Public school bible classes: a disservice to religion?I read the article on the Bible Literacy Project with great interest ("The Bible Literacy Project: Chuck Stetson's Trojan Horse See Trojan. Trojan Horse hollow horse concealed soldiers, enabling them to enter and capture Troy. [Gk. Myth.: Iliad] See : Deceit (application, security) Trojan horse ?" January Church & State). I have two children and have sent each of them at one time or another to Vacation Bible School Origins Vacation Bible School (VBS) is the term for a special type of religious education which caters toward children, usually during the summer. The origins of Vacation Bible School can be traced back to Hopedale, Illinois in 1894. D.T. or Sunday School Sunday school, institution for instruction in religion and morals, usually conducted in churches as part of the church organization but sometimes maintained by other religious or philanthropic bodies. In England during the 18th cent. because I believe that they need to know about the Bible and Christianity. It seems to me that introducing Bible classes into public schools would do a great disservice to churches. After all, I would have little interest in taking my kids to church if they were already getting religion at school (especially since the other great contribution of churches, community service, has been integrated into the school curriculum). Nor, I imagine, would my children have much motivation to go to church if their introduction to the Bible was through public school. After all, how many of us continue to play dodge ball dodge ball n. A game in which players on one team try to eliminate players on another by hitting them with an inflated ball. as adults, do calculus in our spare time or say the Pledge of Allegiance Pledge of Allegiance, in full, Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, oath that proclaims loyalty to the United States. and its national symbol. in the morning? And, if the schools do as poor a job with religion as they do with science, I'm afraid my kids wouldn't even learn much. Introducing religion into the public schools might have the unintended effect of discouraging interest in religion. Thank you, Americans United, for fighting the good fight. --Sherri Bergman Sewanee, Tenn. |
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