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TechnoratiChristian Right Aims to Change History Lessons in Texas Schools
State's education board to consider adding Christianity's role in American history to curriculum
The Christian right is making a fresh push to force religion onto the school curriculum in Texas with the state's education board about to consider recommendations that children be taught that there would be no United States if it had not been for God.
![[A painting of Jesus in a wheat field hangs along Interstate 70 on Wednesday July 8, 2009 in Colby, Kansas. (AP Photo / The Hays Daily News, Steven Hausler)]](http://www.commondreams.org/files/article_images/jesus_billboard.jpg "jesus_billboard.jpg")
Members of a panel of experts appointed by the board to revise the state's history curriculum, who include a Christian fundamentalist preacher who says he is fighting a war for America's moral soul, want lessons to emphasise the part played by Christianity in the founding of the US and that religion is a civic virtue.
Opponents have decried the move as an attempt to insert religious teachings in to the classroom by stealth, similar to the Christian right's partially successful attempt to limit the teaching of evolution in biology lessons in Texas.
One of the panel, David Barton, founder of a Christian heritage group called WallBuilders, argues that the curriculum should reflect the fact that the US Constitution was written with God in mind including that "there is a fixed moral law derived from God and nature", that "there is a creator" and "government exists primarily to protect God-given rights to every individual".
Barton says children should be taught that Christianity is the key to "American exceptionalism" because the structure of its democratic system is a recognition that human beings are fallible, and that religion is at the heart of being a virtuous citizen.
Another of the experts is Reverend Peter Marshall, who heads his own Christian ministry and preaches that Hurricane Katrina and defeat in the Vietnam war were God's punishment for sexual promiscuity and tolerance of homosexuals. Marshall recommended that children be taught about the "motivational role" of the Bible and Christianity in establishing the original colonies that later became the US.
"In light of the overwhelming historical evidence of the influence of the Christian faith in the founding of America, it is simply not up to acceptable academic standards that throughout the social studies (curriculum standards) I could only find one reference to the role of religion in America's past," Marshall wrote in his submission.
Marshall later told the Wall Street Journal that the struggle over the history curriculum is part of a wider battle. "We're in an all-out moral and spiritual civil war for the soul of America, and the record of American history is right at the heart of it," he said.
Dan Quinn of the Texas Freedom Network, which describes itself as a "counter to the religious right", called the recommendations "troubling".
"I don't think anyone disputes that faith played a role in our history. But it's a stretch to say that it played the role described by David Barton and Peter Marshall. They're absurdly unqualified to be considered experts. It's a very deceptive and devious way to distort the curriculum in our public schools," he said.
Quinn says that the issue is likely to lead to a heated political battle similar to the one in which the religious right tried to force creationism onto the curriculum. While it wasn't able to inject religious theories in to the classroom, the Texas school board did make changes to teaching designed to undermine lessons on evolution such as introducing views that the eye is so complex an organ it must have involved "intelligent design".
"I think, as there was with science, there's going to be a big political battle," he said.
Social studies teachers will meet shortly to consider the panel's views and make their own recommendations to the board of education which has the final say. The board is dominated by conservatives who appointed Barton and Marshall to the panel.
Other states will be watching what happens in Texas carefully as the religious right campaign seeks new ways to insert God in to the classroom after the courts limited the extent to which creationist theories could intrude on the teaching of biology. But religion is not kept out of schools entirely. Many children recite the pledge of allegiance in class each morning which includes a reference to the US as "one nation under God".
The panel made other recommendations.
Barton, a former vice-chairman of the state's Republican party, said that Texas children should no longer be taught about democratic values but republican ones. "We don't pledge allegiance to the flag and the democracy for which it stands," he said.
And while God may be in, some of those he influenced are out.
According to a draft of guidelines for the new curriculum, Washington, Lincoln and Stephen Fuller Austin, known as the Father of Texas after helping to lead it to independence from Mexico, have been removed from history lessons for younger children.
There's no doubt that history education needs a boost in Texas.
According to test results, one-third of students think the Magna Carta was signed by the Pilgrims on the Mayflower and 40% believe Lincoln's 1863 emancipation proclamation was made nearly 90 years earlier at the constitutional convention.
