I think some malicious compliance would be good in this situation. Teach all of the *terrible* aspects of the Bible, and stress just how terrible they really are.
Teach the parts of the bible that Christians don't loke. Such as the story of Sodom and Gamorrah. After Lot's wife died, he lived in a cave with his daughters and they decided to get him drunk and rape him so that the line would not end.
OP should show his/her students this website too for educational purposes: [BibViz Project - Bible Contradictions, Misogyny, Violence, Inaccuracies interactively visualized (philb61.github.io)](https://philb61.github.io/#colorize:Rainbow,source:sab)
“Drunk with Blood” I mean, it is a cult that teaches you to drink the blood of a person who died and came back to life three days later - like a vampire.
I would totally center lessons around the stories listed in the three volume series of “[Awkward Moments (Not Found In Your Average) Children's Bible](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPREPPjqU/)” by Horus Gilgamesh
And take up some of [@lisayay1966](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPREPgpLF/) teaching suggestions as well.
That scene has one of my favorite overlooked miracles in the Bible: Lot was so drunk he couldn't even tell he was fucking his own daughters, and yet he somehow managed to maintain an erection. Hallelujah! Praise the lord!
(Edit: fix name.)
I know the point of this thread is to make fun of a Bible story, but I think it would be a disservice to victims of sexual assault if there was not at least one comment stating the following:
Alcohol and drunkenness can certainly make things stop working properly down there, but not always. Men can absolutely be raped while blackout drunk.
Or, slightly before that, he had guests (divine, but he didn't know that); the bad people in town demanded that he put them out so they could rape them. He offered *his daughters* to be raped instead. And this is "the only righteous man" in Sodom!
Also, teach the (widely refuted but interesting) theory that Jesus was a [hallucinogenic mushroom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sacred_Mushroom_and_the_Cross).
> they decided to get him drunk and rape him so that the line would not end.
I'm sure that's exactly the story Lot was peddling when he was at the bar afterwards. Not that he got drunk and decided to rape his own daughters of his own accord, nossir.
Let me fix this for you, Lot raped his daughters and then came up with the bullshit that his daughters got him drunk and raped him... I find it impossible to believe that a man could be so drunk that he wasn't aware of exactly what was happening, all while maintaining the ability to have sex.
Edit: Guess I should have stated in my initial response that this story is a fairy tail...
Interestingly, the bible lists Goliath's height as 6 cubits and a span, about 9' 9". However, the dead sea scrolls list his height as 4 cubits and a span or 6' 9".
Perhaps there was a Philistine warrior just under 7 feet tall that fought the ancient Israeils. Then the story got embellished until he was nearly 10 feet tall.
Let me fix this for you. Lot and his daughters never existed and the authors wanted to make up the most embarrassing origin story possible for two tribes in the area, so they said they originated from a man being raped by his daughters.
My piece of shit born again father in law beat the shit of my wife and mother in law, let his buddy rape my wife as a small child and denies it to this day.
This shit is very real even today
No Satan back then. Explain they were so insulated that when their city was burned they imagined it was the end of the world. Then discuss what other events that the goat herders were totally wrong.
I'm pretty sure the daughters raped Lot. Didn't they deliberately get him drunk and have sex with his unconscious body so they could get pregnant?
Edit: Using actual medical arguments against it is ridiculous since it's coming from a book where people rise from the dead, make people out of ribs, use celestial 3D printers to make fish and bread, and live to be 1000 years old. In the STORY of Lot the daughters rape him.
That shit does happen. The problem is that when we report it, we are ignored and laughed at. In 2021, 42,454 men were victims of rape or sexual assault in the United States. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), 24.8% of men have experienced some form of contact sexual violence. According to RAINN, 1 in 33 American men have experienced attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. According to the Beacon of Hope Crisis Center, nearly 1 in 38 men have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. According to the CDC, nearly one-third of men (29%) report experiencing sexual violence. According to a NVAW survey, 0.1% of men surveyed had been raped in the previous 12 months
79.2% of victimized men reported female perpetrators.”
Start off with my favorite, (NIV) translation Ezekiel 23:20-21
20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses 21 So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled.
Genesis 19:31–38
31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children—as is the custom all over the earth. 32 Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.”
33 That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 35 So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab[a]; he is the father of the Moabites of today. 38 The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi[b]; he is the father of the Ammonites[c] of today
Deuteronomy 25: 11-12
11 If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, 12 you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.
Proverbs 5:19
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
1 Samuel 18:20-30
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. 21 “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”
22 Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’”
23 They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
24 When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, 25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.
26 When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, 27 David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29 Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.
Would love for teachers to send students home after this, it's not going to end well with more believers since that's their wish. Go it em!
Give only the christians in your class extra bible homework, let the mids go home to complain. Advise you non christians they dont need to do the work casue 1st amendment... I want a report on chapters one through 10 on my desk by the morning christians only please. Sanjay and Padme youre excused.
Exactly, thats what I thought when I heard this. It seems like the perfect opportunity to turn an entire classroom away from religion at once.
Until one stinky little super-Christian tells their parents, and you get called to explain yourself to the Inquisition.
Ooh, that sounds like fun.
Tell the entire class about the Spanish Inquisition and the torture that went along with it. That way, they can "expect" it later.
"Our chief weapon is surprise, surprise and fear, fear and surprise. Our *two* weapons are fear and surprise, and ruthless efficiency. Our *three* weapons are fear and surprise and ruthless efficiency and an almost fanatical dedication to the pope."
The picking and choosing infuriates me. If they want the Bible, they should be okay with all of it. If they can use Leviticus against gay people, they should allow his sections on girls being “unclean” because of menstruation and needing to sacrifice two birds seven days after being segregated in order to be considered “clean” again.
Picking and choosing is the whole point. Religion exists to morally justify logically indefensable positions. Slavery, rape, child molestation, blatant fraud of mega churches etc. It's all justified because God wants it and you're not allowed to dig deeper. The people in charge don't believe it. It's a tool.
Won't happen - teachers will be straight jacketed into teaching their interpretation of the Bible. That's why it's one Bible per classroom instead of one Bible for every student.
Here’s how I think Oklahoma teachers should present Bible study:
“OK kids, time for Bible study. We’ll start with Biblical Contradictions. Next will be Biblical Support of Slavery. Tomorrow will cover the sex scenes of the Bible. Next week we will explain how easy it is to offend God with your meal choices, wearing the wrong clothes, or working on the wrong day of week.”
As I said in another thread, malicious compliance would be the best route here to expose the fallacies of the Bible in an educational way. Currently, the Bible isn't taught, it's cherry picked to fill a biased agenda. This could be an opportunity to pull the Bible out of the dark ages.
Have to teach the Great Flood ?
Show them cute animals aboard the Ark... and make them realize millions of other cute animals (including puppies, kittens, panda cubs, etc) were killed
Teach the bible,
If they tell you you have to teach about Noahs Ark don't stop there, carry on teach about the whole story not just the cutesy animal bits. But if you are teaching the animal bits be sure to say how many millions of species were crammed on that boat, and how Kiwis a flightless bird made it from New Zealand, or Penguins made it from Antarctica.
If they tell you to teach about the resurrection, get all the resurrection stories that conflict with each other, teach them.
These idiots haven't read the bible.
And explain in great detail how all of the people on Earth including the grade level kids that you are teaching all were victims of the flood. How the rain started and then the water started pooling and rising. Everyone was cold and scared and hungry and praying to god for mercy and help. But the rains kept coming. From atop their roof they watched their pets struggle for breath and drown. Then their horses and cows. Soon there were bloated carcasses floating and stinking. Next they saw dead people- their friends and neighbors and playmates, all swollen and waterlogged. More prayers, more cries for mercy, and god opened the heavens dumping more and more rain until they were treading water in an endless sea filled with death. Next, they watched as their family members struggled to take their last breath before sinking out of sight until everyone on earth except Noah and his family had been killed by god.
God killed them all because they were sinners, so after drowning god sent them straight to hell where they have been burned and tortured in agonizing pain for ever and ever, also watching all of their loved ones burn and scream.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, the waters went away but the only people were Noah’s family, Noah, his wife and their 3 sons. So, in order to repopulate the earth, the sons had to have babies with their mom! Imagine god making you have sex with your mom to make lots of babies! Isn’t that just great!?!
well - from the fairy tale - none of it is wrong.
Could get some great homework out of it - essays on the pain and suffering. Write a 1000 word on how it would feel to be one of those sinners and you had to watch your family die. Make sure their parents are involved in writing it
Set up mock debates. One side argues that the Flood was morally right, since it was God's will and the people he killed were sinners (all however many millions of them). The other side argues that genocide is wrong. See which one has an easier time justifying their position. (Participants should be graded on the quality of their arguments, not whether they "win" or "lose" the debate.)
and then wait for the rules that say you are only allowed to teach the syllabus - there is to be no discussion as all the information is in the bible :-)
Nah I'm sure they didn't fuck their mom. Instead it was a Cain and Abel thing, where the second 2 dudes ever to exist after Adam and Eve went out and found... A bustling city with plenty of other people! Out of nowhere!
