"[The Gideon Bible Giveaway] is the one event that would be considered religious in context, and it happens once a year," said Sharon Roberts, Lebanon Special School District director. She emphasized that students are not obligated to accept the Bibles, which sit on a display table.Do you think that the School Director would allow copies of the Qur'an or the Book of Mormon or Playboy just to sit on a display table for children to take under the guise that the kids are not "obligated"? I would call Ms. Roberts' definition of obligation irrelevant, since children will pick up any new item made available to them.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Once is Too Much
The "Leb-nun" School District promotes New Testament religion over others in public education:
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Where's the new Ambrose Bierce when we need him..I wish those Lebanese folks would distribute his 'Devil's Dictionary' alongside Gideon.
ReplyDeleteHis definition of Christian:
One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor. One who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin.
I actually fought this same battle where I live, near Springfield. Except in our case, the Gideons were actually passing the bibles out to 5th grade classes. When I approached the principal about it, she said "look, the ones that don't want one (a bible) just stay in their chairs." Sigh. I had to get the ACLU involved, but it's made me a bit of a Pariah where I live. Oh well, principles only matter when they are inconveinant...
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying that what the Gideons are doing is right...however, as someone who grew up in the Lebanon school district, I can remember when they came to my 5th grade class to hand out copies of the New Testament over 10 years ago. And over half the students in my class DIDN'T take one. It was truly the individual student's choice. Again, I'm not saying it's right, but for those who say the students don't have a choice....just take that for what it's worth.
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