183 Comments so far
Show AllI live in rural, and highly religious New Mexico. As proof of this, the local movie theater plays new releases for around 2 weeks. When "Angels and Demons" played, it lasted 2 days.
However, the religious folk in this area are not fundamentalists, but more traditional byproducts of the Spanish Inquisition.
What about rural CA? Coastal CA except for Orange County seems to be sane but rural interior CA seems to be just as bad as Texas.
Of course they need to change the truth about what they call America's history as they need lies to live upon the earth so they would hate Jesus if he told them the truth.
Sometimes I keep thinking: the existence of the US is a solid proof for the non-existence of god.
Why ... you see: if god would really exist - i think he would have sunk shipload after shipload of these fanatic "pilgrim fathers".
"Ah great, all these assholes in these small ships; now I can prevent a lot of evil things to happen; without killing too many bystanders".
Need I say more about why I'm a Texas expat? A beautiful state until it was overrun by right wingers, starting in the mid-70's when the steel bust sent boocoo amount of blue collar republicans to the "Lone Star" state. "Bubba W" was the icing on the cake!!!!
'views that the eye is so complex an organ it must have involved "intelligent design"'
Those who believe the earth was created 6000 years ago can use evolutionary data to conclude that the human eye cannot evolve in that length of time. But the fact is that better eyes than human eyes had already arrived several hundred million years ago after a couple of billion years of evolution. A cell with a simple resistive element can detect electromagnetic radiation. A current is induced across the resistor. That's how an eye starts out. Fascinating legacy this great planet has. It's mind boggling and our reverence should be directed toward it, not some diversionary fiction. Delusions reign in the cauldron of petro-convenience. I'm still thinking about that $400 bil spent annually by the USA for imported oil. We could be living in a real utopia with sensible resource allocation. Tolerance? How long do we tolerate institutionalized idiocy, gluttony, apathy?
"a Christian fundamentalist preacher who says he is fighting a war for America's moral soul"
The people's struggle against general oppression is the only legitimate struggle. The preacher's struggle isn't legitimate because the preacher is the oppressor. Also, his labeling his struggle a "war" says a lot.
The preacher is exploiting the people's morality in his claim to defend it, as a cover over his real agenda to defend an authoritarian institution based on an oppressive myth.
We are children of the earth, sun, moon, solar system, galaxy and universe. Not some fictional characters created a few thousand years ago.
I guess the defeat at the Alamo was God's punishment for all those Texas homosexuals making a war with good Christian Mexicans.
"...Hurricane Katrina and defeat in the Vietnam war were God's punishment for sexual promiscuity and tolerance of homosexuals".
Oh Pleeeease!!!! One can't even pretend to be that stupid.
unfortunately and amazingly, there are people that stupid.
Tolstoy famously stated that in fact, when a young person is fully indoctrinated into any institution's dogma, ( where membership is non-negotiable), if said dogma is sufficiently illogical, then said subject becomes available for any number of equally irrational future decisions....
the "churches" of the world generally diminish and forstall rationality and have caused immensely more harm than good throughout history. Most "christian" churches have promoted war for nearly 200 years...'nuff said.
Tolstoy should know. His own solution was to separate his soul from his brain and then forget which was which.
Incidentally, don't tell me when to shut up.
"Every village has a light, the schoolmaster; Every village has an extinguisher, the priest."
Truth hurts and truth will never be a part of any organized religion MOST especially christian's because they don't know how to handle truth except in their version of movies and tv emotional tugs and jerks that bring the ocassional tear or 'up lifting' feeling that is pure sanitized BS.
If they just opened their minds a little to be curious enough to want to know where their religion came from but that would take them way past the point where old jesus was supposedly born in their mind to save the world, all of which is hypothetical poppycock.
The information is out there, it just takes a wanting to learn and stop being ignorant and realize that there is 'nothing new under the sun' and the earth and the life on it is vastly older than the 4400 yrs the idiots claim(or is that 6600yrs. old), after all jesus was just another version of the SUN of god in the ancient's minds.
