Bible Classes: Kentucky Senate Approves Law To Allow 'Academic' Teaching Of Text In Public Schools

It's a thin line between church and state.

In Kentucky, the Senate has approved new legislation allowing the Christian Bible to be studied in public school. It has been submitted for House review.

Kentucky Sen. Joe Bowen told WLKY that he believes biblical rhetoric has played a huge role in the development of the modern world.

"No doubt about it, the most important book ever written and obviously, it's had so much influence on our society and all of Western civilization."

He maintains that the bill would require teaching methods to be strictly academic. He told the Kentucky Post,

"This bill ensures it will be about education, not indoctrination."

State Rep. Reggie Meeks told WLKY that he believes the bill to be a method of political posturing in an effort to win over their Christian constituency.

"It's like waving meat in front of a dog... You give them what they want."

Last year, a similar bill was introduced by former Sen. David Boswell. Although passing in the Senate, was rejected by the House.

WATCH:

Comments

[Sarah Tennant]

06:24 PM on 03/18/2011

As long as the "elective" class is structured correctly and does not promote religion, I can see nothing wrong with offering a class that utilizes the Bible. I was afforded the opportunity to take an elective class in high school "The Bible as Literature", not only was the course work challenging, as we used the King James version of the bible for our text, but it was interesting and well presented. The class strictly focused on the literary aspects of the Bible in the same manner that a class would look at any other great literary work. Religion was never the focus.

[catcancook]

12:00 PM on 03/16/2011

What do they not understand about their schools being, "Public" and not "Christian" Schools? This Kentucky Senate needs some schooling imo. I foresee legal action against this ridiculousness should the Kentucky House pass this bill.

Talk about a huge waste of Tax Dollars! Kentucky is making Cuts but to cut important things while using tax dollars to pay for Christian Bible studies shows a complete lack of intelligence on their part on so many levels including the Constitution.

[bulldog23]

11:28 AM on 03/16/2011

School is for learning facts, Church is for learning stories. Don't let my tax dollars go for that hooey.

If you want your kids to learn about some mythical man in the sky, who controls everything and sends good people to hell, just because they don't believe in Jesus, teach them at home or in church.

I wouldn't want my kids going to that class. Undoubtedly they wouldn't teach the whole bible, they would just cherry pick the things they like. I mean how would an African American, or a homo-sexual feel when they got to the parts that say it's okay to have slaves and kill people who are gay.

[ruffledfeathers]

12:43 AM on 03/16/2011

Isn't this what Sunday School Classes are for in Church?

[XPat Lib]

02:56 AM on 03/03/2011

Will they also be studying the Koran and the Torah, as well as learning about other religious teachings? I wouldn't necessarily object to that. A study of the history of religions, their myths and beliefs would be quite educational.

[ZENNEPHI]

04:14 PM on 02/26/2011

...Pope Benedict got on the telephone this morning and addressed all the Council of
American Bishops. " Bishops. I bring you "Good News"... The Lord Christ has Come, and
is with us to stay...
....After a short hesitant pause, the Bishops replied in Unison.."What could possibly be the
bad news?" The Holy Sees Reply, "He called Collect from Salt Lake City".

[Long live Zions Tribe.]

[Cole 33]

12:52 PM on 02/25/2011

Oh this is great news!, Looks like we're going to be making many many more Atheists in KY!

My only gripe is that it doesn't include other mythological books like the Q'uran, Bhagavad Gita, Old Testament, etc.

They should all have SCIENCE class right before too.

[Chester Erickson]

12:38 AM on 02/21/2011

I think this isn't such a bad idea for high school students, providing that they teach the whole Bible and not just the parts they like best, and I sincerely doubt that any non-Christian would care.

By the time they learn a few things like:

Premarital sex is wrong
Masturbation is a quick ticket to hell
Saying "OMG" every 10 seconds will get you fried
The gay actors and musicians that they adore are evil
Talking back to the parents is grounds for death
God says it's ok to own other people
And...
Jesus doesn't want you to have any cool stuff, he thinks you should give it all away

...they'll pretty much decide that it makes a lot more sense to not be Christian.

I'm pretty sure that even younger kids would wise up to the game quickly if the Bible was taught academically, but as a parent I'd be hesitant to let them read the gory or sexy parts. Does an eight year old need to know that God says it's wrong to have sex with animals?

