Mark Oppenheimer of The New York Times writes today about Bible classes in Texas public schools, which are encouraged by state law and which (surprise!) frequently cross the line from teaching about the Bible's "impact on the history and literature of Western Civilization," as the law requires, to government endorsement of religion.
Or maybe we Yankees just don't understand! Maybe we don't even understand our own strange non-Christian belief systems....
Many of those hired to teach Bible classes ... are ministers, trained in spreading the Gospel. Marvin McHargue, a former dean of a Baptist college in Dallas, will retire this spring after 12 years teaching high school Bible in Duncanville, Tex....See? You Yankees have to make trouble by denying the divinity of the risen Jesus. Here in Texas, the Jews would never say anything like that! It's not neighborly!
On crucial points of theology, Mr. McHargue seemed content with a conservative Protestant interpretation. For example, when asked if he taught that the New Testament "fulfilled" the prophecies in the Jewish book of Isaiah, he said, "Well, it does, as far as I'm concerned."
But Jews, it was pointed out to him, do not believe that Isaiah's teachings were fulfilled by Jesus. "In New York, they don't," he said, somewhat oddly.
When can we give Texas back to Mexico?
ReplyDeleteTen Bears,
ReplyDeleteIf you were Mexico, why the feck would you want Texas back?
The poor country has got enough trouble, without adding millions of ignorant religious crackers.
Victor's correct. Mexico probably doesn't want Texas back; too many crazy people who won't want to speak Spanish and who will be resistant ro much of Mexican society.
ReplyDeleteI went to Catholic schools in NY for 14 years and we had classes on Religion all the time. Not once, at least that I can recall, were we ever told that religion supersedes science. Science was science and religion was taught as Theology, Philosophy, History. The two subjects were never confused with each other. I can not remember any conflict EVER. As long as Religion is NOT taught as Science there should not be. When you force Religious beliefs to be taught as the Word Of God and that is final that undermines peoples belief in Religion and encourages Atheism.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is we don't want Texas to become Independent those silly f* ers would start a holy war.
ReplyDeleteWe don't want them to become part of Mexico. All those Drug cartels would move in and imagine all those Dopes they could grow in the Texas BS (sorry I meant all THAT dope ...) they already have more than enough dopes(idiots/fools).
At least with Texas there it it acts as a no man's land a place beyond the pale. The song "whiter shade of pale" should be their theme song, it makes as much sense as many of them do.
BTW I spent 10 years there in a two month posting to Austin and Houston.
A staff member sat her 45 on her desk "for protection"! From what we were a computer company? I admit it , I retrenched her. Put in a corporate rule that no fire arms were permitted while on duty, in company vehicles, property or in uniform.
Would you believe 3 other staff members quite because of the rule ( 2 of whom were the most troublesome,)
They told me that when they did service calls they left their pistols in the holsters they had fitted at their own expense in the door of the corporate Van !!
(the other was the receptionist who said she felt vulnerable at reception on the 14th floor).
The rest of he staff thought it "t'was a good idea...pass the sugar."
I guess that preacher has a point... on the hood hanging up in his closet.
ReplyDelete