2007-02-26 19:47:37 · 10 answers · asked by cosmic 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Bible wasn't outlawed in schools. An individual student can still bring a Bible to school for his own personal use, as long as he doesn't bother anyone else with it.
It simply isn't used as a teaching device by public schools (except in Comparative Religions courses, where many world religions' texts are covered) because it's unconstitutional for the government to promote any religion - plus the Bible is not applicable to, or necessary knowledge for, every student. Christian students can learn about the Bible at home and in church - there is no need for schools to bother with it.
The effect of not allowing public schools to promote the Bible is that non-Christian children are no longer being taught that drowning and slaughtering millions is something to be admired or worshiped. More time is being spent teaching important subjects that matter to and affect everyone - like Language, Math, and Science.
2007-02-26 20:04:17 · answer #1 · answered by gelfling 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Neither Bibles nor prayers were ever outlawed in public schools. This is a lie spread by fundamentalists to get people excited about "godless" (and by their twisted reasoning, immoral) schools." What was outlawed was *school-sponsored* prayer which all students were required to take part in, whether they were xtian or not.
The first in a series of lawsuits over this issue was Abington School District vs Edward Schempp, in 1963. It was consolidated with another suit brought by Madalyn Murray O'Hair for her son in Murray vs Curtlett. The finding was for the plaintiffs and the vote was 8 to 1 (Schempp was a Unitarian and Murray (her son Bill, that is) was an atheist at the time, but later discovered there was more money in pretending be xtian and fleecing that flock as some kind of pretend prodigal son).
The point is that since public schools must serve everyone equally, there must be no preference shown to any religion. How this simple point gets lost on so many people has to do with emotion and a sense of having their unquestioned acceptance whittled away by a society waking up to the fraud of religion, in my opinion. Even if religion were true, there are so many flavors that none of them should be endorsed by a government that is supposed to be neutral in that regard.
Besides, religion gets special treatment anyway: their property isn't taxed, their bookkeeping isn't regulated, and they are allowed to discriminate in hiring and also to tell bald-faced lies to the public which have no supporting evidence anywhere. We still have a long way to go to root out the cancer of religion, if not from society as a whole (people have a right to it) then at least from the government.
2007-02-26 20:29:41 · answer #2 · answered by hznfrst 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not long ago. They still taught it in the 50's, I think. The effect is that schools are now more openminded, they teach fact, not fantasy, and they don't actively try to shove their religion down peoples throats.
Its a good thing.
When I was in school (grammar, and junior high) we all had to say the lords prayer every morning. I'm glad its gone. I was shocked when they removed it because I never felt right saying it and actually got detention twice for refusing.
School is NOT the place for religion because most people are completely incapable of remaining impersonal about it. Can you imagine the fights it would cause with all the many many different religions out there now?
Children are some of the most nasty human beings alive. Don't believe me? Go sit in a school playground for a week and see how cruel they are to each other.
And people actually want to give them more fodder so they can beat each other up, tease, and be even more cruel to each other than before... how smart is that really?
2007-02-26 19:55:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
To the best of my knowledge, the Bible wasn't "outlawed" in schools in the U.S. It isn't taught as absolute truth, of course, but is still studied in some literature or world mythology classes. Most if not all school libraries I've been to have copies of the Bible, the Q'uran, and many other religious texts.
2007-02-26 19:51:41 · answer #4 · answered by N 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Er. what do you mean by "outlawed"?
It's perfectly legal to carry a bible to school, either as a teacher or a student; it's perfectly legal to read it (except during other instructional time); it's perfectly legal to have bible study classes on campuses, and so on.
The restrictions are actually VERY few.
If you want to know what is actual and factual on this issue (and school prayer), you should check the link below.
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html
2007-02-27 05:06:47 · answer #5 · answered by Praise Singer 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some time in the 50s. But look at it this way. There does not exist a single religion in the US and religion is not a factor in the concept of the USA constitution. So why teach only the bible?? Why discriminate??Let people decide their own religion if they decide they need one.
2007-02-26 19:55:59 · answer #6 · answered by The Stainless Steel Rat 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not outlawed. Most school libraries have some in the mythology section.
2007-02-26 20:46:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It never was, JWs take their Bibles to school all the time. Nobody ever tells them to leave it at home, or takes it away from them. They are not told not to study it in school, during breaks, or not to conduct Bible studies with other students. So, what's the problem?
2007-02-26 19:54:13 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
in 1956..the result was clarity.
2007-02-26 19:49:57 · answer #9 · answered by Another☼Human 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
when there was the separation of church and state
2007-02-26 19:57:54 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