I thought that it was mainly the rural areas of Texas that were the issue while the big cities aren't so much into religion since there's so much diversity. What about the suburbs? Maybe Texas can do what Virginia did to turn, well blue sort of. Four years ago, most of the suburbs in VA were flaming red but today most of them have switched places starting in 2005 and subsequent statewide and national elections. The suburbs in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads are excellent examples. I can't say that it was a great idea to write off the rural areas and rely on the suburbs, exurbs, and strengthening the big cities voter turnout wise.
So applying this to Texas, why not find some ways to transform the suburbs and the exurbs and along with that improve the progressive turnout in the more densely populated cities and counties? And how about turning to taking economic populist issues seriously in the rural areas of the state where the fundie mess is going haywire the most? Of course, I could be misjudging Texas since it's a hell of a lot bigger geographically speaking and something might be off.
The only truly progressive part of Texas is the Austin/Travis County area. The rest of the state, generally speaking of course, has a LONG way to go.
100% correct.
Beautiful town Austin.
Thanks for the info. I based my judgment on the results of last year's election (www.uselectionatlas.org). I believe that even Bexar and Harris counties went Obama while the surrounding suburbs around Dallas stayed flaming red.
Make 'em dumb, they're much easier to control that way.
If the wise, kindly Jewish peasant could see this nonsense it would break his heart:
"THIS is what you understood my teachings to mean? I don't believe you."
In a light vein, I would classify him as an artisan since he was a craftsman and not a tiller of the soil.
Were the kind, gentle Jewish peasant to return today, the first thing he'd do is toss those who have used God's name in vain, the false prophets, the money grubbing evangelists, and the self-righteous blue noses who could care less about their brothers and sisters, who denounce the Golden Rule as socialism, into outer darkness where they will spend eternity weeping, wailing, and gnashing their teeth. He's never known them, and they've never known Him. Jesus is coming, and boy is He pissed!
"Religion. Religion?
Ooo, there's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning...
Who took the church, where is the steeple?
Religion's in the hands of some crazy-ass people.
Why television preachers with bad hair and dimples?
The God's honest truth is it ain't that simple!
It's the Buddhist in you
It's the Pagan in me
It's the Muslim in him
She's Catholic ain't she?
It's that born-again look
It's the WASP and the Jew
Tell me what's going on
I AIN'T GOT A CLUE!"
-Jimmy Buffett
'and i know, it's my own damn fault'..................
That's OK, coco, I forgive you! ~Moondoggy
I was born and raised in Texas and I can testify that a large majority of Texans are extremely brainwashed by their religion. Most are Southern Baptist who are looking for Jesus to take them off to heaven any day now, while the rest of us stay here and suffer through the trials and tribulations. They support the massacres and persecution of the Palestinians by the Israeli and all other war type activities. I call them "old testament Christians" because they mostly ignore the teachings of Jesus, who taught love and forgiveness, in favor of Jewish style (get them before they get you) behavior towards others. They've been duped!
Just look at the politicians they've given us. Texas, please become another country and keep your politicians at home where you can worship them all to yourselves! The last one destroyed this country and most of the world! Yet ya'll still cheering him on and donating to his library.
You are absolutely correct. I'm still here in Texas but I can
assure you I'm not donating to anything to do with G.W.B. There
are a few of us who don't buy the BS.
You won't have to. Obama's continuation of the "faith based" crap will ensure that plenty of cash gets into the hands of the preacher man.
and this is all very interesting...........
i've just done my own survey on the amount of comments made on the various topics here:
religion - 127
war - 50
corruption - 3
climate change/carbon tax - 3
human rights - 3
politics -3
very revealing..............
Yeah, I've been noticing the same pattern. How about organic gardening? One or two?
organic gardening doesn't even feature unfortunately.........
more's the pity.................we might be saved then!!!!
my teacher, the japanese master masanobu fukuoka showed how to grow grains (and
vegetables) without fertilizer, pesticides, or plowing, by observing nature.
--he also showed how to grow rice without transplanting,-which creates a
strong naturally pest-resistant plant,--in his fields we could find every
kind of pest and disease but it did not effect the amount harvested... on
top of this his method left the farmer with plenty of free time, allowing
human culture and art to also grow and develop... in a certain sense, he
had shown that the garden of eden has always existed.
relating more directly to this thread, though he was an agricultural scientist, his discoveries were the result of a buddhist enlightenment...
