Jump to content
Join the Unexplained Mysteries community today! It's free and setting up an account only takes a moment.
- Sign In or Create Account -

Bible Banned in Florida Classroom


HappyMonkey

Recommended Posts

A conservative religious-rights group targeted Broward County on Monday in an ongoing campaign contending that faith is under attack in America’s elementary schools.

The facts involving a Park Lakes Elementary student seeking to read a Bible in school, like other similar cases before it, are in dispute — but that didn’t prevent the story from going viral on conservative websites and news media.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/05/4099850/group-charging-schools-with-religious.html#storylink=cpy'>http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/05/4099850/group-charging-schools-with-religious.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/05/4099850/group-charging-schools-with-religious.html

Had some problem finding information about this, most of the hits seemed to be copies of a press release with only slight tweaking across news sites.

And most of them were... sites of dubious content.

If this is actually as reported by the defendents, then I have a problem.

As a secularist, the student should have been able to read whatever he liked during a free reading period.

Whether he's reading the Bible, The God Delusion, the Koran, or the Satanists Bible.

If it's as the school system said, that the time period was meant for Accelerated Reading instead, and if on other times the student is free to read whatever they wish, then I'm on the side of the school.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Accelerated reading? If he was onto the Bible already he'd hardly need that. But yes, it sounds like one of those "War on Christianity!" stories that you often see, doesn't it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The school Board confirmed in the Article that it was an "Accelerated Reading" programme where, I guess, certain literary material is offered with the specific intent of increasing vocabulary range - beyond the doctrinal mantras of religious publications... just a thought

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was working on learning English it was recommended I read the Bible. My father advised against it, "Or forsooth thou wilt seem a droll fellow when thou speakest."

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Accelerated reading? If he was onto the Bible already he'd hardly need that. But yes, it sounds like one of those "War on Christianity!" stories that you often see, doesn't it.

Christians have to be persecuted or their religion is wrong.
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Accelerated reading? If he was onto the Bible already he'd hardly need that. But yes, it sounds like one of those "War on Christianity!" stories that you often see, doesn't it.

Need is different than requirment. We had a similar program in my school growing up, and I'd read so many books already by that point I had no issue in keeping up with my grade level for it. On my own time I'd read books far outside of my grade level that got me in trouble with my teachers.

I never read the Bible in class as there was a separate class for it, this being a Catholic school. I might have gotten away with it already having all my required credits. But if I didn't, I can see the teacher having a problem when the reading time is supposed to be specific to the AR program.

I remember the librarian forced this kid to read Curios George just so he'd have the credits for it. He ended up flunking the test on the book anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The school Board confirmed in the Article that it was an "Accelerated Reading" programme where, I guess, certain literary material is offered with the specific intent of increasing vocabulary range - beyond the doctrinal mantras of religious publications... just a thought

If I remember right, the idea is to make sure student's reading skills are kept up to their grade level.

Besides, a lot of young adult fiction has lots of strong Christian overtones to it, at least when I was taking these programs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Get them while they are young and more easily indoctrinated.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are, here in Oz, two types of reading exercises.

One is so you can "benchmark" the kids (basically, everyone reads the same text, if you're good you go up until the text is suitable challenging, if it's too challenging you go down) and the other is for fun. Sounds to me like it was reading for benchmarking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The school Board confirmed in the Article that it was an "Accelerated Reading" programme where, I guess, certain literary material is offered with the specific intent of increasing vocabulary range - beyond the doctrinal mantras of religious publications... just a thought

the bible is the most quoted book in history, you can increase your vocabulary immensely. i think whether your for or against christianity it should be read completely at least once. no one should relie on the oppinion of another about a book they havent read. i didnt even read books before i read the bible and it inspired me to devour every book i lay my hands on. im going through all the classics who have stood the test of time.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Naw I don't believe anyone has ever read the entire Bible, and there is certainly no need to. I generally bog down in Jeremiah although sometimes I don't get as far as getting through Leviticus. Excerpts are a better way to go.

For vocabulary and English idiom Shakespeare is far better. Do pay attention when you look up words as to whether they may be "archaic" though.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Naw I don't believe anyone has ever read the entire Bible, and there is certainly no need to. I generally bog down in Jeremiah although sometimes I don't get as far as getting through Leviticus. Excerpts are a better way to go.

For vocabulary and English idiom Shakespeare is far better. Do pay attention when you look up words as to whether they may be "archaic" though.

shakespeare also quotes the bible in alot of his plays. he almost definately read the bible him self.

