[Vision2020] Re: Bible in school. Was Church and state

Thu, 24 Jul 2003 15:34:30 -0700

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No need to look, Mr. Moffett.  It took me all of 34.16 seconds to find:

http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/humnet/religion/index.html
<http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/humnet/religion/index.html> 

It seems that UCLA has a department dedicated to this.

Tom Hansen

-----Original Message-----
From: Ralph Nielsen [mailto:nielsen@uidaho.edu]
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2003 3:19 PM
To: vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Re: Bible in school. Was Church and state

From: Joshua Nieuwsma <joshuahendrik@yahoo.com> 

Date: Thu Jul 24, 2003 1:47:12 PM US/Pacific 

To: vision <vision2020@moscow.com> 

Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Church and State 

I for one don't want to see a bible class taught alongside mormonism, islam,
hinduism, buddhism, and any other -'isms. Why set the Word of God equal with
the words of confused man? Take the Bible out of the public schools
completely! It's about time the goals of public education were consistent
with their practices. And while we're at it, kick the Christian children
out, too. Their parents should have have pulled them out a long time ago.
It's safer outside on the highway than in the government school classroom.  

        <snip>  

Allow me also to take Mr. Moffett's statement about religion as an integral
part of some classes and point out that it is impossible for any class or
"subject" (though the idea of "subjects" is a bad one anyhow. It's not how
the mind works, in my opinion) to be taught with direct foundation in God's
Holy Word. 

Mr. Moffett, your ecumenism of having every religion in a class taught about
seems merely a grand utopia. Can you think of any schools that have
successfully implemented such a plan anywhere in the world, without strife
and division, or an undue emphasis of one religion over another? 

cheers, 

Joshua N. 

Dear Joshua: 

        First of all, a lesson in grammar. Mormonism, Islam, Hinduism, etc.
are proper nouns. They require a capital letter whether you like them or
not. The same is true of the Bible, which is under discussion here. It is a
proper noun, not a generic term. 

        Although many religions claim they have the true Word of God, none
of them have any objective proof. Religious warfare has been around for
centuries and is still with us today. A few days ago I asked (your brother?)
Luke for an official divine definition of exactly what constitutes "God's
Holy Word, the Bible." We are still waiting. The reason is that all holy
books have been written and compiled by human beings, usually men. 

        I am personally well acquainted with the Bible. I have a couple of
dozen different translations, languages, and versions on my shelves. I also
have copies of various other allegedly divine books. Once you realize that
they are all of entirely human origin, you soon feel that none of them is
worth a single drop of blood. 

        Go in peace. 

        Ralph Nielsen

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<DIV>No 
need to look, Mr. Moffett.&nbsp; It took me all of 34.16 seconds to 
find:</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><A 
href="http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/humnet/religion/index.html">http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/humnet/religion/index.html</A></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>It 
seems that UCLA has a department dedicated to this.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Tom 
Hansen</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
 <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left>-----Original Message----- From: Ralph Nielsen 
 [mailto:nielsen@uidaho.edu] Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2003 3:19 
 PM To: vision2020@moscow.com Subject: [Vision2020] Re: 
 Bible in school. Was Church and state </DIV>
 From: Joshua Nieuwsma &lt;joshuahendrik@yahoo.com&gt; 
 Date: Thu Jul 24, 2003 1:47:12 PM US/Pacific 
 To: vision &lt;vision2020@moscow.com&gt; 
 Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Church and State 
 I for one don't want to see a bible class taught alongside 
 mormonism, islam, hinduism, buddhism, and any other -'isms. Why set the Word 
 of God equal with the words of confused man?&nbsp;Take the Bible out of the 
 public schools completely!&nbsp;It's about time the goals of public 
 education&nbsp;were consistent with their practices. And while we're at it, 
 kick the Christian children&nbsp;out, too. Their parents should have 
 have&nbsp;pulled them out a&nbsp;long time&nbsp;ago. It's safer outside on 
 the highway than in the government school classroom.&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;snip&gt;&nbsp; 
 Allow me also to take Mr. Moffett's statement about religion as an integral 
 part of some classes and point out&nbsp;that it is impossible 
 for any class or "subject" (though the idea of "subjects" is a bad one anyhow. 
 It's not how the mind works, in my opinion) to be taught with direct 
 foundation in God's Holy Word. 
 
 Mr. Moffett, your ecumenism of having every religion in a class taught 
 about seems&nbsp;merely a grand utopia. Can you think of any schools that have 
 successfully implemented such a plan anywhere in the world, without strife and 
 division, or an undue emphasis of one religion over another? 
 
 cheers, 
 
 Joshua N. 
 Dear Joshua: 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; First of all, a lesson in 
 grammar. Mormonism, Islam, Hinduism, etc. are proper nouns. They require a 
 capital letter whether you like them or not. The same is true of the Bible, 
 which is under discussion here. It is a proper noun, not a generic term. 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Although many religions claim 
 they have the true Word of God, none of them have any objective proof. 
 Religious warfare has been around for centuries and is still with us today. A 
 few days ago I asked (your brother?) Luke for an official divine definition of 
 exactly what constitutes "God's Holy Word, the Bible." We are still waiting. 
 The reason is that all holy books have been written and compiled by human 
 beings, usually men. 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I am personally well acquainted 
 with the Bible. I have a couple of dozen different translations, languages, 
 and versions on my shelves. I also have copies of various other allegedly 
 divine books. Once you realize that they are all of entirely human origin, you 
 soon feel that none of them is worth a single drop of blood. 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Go in peace. 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ralph 
Nielsen</BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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