Good point except you forgot to include health care. That seems to be coming close to religion in terms of the number of comments.
In Oregon, recently, we combined healthcare and religion when a Fundamentalist couple let their infant daughter die because they did not believe in medical healing--they anointed her with oil and tried to pray away the pneumonia. Didn't work. Incredibly, the jury found 3 out of 4 counts of manslaughter not guilty. What the hell is this world coming to? If adults want to keep killing themselves thinking that some fantastical creator will somehow save them, fine by me. Just don't subject innocent children to their crazy theories.
i didn't really forget.
that's not to say that i don't appreciate the problem there or the people who suffer.
i was looking more at the broad spectrum of universal topics which invariably focus on the things i mentioned.
and if we delved into the health care and the daily food supply of some of the countries in other parts of the world, we would be lost for words.................
funny I misread healthcare as deathcare, freudan slip?
Let religion be taught in public schools as it is taught in state universities. Then the Fundamentalists will waste their money building more of their own special schools.
While there many silly "proofs" of god, perhaps the silliest is that one arguing for a God based upon how a "banana" is designed.
It rather humourous to watch these well dressed clean cut white men present their "proof" by first holding then peeling a banana. (Look how the tumb FITS one cries out in awe)
If we were to take their rather inane logic to a proper conclusion man, by "Intelligent design" should eat nothing BUT banana's as that about the only food "designed" to fit our hand while we peel it with the other.
That's a new one on me. I thought I had heard everything.
yes, like apes and monkeys...................
Sad to think of those poor children who are going to be fed this garbage, in an already deficient educational environment.
New phrase for acknowledging the obvious:
"Does Jesus shit in the wheat?" (field)
Lets see, there were the Puritans with their witch trials and belief that wealth meant God favor, and then there were the slave owners who justified slavery with the Bible--and on and on and on. Yes, perhaps we should emphasize Christians role in creating the United States.
Don't you think that Texas would be much happier in Mexico? There, they might get the respect admiration they think they deserve.
No, they would probably be hanged. I'm all for it.
Actually, there would have been no United States as we know it without religious persecution in Europe where the fanatics of the day were driven out, and wound up in someone else's country. Wow, we're still winding up in someone elses country today, unfortunately the fanatics are still here.
People migrated to the US for many reasons. Religion was only one of them. There would still have been a US even without religious persecution in Europe.
Many who came were the second sons of european nobility, with no prospects due to primogeniture, looking for their own empires.
Hi!
If you want to be a gentler Christian or anything else, please! Don't shove your particular religious philosophy down my throat! I believe that there is "Force" that operates everything, and that if I meditate on it, I'll reap some benefit from it. How it is done, I haven't the faintest. But that is my idea, and I don't force it on anybody else. Maybe the approach is to teach Philosophy 101 beginning with the ideas put forth by ancient philosophers from various cultures around the world. Begin there. Teach on a rationale level without the screaming, without the saber rattlin' and without the tambourine and collection plate; I'll see you there! :-)
Peace!
ah think y'all shud reead 'have a nice doomsday' by nicholas guyatt............
Only in Texas! Where oil refinery stench has wasted peoples minds and the rest are so far out in the wasteland they hardly know people exist does all this play out as absolute truth. Given half a chance these folks would re-institute slavery and stoning people to death or cutting peoples hands off for stealing. The apple didn't fall far from the Taliban tree in Bushland.
There are many hispanics in Texas who still have a shred of moral authority. As in the story of Sodom and Gomorra, if there are at least ten honorable men, let the land be spared.
The Hispanics were murdered near Brownsville by Texas Rangers Associates to the tune of about 5,000 bodies in the early 1900's in order for Texan speculators to sell their lands to Midwestern farmers. PBS documentary film.
Yes, let's teach them all about the Masons and Deists. Let's review Thomas J's views of Christianity and maybe even adopt TJ's own edited down Gospels.
