To The Daily Sun,
In a letter to The Sun, Charles Bradley complained that both God and the Bible have been banned from public schools and implies this is the reason for mass shootings. Both are untrue.
A lot of factors are involved in these tragedies, but “God and the Bible have been banned from public schools” is not one of them. In fact, conservative “Christians” usually oppose real gun reform.
Often, Christians think that this “banning” by Supreme Court was a plot by liberals, atheists or whomever. The amusing thing is none of these things are true. If God is omnipotent, who, even liberals, could banish God from anywhere?
What the Supreme Court really ruled is that it is unconstitutional for public educators to teach a particular theology. As state agents, they cannot initiate religious exercises. Both Church and State benefits: religion is not to be involved in the state and the state is not to involve themselves with religious matters.
While our Founders were raised as Christians, many were influenced more by the values of the Enlightenment: science and reason. They established a secular republic in which Church and State were separated. They saw the positive aspects of religion but did not want a state church.
Not only do we separate Church and State, but we also have “Free Exercise,” an almost unlimited right to exercise our religious beliefs and traditions. Students in school are allowed read religious texts in their free time. Unlike countries like France, students can wear religious headgear and symbols. Students can organize prayer groups. Is this banning religion?
There is nothing wrong with religious training, but it is not the job of the public schools.
E. Scott Cracraft
Gilford
(1) comment
If this is how you think,then evolution isn't the job of public schools to teach children. Dr. Michael Ruse, from the Department of Philosophy at the University of Guelph in Ontario, is a philosopher of science, particularly of the evolutionary sciences. He is the author of several books on Darwinism and evolutionary theory, and, in an article in the National Post, he wrote:
"Evolution is promoted by its practitioners as more than mere science. Evolution is promulgated as an ideology, a secular religion—a full-fledged alternative to Christianity, with meaning and morality. . . . Evolution is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today."
Also,the Supreme Court has previously ruled that the Bible may be used, and studied in school, for historical and literary purposes acknowledging the Bible’s significance in the development of Western literature, law and governance.
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