In the latest effort by the Southern Baptist Convention to challenge evolution (and homosexuality), a motion was brought before the leaders to form a strategy to remove children from the public school system. This "exit strategy" was proposed by Roger Moran of MO and pro-intelligent design author Bruce Shortt, as a response to the concerns that public schools are not exerting a "godly influence" and are teaching that the "homosexual lifestyle is acceptable." Thankfully, the motion was NOT supported by the SBC, nor was a similar motion that was rejected 2 years ago.
"We are commanded biblically to train our children in the nurture of the Lord, "said Moran, who sits on the SBC's executive committee. "The public schools are no longer allowed ... to even acknowledge the God of the Bible."
And, as a side note:
Also Wednesday, the SBC unofficially barred members who drink alcohol from serving as trustees or members of any SBC entity."Use of alcohol as a beverage can and does impede the message of Jesus Christ" that Southern Baptists are trying to spread, [Texas SBC executive director] Richards said.
I am certianly glad that the SBC didn't pass the "exit strategy" for public schools, but its presence further represents a very disturbing trend of maginalization of science by christians. If they believe that there is a mandate to teach their children about heavenly matters, let them do it themselves, and leave the public school systems to teach what is fact, and theories testable by the scientific method. It also represents hypocrisy, insofar that on the one hand they espouse "Teaching the Controversy" as a thinly veiled attempt to get ID into schools, yet would they teach the controversy (besides offering evolution as a straw man) in their own schools? It often surprises me how much offense christians take to evolution, as if it were a personal affront to their faith than other possibilites could even exist. The theory of evolution was developed without prejudice to any religion whatsoever; it relies solely on testable hypotheses, observations in the physical world, and an accumulation of data from a wide range of fields. Going even further, it is easy to reason that the American government has its own mandate as to what to teach students, and the bible, nor the Koran, Torah, or my inane blogposts factor into that. The US government has a duty to teach children what is known, true, verifiable, and will make them productive citizens in the future....without prejudice OR bias to any religion. People can believe what they wish about intelligent design, teach their children what they wish about God, pray whenever they want, and vote how they please, etc. Those rights should not be impinged upon. But, nor should they be expressly encouraged by a neutral party such as the government, to the detriment of what is factual knowledge.
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"It often surprises me how much offense christians take to evolution"
Some Christians take offense, but many others see no conflict with their religious beliefs.
Yes, I see no conflict either. I mean, its easy to say that god "directed" evolution, I suppose.
Finally! The religious right tries to put it's money where it's mouth is!
They should have voted in favor and got the heck out of the godless public schools.
I encourage anyone who thinks that government schools are overrun with secular humanism to hit the road and start their own schools. One advantage for the rest of us would be fewer attempts to take over the science curriculum with ID-iocy.
though i agree that some Christians have put too much emphasis on arguing against the theory of evolution, i also think that some scientists should be careful not to inadvertantly turn science/evolutionary theory into a religion.
and on a side issue: how how how does the use of alcohol as a beverage impede the message of someone who's first recorded miracle was turning water in to wine!?
Yeah, the alcoholic beverage thing stuck me as really odd and ironic too. Maybe just further evidence that what the "Church" thinks is more important than what the Bible actually says. Protestants are losing their last reason to feel superior over the Catholics. :)
Let them go. The rest of us would be better off. The schools would be bette off.
If all SBC parents pulled their kids out of public schools, it would create a situation wherein those pupils remaining would theoretically receive more per capita resources, since the Baptists would still be paying property taxes supporting local schools (although I'm sure they'd get around to filing lawsuits on the grounds that God believes the truly faithful should be exempt from all government-imposed taxes).
I'm not convinced, though, that the anti-evolution crap would stop or even slow down given such a scenario -- with an increase in the number of kids in religious schools, ersatz biology would become more widespread overall, and it's not as if the hyper-churchly have no history of waggling their stinky asses around in places they aren't wanted and don't belong.
...get around to filing lawsuits on the grounds that God believes the truly faithful should be exempt from all government-imposed taxes...
Whatever happened to give unto Caeser what is Caeser's?
Kemibe: I believe funds are allocated to schools on a per-student basis. Taking a couple million kids out of public schools all at once would cripple them.
Wanting to educate your children in your own family's faith isn't really such a horrible idea.
But it's an option only for the upper middle class who can affort to pay property taxes for local schools AND private school tuition (not deductible) simultaneously.
I'd prefer a solution whereby government funding followed the pupil, not the school.
Schools would then have to compete for students and families would have a maximum amount of choice (provided the school met certain minimum accreditation standards). I believe some European countries already do it that way.
I dont want homosexual priests because its a contradiction and acceptance. I dont want homosexual teachers unless I know their status first so I can brief my kids. I dont want religious zealots running my schools or my courts either and isnt that what we have in the Middle East? If they want that they can go to Iran... Try conversion. I am sure it will work over there. Oh by the way be sure to say I said hi, and that George and I will be in just a tad later with a large surprise for them.
What the Baptists are doing is expressing their right to free speech. If it were any other situation, it would be called extortion and racketeering. But when they wear the mantle of a church its the division between church and state. The only people that will suffer is the taxpayers and the kids. It wont change one thing. I wonder if the Catholics will support them... NOT!
And who does this? This is a weak red herring tossed out now and again but it is never true the first time.
They have their own private schools as well.
The real danger of everyone educating their own kids according to their faith is that it destroys the cohesiveness necessary to push a society forward. It's important that all Americans have a backbone in the subject matter our government deems important. Private religious schools are under no such obligation.