Another poster said the way to go with these people is to not fight them but join them and push them to the logical illogic of their own intentions.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED VIEWING
Watch this and your understanding of history will be severely challenged:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4675077383139148549
If you like to read check this out:
www.scribd.com/people/documents/2169400-ep-heidner
a universe of random origin is an even greater leap of faith than theism.
Well, it doesn't have to be "of random origin". The best we can do is to say "we don't know yet", instead of insisting that it was all done in a 6-day period.
I think you are used to taking great leaps, mastersmed, but not of faith.
False.
It's not faith at all; it's a theory: rational, plausible based on the facts we do know, open to new information, subject to constant adjustment based on observation and reason. And a lot of math.
Correct! Those who try to equate science with religion are horribly misguided; in fact, they are the problem.
Nowadays, God is ruled by the corporate CEO, but the Xtians are in denial of that, and of all the hypocrisies involved in it, but if it hadn't been for God we wouldn't have had Jim Jones' colony, Hitler's ambitions ( "I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator..."), the Yearning for Zion Mormon colony of inbreds, quite a few wars, etc. If my boss weren't coming my way, I could go on and on, really.
I remember learning in school, long ago, that our constitution was written in reaction to hundreds of years of church/state collusion with inquisitions, witch hunts, jew burnings and all the other fun they had in Olde Europe.
It is the Apostates that are burnt people who claim to have converted to christianity but are not considered up to snuff.
Hey, bring it on! Our country is in decline anyway. Lets become one of those backwards religious republics where they flog women for wearing lipstick, liquor is illegal, and you can't do anything fun. You know, like those countries we're alway so busy "liberating".
I once had the misfortune of reading a textbook called History of the World in Christian Perspective by Jerry H. Combee. It was being used as a homeschool textbook.
If you have never read a Christian history book, trust me: you don't want to. I don't think Hamas would write a children's textbook with a more absurd and blatant level of propaganda.
As a matter of fact, Jerry H. Combee was the first, and is still the only, person I've ever written hate mail to in my life (just an email). Maybe I'll post later today with some quotes from this book just to give people an idea.
Here is a good one from Combee's book that I found online:
"For over a thousand years, there was no clear Christian witness in the vast heartland of Africa; the fear, idolatry, superstition, and witchcraft associated with animism (the belief that natural objects and forces are inhabited by mostly malignant spirits) prevented most Africans from learning how to use nature for man's benefit and thus develop a high culture like that of the other African empires."
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/special_reports/voucher_report/v_into162.shtml
jimmy, please do. direct quotes are very important....
I like how you people are so against them teaching anything on Religion in school, you raise your opinions to that -
But then when it comes to something like them taxing your asses off for carbon, something people exhale and plants inhale - when they tell you its global warming - no one speaks up - no one complains.
You care more about whether or not they teach religion in school, then you actually care about how much they CONTROL your lives via a central government.
I am not even "religious" I am not a christian, but if christian people in Texas want religion in their school, then F*ck it, let them have it.
But you people will cry and whine and bitch over religion.
I wish you all would grow some balls and cry over the FACT that the "federal" reserve is bleeding this country dry.
Cry over that bum in the WHITEHOUSE carrying on ALL of BUSH's policies and taking them even further.
Why is there so much discussion and attacks on me over some religion class in Texas
But yet you sit like docile little puppies over the fact That Our CENTRAL Government is growing larger and more controlled by the day
HOW COME NONE OF YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT - YOU BRAINWASHED SHEEP!
"I am not even "religious" I am not a christian, but if christian people in Texas want religion in their school, then F*ck it, let them have it."
I live in Texas and I damn sure don't want religion taught in the schools. My tax dollars contribute to the public school programs and I don't want my tax dollars spent pushing someone else's superstitious beliefs. How would these "Christian" folk feel if I demanded that the public schools include Deism in their history ciriculum as many if not most of the founding fathers were Deists? What about Atheism, Islam, Buddism? Oh yeah, I forgot. Christianity is the only "right" religion.
enemyartistkristofeR, when you say you're not a christian, I don't quite believe you. When people like you rant the way you've spewed here, I wonder how you would feel if a contingent of Muslim faithful wanted their religion taught in schools, and wanted to have Friday prayers and Koran studies.