All that said, I think it's wrong that they only intend to teach the Bible and "Hebrew scriptures." Having just one makes Constitutional questions come up. If they're really trying for social studies, it might be good to broaden their horizons just a bit.

[Turtlenewz]

03:09 AM on 02/17/2011

Someone will hopefully bring a Lawsuit

[Ekimus]

06:22 PM on 02/16/2011

So if we're going to give KY's kids the opportunity to study the Bible - just for educational purposes - in public schools, don't you think that we should give the same class time to other religious works such as the Book of Mormon, Biblical Apocrypha, Talmud, Koran, Bhagavad Gita, etc.? I mean, fair is fair. Every single one of these has had an enormous impact on history...

[Frank Jenkins]

02:42 PM on 02/15/2011

A clear violation of the Constitution

[trw33]

07:38 PM on 02/15/2011

Not at all. Have you read the constitution? Seperation of church and state comes from a private letter not the constitution. Not to mention that this is an optional class, not a requirement.

[Ekimus]

01:10 PM on 02/16/2011

That private letter from Jefferson specifically addressed what was written in the Constitution, clarifying that the intent of the Constitutional language was to separate church and state.

Regarding the issue of the article, I can understand the need to include mention of the Bible in Social Studies and History classes, but study of the book itself? If this isn't a college class this smells of trying to slip religion under the radar into public schools. Study of the Bible for minors belongs in the home or church.

[Frank Jenkins]

02:54 PM on 02/16/2011

Me thinks you need 2

[ceefee]

02:10 PM on 02/15/2011

"This bill ensures it will be about education, not indoctrination." Seriously? Just say no, I say.

[trw33]

07:40 PM on 02/15/2011

ELECTIVE class NOT required..whats wrong with each individual deciding for themselves? Or do you have something against freedom?

[XPat Lib]

03:11 AM on 03/03/2011

Okay, but why the "Christian" bible? Why not a "religious studies" class that covers all religions, their history and beliefs and the impact of religion over time? Give young people a real education and not just a one-sided view. Pushing one ideology/belief-system is not education, it's indoctrination.

[UnderTheHedgeWeGo]

02:03 PM on 02/15/2011

We all know why the legislators in Kentucky want to teach the Bible and it isn't for its value as literature. The Bible is commonly referenced and it is valuable to recognize it as a source. But in reality this is one more example of "Lying for God". When it comes to spreading "The Good News" all is fair and that certainly includes lying to your constituents (of course it is for there own good, there seems to be a lot of that going around).

[alterego55]

12:34 PM on 02/15/2011

Lesson Plan:
Week 1 - Intelligent design instead of the theory of evolution.
Week 2 - Intelligent falling instead of the theory of gravity.
Week 3 - Intelligent shocking instead of the theory of electricity.
Week 4 - Intelligent sticking instead of the theory of magnetism.
Week 5 - Intelligent floating instead of the theory of flight.

[alterego55]

12:04 PM on 02/15/2011

"This bill ensures it will be about education, not indoctrination."

Accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior and you will get candy. Don't accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, and you will burn in hell forever. So. please explain to me how do we teach this without indoctrination?

Are we going to to compare how many of the tenets of the Bible were not original religious concepts as most Christians believe? virgin birth, trinity, resurrection, etc.?
Are we going to teach the impossibility of getting seven pairs of clean animals and one pair of non-clean animals on a boat? Are we going to teach that the Bible is mostly religious, superstitious nonsense? Then I'm in favor of it.

[trw33]

07:44 PM on 02/15/2011

Are we going to teach that the Bible is mostly religious, superstiti­ous nonsense? Then I'm in favor of it.

That is your opinion....are others not entitled to theirs?

Are we going to teach the impossibil­ity of getting seven pairs of clean animals and one pair of non-clean animals on a boat?

Nothing is impossible through God.

[Josh Rose]

02:00 AM on 03/03/2011

I'm pretty sure jumping off of a building with cardboard strapped to your behind while praying is pretty impossible, even through a bearded wizard in the sky.

[XPat Lib]

03:22 AM on 03/03/2011

And, that's your opinion, as well, and you're entitled to it. While I'm now an atheist, I was raised as a Lutheran and attended "bible school" at the church - not in school. Later I became Catholic through marriage. At no time, neither then or now do I feel the need to "push" by views on others and certainly wouldn't want others trying to do that to me. Study and learn "about" religions but make it all-inclusive... and honest.