My Bible Lit. Course In High School - A Good Experience

[dballance]

I grew up in TN in a fairly rural setting. My home town had a population of about 18,000 back then. What I've found while progressing though life is that I got an awesome public education. Sure, the kids who moved into town from up north rocketed to the head of the class because their schools were better than the southern schools. As a native southerner I managed to stay in the top 10% with them though.

Back when I was in high school we had six-week mini-courses in English. That is, we had the opportunity to change the subject of our English courses every six weeks. We could take etymology, vocabulary, grammar, literature, creative writing, and The Bible in Literature (Bible Lit.). I took all of those courses and that has benefited me greatly in life. Especially the grammar and vocabulary courses.

I particularly enjoyed the Bible Lit. course. My instructor was not just a teacher but a deacon in the First Baptist church. He taught the class in an appropriate, secular manner. There was no proselytizing. He taught us about the many references to the Bible in novels, plays and essays. When an author makes reference to a "Jephthah's vow" I know what the author means. When an author refers to "pearls before swine" I know what that means.

I have no delusions that the Bible is some text inspired by a one true God. That's rubbish. I do know that it was just about the only book available to common people for many decades. It inspired and informed much of our literature. To me, explaining the background of that literature is okay even if it means referencing the Bible.

We teach mythology and talk openly about the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. I think it's okay to teach the same sort of courses about the Bible. In fact, I think it's critical to teach the Bible in an objective, secular way.

The right-wing nuts use the Bible as a weapon. So few people actually know what the Bible says anymore. I don't think many people really read it. They just pick and choose parts or parrot their clergy without any bit of doubt or curiosity.

If it's not on Facebook or being Twittered people have no clue about it. It's too hard to read the English in the King James version and form one's own opinion. Just like it's too hard to read the Constitution and Bill of Rights and understand our nation's founding.

I'm sad for our nation. We don't educate and we don't care for our citizens. Until we start educating our youth again this nation will continue to decline. When will the GOP figure out that a nation of ignorant people will not be able to deliver them the greedy profits they desire? You can't have a nation of idiots making minimum wage fueling the profits the GOP so blatantly desires. The math doesn't work out.

In any case; we liberals should stop trying to keep the Bible out of the classroom. We should ensure it's there and discussed objectively. How else can we expect to refute the stupidity of the right if the nation is ignorant about the basis of their talking points?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. I don't know of any laws against people worshipping as they desire

And I don't doubt for one minute that it was a kick and a pleasure for you to be having a religious experience at school. I'm sure you are not alone.

However, I don't want my tax money going to teaching any or all methods of worship. I want that part of my tax money going to get dental care for people who are needy. Not long ago someone in DU was begging for someone to please help him with his teeth. He was in pain, had no money and of course the U.S. has no socialized dental care.

There are so many needs in this country. We need to round up all that money that is going to unnecessaries: religion teaching in school, free money going to the corporations, etc. and use it to help the most helpless among us.

[orpupilofnature57]

7. Laws against it or money for it ,Would be Communism.Corporations

get more money and breaks than all the religions in the world ,all of them.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

11. But there are laws against it. Separation of church and state (what the govt pays for) nt

[rd_kent]

2. When Christianity is a dead religion, like the greek mythology you reference,

THEN it can be taught in school. Until then, the bible can stay in your home or your church, NOT in a publicly funded school.

[angrycarpenter]

3. I had bible lit.

They treated it more like a history book and stuck mostly to the story rather than the substance. It has served me well over the years but I am not sure that many teachers can be trusted to simply teach a secular class. Since the time that I was a kid I have seen Christianity turn into something other than what I grew up with. I do not think that these days anyone can be trusted to give a non biased purely secular class on the subject.

[msongs]

5. nothings new. it has always been an oppressive cult religion out for power and wealth nt

[madrchsod]

4. the bible is a interesting book.

if one does`t take it as the word of god or some such nonsense it really is worth reading. hell it`s even has naughty bits!

the biggest problem in a public school setting is that one would receive crap from both sides of the issue. that being said, our community college had a credited bible lit for many years. the professor was a liberal cleric from the area. today the college does`t offer the course and probably could`t in today`s climate.

[orpupilofnature57]

6. The Big Book ,believe it or not, is the Example of Civilization like

no other in the history of civilizations.

[Sal Minella]

10. What?

[stray cat]

8. Not to allow its discussion as literature is the same as banning books

no different thant the conservatives banning books they dislike

[orpupilofnature57]

13. Some people have trouble looking at the bible objectively ,your right.

[Sal Minella]

15. People are free to discuss the Bible as literature as much as they like.

Just not in a public school classroom (supported by taxpayer monies) under the tutelage of a "deacon" (paid by taxpayer monies).

Using the New Testament "stories" as literature without proselytizing seems nearly impossible to me. If my kid wanted to take an elective class in the holy books of the world, alarm bells would not be going off in my head.

[Sal Minella]

9. "it's critical to teach the Bible in an objective, secular way."

It's also critical to teach the Koran in an objective, secular way.

It's critical to teach the Talmud in an objective, secular way.

Sneaking the Christian Bible into taxpayer-funded classes is a no-no, not to mention, finding a "deacon" who can teach in a "secular" manner strains the laws of probability. (How could one believe in "I am The Way, The Truth, and The Light" and still teach in a secular manner?)

Churches can support Sunday School classes for teaching the Bible.

Schools need to teach non-religious subjects.

BTW, Don't blame the "idiots" for the minimum wage the GOP bosses are paying.
Never once, in any job, ever, was I allowed to determine the wage my boss paid me.

It's going to take more than a worker's familiarity with names in the Bible to convince bosses to pay decent wages.

[orpupilofnature57]

12. Thats why it's the Big BOOK ,all of the pitfalls of lust and greed ,what

history text talked about the NWO or Smedley Butler?

[Sal Minella]

14. What?

[donco6]

16. Didn't have to have a class. Read it myself.

I'd rather keep it out. It's done enough harm already.