Posted by ( Elaine ) on May 15, 2008 at 6:27 am

Totally disagree with this.  Just another way for the Christian right to get more religion into schools.  There is supposed to be separation of church and state.  We already have FCA, chorus that sings religious songs, prayer groups, all in public schools.  If you want to learn about the “bible” do so at your church not in the K-12 setting.  Go ahead and take a college course on the subject, there are so many offered.  My son was NOT allowed to do a project on Darwin’s Theory of Evolucion in class because “it would offend to many others, and I could lose my job”!!!!!  Get more SCIENCE in the classrooms!!-not religion!!!!  Religion won’t give us the answers to the fuel crises, but science will.

Posted by ( Julie ) on May 15, 2008 at 11:47 am

Is it possible to teach the Bible as “nonsectarian, nonreligious”? I mean… locally possible? And what age group of students are we talking about here?

I think the Bible can be discussed with older children (13 and above), concerning how the Bible has influenced various aspects of history. But, I have a hard time visualizing how the Bible can be “taught”, especially with the vast number of “versions” and interpretations of the Bible that exist today.

I think I need to see the wording of the proposal before I can give a more direct opinion. But, my instinct says this is stepping across a few lines that just shouldn’t be crossed.

Sometimes teaching to ask a the right questions is more productive than trying to “teach” what you “think” is the answer.

Posted by ( beeman ) on May 15, 2008 at 12:46 pm

Most of the world could use some learnin’ in comparative religion, but I doubt if this would be a good start.  We still have people so dumb they think prayer is illegal in our public schools now.  Of course, it never has been, but don’t let the facts influence them.  Let’s face it, dumb ignorant parents most likely will raise dumb ignorant kids.  This is just trying to appease the mostly ignorant voters which sadly are the majority of them.  And would do nothing to improve the intellect of the students.  How about teaching more science and math?  That could help.  This is just a distraction.

Posted by ( Tabatha ) on May 15, 2008 at 1:32 pm

Absolutely , it should be allowed. This could be optional to parents who disagree, much like Family Life is now. We have the option to allow our children to take part in those classes. The Bible could easily be taught or researched by the children given them a basis of their own oppinions and or answers to their own questions. By taking prayer and the bible out of schools , this nation has created a monster that has yet to be tamed. Non religious people are so scared that christians will infect their children that they dont even want the “option” of studying it in school. Why not ? Children will always have a different view of the world because the world changes daily !

Posted by ( James ) on May 15, 2008 at 3:09 pm

The first posted comment listed what we didn’t have in schools while organized, mandatory prayer was occurring. During that time period what we did have in school was rampant racism, segregation, a drop-out rate second to none, pregnant girls secreted away as if there was no problem, unreported child abuse and sexual exploitation within the family, and little, if any, sexual education in the home. My, but didn’t prayer make everything right!

Posted by ( Connie ) on May 15, 2008 at 3:41 pm

I’m a retired teacher from another state, still paying property taxes where most goes to support schools, and I’ve never had children of my own. Do I want my tax dollars to support Bible classes? Absolutely not. There’s separation of church and state, and it should remain that way. If parents want their children schooled in religion, take them to church. This area certainly has enough churches and pushy Bible thumpers. I actually had two women to ring my doorbell shortly after we moved to the area and tell me they were there to read the Bible with me!! I was appalled. And, I can read.

Posted by ( Robert W ) on May 15, 2008 at 4:20 pm

exactly chris! religion should be taught at home or at church. the bible cannot be taught in government schools without bias.why not set higher standards for the classes being taught in the state,,compared to national averages.

Posted by ( Terry ) on May 15, 2008 at 5:42 pm

It’s a about time. Our children need to know about the BIBLE, I was taught it and i think it’s help me in all my life. That’s what wrong with our world now. We forgot my GOD. And he said if we do this he will in not right word’ , he would forgot about us. I know the word’s of the word but it’s freewill for each persao. Thank’s

Posted by ( DON COLE ) on May 15, 2008 at 9:01 pm

Just another wedge to get the bible back into school.  If the governor signs it, I will vote republican next time.

Posted by ( Pamela Page ) on May 16, 2008 at 5:41 am

The Bible is a wonderful asset to our lives and society.  However, the rigid testing manadated by the state does not currently include “Bible.”

Posted by ( paul parker ) on May 16, 2008 at 6:02 am

this is a good subject!!! I feel that teaching the bible in schools is exelent,as others have said when there was prayer,disapline ,and dress codes that were inforced in schools there was alot less troble in the USA ! The kids had respect and showed it there was no school shootings and the schools ran alot smoother.