We are all Americans. We are not all of the same religion. Even if it can be argued that some of the founding fathers of our country were strongly religious, our country has always been a melting pot. We have christians, jews, pagans, muslims, hindus, buddhists, and the faithful of many other religions, along with atheists.
I live in Texas. I'm surrounded by the people that this article is about. They don't want comparative religions taught. They want it taught that their religion is the only true one, that it is proven by science and by history. Such things as this should not be forced on children. Churches are free to teach their doctrines to their members.
I'm bothered by many of the things you complain of actually, and I do what I can as a participating citizen. Wanting to keep religious indoctrination out of public schools does not mean that people are being sheep or docile puppies as you accuse. It means the opposite, actually.
Yep. Even mentioning Comparative Religions usually gets the fundamentalists hopping mad.
I have no problem with religion being taught in schools, in Comparative Religions classes. I actually want (various) religions to be taught in schools, in Comparative Religions classes. Similarly, I want philosophy taught too.
Your comment on keeping religious doctrines in the churches and out of schools is the crux of the matter, isn't it. Christian fundamentalists can't quite wrap their heads around this simple concept. They used to back in the 50s when I was a kid, but someone must have put something in their orange juice. Either than, or the disease they are teaching in Muslim schools in Saudi Arabia is catching.
"I live in Texas. I'm surrounded by the people that this article is about. They don't want comparative religions taught. They want it taught that their religion is the only true one, that it is proven by science and by history. Such things as this should not be forced on children. Churches are free to teach their doctrines to their members."
Amen, and thank you! Nice post!
You left out agnostics like me. No one can prove there is a god, no one can prove there isn't. It's the great mystery, the Wakan Tanka.
Yes, I left out agnostics. I left out another religion too. There are quite a few Satanists in Texas. I knew some of them in Dallas. They are very sincere. They don't believe that Satan is an evil being. They believe he is the god of this world, and that he offers this world to man if he will only shed his fear. They consider Anton LaVey to be Satan's prophet, and LaVey's writings as scripture. I wonder what enemyartistkristofeR would think if THAT contingent wanted to have its religion taught in Texas schools, LOL!
Maybe because the topic here is religion being taught in TX schools, not that other diversionary rubbish you spew. If you want to debate carbon tax or Govt. fiscal policy, go read those articles and respond to them. Otherwise, go away.
If you don't like your IDEAS debated, then don't post them. No one has attacked you personally. You have right to freely express your ideas. Other people have a right to freely express their opinions of your ideas.
The Commandment " thou shalt not kill" has been changed to the politically expedient "thou shall not murder" in school textbooks.
What is scary, that no one mentions, is that the economics of text book publishing is such that whatever is mandated in Texas textbooks becomes published in all textbooks nationally which are one in the same with Texas texts.
odoco
Glenn - as a retired teacher I immediately thought of your point concerning the production of text books. Major publishers rely on their largest markets to dictate the content of their product, and Texas has long been toward the front of that list. Excellent observation.
Excellent--and SCARY--observation!
I swear ! How many times do I keep having to read an article blaming Texas as the starting place for one rightwing idea after another ?!? Changing history lessons by the religious interests has been going on throughout the heartland long before it hit Texas ! Don't believe me ? Well, then get your butt over to rural Misery (MO) and see what your school history books look like. I haven't seen them but already most parents there are "happy" to see religion sprinkles but would love more religion frosting. Besides, how many students cared to remember what they read in school if they read at all? There's already enough junk food to poison the kids and turn them into cornfeds by the time their grownup. And what about Florida? Plenty of that has been going on long before Texas or part of it anyway followed suit.
JenniferBedingfield, probably because Texas is more outspoken on religion than most places. You know the squeaky wheel always gets the attention.
As for some the posts here about letting Texas do what they want? Fine, but when we have a Taliban style government in the White house because everyone thought it was no big deal to let Texas and other states inject religion into their classrooms it will be too late to worry about it.
True, there are good people in religion and there are truly bad people who would like nothing more than to turn the US in to a theocracy. People with power and resources. Look at all of the Congressman who are trying to force religion in to our government.