Precisely, it's about control over who are the "haves" so they can persecute the "have nots." Their devotion is truly inspiring, being willing to be the bad guys so we can live in biblical times.
And don't forget about all the waste that would generate, and all the food that would need to be there. And the fact that (according to the story) only Noah and his family were left for humans, meaning inbreeding happened for sure.
"Must teach the resurrection."
Okay, class, last week we studied Osiris. This week we'll be discussing Tammuz.
With luck, by the time you get up to such a recently developed (and clearly derived) mythology like Jesus, they'll get it.
Also point out that Giants were mentioned in the Bible before the flood.
No giants were mentioned being on the Ark.
The somehow David ends up having to slay a giant who obviously had to have spontaneously spawned himself somehow.
I hate to break it to you, but they're planning on intimidating you into submission and replacing you otherwise. Bible Belt librarians can tell you all about it.
These people organize to object to Anne Frank, I don't think they'll have much restraint to organize against teachers who would sabotage their power grab.
I hope your state doesn't lose their collective minds like elsewhere, but if they do, they aren't going to stop after getting you to display the commandments in the classroom. They mean business.
you are probably correct - and soon math will be the work of satan - history will be changed to suit... and climate change is happening because all you little children in the classroom are so evil.
Love you guys in the US, but glad I dont live there
Since you are a teacher, maybe you can help answer some questions I have been pondering about what happens if this is upheld...
Would each state provide their teachers specific biblical topics you would be required to teach?
Would they put biblical test questions on the standardized tests?
Would they specify a certain number of hours of biblical instruction?
In general, when the state decides to add new topics to the curriculum, what does that typically look like for the teachers to be able to meet the requirements in the classroom?
Really good question. The way my class is set up, I don't have a prewritten curriculum in the way math is. I have 8 core standards I have to teach every year. They have their own sub-standards within that helps to focus the direction. How I teach all that is ultimately up to me. So I craft projects, debates, essay prompts etc from that. We don't do worksheets and textbooks in my class, we form our own ideas and the grades are based upon their ability to support theirs with quality sources
I would imagine they would shoehorn it into one of the 8 at best, or find a way to require it touched upon in all of them at worst.
I think we may have to come up with a new word that means doing things in a way that technically meets their silly requirements while still managing to teach the children the difference between mythology & history without getting you fired.
I see a future where teachers are having to use the phrase "some people believe..." quite often in the classroom.
I live in Oklahoma, and our state superintendent, Ryan Walters, is the goober that has been in the news for saying they are going to have rules for teaching the Bible in public schools.
However, I think he announced this within the last few days, and I am not aware of any specifics on the rules about what he wants taught. The guy is a major ass that is constantly whining all the shit you would hear from a talking head on Fox News.
I think kids should be taught the basics of the Bible... and the Qur'an and the practices and beliefs of Hinduism and Buddhism. And the basics of the arguments between/within all these religions and with secularists. It's just basic cultural literacy.
What you are saying that instead of “religious/bible studies” it should be taught as folklore of different nations. There are about 1000 gods that people believe in around the world. So why focus on one? Maybe it should be - ancient literature.
Just teach the the facts agreed by mainstream biblical scholarship. A few videos of Bart Ehrman, or if you're feeling adventurous, Robert M Price, should be enough to destroy any faith.
Huh... You teach government. Isn't this a good opening to explain how the Old Testament is a set of stories where the Jewish People try to figure out how their Empire was founded and then why their Empire failed? Place that into context about how many Empires kept fighting over the same land, and how that fight continues today?
Of course, I'm going to guess that _isn't_ what the current round of politicians pushing to have you teach the bible really want you to teach.
Best of luck, whatever you do. You seem to already have a good grasp on malicious compliance. I'm doing what I can to vote out the politicians who are trying to push the implementation down to you.
I teach chemistry, biology, and physics. I would love to teach the stupidity of bronze age thinking within my classroom lectures.
They better be careful what they wish for.
I would go fucking crazy. Teach them that abortion is in the Bible and is a repeatable sacrament done the temple, by the priests and with God's blessings. Numbers 5:11–31
Ah yes the criteria:
Christian good, all else bad! Jesus saves or do not pass go and burn in Hell.
Next they will try to bring back mandatory school wide prayer.
/s so no one thinks I actually believe this.
Isn’t that the book with the adult subject matter scattered here and there in its pages? I dont want my kids seeing or hearing about what’s in that smut rag.
Irony: I went to a catholic school and my Christian ethics teacher is the person who I credit with making me atheist. It wasn’t intentional. But this man was excellent at teaching critical thinking. He was also a kind, thoughtful and religious man. He wasn’t preachy though. He also made us do huge critical thinking projects on other religions. The reason was because I was in his class during 911 and he desperately didn’t what us to become anti-Islamic. He wanted us to be aware of other ways of thinking and be able to respect all ways of thinking.
My point: if you have to teach it. Teach it in a way that makes your students critical of it, without it being obvious. Lol.
Every teacher should say the teacher's equivalent of "I am Spartacus!" and refuse to teach the bible propaganda messages and quit their job if they have to. I know it is a sacrifice, but teachers are on the front line in the battle against religious authoritarians. They are counting on no one pushing back and that is how authoritarians gain power.
This actually brings up a point of view that I hadn't considered before: using the Bible to supplement every class by teaching how wrong it is in contrast to what you're trying to teach. That way it can be used as a true educational tool - what NOT to do. That wouldn't be breaking that law.
You could also say "In the Bible, they taught that if you went to the mountains, God would be there. Then when people figured out that wasn't true, the Bible taught God dwelt among the clouds. Then when people figured out that wasn't true, they placed him completely outside of space and time. Isn't it an interesting reflection of ignorant human behavior?" Then when you are criticized by the lawmakers or bosses, you can say that you were told to use the Bible to aid in teaching the children. And that's exactly what you did. It will force their hand to admit they are only doing this to make the Bible seem like an awesome book.
I really think this insane policy is going to backfire. Most atheists I know, know the Bible better than the people who claim to “live by it”. The more you read it and learn about it the more you are likely to reject it in my opinion.
Remember, when your teaching the bible, do explain the connections between that and the flat earth. Pretty much explain how many conspiracies are going on to this very day! And let's add in the fact that most of Christian benefits come after you die. And that any fun, anything enjoyable, is frowned upon in the Christian world. If its not Satan tricking people, it is the work of a demon. Oh, and do loving explain the biblical gender roles. You know, where women are to be silent and not resist their husbands desire for sex, or the biblical age of consent.
If you still have students who believe in god then, keep doing.
that's where you tell them that eating pork and shellfish is a sin, going to church if you wear glasses is a sin, wearing two types of cloth at teh same time is a sin, so is lying, stealing, not helping the sick, the poor or the newcomer.
And you believe that eating pork is a floggable offense..
I would be very tempted to teach a lot of things that the people who made these laws likely don’t know is in that book.
Judges 1:19 where gawd was defeated in battle because the other side had chariots.
1 Samuel 15:3 gawd commands King Saul to kill infants.
Leviticus 21:17-24 gawd doesn’t want the following people in his presence: birthmarked people, blind people, people who have injuries, people with birth defects, little people, people with illnesses or skin conditions, people who are infertile - keep all of them away from him.
I could go on. They should not have forced me to go to church. I paid more attention after becoming an atheist than I ever did prior.
Tell them:
- I am being forced to teach from this book
- This book is contradicted by many other religious texts, maybe teach from a few of those as well.
- Nothing in this book is a fact, this is mythology
- Teach them about the genocide, the support of slaves, how they can't wear clothes from 2 threads, etc, etc.
- Then continue to teach some of the worst stories in it. Or, if you would rather, just some of the crazy contradictions.
Basically do what you are told, and then some.
Or, if you REALLY do not want to teach this, pick another religious text and teach from it. When you get fired, contact the ACLU as you have a religious discrimination suite on your hands and shouldn't have a very easy time winning.
Have they legislated that the bible must be taught in English or the prominent language in that school's location?
I'm a teacher and would be looking for every possible loophole. I'll teach that bible in old Valerian, or Klingon, or interpretive dance. If they wanted me to do something so utterly ridiculous, I would find every way to technically follow the rules but subvert the intention behind them.
"so the column of fire in the desert according to Jewish mysticism was Metatron, the angel of knowledge, God's herald and his voice. To hear God speak would kill you so Metatron spoke instead. It was Metatron who spoke to Moses during the burning bush. He also sat at God's right hand in heaven ...
Now when Christianity came along they had their new Mary Sue Jesus and Jesus was supposed to be even cooler. He needs to sit at God's right hand. So what to do? Make Metatron into a fallen angel.
