[Vision2020] Church and State

[Ted Moffett]

Benjamin and All:

The larger issue of the separation of Church and State I will leave alone, 
but you are incorrect that Bibles are banned from public schools.  Here 
again we have a stereotyped factually incorrect view of our public schools 
regarding religion.  Anyone can lawfully bring a Bible into a public school, 
they can read the Bible if they wish, pray if they wish when appropriate, or 
discuss the Bible with others, but no school sponsored Bible classes (or 
Koran or Book or Mormon or Christian Science classes etc.) or prayer 
sessions, or discussions or clubs are allowed.

Religion can also be discussed in the context of an academic subject, indeed 
there would be no way to accurately teach some subjects without including 
religion as a fact of history or sociology or politics, for example.

I think religion should be taught much more in depth in the public schools 
than it is now, with classes focusing on detailed study of all the world's 
major religions and including the religions of every student in the public 
school, without school sponsored advocacy, of course, for any particular 
religion.

Link below to info on religion in public school:

http://www.naplesnews.com/03/06/perspective/d934868a.htm

Ted


>From: "Benjamin Nieuwsma" <Brnieuwsma@softhome.net>
>To: "Vision2020" <vision2020@moscow.com>
>Subject: [Vision2020] Church and State
>Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 22:03:13 -0700
>
>Greetings;
>
>On a slightly different (and hopefully nicer) topic, I am wondering if 
>anyone could explain to me how our current understanding of separation of 
>church and state is supported by the constitution, because it really 
>doesn't seem to be. In exemplum, I don't think that the argument against 
>having Bibles in public schools because that breaches the first ammendment 
>holds any water whatsoever. Perhaps I'm mistaken. If so, please explain...
>
>Thanks and have a great evening!
>
>Benjamin

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