The religious right (which by the way is neither) says they are under assault. By who? Anti-religious fairies? The only assault they're under is from people who don't want a theocracy. Teaching religion in schools is the next step in their goal to get them there.
Evolution is based on scientific evidence. Creationism is based on, the Bible?, a book whose translations are even in question. A book, when taken as whole is a garbled collection of contradictions. (If you haven't read it don't bother responding) Sure you can quote individual verses and twist them in to some sort of meaning but it's a stretch.
No, I like my freedoms the way they were before Bush took office and this article points out the fact that they will continue to dwindle if we let religion play any part in our educational system or government.
Bush is no longer in office. Obama is and he needs to back away from Bush's faith based policies. The religious is quietly working with Obama where they can and if they're not screeching, then I'd say something fishy is going on.
Did not Obama appropiate even more money than Bush to the faith based initiative?
I wouldn't be surprised if he did though I'd still like to know what motivated him to do that. If Obama were to reduce the funding to below Bush's levels, I guess some of the insanity by the religious fundies such as what's happening in this article would subside.
Deleted
Galenwainwright has it right: It was the Founding Fathers themselves who pushed separation of church and state so religion would be expressly forbidden to influence or interfere with government. It worked pretty much since that time until about 2001.
Why does anybody even entertain these nutjobs? Why don't they just get laughed out of the room? There's no arguing or educating them - they're not rational. Who cares what affiliation they claim; mostly they're just racist, sexist buffoons. There's nothing can be done for them.
Why dignify their crap with a response other than contemptuous derision? I don't understand why they get any attention at all other than a firm kick in the pants on their way out the door.
This really irritates me - that anyone even listens to them or tries to discuss or argue or straighten them out, or entertaining even the slightest iota of what they have to say. Or think their "free speech"right entitles them to inflict their ignorance in any public sphere. It's bad enough that they infest every public forum with the vile stench of their ignorance - do not dignify that with your attention.
Shut them up and throw them out. They add nothing positive to the mix. Anywhere...except the mental house.
You obviously have never lived in Texas!
Cons find no contradiction in worshipping a bleeding heart liberal hippie while hating all other bleeding heart liberal hippies.
I have to chime in here and say that if it is okay for Darwins theory of Evolution to be taught in school there should also be a fair balance of religion taught as well, why not? The more people learn the better equipped they will be to make their own decisions - as opposed to the less taught.
as far as this quote goes "government exists primarily to protect God-given rights to every individual". this statement is TRUE! whether of not you want to look at it as GOD given rights or JUST the rights of Every man born - That is The ONLY True purpose of the Constitution, to protect each individuals inalienable rights.
Governments do NOT have Authority over people, or rather they should NOT.
That was not what OUR Founding fathers fought for.
Central government is Wrong. Again it's ONLY use is to protect the rights of its citizens, not to enforce or create laws to impose on us.
I think this should be a state issue, if the state of Texas wants this to happen in THEIR schools then they should be able to have it. A centralized government is the anti to the states sovereign rights. We are a United States of America but we are NOT ONE State of America. United stateS Implies many individual States that are united together - but it does NOT Imply that we are one large state.
State Laws and Government, should, as it was meant to be, be the True law of each state, then if you do not like a particular state, pack your bags and move to a state you do agree with. It really is that simple.
A federal or Central Power or Government or Law, like democracy itself is MOB Ruled and that is NOT What America was founded on or as, we are a REPUBLIC, a Nation with a written Constitution to protect the Individual rights of Sovereign states and their citizens.
We do NOT need one set of octopus tentacles telling everyone what they can and cannot do. That is Anti-American and Anti-Freedom.
That is also why we are in this mess.
Look at what the central bank aka the (not so federal) "federal" reserve has done to this nation, destroyed it financially, put us in an inescapable debt and has transferred our wealth and power to the hands of the few, those same few whom are also in control of the Military Industrial Complex and the reason why we are ALWAYS IN A WAR - The Never Ending Wars of a Centralized Power Hungry Empire!
Like Ben Franklin said, and I paraphrase "We have given to you a Republic, now can you keep it?"