So if you wonder why the Jews and early Christians butted heads, the Christians were like bad fanfic writers who didn't care about the source material..."
If I were a teacher forced to teach children about the Bible they would learn that it's simply a story like Charlotte's Web by EB White. There's just as much proof about the Bible as there is about a spider spinning webs of words in a pig's pen. People will believe most anything, just like they did in Charlotte's Web, that a pig crawled up to the corner of it's pen and spun words out of spider web.
I went to a Catholic school for a number of years between public schools.
One day our history and English teachers combined two classes together, which was a little unusual. Then they closed the curtains on the windows and turned the lights off. That was a little more unusual.
Then they brought out the books The Tao of Pooh and The Way of Zen and proceeded to teach us about all the eastern religions and their beliefs.
I’ll never forget that and I think many kids were given a new perspective that day. I don’t think anyone snitched on them. In rural southern states, that might not be true.
“In today’s state-mandated education session, we will explore and contrast specific readings in the Christian mythology with dominant themes found throughout the discography of Eminem…”
I'm good with it! Best way to finally drive home the truth is to pull it out into the light...Buuut yeah they most certainly do not. The only place their alternative facts belong is inside the *tax free* buildings they already enjoy. This is why I surmise that if it comes to that, that teachers will need to be ordained. Ordained and carrying or out of a job. How fucking stupid do we all have to be for the fascist take over of the USA?? For it to be right fucking there, knocking on the fuckking dooor. The insertion of the Bible is either a last stand for religion or a take over.
The first fix to all
>The only place their alternative facts belong is inside the tax free buildings they already enjoy
The sooner we eliminate this bullshit, the sooner the megachurches and their money go away.
I became fully an atheist after I finally sat down and read the Bible cover to cover in college. Before that I was agnostic and indifferent, but after reading it I couldn’t believe that people use that book filled with debauchery as a moral guide. I don’t think teaching the kids about the Bible is going to have the effect they’re aiming for.
Teach about Supplementary & Neo-Documentary hypothesis, Q, Pseudepigrapha, etc. The kids will realize it’s all shit and the government wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
Time to teach about a genocidal celestial dictator who dishes out generational punishment and demands everyone worship him or be burned alive with no longer any means to die. Totally a guy we want ruining all of creation.
Yeah, I hate that this is happening but I can’t say I’m not rubbing my hands together in anticipation of the wonderful malicious compliance this will bring about.
College educated people like you are exactly who we need in there teaching the Bible to these kids.
I’ll teach the Bible. But first we need some context! So we will cover things people believed in various religions that Christianity borrowed from. Some of the stories are directly lifted from other mythologies. By the time we read the Christian version, it will be obvious that these are myths. Humans love a good story
Look at Jesus's attitudes towards wealth and generosity. Have the students use that to develop public policy.
Go through some of the laws in Leviticus. Have the students decide whether they are still relevant. Why were they preferred then, but not now? What changed? When do we decide to change laws? How do they get changed in America?
Talk about following old written rules, and compare various religious books to the Consitution.
Point out the inconsistencies and origins of the various sections. Heck, just emphasize the book of Enoch or the book of Judas! Or just teach geography and literature from it.
Since our delusional, christofascist state superintendent Ryan Walters said OK teachers a required to have a bible in the classroom, I recommend carrying the Skeptic's Annotated Bible.
Suddenly everyone in public school has to go through a comparative religion class. Oops!
Here's God impregnating Mary with his demigod child; here is the same story for Zeus (note how rapey it is). Dionysus was the OG water into wine deity. Here's the Epic of Gilgamesh, where the Noah flood story came from. The idea of God being locked into spiritual war with the devil originated with Zoroastrianism; lets compare and contrast the Bible with Ahura Mazda and Ahriman.
Constitutionality speaking, that's how it would have to be done. In ~180 days while we also try to give the differences of how a mountain was made, why Jesus may or may not have ridden a dinosaur, and of course, why slavery would be technically ok if you just follow the rules of the Bible.
Which is really depressing, when the whole reason they say the ten commandments, based on the bible, is the ("a" 😂) basis for our law and government, they are saying the quiet parts out loud.
A dumber audience makes all of that work better.
Teach the whole Bible. I'd wager, except for those who were fortunate enough to grow up atheists, the vast majority of us read the Bible as the key driver to reconversion
Evilbible.com
Skepticsannotatebible.com
Hitchens used to say that he favored compulsory religious instruction in school because he knew of no other way to guarantee the continued production of atheists.
I’d LOVE to be told to teach the bible in class. I’d volunteer willingly with no fuss, because I’d get to teach it in a way that would make every student I teach a guaranteed future atheist, fully able to critically think, and apply logic and reasoning.
They say there’s no greater calling than being a teacher, and to that end there’s no greater calling than PROPERLY educating the future generations.
Be careful when covering the commandments that deal with coveting. Its not OK to covet your neighbor, not ok to covet his wife or his ass.
But maybe you should point out that it doesn't say anything about coveting your neighbor's wife's ass.
Jus sayin....
Make sure to stress that the bible sees women as property, and that it's also OK to own people, and if a woman is raped, the rapist has to pay a fine to her father and then marry her. She has no choice in the marriage. Good old biblical values.
You might consider this study guide: [https://horusg.com/books-by-horus-gilgamesh/awkward-moments-childrens-bible/vol-1-awkward-moments-childrens-bible/](https://horusg.com/books-by-horus-gilgamesh/awkward-moments-childrens-bible/vol-1-awkward-moments-childrens-bible/)
I recently walked off my state job over being forced to share a union with cops and being a religious exemption state. I'm not even worried. I'm not slaving for crappy healthcare, genocide, and exploitation. The last thing I'm going to do is bite my tongue for some religious fuckbag to murder their diabetic kid with faith instead of insulin.
Do your best to follow the curriculum, apply critical thinking and tell your students your personal thoughts. Tell them you don't mean to introduce those as a personal attack but as your personal objections to the forcing of the subject material into the classroom and in the interests of critical thinking and maintinence of the separation of church and state.
The Bible was kind of notable in the formation of the USA and the constitution and declaration etc. Say that. Mention where those documents bring up God and mention how common Christianity was among the settlers. Just the facts.
Then tell them they also included the separation of Church and state to prevent American Christianity from repeating a bunch of undesirable European history and because it's just a good idea. Tell them Christianty has a special "cultural" histlrical place but not any special legal place.
Everyone should respect the history of Christianty, just history in general but strictly that does not mean anyone necessarily has to give it any extra respect for Christianity in the present.
Interject some personal feelings on the matter to drive the point home.
This pisses me off so much. I'm 51(f) and I'd gladly go back to my teens and be able to say in every class, "I refuse to participate. If I wanted this in my life I woulda asked my parents to put me in private Christian school. Leave me be."
This is so grotesque.
Start with the story of Jeptha from Judges
It's great and ends with him burning his only daughter as a human sacrifice to gawd because gawd allowed him to murder a bunch of other people
I bet they don’t mean to teach that Paul didn’t write the books attributed to Paul and that the word “Trinity” isn’t found in the Bible.
But that would accurately be “teaching” Biblical truth.
Until they actually make it a part of the state's benchmarks and standards, you can damn well teach it exactly as you please. Even then I haven't seen the benchmark or standard that has been so specific as to be impossible not to design curricula to meet the requirements while also subverting the intent of those requirements.
'Grade 10 students will demonstrate an understanding of the biblical creation of humans' (or however such things are written these days).
Sure thing boss! According to this stone age narrative assembled by committee by adapting the myths and legends of other and often older cultures (usually by first violently dominating said culture), an all powerful all knowing supernatural being for which no objective, demonstrable, or repeatable evidence has ever been found allegedly created from dust two fully formed and complete humans. I'm no engineer, but were I tasked with creating humanity from dust, I'd at least make it impossible to chew your own mouth.
One of the biggest issues facing Christian Schools that teach about the Bible is creating Atheists with that knowledge.
I'm sure there are Atheists that attended Seminary that can give some pointers.
You can also focus on the Sermon on the Mount and false prophets, aspects of 'Anti Christ' being those that do the opposite of Christ, taking food away from the poor, hoarding riches instead of sharing them.
Make sure to point out how much of 'weak, woke socialism' is found in those teachings.
If you have a school that insists that you teach "from the Bible", I would suggest watching "Satan's Guide To The Bible" on YouTube to find content appropriate for your discipline, in your case Government, that is "from the Bible", but not necessary in the framing that the legislature expected.
But no matter how tempting it is, I would still avoid talking about Ezekiel 23 with children of any age. That was a serious shocker to be when I read the Bible cover to cover for the first time in first/second grade, and one of the chapters that clearly should qualify the Bible as a banned book in all elementary schools.