Posted by ( Tommy Privette ) on May 16, 2008 at 6:23 am

I read the comments that others wrote and was amazed to see how just the mention of the Bible and teaching it to our children brings out hate and discontent.What happened to in God we trust? This country was a lot better off when we actually believed and lived that.I think teaching our children about the Bible and God at school only reinforces what we are teaching them at home.Look at what our children are learning at school,and honestly say that it doesn’t need help.There are a lot more Christians than atheists.It’s about time we stood up for our rights for a change.

Posted by ( jennifer ) on May 16, 2008 at 8:04 am

I personally feel if a sex education course can be taught in school that it is wonderful that a bible course can be taught.  I could really careless if a bunch of atheists are offended.  They always complain about their rights but it’s about time we stood up for ours! I heard about a teacher who refused to teach the theory of evolution with out also bringing in her Bible to teach, THE TRUTH about creation.  I bet their’s not hardly any teachers out there today who would do the same thing because of fear of losing their jobs.  To any teacher that claims to be a Christian the bible says if you deny Jesus he will deny you.  I don’t really know that the class they are going to offer would teach many of the christian values that need to be instilled in our youth but any where is a better place to start than nothing at all.

Posted by ( TL.Higgins ) on May 16, 2008 at 9:13 am

On the theory of evelution, darwin recanted this theory himself and said it was wrong...this throry can be taught but not as fact but theory and what is the difference in having an elective bible class and paying a counsoler at school, look at our prisons of today and how many of our nations children end up there due to lack of direction,my parents never went to church,the only values they taught by example were that having a good time were more important than there children and there safety,I learned values from a bible class that was an elective in high school, it turned my life around, it is sad when parents are willing to put there 15 year old daughters on birth control or provide there sons with condoms, absainence works.when they would deny them the right to choose for themselves, put the bible in high schools as an elective,freedome to choose are our freedoms,I would gladly pay tax dollars to teach children"who otherwise would have no direction"the values that the bible has to offer,the bible is a template for what is right and wrong..think about it, I want a vote on this, after all america is suppose to be a democracy, as far as the gas problem,talk to wall street about that they are the ones driving up the gas prices, there is no gas shortage, think about it..there wouldent be record breaking proffits for these oil companies if there were..simple economics.

Posted by ( Crystal Smith ) on May 16, 2008 at 9:24 am

I THINK IF THE WORD OF GOD WAS BACK IN SCHOOL WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE MESS WE HAVE NOW....AND THE PARENTS THAT KICK THAT HOLY BIBLE AROUND AND WANT TO CRY AND SHOUT NOT TO PUT GOD AND HIS HOLY WORD BACK IN SCHOOL SHOULD LET THEIR KIDS HAVE A CHANCE TO LEARN ABOUT GOD...MORE ABOUT GOD AND LESS ABOUT HOW TO USE A GUN OR HOW TO HAVE SEX WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND OR BOYFRIEND… THEY NEED TO LEARN THAT SEX AND GUNS ARE NOT THE ANSWER TO ANYTHING...AND THAT THE BIBLE WILL HELP THEM AND LEAD THEM...HELP THEM MAKE IT TO HEAVEN...INSTEAD OF GOING TO HELL....SO THIS IS MY PRAYER GOD LET THIS BILL PASS ALL OVER YOUR WORLD KIDS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU… YES PASS THIS BILL

Posted by ( Pam ) on May 16, 2008 at 10:13 am

It would be wonderful if all children could be taught Bible truth. With all the negative “junk” they are exposed to, it would be nice for them to hear stories from the one and only book that still offers hope and peace. Unfortunately, we will never have the two different sides agree on this issue of studying the Bible in classrooms. One question, why is it okay for society to expose our children to evil, but not to what is right and good? God help us all…

Posted by ( jo bowman ) on May 16, 2008 at 11:40 am

GOD, is the foundation from the beginning of time,for this world,when the government started removing GOD from everything this world started going downhill and it is pretty close to the bottom now, people blame President Bush for our problems,i beleive it is the fault of the people for not teaching our children morals and respect in which the teaching of God’s word guides us.

Posted by ( Michael VanHaverbeke ) on May 16, 2008 at 2:56 pm

The Bible is a very rich source of literature of many genres. It contains moral values, poetry, wisdom and much more. Unfortunately it can be taught according to personal views, as a myth or as fact. A person not exposed to the Bible will miss a great asset in life. Give students the option but leave the religion to the home and the church. Belief is, and must, be a personal but never private.