Knowledge of Shakespeare's religion is important in understanding the man and his works because of the wealth of biblical and liturgical allusions, both Protestant and Catholic, in his writings and the hidden references to contemporary religious tensions that are claimed to be found in the plays.[1] The topic is the subject of intense scholarly debate. There is no direct evidence of William Shakespeare's religious affiliation; however, over the years there have been many speculations about the personal religious beliefs that he may have held, if any. These speculations are based on circumstantial evidence from historical records and on analysis of his published work. Some evidence[which?] suggests that Shakespeare's family had Catholic sympathies and that he himself was a secret Catholic; although there is disagreement over whether he in fact was so, fewer scholars now maintain the former consensus position provided that he was a member of the established Anglican Church.[2][3][4][5]

Due to the paucity of direct evidence, general agreement on the matter has not yet been reached. As one analysis of the subject puts it, "One cannot quite speak of a consensus among Shakespeare scholars on this point, though the reluctance of some to admit the possibility of Catholicism in Shakespeare's family is becoming harder to maintain."[6]

i know people who have read the whole bible multiple times, ive only read it once the whole way through to understand the context as a whole. i can now pick and choose which bits i read but i would still like to read it all again.

Edited by Ever Learning
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What is contained in the Bible should be a matter of general knowledge, but it should NEVER be used in state schools for the purpose of proselytising.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What is contained in the Bible should be a matter of general knowledge, but it should NEVER be used in state schools for the purpose of proselytising.

i agree but if an idividual chooses to read it to advance his own knowledge then it shouldnt of been a problem. i think if they had stated some of the books other students had chosen then we would be able to weigh it worth against them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Naw I don't believe anyone has ever read the entire Bible, and there is certainly no need to.

The latter of these is opinion. The former, I have to assume you've made some kind of error in said comment. Unless you're suggesting that no one in history has ever read the Bible in its entirety.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The latter of these is opinion. The former, I have to assume you've made some kind of error in said comment. Unless you're suggesting that no one in history has ever read the Bible in its entirety.

That response is so typical of you; think about it some more.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, here is a clue; do you think I really think no one has ever read it (using your concept) when we know that people have even translated it into other languages?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm getting a little confused about what we're arguing about now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, here is a clue; do you think I really think no one has ever read it (using your concept) when we know that people have even translated it into other languages?

Of course not. But you were the one who claimed it, I was just wondering what you meant, that is all. Edited by Paranoid Android
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm getting a little confused about what we're arguing about now.

Oh, that shouldn't stop the thread dragging on to fifty or sixty pages!!!!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks to me like lawyers looking to make cash off the school and court system to me. I don't think that has anything to do with religion and is shameful. According to the school he was in a class, which would have assigned reading. Kids need to have many sources for information, otherwise you foster ignorance. The Bible is one book among many millions.

Broward school officials rejected the accusation, saying the student wasn’t asking to read the Bible during a free-reading session but during a classroom “accelerated reading’’ program. The district says it allows Bibles to be included in free-reading periods — this just wasn’t one of them.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/05/4099850/group-charging-schools-with-religious.html#storylink=cpy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Christians have to be persecuted or their religion is wrong.

A better word, than persecuted, is shamed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a christian but the bible is a tricky book. It's been manipulated since the beginning of history. To be precise, the NT has been the subject of spin doctors because people are corruptible. With the OT we have the prophets to check the mistakes and calamities to show the prophets were right. After St. Paul we don't have prophets today. Anything goes.................................................................................................................................

Edited by euroninja
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Naw I don't believe anyone has ever read the entire Bible, and there is certainly no need to. I generally bog down in Jeremiah although sometimes I don't get as far as getting through Leviticus. Excerpts are a better way to go.

For vocabulary and English idiom Shakespeare is far better. Do pay attention when you look up words as to whether they may be "archaic" though.

I did read the entire Bible and it only strengthened my faith. It was 13 years ago and now I realized why. It's all in the mindset. Now I am a pantheist with a certain level of contempt on the Scripture. Like I said, it's all in the mindset.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A better word, than persecuted, is shamed.

I understand your meaning here in the states but if you look at the M.E. and Africa you can quickly see that a LOT more than "shaming" is going on. I agreed with Frank's comment but not for the reason he wrote it. It is true because Christ himself said we would be persecuted for his name sake. It's an honor when it happens. In the very last days of human history untold numbers will be beheaded for his witness. That is what Christians mean when they speak of martyrdom. It has nothing to do with dying as a way of killing others - that action is straight from satan.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.