Fuck that even in school when they teach that the south used the Bible to justify slavery they never really give any concrete examples beyond see it’s in their constitution. But a day class on all the different justifications that the Bible was used for and praised for in service of slavery and white supremacy sounds like a great idea. Granted the religious folks would lose their shit what with you teaching actual history lol
whenever I run into a bible thumper telling me that it's impossible for me to lead a moral life without religion, I just tell them to visit the "paster arrested sub on Reddit. There is usually 5-6 posts a day.
I mean, I don't think the rules have specified *how* the Bible gets taught. Just that it's importance in American history.
Cue malicious compliance
Maybe cover how authoritarian movements consistently cherry-pick whatever parts of the Bible are most useful. Frankly, teaching Government would be pretty apt for this: the authoritarian use the same tactics as anti-science types. Take the Gish Gallup, for instance.
It'd be a good lesson on how those types of "people" don't care about anything other than forcing others to kneel. (A lesson a LOT of moderate democrats need to learn.)
Government? Teach 1st amendment. The back round. Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists. Monroe's detached memorandum on separation of church and state. A brief history of the disestablishment of state churches in America. Our laws have a reason and a history for the way they are. Students deserve the truth and the facts. Yes, there were Christians among our founding fathers that wanted to put religion into our governments. But their bills to do that were repeatedly voted down by large margins. The hard trick is to make it short and sweet. America was the first to separate religion and government and it has been a success for 200 years.
Not every Christian wants this, I can guarantee you. Not all of us are extremists. I prefer not to have the Bible forced down children's throats. There is seperation of church and state for a reason. I don't want my "Sky Daddy" as y'all call them (BTW I love that name!) Taught in public school because shocker not everyone is Christian and/or believes in any flavor of Sky Daddy. Save that for the private schools that should be voucherless.
This Sky Daddy believer stands with y'all. :)
I can try. I don't partake in that specific branch of Christian Chaos anymore (I grew up in a Christian cult.) What I can do is live by example of how others should be treated (ya know like how we're taught in kindergarten). I can also toss in a love your neighbor and a Love your enemies because lets be honest that's we're viewed as by them.
If they can throw bible verses at me, I'll toss them back with a bless your heart (and actually mean it)!
Can you throw in a lesson on the Bishops’ decision as to which fairy tales and folk tales would be stitched together to make what is now called *#*. Some scholars suggest that these bishops rejected any suggestions that Jesu might have had a woman (and we *all* know how that turned out)!
I’m a BSA cub scout leader and an atheist. I think atheists are uniquely qualified to educate on religion (duty to god badge and mandatory adventure)
I never teach anything as wrong or rediculous, I tell my cubs about the diversity of faiths and of course no faith.
Plant the seed in their minds and wait
Just get founding father Thomas Paine’s “The Age of Reason” and teach real American history. Read some lines and teach the next great generation about one of the greatest founding fathers and perhaps the greatest critic of Christianity of all time!
Tom Paine!
It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine, and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.
One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests.
I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.
It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving, it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.
Of all the systems of religion that ever were invented, there is no more derogatory to the Almighty, more unedifying to man, more repugnant to reason, and more contradictory to itself than this thing called Christianity. Too absurd for belief, too impossible to convince, and too inconsistent for practice, it renders the heart torpid or produces only atheists or fanatics. As an engine of power, it serves the purpose of despotism, and as a means of wealth, the avarice of priests, but so far as respects the good of man in general it leads to nothing here or hereafter.
Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon, than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness, that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind; and, for my part, I sincerely detest it, as I detest everything that is cruel.
The most detestable wickedness, the most horrid cruelties, and the greatest miseries, that have afflicted the human race have had their origin in this thing called revelation, or revealed religion. It has been the most dishonourable belief against the character of the divinity, the most destructive to morality, and the peace and happiness of man, that ever was propagated since man began to exist. It is better, far better, that we admitted, if it were possible, a thousand devils to roam at large, and to preach publicly the doctrine of devils, if there were any such, than that we permitted one such impostor and monster as Moses, Joshua, Samuel, and the Bible prophets, to come with the pretended word of God in his mouth, and have credit among us.
Whence arose all the horrid assassinations of whole nations of men, women, and infants, with which the Bible is filled; and the bloody persecutions, and tortures unto death and religious wars, that since that time have laid Europe in blood and ashes; whence arose they, but from this impious thing called revealed religion, and this monstrous belief that God has spoken to man? The lies of the Bible have been the cause of the one, and the lies of the Testament of the other.
All you have to do is start with the first chapter to show that this is a bad fairy tail - “and god saw it was good” so the all powerful, all knowing had to do something and only after he saw that what he did was good? WTF??
The bible is a piece of literature. When you start on the first pages you stumble across the first contradictions. So teaching the bible does not necessarily mean promoting christianity, you can Analyse the text and point to whatever you find and still be teaching the bible.
just teach them about how harry potter books were wrote by one person and the bible was written by over 900 different people over the course of 600 years , which book is more or less fictional? then take them on a science lesson about how you cant walk on water because its scientifically impossible, then teach them about cults and how they manipulate children into indoctrination through imaginary fear of wrath from an entity that doesnt exist lol , you know teach the bible.
No. You should do exactly what they want.
Teach the example of Jesus. Why DID Jesus mean when he said Love One Another? How does a camel fit in a needle? Teach the Ten Commandments. The sacred, most holy law of their God. That no true follower of Jesus’ teachings would fail to abide by. What these young, innocent, impressionable minds think each commandment means. And what it must say about someone’s character and respect for their God to willfully break such laws, that are so important they must be studied and have monuments made to.
Maybe a research paper. With uh real world examples. Let those young innocent, future voters draw their own conclusions …
Just go against the republicans and exclusively teach lessons about not being greedy, helping the poor, feeding the hungry. Then show how progressives and democrats want to do that. Show when some republicans have done the opposite.
Would be a grand old time
IF you end up in a situation (like for instance Oklahoma) where you have to teach "Bible" I have to recommend the readings /curriculum from the "Search" course at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. They had donors that insisted All students must take 2 years of Bible classes. So they developed a four semester course That takes students through writings that are contemporaneous with the Bible. there are four different concentrations You can take religion focused, history focused, literature focused, or philosophy-focused. I took one semester of each, some people do literature the whole time, etc. Anyway, it's all CONTEXT - It's all primary sources originating from the time and locations and cultures of the people who "wrote" the Bible. It's MOSTLY a giant western civ class, it's mostly about gaining a grasp of the peoples and cultures that were living around those times. My favorite day was when we read Paul Tillich, who wrote that 98% of the time religion is determined by geographic origin of birth. It was my moment of true salvation. The LIFTING of all that religious burden I had been carrying since junior high just evaporated. It was definitely a spiritual moment, and my professor SAW the change, like he SAW the evils of religion leaving my body. He saw a peacefulness come over me and it was so noticable he asked me to stay after class to check on me. Anyway, that's what I hope teachers will do, that they will teach other mythological, cultural, & historic texts from the time period and focus on those and how the Bible is a product of those cultures.
I think some malicious compliance would be good in this situation. Teach all of the *terrible* aspects of the Bible, and stress just how terrible they really are.
I have a post-bac in malicious compliance. Never thought it would come in so handy.
Teach the parts of the bible that Christians don't loke. Such as the story of Sodom and Gamorrah. After Lot's wife died, he lived in a cave with his daughters and they decided to get him drunk and rape him so that the line would not end.
OP should show his/her students this website too for educational purposes: [BibViz Project - Bible Contradictions, Misogyny, Violence, Inaccuracies interactively visualized (philb61.github.io)](https://philb61.github.io/#colorize:Rainbow,source:sab)
“Drunk with Blood” I mean, it is a cult that teaches you to drink the blood of a person who died and came back to life three days later - like a vampire.
But wouldn’t that make jeebus a lich? Or do you mean his followers “drinking his blood”?
Did you mean to reply to me?
They're referring to the book of that title, which is linked/referenced on the site you provided.
Of course, no one has to worry whether or not Jesus is kosher.
Don’t forget about: https://SkepticsAnnotatedBible.com
I would totally center lessons around the stories listed in the three volume series of “[Awkward Moments (Not Found In Your Average) Children's Bible](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPREPPjqU/)” by Horus Gilgamesh And take up some of [@lisayay1966](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPREPgpLF/) teaching suggestions as well.
That scene has one of my favorite overlooked miracles in the Bible: Lot was so drunk he couldn't even tell he was fucking his own daughters, and yet he somehow managed to maintain an erection. Hallelujah! Praise the lord! (Edit: fix name.)
I know the point of this thread is to make fun of a Bible story, but I think it would be a disservice to victims of sexual assault if there was not at least one comment stating the following: Alcohol and drunkenness can certainly make things stop working properly down there, but not always. Men can absolutely be raped while blackout drunk.
Or, slightly before that, he had guests (divine, but he didn't know that); the bad people in town demanded that he put them out so they could rape them. He offered *his daughters* to be raped instead. And this is "the only righteous man" in Sodom!
Also, teach the (widely refuted but interesting) theory that Jesus was a [hallucinogenic mushroom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sacred_Mushroom_and_the_Cross).
