Bible class added to school's electives

[Judi Lynn]

Bible class added to school's electives

By Scott Travis
Education Writer
Posted February 25 2004

Boca Raton High School is offering students a chance to study the Bible this fall.

Principal Geoff McKee has placed two "Introduction to the Bible" classes on a list of electives available for next school year, making it the only school in Palm Beach County to offer the state-approved class. No schools in Broward County offer it.

Some teachers and parents expressed the fear that the course will be too difficult for instructors to teach without infusing their religious views.

"It seems to me too hotbed of an issue to be introducing into a public school," parent Vickie Capitena said. "I don't think it has a place. If you want get religious studies, go to your church. That's what they're there for."
(snip/...)

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cpbible25feb25,0,5544406.story?coll=sfla-news-broward

[JasonDeter]

1. Theres only 2 views that can be taught

One is the Jewish religion from the Old Testament
And the other is fundamental or traditional Christianity from the New and Old Testament.

self edit the subject line

[DemBones DemBones]

6. Only 2 views? Then why so many denominations? Most

branchings off of churches are at least partly inspired by different readings of certain verses that some believers view as important. I won't even attempt to say how many Christian groups there are, but there are quite a few Catholic churches that are not Roman Catholic, and quite a few Baptist churches, three different Presbyterian denominations that I know of, etc. The much-maligned snake handlers arose because some Pentecostal Christians took seriously the scripture about "taking up serpents," while most Pentecostals don't believe they were commanded to do this.

You also say one view is the Jewish view but they, too, have their Orthodox, Reform, and Conservative branches, and doubtless others that I know nothing about. I know about the Hasidim and the Lubavitchers, but they are very different, obviously, from an Orthodox Jew like Joe Lieberman.

Of course, the bottom line is to teach the Bible as literature and history, comparing its accounts with other religious literature such as the Epic of Gilgamesh and other historical accounts.

[izzie]

7. I like the way you wrote that.

Even in the Congregational church it is like that. If your in the Church of Christ part you go with that group and if you will not join you are as each church wants. The congregation. Each teach a little off from the other. I think they should leave it for Sunday school but then how do the families go off and go to the beach if they must go to church?

[Bandit]

15. And you didn't even mention the Mormans and Jehova's Witness

There are probably over a hundred different variations of Christianity and I'm sure there are many versions of Judism also.

[Atlant]

10. Time to hie thee off to your nearest library and study...

Time to hie thee off to your nearest library and study the foundations
of at least Islam and Mormonism. I think you'll find that they offer
at least two more interpretations of that same Bible.

And then, of course, there's the atheists' interpretation of that book.
But I'm sure you're correct: we couldn't possibly *TEACH* that in a
public school in the good old US of A.

Atlant

[jamesinca]

2. Schools are there to educate

I do not have a problem with expanding the number and types of classes offered.
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"It seems to me too hotbed of an issue to be introducing into a public school," parent Vickie Capitena said. "I don't think it has a place. If you want get religious studies, go to your church. That's what they're there for."
----------------------------------------------------------------------

If it is an elective then it is not required and you do not have to take it. Plain and simple. If somebody actually picked up the Bible and read it, maybe they would understand what it says. The problem with the fundies is they don't even know what their religion says they should be doing. They are to busy telling everybody else what their business is to actually sit down and read the Bible. If they did that they may understand that the republican platform is unchristian.

[JasonDeter]

3. I agree wholeheartedly with your last paragraph.

A perfect example is Ralph Reed, Jerry Falwell and Pat (i never stood a chance being elected president) Robertson. I stopped listening to James Dobson a decade ago along with that beacon of begging for money TBN. Its unfortunate that more Preachers who understand the focus of the Gospel aren't on the talking head cable channels more instead of the controversialists like Falwell, Robertson and Reed. They really do a disservice to the true meaning of why Christ came to planet earth.

[jamesinca]

4. Thanks

I don't think anybody has ever agreed with anything or part of anything I have said on here. That makes my day.

[GOPBasher]

5. You make good points.

I agree, as an elective I think it's okay, and also, like you said, maybe students will realize how against Christianity the Republican platform is.

I like to echo.

[izzie]

8. Right on!!!!!!

But then I ride a broom.

[RC]

9. This is NOT OK, not even as an elective.

This is another foot in the door. Another try at getting religion in the public schools. and not just any religion, the fundie's religion. The more moderate views usually get buried under the right wing fundie crap.

[PassingFair]

14. I'm with you.

But maybe there is a way....YES! Let's add bible study to section on Mythology, factually this is where it belongs.

[skippysmom]

11. I would be less troubled by this

if it was more of a general religion class. I think students would benefit from a class that studied all religions from a historical perspective. But simply focusing on the Bible sounds suspiciously like establishing one religion as the true way.

[fjc]

12. It won't work even as an elective...

for reasons some of you have already referred to. In today's climate, an objective and scholarly approach to the Bible in high school will be seen by many believers as too "secular." Many won't want to send their kids to a class where their "faith" might be challenged by what the scholars know.

[DoYouEverWonder]

13. What was wrong with early release

When I was a kid, public schools allowed their students to go to the parochial schools once a week for religious instruction. Us catholic school kids love it cause we got off early every Weds and the public school kids only had to go if their parents wanted them to and were able to choose who would administer this instruction. This system worked for decades. The only reason to offer Bible classes in public school is to push the political agenda of the fundie xians.