Posted by ( mom ) on May 16, 2008 at 4:06 pm

I think this could work in a high school as an elective course. That way it is there if the students want it to be taught to them and if not then they don’t have to take the course.

Posted by ( Rachel ) on May 16, 2008 at 7:37 pm

Yeah I remember the good old days in elementary school in a rural area when you had to say the pledge and the Lords Prayer every morning and had bible classes. I also remember a little boy that came to school from another state. He was Jewish and asked if he could just lay his head down and not participate. He was told by the nice christian teacher that he was an ungodly heathen and was going to hell (we were just in the fourth grade)and that we were not to talk to him because he wasn’t “one of us”. He was made to sit outside of the classroom, sometimes all day where he would sit and cry and the principle would come around and ask him what he had done wrong. Of course this was “back in the good ole days” so nothing was done about this. This went on for almost a year until he moved away. I still remember that little boy crying and her yelling at him and I can just guess the christian values he learned while living in East Tn.
As far the people saying oh we didn’t have drugs and pregnancy and all that when they taught the bible in school. Well I graduated over 22 years ago and while I was there we had knives (two stabbings that were laughed off because nobody was seriously hurt)it was common for us to carry knives to school,there were guns more available then than now, (They had parents listening to them and teaching them right from wrong and how to deal with things so killing wasn’t their first thought.), fights happened every day, alcohol, pot, pills, cocaine, crack was getting started and a lot of other drugs. They still brought the drug sniffing dogs in every few months to sniff the lockers (of course everybody knew when they were coming so if you really did have anything you knew not to have it that day) In the 10th. grade, The class that got no sex education in health class ended up with 4 pregnant girls before graduation, while our class that got some sex education in our health class had one (she was pregnant before we started the class.)All out of a class of around 40. So all the same things went on then, they were just pushed under the rug and not talked about. People seem to be forgetting that it isn’t the fact that the bible and religion isn’t being taught in schools that has everything messed up it’s the fact that we aren’t teaching our children the difference between right and wrong. Everybody has to work, and nobody but the TV raises the kids. They are bombarded with reality tv where the most conniving, meanest, do anything to win people, are the ones that win everything. They are shown to be the “winners” doing anything to get ahead no matter who you hurt will get you praise, money, you’re on tv series, and anything else you want. Parents don’t seem to realize that they should be the kids role models and they should teach by example. When you take them to a retail store and calmly watch as they destroy the place, throw things in the floor and cause more work for the already overworked people and you don’t tell them thats wrong, or worse yet do the same thing yourself. Is that the right thing to do? Go to a restaurant and throw things, spill things, yell, and then leave without leaving a tip. Ask any waiter/waitress or retail worker which day they hate to work and they will always tell you Sunday. People on their way to church stop by to buy newspapers and curse and yell at you because you’re not fast enough with their change and they’re late for church?? People come in still in their Sunday clothes and treat you like you’re nothing, yell at you, curse you, throw things, mess up the restrooms, just make the place look like a hurricane has hit when they leave. It’s teaching the children to disrespect people and make their job harder. I just want to take a video sometimes to show at their church the next Sunday and watch what they would do.
People say, well it shouldn’t be a problem because it will be their choice whether they want to go. Fine, what about when they want to teach a voluntary class on other major religions of the world, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and more, will you say well fine as long as it’s voluntary. You’re saying majority rules so it would be Christian. What if you weren’t the majority any more, what would you say then? Would you be as set about teaching other things? Even if it used your tax money to do so?
I also think it’s funny that some are saying we’re Christians, lets stick up for ourselves for a change??? For a change? Thats all I’ve seen lately is Christians “sticking up for themselves” regardless of how much they run over other people’s freedoms and feelings” I’ve been told what to say at Christmas, how to vote, how to dress, how to pray, and how to think, all from Christians, I’ve never been told what to do from any other religion or non religion, ever. I’ve always considered myself a Christian but after watching other so called Christians and how they are turning people away from the church with all the hate they are always spewing out it makes me not want to be called Christian because I’m not seeing any Christian behavior from most Christians anymore. After watching the things they are teaching their children about how to hate anybody that have different views from them and how to treat people like dirt it makes me wonder what being a Christian really is. I think people should start teaching their children the difference between right and wrong and how to respect other people and the main rule that if everybody followed there wouldn’t be any problems at all,"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. Matthew 7:12 ("Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.) If the kids have a horrible home life they probably wouldn’t go to a class like this anyway. If you are worrying about children like this and you see a child in trouble at home ask their parents if you could take them to church. Help them by being an adult they can look up to. Show them another example of an adult. Bottom line, there is a church around every corner, especially in this area. Any child, teenager, or adult that wants to go to a bible class has plenty of choices to choose from. So if somebody wants to learn about God enough to take a class at school then they would go to church to learn the same thing. Nobody gets their feelings hurt, nobody is disrespected, and nobody has to pay taxes for a religion with ethics or values they don’t have or don’t want their children taught. If they can’t drive, I’m sure there are plenty of people that would give them a ride to church. (maybe even you?)