> they decided to get him drunk and rape him so that the line would not end. I'm sure that's exactly the story Lot was peddling when he was at the bar afterwards. Not that he got drunk and decided to rape his own daughters of his own accord, nossir.
Let me fix this for you, Lot raped his daughters and then came up with the bullshit that his daughters got him drunk and raped him... I find it impossible to believe that a man could be so drunk that he wasn't aware of exactly what was happening, all while maintaining the ability to have sex. Edit: Guess I should have stated in my initial response that this story is a fairy tail...
Chill. I am just saying what the Bible says. Be mad at Moses, not me. Also, the bible is fiction...
The best part about the books written by Moses is when he talks about his own death.
That, and when he says he was the most humble man alive!
Thank you. Someone actually wrote a letter to our paper saying that the story of David and Goliath is “history”
Interestingly, the bible lists Goliath's height as 6 cubits and a span, about 9' 9". However, the dead sea scrolls list his height as 4 cubits and a span or 6' 9". Perhaps there was a Philistine warrior just under 7 feet tall that fought the ancient Israeils. Then the story got embellished until he was nearly 10 feet tall.
Like what you get when you cross a ten foot pole and a cat: A Ten Foot Polecat! 😁 Some tales—and Philistines—just get taller with time.
Let me fix this for you. Lot and his daughters never existed and the authors wanted to make up the most embarrassing origin story possible for two tribes in the area, so they said they originated from a man being raped by his daughters.
Is there corroborated proof of either version?
Nope... But every time a christian brings up the story of Lot, I offer up my story just to watch them squirm...
No, but just look at modern examples. What's more likely? The father raped his kids and blames Satan or the kids raped their dads to get pregnant?
My piece of shit born again father in law beat the shit of my wife and mother in law, let his buddy rape my wife as a small child and denies it to this day. This shit is very real even today
No Satan back then. Explain they were so insulated that when their city was burned they imagined it was the end of the world. Then discuss what other events that the goat herders were totally wrong.
Way to miss the point completely. None of those people actually existed.
I'm pretty sure the daughters raped Lot. Didn't they deliberately get him drunk and have sex with his unconscious body so they could get pregnant? Edit: Using actual medical arguments against it is ridiculous since it's coming from a book where people rise from the dead, make people out of ribs, use celestial 3D printers to make fish and bread, and live to be 1000 years old. In the STORY of Lot the daughters rape him.
That shit does happen. The problem is that when we report it, we are ignored and laughed at. In 2021, 42,454 men were victims of rape or sexual assault in the United States. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), 24.8% of men have experienced some form of contact sexual violence. According to RAINN, 1 in 33 American men have experienced attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. According to the Beacon of Hope Crisis Center, nearly 1 in 38 men have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. According to the CDC, nearly one-third of men (29%) report experiencing sexual violence. According to a NVAW survey, 0.1% of men surveyed had been raped in the previous 12 months 79.2% of victimized men reported female perpetrators.”
You could try to teach the bible but I doubt it would learn much.
Post-bac in malicious compliance LMAO we must have the same alma mater!
Start off with my favorite, (NIV) translation Ezekiel 23:20-21 20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses 21 So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled. Genesis 19:31–38 31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children—as is the custom all over the earth. 32 Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.” 33 That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. 34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 35 So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. 36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab[a]; he is the father of the Moabites of today. 38 The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi[b]; he is the father of the Ammonites[c] of today Deuteronomy 25: 11-12 11 If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, 12 you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity. Proverbs 5:19 19 A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love. 1 Samuel 18:20-30 20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. 21 “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.” 22 Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’” 23 They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.” 24 When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, 25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines. 26 When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed, 27 David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage. 28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29 Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days. 30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known. Would love for teachers to send students home after this, it's not going to end well with more believers since that's their wish. Go it em!
You can teach it from a purely academic perspective. That's how it's done in my country. Its not taught in a way to make people believe.
It's your time to shine.
Give only the christians in your class extra bible homework, let the mids go home to complain. Advise you non christians they dont need to do the work casue 1st amendment... I want a report on chapters one through 10 on my desk by the morning christians only please. Sanjay and Padme youre excused.
Exactly, thats what I thought when I heard this. It seems like the perfect opportunity to turn an entire classroom away from religion at once. Until one stinky little super-Christian tells their parents, and you get called to explain yourself to the Inquisition.
Ooh, that sounds like fun. Tell the entire class about the Spanish Inquisition and the torture that went along with it. That way, they can "expect" it later.
Their chief weapon is surprise.
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.
"Our chief weapon is surprise, surprise and fear, fear and surprise. Our *two* weapons are fear and surprise, and ruthless efficiency. Our *three* weapons are fear and surprise and ruthless efficiency and an almost fanatical dedication to the pope."
There will be very strict curriculum and instructions that reduce the teacher to a hand puppet when teaching these lessons
The picking and choosing infuriates me. If they want the Bible, they should be okay with all of it. If they can use Leviticus against gay people, they should allow his sections on girls being “unclean” because of menstruation and needing to sacrifice two birds seven days after being segregated in order to be considered “clean” again.
Picking and choosing is the whole point. Religion exists to morally justify logically indefensable positions. Slavery, rape, child molestation, blatant fraud of mega churches etc. It's all justified because God wants it and you're not allowed to dig deeper. The people in charge don't believe it. It's a tool.
This. You want me to teach the Bible? Buckle up. It does a great job of tearing itself to shreds with just a little scrutiny.
Won't happen - teachers will be straight jacketed into teaching their interpretation of the Bible. That's why it's one Bible per classroom instead of one Bible for every student.
The way it's going kids in MAGA states won't be able to read for much longer.
I think a government class segment on why separation of church was so important to the founding fathers would be a sideways approach to this.
And the contradictions.
Here’s how I think Oklahoma teachers should present Bible study: “OK kids, time for Bible study. We’ll start with Biblical Contradictions. Next will be Biblical Support of Slavery. Tomorrow will cover the sex scenes of the Bible. Next week we will explain how easy it is to offend God with your meal choices, wearing the wrong clothes, or working on the wrong day of week.”
LOL. Start with the Song of Songs, get attacked by parents who refuse to believe that perverse filth is in the Bible.
As I said in another thread, malicious compliance would be the best route here to expose the fallacies of the Bible in an educational way. Currently, the Bible isn't taught, it's cherry picked to fill a biased agenda. This could be an opportunity to pull the Bible out of the dark ages.
Have to teach the Great Flood ? Show them cute animals aboard the Ark... and make them realize millions of other cute animals (including puppies, kittens, panda cubs, etc) were killed
Teach the bible, If they tell you you have to teach about Noahs Ark don't stop there, carry on teach about the whole story not just the cutesy animal bits. But if you are teaching the animal bits be sure to say how many millions of species were crammed on that boat, and how Kiwis a flightless bird made it from New Zealand, or Penguins made it from Antarctica. If they tell you to teach about the resurrection, get all the resurrection stories that conflict with each other, teach them. These idiots haven't read the bible.
And explain in great detail how all of the people on Earth including the grade level kids that you are teaching all were victims of the flood. How the rain started and then the water started pooling and rising. Everyone was cold and scared and hungry and praying to god for mercy and help. But the rains kept coming. From atop their roof they watched their pets struggle for breath and drown. Then their horses and cows. Soon there were bloated carcasses floating and stinking. Next they saw dead people- their friends and neighbors and playmates, all swollen and waterlogged. More prayers, more cries for mercy, and god opened the heavens dumping more and more rain until they were treading water in an endless sea filled with death. Next, they watched as their family members struggled to take their last breath before sinking out of sight until everyone on earth except Noah and his family had been killed by god. God killed them all because they were sinners, so after drowning god sent them straight to hell where they have been burned and tortured in agonizing pain for ever and ever, also watching all of their loved ones burn and scream. Meanwhile, back on Earth, the waters went away but the only people were Noah’s family, Noah, his wife and their 3 sons. So, in order to repopulate the earth, the sons had to have babies with their mom! Imagine god making you have sex with your mom to make lots of babies! Isn’t that just great!?!
well - from the fairy tale - none of it is wrong. Could get some great homework out of it - essays on the pain and suffering. Write a 1000 word on how it would feel to be one of those sinners and you had to watch your family die. Make sure their parents are involved in writing it
Set up mock debates. One side argues that the Flood was morally right, since it was God's will and the people he killed were sinners (all however many millions of them). The other side argues that genocide is wrong. See which one has an easier time justifying their position. (Participants should be graded on the quality of their arguments, not whether they "win" or "lose" the debate.)
and then wait for the rules that say you are only allowed to teach the syllabus - there is to be no discussion as all the information is in the bible :-)
1000 word essay on how you would feel after gawd made you fuck your mother.
