total nonsense.

[Igel]

15. I've known many people that never went to church,

and never read their Bible. Similarly, I know many people who never went to sacrifice at a Greek temple, and were never taught there about what the gods require.

For the latter, we studied Greek and Roman mythology. Not enough to appreciate one of Lomonosov's poems, but enough to make out what's going on.

What would for the former, the atheists with no background in Xianity--save lilies are suitable for Easter, hot dogs for the 4th of July (sic), turkey for Thanksgiving, and you give presents at Xmas-- say of this?

Fly envious Time, till thou run out thy race,
Call on the lazy leaden-stepping hours,
Whose speed is but the heavy Plummets pace;
And glut thy self with what thy womb devours,
Which is no more then what is false and vain,
And meerly mortal dross;
So little is our loss,
So little is thy gain.
For when as each thing bad thou hast entomb'd,
And last of all, thy greedy self consum'd,
Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss
With an individual kiss;
And Joy shall overtake us as a flood,
When every thing that is sincerely good
And perfectly divine,
With Truth, and Peace, and Love shall ever shine
About the supreme Throne
Of him, t'whose happy-making sight alone,
When once our heav'nly-guided soul shall clime,
Then all this Earthy grosnes quit,
Attir'd with Stars, we shall for ever sit,
Triumphing over Death, and Chance, and thee O Time

Then again, such things are so incomprehensible and impenetrable for most kids that they're typically not taught these days.

[daleo]

9. Next they can teach faith healing in the medical schools

And witch hunting in law school, exorcism in psychology class, Noah's Ark in geology...

[Tekla West]

10. if they do as good

with the bible as they do with math, history and reading, we have nothing to worry about.

[skyounkin]

11. So................

You can study the bible in school, can you do your math homework in church then? I mean, it seems only fair.

There is no law preventing students on their own time in school to study the bible, or pray or what whatever.....but not at the tax payers expense.

Man, I really despise religion............

[Mendocino]

12. You can preach religion in my school,

when I can teach evolution in your church.

[Debau2005]

14. BRAVO!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[denverbill]

16. I can't wait for the first teacher to start promoting his particular 'brand'.

Explaining how Catholics and Mormons aren't Christians.

Better yet, a liberal teacher discussing the Bible as just another work of fiction.