Posted by ( James Wilson ) on May 16, 2008 at 8:10 pm

Why not go for it! At least the kids in Tennessee will be able to identify with the kids in ther middle east when they have to fight and die with them. They will have both been forced by religious zealots to learn more about religion than science. Science is an expensive subject to teach religion is cheap.

Posted by ( Nana ) on May 17, 2008 at 12:01 pm

Do you know why we have schools?  Do you know why we have reading (ritin’ and rith’matek)?  So that the founding / early children could read THE BIBLE!  There is no such law as separation of church and state.  We are sooooo confused.

Posted by ( Karl Swartz ) on May 18, 2008 at 10:21 am

I am sure that, with just a little effort, we could have a religious theocracy just like all of our ‘enemies’ in the middle east, who we love to hate so much!  We could then have the ‘religion police’ to investigate and punish any reports of heresy or tolerance (which, of course, is the same thing for these idiots).

The fundamental problem is that the majority of ‘Christians’ in this country are actually Pauline; that is, they follow the teachings of Paul, not of Christ.  If all of these people who claim to be such fervent Bible readers would just once read the Gospels with an open and unbiased mind, they would soon realize that the church is no different now than it was in Jesus’ time, when He routinely condemned its leaders for their hypocrisy.

When asked which was the greatest commandment, Jesus replied:  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” He then followed this with the parable of the good Samaritan.

I continually hear of ‘Christians’ who want to post the 10 Commandments everywhere, but never do I hear them wanting to post these two of Jesus’s.  Why?  Because this is all about power, it is nothing about love.  Perhaps if all these ‘Christians’ were to look into their own hearts, they would not find so much time to tell others how they should be living their lives.

Posted by ( Harvey Doss ) on May 19, 2008 at 5:44 am

What we need most is to start teaching the BIBLE, [KING JAMES VERSION] in our churches and home. That’s where it was taught when this country was first established.
member 96

Posted by ( Jamie Chapman ) on May 19, 2008 at 4:58 pm

You may be tired of “gay rights being shoved down your throat” but what about the rest of the country who are tired of the Republican Party shoving christianity down our throats?  Everyone (even gays, blacks, women, muslims) in this country pay taxes and are hard working citizens and it is just plain WRONG to say that any group is not equal to another group!

Posted by ( Chris ) on May 20, 2008 at 8:03 am

Sandra,

You’re right. We should immediately change our form of government to that of a theocratic state. Our children should be forced to adhere to the biblical interpretations that YOU adhere to. They should be forced to pray in school to YOUR GOD. They should be forced to study the King James Version of the Bible. All other versions should be banned and burned. Anyone who is not christian should be made to sit at the back of the bus. Homosexuals should be stripped of their rights as citizens. All laws forthwith should be based on YOUR religious ideology and anyone who breaks them will be punished accordingly. We could do those things like you want, or we could just move to Iran or Afghanistan and live under the theocratic governments they have. The American Taliban is alive and well. I would say thank god for that but I’m not sure if the God I would be thanking is the correct God.

Posted by ( Lisa Hayes ) on May 20, 2008 at 11:02 am

The simple issue here is this...Christianity, in short, teaches us to love and not judge our neighbors. Since the world seems so full of hatred and judgment by both the believers and nonbelievers alike, wouldn’t it be nice to have our children taught the basic principles and morals the Bible teaches? Hatred is taught,sadly often by parents, so why can’t love and simple morals that the Bible teaches us be taught in our schools? Sadly, many children are exposed to hatred and anger in their homes as well as this world we live in? It’s up to us as adults to teach them that there is love and a better place for them, both in life and in death. If our children choose not to believe in God, heaven or hell, etc., by all means they don’t have to; that is their right as Americans, but they should be given the right to choose. Oh, and while we’re quoting scripture: Matthew 24:27 “ For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” AND Luke 12:9 “But he that denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.”

Posted by ( Pam ) on May 28, 2008 at 3:14 pm

Jamie of Chuckey,
We will pray for you.

Posted by ( James Wilson ) on June 02, 2008 at 9:24 pm

Well I went to school in the late 50’s and I never prayed in school. So when was this praying in schools? The 1930’s or 1940’s?