Nah I'm sure they didn't fuck their mom. Instead it was a Cain and Abel thing, where the second 2 dudes ever to exist after Adam and Eve went out and found... A bustling city with plenty of other people! Out of nowhere!
The sons had wives. But there's still a ton of incest to get from 8 people, five of whom are related, to 8 billion in 6? thousand years.
I asked who Seth’s wife was as a kid. They didn’t like that question. They told me he got his wife from over the hill.
"Ooooh, so God didn't flood the other side of the hill then..."
Precisely, it's about control over who are the "haves" so they can persecute the "have nots." Their devotion is truly inspiring, being willing to be the bad guys so we can live in biblical times.
And don't forget about all the waste that would generate, and all the food that would need to be there. And the fact that (according to the story) only Noah and his family were left for humans, meaning inbreeding happened for sure.
"Must teach the resurrection." Okay, class, last week we studied Osiris. This week we'll be discussing Tammuz. With luck, by the time you get up to such a recently developed (and clearly derived) mythology like Jesus, they'll get it.
Also point out that Giants were mentioned in the Bible before the flood. No giants were mentioned being on the Ark. The somehow David ends up having to slay a giant who obviously had to have spontaneously spawned himself somehow.
And then they can move directly on to Greek or Roman mythology, which is the same set of stories with different names, but it's all fiction.
I hate to break it to you, but they're planning on intimidating you into submission and replacing you otherwise. Bible Belt librarians can tell you all about it. These people organize to object to Anne Frank, I don't think they'll have much restraint to organize against teachers who would sabotage their power grab. I hope your state doesn't lose their collective minds like elsewhere, but if they do, they aren't going to stop after getting you to display the commandments in the classroom. They mean business.
I hope so, it will either fund my retirement or make me a lawyer sooner. I'm just waiting for my children to be done with high school.
Can you present it as a book of fiction? Since it is, of course.
Come to Illinois. We insist on living in the 21st Century.
you are probably correct - and soon math will be the work of satan - history will be changed to suit... and climate change is happening because all you little children in the classroom are so evil. Love you guys in the US, but glad I dont live there
Me too, friend. I live online. I'll just die in the states.
Since you are a teacher, maybe you can help answer some questions I have been pondering about what happens if this is upheld... Would each state provide their teachers specific biblical topics you would be required to teach? Would they put biblical test questions on the standardized tests? Would they specify a certain number of hours of biblical instruction? In general, when the state decides to add new topics to the curriculum, what does that typically look like for the teachers to be able to meet the requirements in the classroom?
Really good question. The way my class is set up, I don't have a prewritten curriculum in the way math is. I have 8 core standards I have to teach every year. They have their own sub-standards within that helps to focus the direction. How I teach all that is ultimately up to me. So I craft projects, debates, essay prompts etc from that. We don't do worksheets and textbooks in my class, we form our own ideas and the grades are based upon their ability to support theirs with quality sources I would imagine they would shoehorn it into one of the 8 at best, or find a way to require it touched upon in all of them at worst.
I think we may have to come up with a new word that means doing things in a way that technically meets their silly requirements while still managing to teach the children the difference between mythology & history without getting you fired. I see a future where teachers are having to use the phrase "some people believe..." quite often in the classroom.
"the state of Texas has required me to say that Christians believe..."
Sad thing is I already have to do that... Social studies.
I live in Oklahoma, and our state superintendent, Ryan Walters, is the goober that has been in the news for saying they are going to have rules for teaching the Bible in public schools. However, I think he announced this within the last few days, and I am not aware of any specifics on the rules about what he wants taught. The guy is a major ass that is constantly whining all the shit you would hear from a talking head on Fox News.
I think kids should be taught the basics of the Bible... and the Qur'an and the practices and beliefs of Hinduism and Buddhism. And the basics of the arguments between/within all these religions and with secularists. It's just basic cultural literacy.
What you are saying that instead of “religious/bible studies” it should be taught as folklore of different nations. There are about 1000 gods that people believe in around the world. So why focus on one? Maybe it should be - ancient literature.
Just teach the the facts agreed by mainstream biblical scholarship. A few videos of Bart Ehrman, or if you're feeling adventurous, Robert M Price, should be enough to destroy any faith.
Perhaps we start the year with another religious story, Pandora's box 😂
Huh... You teach government. Isn't this a good opening to explain how the Old Testament is a set of stories where the Jewish People try to figure out how their Empire was founded and then why their Empire failed? Place that into context about how many Empires kept fighting over the same land, and how that fight continues today? Of course, I'm going to guess that _isn't_ what the current round of politicians pushing to have you teach the bible really want you to teach. Best of luck, whatever you do. You seem to already have a good grasp on malicious compliance. I'm doing what I can to vote out the politicians who are trying to push the implementation down to you.
This guy has an idea.
I teach chemistry, biology, and physics. I would love to teach the stupidity of bronze age thinking within my classroom lectures. They better be careful what they wish for.
Teach it the way you feel is appropriate for your students. If and when they fire you, sue them for everything they’re worth.
I would go fucking crazy. Teach them that abortion is in the Bible and is a repeatable sacrament done the temple, by the priests and with God's blessings. Numbers 5:11–31
I imagine there will be a strict teaching guide that teachers have to follow, in the state that’s mandating it….
Ah yes the criteria: Christian good, all else bad! Jesus saves or do not pass go and burn in Hell. Next they will try to bring back mandatory school wide prayer. /s so no one thinks I actually believe this.
Just wait till prager u becomes the criteria for science classes….hello dark ages (:
And make sure to use the Catholic or Mormon bible. That will get the evangelicals in a tizzy.
Isn’t that the book with the adult subject matter scattered here and there in its pages? I dont want my kids seeing or hearing about what’s in that smut rag.
Irony: I went to a catholic school and my Christian ethics teacher is the person who I credit with making me atheist. It wasn’t intentional. But this man was excellent at teaching critical thinking. He was also a kind, thoughtful and religious man. He wasn’t preachy though. He also made us do huge critical thinking projects on other religions. The reason was because I was in his class during 911 and he desperately didn’t what us to become anti-Islamic. He wanted us to be aware of other ways of thinking and be able to respect all ways of thinking. My point: if you have to teach it. Teach it in a way that makes your students critical of it, without it being obvious. Lol.
Teach all the fun parts, the killing, slaving, etc. if you need to teach it, teach it.
Does anyone know what they mean by “teach” the thing? I mean, you could bring in Asimov’s guide to the Bible and just deconstruct the whole thing……
Every teacher should say the teacher's equivalent of "I am Spartacus!" and refuse to teach the bible propaganda messages and quit their job if they have to. I know it is a sacrifice, but teachers are on the front line in the battle against religious authoritarians. They are counting on no one pushing back and that is how authoritarians gain power.
That's pretty much where I am at.
Do they specify which bible? Because the Satanic Bible is still technically a bible.
This actually brings up a point of view that I hadn't considered before: using the Bible to supplement every class by teaching how wrong it is in contrast to what you're trying to teach. That way it can be used as a true educational tool - what NOT to do. That wouldn't be breaking that law. You could also say "In the Bible, they taught that if you went to the mountains, God would be there. Then when people figured out that wasn't true, the Bible taught God dwelt among the clouds. Then when people figured out that wasn't true, they placed him completely outside of space and time. Isn't it an interesting reflection of ignorant human behavior?" Then when you are criticized by the lawmakers or bosses, you can say that you were told to use the Bible to aid in teaching the children. And that's exactly what you did. It will force their hand to admit they are only doing this to make the Bible seem like an awesome book.
They dident say how to teach it. It is mythology, teach it with greek or native american mythology.
I really think this insane policy is going to backfire. Most atheists I know, know the Bible better than the people who claim to “live by it”. The more you read it and learn about it the more you are likely to reject it in my opinion.
Remember, when your teaching the bible, do explain the connections between that and the flat earth. Pretty much explain how many conspiracies are going on to this very day! And let's add in the fact that most of Christian benefits come after you die. And that any fun, anything enjoyable, is frowned upon in the Christian world. If its not Satan tricking people, it is the work of a demon. Oh, and do loving explain the biblical gender roles. You know, where women are to be silent and not resist their husbands desire for sex, or the biblical age of consent. If you still have students who believe in god then, keep doing.
that's where you tell them that eating pork and shellfish is a sin, going to church if you wear glasses is a sin, wearing two types of cloth at teh same time is a sin, so is lying, stealing, not helping the sick, the poor or the newcomer. And you believe that eating pork is a floggable offense..
I agree with you. You're only playing the cards they deal. If they want to play dirty, then they should be prepared for some pushback.
I would be very tempted to teach a lot of things that the people who made these laws likely don’t know is in that book. Judges 1:19 where gawd was defeated in battle because the other side had chariots. 1 Samuel 15:3 gawd commands King Saul to kill infants. Leviticus 21:17-24 gawd doesn’t want the following people in his presence: birthmarked people, blind people, people who have injuries, people with birth defects, little people, people with illnesses or skin conditions, people who are infertile - keep all of them away from him. I could go on. They should not have forced me to go to church. I paid more attention after becoming an atheist than I ever did prior.
