Leave It To Texas.

Sometimes, I find myself surprised at the idiocy that my country will allow to be mandated into law.  I shouldn’t be, but I am.  In typical fashion, yet another faction of the government has buckled its knees to the oppressive power of the Christian Right.  Leave it to Texas to implement a law mandating that the Bible be included in high school curriculum.

“The purpose of a course like this isn’t even really to get kids to believe it per say. It is just to appreciate the profound impact that it has had on our history and on our government,” said [John Keeling, the social studies chair at Whitehouse High School. ]

It’s simply to offer a view of the profound impact that the Bible and Christianity have had on our history and on our government!  Of course, I’m sure we’ll skip over all the unpleasant, minute details, like the derisive whining and flailing the Christians have done to legislate laws against lifestyles and life choices.  We’ll probably also leave out the violent history of Christianity, the derision, hatred, bigotry and fallacy of the Bible.  And since it isn’t that important, we’ll probably just skip over the parts of Christian history that enabled the support of slavery, of racism, or sexism and a host of other -isms that aren’t entirely pleasant to recount, for us.  After all, we shouldn’t teach the kids too much about the true nature of Christianity.  But, don’t get your panties in a twist liberal communist America! It’s not meant to indoctrinate kids, “per se“, we just hope that it will!  Of course, the eager Texans seem to be gobbling up this buffet of governmental pandering as expected.

I think it is a good thing because a lot of kids don’t have that experience, and they already want to take prayer out of school as it is– and you see where our kids are ending up!” said Tyler resident Laura Tucker.

Do we see where your kids are ending up?  And where might that be, Ms. Laura Tucker?  I would so like to hear your assumedly infallible and profound opinion upon where “our kids are ending up” without your great god in the sky dictating every facet of their lives, leaving no room for self thought.  Of course, I suppose if she’s referring to the late night orgies I have at my house during which my husband and I sacrifice virigins and give cocaine out to twelve year olds, well – we can hardly contain ourselves without your lord and savior to tell us which way is up.  How could we possibly think for ourselves?

In spite of some protests on behalf of the sane (” I don’t want anybody teaching their religious beliefs to my child unless they want to send their child to my house and let me teach them my religious views. There is no difference.”), I doubt we’ll hear much more than cheers and sickening adulation from the grand old state of Texas. Further, should an issue be taken with the law on a public stage, be prepared for collective cries of religious persecution from those benefiting from this clever little indoctrination scheme. Although I’m sure it will be vehemently argued that it is only “fair” that the Bible be included in high school curriculum, I very much doubt the Christians would feel the same way, should the Muslim faith, for example, be extended the same courtesy.

But, that’s generally the way with the Christians.  The mindset seems to be entirely focused upon group.  They preach love for their fellow man, but I often find that actions speak louder than words (unless, of course, you’re Shirley Phelps-Roper).  The support for a law like this and the inevitable uproar an identical law mandating that the Qu’Ran, for instance, be introduced into the high school classroom would cause in their tight-knit little community speaks for itself.  I suppose there is always the chance that, should the state of Texas choose to extend its hand of religious generosity to less populated faiths, the Christans could always surprise us and remain silent.  However, observation in prior behavior does not speak favorably for the possiblity.

No, most likely, the Christian community would recoil in collective horror before launching a capaign of protest and hateful bigotry like we’d never seen.  But, fairness has never much seemed to matter to the Religious Right in this country.  And, as demonstrated with faithful repetition, the government has delegated this group as the Chosen Ones, and seek to appease them at all costs, even if it means shoving their sallacious garbage down the throats of unsuspecting (and, perhaps, unwilling!) high school students.  Of course, the details surrounding this decision are scant over at the KLTV website.  So, further investigation was warrented, excuted and met with the fruitful aquisition of the House Bill itself.

In an attempt to make the bill seem less like religious favoritism, it is careful to detail that no religious favor nor disfavor of the Christian religion, nor any other world religions will be tolerated in said classrooms.  The course is further being offered as an elective, and is therefore not required of students to take.   However, the issue of religious descrimination here is poorly veiled.  I have yet to discover any other religious electives required to be offered by Texas state schools.  Where are the classes focusing upon the impact of Hinduism, Islam, Paganism, etc.?  If I come across any, I’ll be sure to update with them.

For the time being however, it seems as if the Christian Right is bullheading its way into academia in the guise of “electives” and being sure to cover their tracks with allusions to “religious neutrality.”  I find it very difficult to believe that this requirement will be religiously maintained, no pun intended.  As an added bonus (and, admittedly, for my own pleasure in pointing out the complete lack of knowledge cursing so many of the Christian community’s mouthpieces), I offer up a delicious little quote courtesy of ABC news in regard to the overall debate concerning religion (read: Christianity) being taught in schools:

“You never read about how the founding fathers were nearly all Christian believers and that it is their biblical world view that shaped the way they thought and achieved what they did,” [Evangelical Minister PeterMarshall] said.

This is a misnomer that many Christians willingly subscribe themselves to because they feel that it somehow strengthens their despicable argument that their religion should be enforced in school curriculum.   However, in the United States treaty with Tripoli, 1796-1797, it was quite clearly stated:

As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

And yet, somehow, Christians feel a need to claim that the United States was founded in Christianity and that “most of its founding fathers” were believers.  However, if one examines the writings of both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, they will find more than a few discrepancies in that argument.  James Madison, for example, was quoted as saying:

During almsot fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial.  What has been its fruits?  More or less, in all places, pride an indolence in the clergy; ignorance and sevility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution.

Further, Thomas Jefferson made the remark that,

Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man.

And, of course:

To talk of immaterial existences is to talk of nothings.  To say that the human soul, angels, god, are immaterial, is to say they are nothings, or that there is no god, no angels, no soul.  I cannot reason otherwise … without plunging into the fathomless abyss of dreams and phantasms.  I am satisfied, and sufficiantly occupied with the things which are, without tormenting or troubling myself about those with may indeed be, but of which I have no evidence.

John Adams, himself, was quoted as saying:

As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation.  But, how as it happened that millions of fables, tales, legends, have been blended with both Jewish and Christian revelation that have made them the most bloody religion that ever existed?

Forgive my inundation of founding father quotations, and I do realize that Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison and Benjamin Franklin (who humorously said that “Lighthouses are more useful than churches”) do not represent the whole of the founding fathers of the United States.  But, clearly, to assert that this country was “founded in Christianity!” is to do a gross disservice to the men who, quite obviously, felt less the religion less than admirable.  Couple that with the blatant statement in the treaty with Tripoli – I find it difficult to claim, with such rigid certainty, that this country was “founded in Christanity.”

But, I suppose if something incorrect furthers your argument, and you choose to remain ignorant of the true details surrounding your claims, and are not corrected, you might just argue something absurd and incorrect.  Regardless of what ensures in Texas, I am loathe to admit that this may mark a beginning of some hard fighting to be done against the Christians and their insatiable need to drown our country in their fallacious religious beliefs.

Persecution my ass.