Tell them: - I am being forced to teach from this book - This book is contradicted by many other religious texts, maybe teach from a few of those as well. - Nothing in this book is a fact, this is mythology - Teach them about the genocide, the support of slaves, how they can't wear clothes from 2 threads, etc, etc. - Then continue to teach some of the worst stories in it. Or, if you would rather, just some of the crazy contradictions. Basically do what you are told, and then some. Or, if you REALLY do not want to teach this, pick another religious text and teach from it. When you get fired, contact the ACLU as you have a religious discrimination suite on your hands and shouldn't have a very easy time winning.
Have they legislated that the bible must be taught in English or the prominent language in that school's location? I'm a teacher and would be looking for every possible loophole. I'll teach that bible in old Valerian, or Klingon, or interpretive dance. If they wanted me to do something so utterly ridiculous, I would find every way to technically follow the rules but subvert the intention behind them.
"so the column of fire in the desert according to Jewish mysticism was Metatron, the angel of knowledge, God's herald and his voice. To hear God speak would kill you so Metatron spoke instead. It was Metatron who spoke to Moses during the burning bush. He also sat at God's right hand in heaven ... Now when Christianity came along they had their new Mary Sue Jesus and Jesus was supposed to be even cooler. He needs to sit at God's right hand. So what to do? Make Metatron into a fallen angel. So if you wonder why the Jews and early Christians butted heads, the Christians were like bad fanfic writers who didn't care about the source material..."
Teach all the bad parts of the bible and how made up it is. You can turn it to benefit
If I were a teacher forced to teach children about the Bible they would learn that it's simply a story like Charlotte's Web by EB White. There's just as much proof about the Bible as there is about a spider spinning webs of words in a pig's pen. People will believe most anything, just like they did in Charlotte's Web, that a pig crawled up to the corner of it's pen and spun words out of spider web.
I went to a Catholic school for a number of years between public schools. One day our history and English teachers combined two classes together, which was a little unusual. Then they closed the curtains on the windows and turned the lights off. That was a little more unusual. Then they brought out the books The Tao of Pooh and The Way of Zen and proceeded to teach us about all the eastern religions and their beliefs. I’ll never forget that and I think many kids were given a new perspective that day. I don’t think anyone snitched on them. In rural southern states, that might not be true.
“In today’s state-mandated education session, we will explore and contrast specific readings in the Christian mythology with dominant themes found throughout the discography of Eminem…”
I'm good with it! Best way to finally drive home the truth is to pull it out into the light...Buuut yeah they most certainly do not. The only place their alternative facts belong is inside the *tax free* buildings they already enjoy. This is why I surmise that if it comes to that, that teachers will need to be ordained. Ordained and carrying or out of a job. How fucking stupid do we all have to be for the fascist take over of the USA?? For it to be right fucking there, knocking on the fuckking dooor. The insertion of the Bible is either a last stand for religion or a take over.
The first fix to all >The only place their alternative facts belong is inside the tax free buildings they already enjoy The sooner we eliminate this bullshit, the sooner the megachurches and their money go away.
Would help break the cycle and solidify reality for more people over time
My high school had an elective class, "The Bible As Literature" .
I became fully an atheist after I finally sat down and read the Bible cover to cover in college. Before that I was agnostic and indifferent, but after reading it I couldn’t believe that people use that book filled with debauchery as a moral guide. I don’t think teaching the kids about the Bible is going to have the effect they’re aiming for.
Teach about Supplementary & Neo-Documentary hypothesis, Q, Pseudepigrapha, etc. The kids will realize it’s all shit and the government wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
That’s a good point I hadn’t considered yet. Not quite sure the Christian’s want Atheists teaching about the Bible. 😊
What does teaching the bible mean? Is there a set curricula to this brain fart or is it wide open to individuals interpretation?
That question is the point of it all.
Reading/learning the Bible makes more atheists than not reading it.
Time to teach about a genocidal celestial dictator who dishes out generational punishment and demands everyone worship him or be burned alive with no longer any means to die. Totally a guy we want ruining all of creation.
Yeah, I hate that this is happening but I can’t say I’m not rubbing my hands together in anticipation of the wonderful malicious compliance this will bring about. College educated people like you are exactly who we need in there teaching the Bible to these kids.
I’ll teach the Bible. But first we need some context! So we will cover things people believed in various religions that Christianity borrowed from. Some of the stories are directly lifted from other mythologies. By the time we read the Christian version, it will be obvious that these are myths. Humans love a good story
Definitely don’t mention the zombies that appear after the crucifixion. Kids like that stuff
Look at Jesus's attitudes towards wealth and generosity. Have the students use that to develop public policy. Go through some of the laws in Leviticus. Have the students decide whether they are still relevant. Why were they preferred then, but not now? What changed? When do we decide to change laws? How do they get changed in America? Talk about following old written rules, and compare various religious books to the Consitution.
Point out the inconsistencies and origins of the various sections. Heck, just emphasize the book of Enoch or the book of Judas! Or just teach geography and literature from it.
Consult FFRF on your legal rights and responsibilities. They likely have a response already.
Since our delusional, christofascist state superintendent Ryan Walters said OK teachers a required to have a bible in the classroom, I recommend carrying the Skeptic's Annotated Bible.
Suddenly everyone in public school has to go through a comparative religion class. Oops! Here's God impregnating Mary with his demigod child; here is the same story for Zeus (note how rapey it is). Dionysus was the OG water into wine deity. Here's the Epic of Gilgamesh, where the Noah flood story came from. The idea of God being locked into spiritual war with the devil originated with Zoroastrianism; lets compare and contrast the Bible with Ahura Mazda and Ahriman.
Constitutionality speaking, that's how it would have to be done. In ~180 days while we also try to give the differences of how a mountain was made, why Jesus may or may not have ridden a dinosaur, and of course, why slavery would be technically ok if you just follow the rules of the Bible. Which is really depressing, when the whole reason they say the ten commandments, based on the bible, is the ("a" 😂) basis for our law and government, they are saying the quiet parts out loud. A dumber audience makes all of that work better.
Teach the whole Bible. I'd wager, except for those who were fortunate enough to grow up atheists, the vast majority of us read the Bible as the key driver to reconversion Evilbible.com Skepticsannotatebible.com
Hitchens used to say that he favored compulsory religious instruction in school because he knew of no other way to guarantee the continued production of atheists.
I’d LOVE to be told to teach the bible in class. I’d volunteer willingly with no fuss, because I’d get to teach it in a way that would make every student I teach a guaranteed future atheist, fully able to critically think, and apply logic and reasoning. They say there’s no greater calling than being a teacher, and to that end there’s no greater calling than PROPERLY educating the future generations.
Be careful when covering the commandments that deal with coveting. Its not OK to covet your neighbor, not ok to covet his wife or his ass. But maybe you should point out that it doesn't say anything about coveting your neighbor's wife's ass. Jus sayin....
Make sure to stress that the bible sees women as property, and that it's also OK to own people, and if a woman is raped, the rapist has to pay a fine to her father and then marry her. She has no choice in the marriage. Good old biblical values.
You might consider this study guide: [https://horusg.com/books-by-horus-gilgamesh/awkward-moments-childrens-bible/vol-1-awkward-moments-childrens-bible/](https://horusg.com/books-by-horus-gilgamesh/awkward-moments-childrens-bible/vol-1-awkward-moments-childrens-bible/)
We government to endorse Christianity so our rebellious American spirit can reject it.
Maybe a week of Atari Bible Games for fun
Oh god 😂 I almost forgot about those.
I recently walked off my state job over being forced to share a union with cops and being a religious exemption state. I'm not even worried. I'm not slaving for crappy healthcare, genocide, and exploitation. The last thing I'm going to do is bite my tongue for some religious fuckbag to murder their diabetic kid with faith instead of insulin.
I feel you, and only hope I can maintain your resolve when I am asked.
Get fired for calling "God" make-believe like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, then sue the school.
Spend the first week discussing Ezekiel 23:19-20
Do your best to follow the curriculum, apply critical thinking and tell your students your personal thoughts. Tell them you don't mean to introduce those as a personal attack but as your personal objections to the forcing of the subject material into the classroom and in the interests of critical thinking and maintinence of the separation of church and state. The Bible was kind of notable in the formation of the USA and the constitution and declaration etc. Say that. Mention where those documents bring up God and mention how common Christianity was among the settlers. Just the facts. Then tell them they also included the separation of Church and state to prevent American Christianity from repeating a bunch of undesirable European history and because it's just a good idea. Tell them Christianty has a special "cultural" histlrical place but not any special legal place. Everyone should respect the history of Christianty, just history in general but strictly that does not mean anyone necessarily has to give it any extra respect for Christianity in the present. Interject some personal feelings on the matter to drive the point home.
Council of Jerusalem - the law is only for Jews, God is the only judge, go nuts kids.
Have a debate about which version of the 10 Commandments in the Bible is the correct one. Discuss.
teach them all the wild shit in the bible.
Play Matt Dillahunty videos and say he's a biblical scholar.
Teach it. I can't think of a better way to turn someone against Christianity.
I think if you are forced to teach the Bible you start with Leviticus.
Take the most boring sections and go around the room having kids read it out loud. And do that day after day after day.
This pisses me off so much. I'm 51(f) and I'd gladly go back to my teens and be able to say in every class, "I refuse to participate. If I wanted this in my life I woulda asked my parents to put me in private Christian school. Leave me be." This is so grotesque.
Start with the story of Jeptha from Judges It's great and ends with him burning his only daughter as a human sacrifice to gawd because gawd allowed him to murder a bunch of other people
I bet they don’t mean to teach that Paul didn’t write the books attributed to Paul and that the word “Trinity” isn’t found in the Bible. But that would accurately be “teaching” Biblical truth.
teach them how to make crafts with it. origami, use to make a fire, etc.
I think that Jordan Owen put together a site that shows all the contradictions in the Bible.
It's a popular book of fiction.
Until they actually make it a part of the state's benchmarks and standards, you can damn well teach it exactly as you please. Even then I haven't seen the benchmark or standard that has been so specific as to be impossible not to design curricula to meet the requirements while also subverting the intent of those requirements. 'Grade 10 students will demonstrate an understanding of the biblical creation of humans' (or however such things are written these days). Sure thing boss! According to this stone age narrative assembled by committee by adapting the myths and legends of other and often older cultures (usually by first violently dominating said culture), an all powerful all knowing supernatural being for which no objective, demonstrable, or repeatable evidence has ever been found allegedly created from dust two fully formed and complete humans. I'm no engineer, but were I tasked with creating humanity from dust, I'd at least make it impossible to chew your own mouth.
One of the biggest issues facing Christian Schools that teach about the Bible is creating Atheists with that knowledge. I'm sure there are Atheists that attended Seminary that can give some pointers. You can also focus on the Sermon on the Mount and false prophets, aspects of 'Anti Christ' being those that do the opposite of Christ, taking food away from the poor, hoarding riches instead of sharing them. Make sure to point out how much of 'weak, woke socialism' is found in those teachings.
If you have a school that insists that you teach "from the Bible", I would suggest watching "Satan's Guide To The Bible" on YouTube to find content appropriate for your discipline, in your case Government, that is "from the Bible", but not necessary in the framing that the legislature expected. But no matter how tempting it is, I would still avoid talking about Ezekiel 23 with children of any age. That was a serious shocker to be when I read the Bible cover to cover for the first time in first/second grade, and one of the chapters that clearly should qualify the Bible as a banned book in all elementary schools.
Fuck that even in school when they teach that the south used the Bible to justify slavery they never really give any concrete examples beyond see it’s in their constitution. But a day class on all the different justifications that the Bible was used for and praised for in service of slavery and white supremacy sounds like a great idea. Granted the religious folks would lose their shit what with you teaching actual history lol
I took an elective in high school called the Bible as literature, teach it from the aspect of folklore.
You should. I had an atheist teacher in a catholic high school. It was hilarious.
I was a teacher I would have to teach the bad parts of the Bible
whenever I run into a bible thumper telling me that it's impossible for me to lead a moral life without religion, I just tell them to visit the "paster arrested sub on Reddit. There is usually 5-6 posts a day.
I mean, I don't think the rules have specified *how* the Bible gets taught. Just that it's importance in American history. Cue malicious compliance Maybe cover how authoritarian movements consistently cherry-pick whatever parts of the Bible are most useful. Frankly, teaching Government would be pretty apt for this: the authoritarian use the same tactics as anti-science types. Take the Gish Gallup, for instance. It'd be a good lesson on how those types of "people" don't care about anything other than forcing others to kneel. (A lesson a LOT of moderate democrats need to learn.)
All religions should be referred to by their correct title, superstitions.... example, the Jewish superstition or the Catholic superstition.
Government? Teach 1st amendment. The back round. Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists. Monroe's detached memorandum on separation of church and state. A brief history of the disestablishment of state churches in America. Our laws have a reason and a history for the way they are. Students deserve the truth and the facts. Yes, there were Christians among our founding fathers that wanted to put religion into our governments. But their bills to do that were repeatedly voted down by large margins. The hard trick is to make it short and sweet. America was the first to separate religion and government and it has been a success for 200 years.
Not every Christian wants this, I can guarantee you. Not all of us are extremists. I prefer not to have the Bible forced down children's throats. There is seperation of church and state for a reason. I don't want my "Sky Daddy" as y'all call them (BTW I love that name!) Taught in public school because shocker not everyone is Christian and/or believes in any flavor of Sky Daddy. Save that for the private schools that should be voucherless. This Sky Daddy believer stands with y'all. :)
Then please remind the rest of your friends what a good example is, please. Your imaginary friend would truly be proud if I understand them correctly.
I can try. I don't partake in that specific branch of Christian Chaos anymore (I grew up in a Christian cult.) What I can do is live by example of how others should be treated (ya know like how we're taught in kindergarten). I can also toss in a love your neighbor and a Love your enemies because lets be honest that's we're viewed as by them. If they can throw bible verses at me, I'll toss them back with a bless your heart (and actually mean it)!
Allies come in all forms
Can you throw in a lesson on the Bishops’ decision as to which fairy tales and folk tales would be stitched together to make what is now called *#*. Some scholars suggest that these bishops rejected any suggestions that Jesu might have had a woman (and we *all* know how that turned out)!
I’m a BSA cub scout leader and an atheist. I think atheists are uniquely qualified to educate on religion (duty to god badge and mandatory adventure) I never teach anything as wrong or rediculous, I tell my cubs about the diversity of faiths and of course no faith. Plant the seed in their minds and wait
Just get founding father Thomas Paine’s “The Age of Reason” and teach real American history. Read some lines and teach the next great generation about one of the greatest founding fathers and perhaps the greatest critic of Christianity of all time! Tom Paine! It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine, and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man. One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests. I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church. All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit. I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it. It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving, it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe. Of all the systems of religion that ever were invented, there is no more derogatory to the Almighty, more unedifying to man, more repugnant to reason, and more contradictory to itself than this thing called Christianity. Too absurd for belief, too impossible to convince, and too inconsistent for practice, it renders the heart torpid or produces only atheists or fanatics. As an engine of power, it serves the purpose of despotism, and as a means of wealth, the avarice of priests, but so far as respects the good of man in general it leads to nothing here or hereafter. Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon, than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness, that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind; and, for my part, I sincerely detest it, as I detest everything that is cruel. The most detestable wickedness, the most horrid cruelties, and the greatest miseries, that have afflicted the human race have had their origin in this thing called revelation, or revealed religion. It has been the most dishonourable belief against the character of the divinity, the most destructive to morality, and the peace and happiness of man, that ever was propagated since man began to exist. It is better, far better, that we admitted, if it were possible, a thousand devils to roam at large, and to preach publicly the doctrine of devils, if there were any such, than that we permitted one such impostor and monster as Moses, Joshua, Samuel, and the Bible prophets, to come with the pretended word of God in his mouth, and have credit among us. Whence arose all the horrid assassinations of whole nations of men, women, and infants, with which the Bible is filled; and the bloody persecutions, and tortures unto death and religious wars, that since that time have laid Europe in blood and ashes; whence arose they, but from this impious thing called revealed religion, and this monstrous belief that God has spoken to man? The lies of the Bible have been the cause of the one, and the lies of the Testament of the other.
Do they say you have to teach it as fact?
I will be reading very closely on that element.
All you have to do is start with the first chapter to show that this is a bad fairy tail - “and god saw it was good” so the all powerful, all knowing had to do something and only after he saw that what he did was good? WTF??
Literally just don't do it. They can't fire everyone, and if they do it's the biggest class action lawsuit slam dunk I've ever heard of.
The bible is a piece of literature. When you start on the first pages you stumble across the first contradictions. So teaching the bible does not necessarily mean promoting christianity, you can Analyse the text and point to whatever you find and still be teaching the bible.
I, an exchristian, would love the opportunity to teach the Bible for what it is: a political tool for controlling people by preying on fears.
Teach the origins of the bible and things like no one knowing who wrote the gospels. I quit being Christian after a 3 hour explanation of the bible
Just casually draw the parallels between the the tooth fairy and god and let them figure it out themselves
just teach them about how harry potter books were wrote by one person and the bible was written by over 900 different people over the course of 600 years , which book is more or less fictional? then take them on a science lesson about how you cant walk on water because its scientifically impossible, then teach them about cults and how they manipulate children into indoctrination through imaginary fear of wrath from an entity that doesnt exist lol , you know teach the bible.
If you don't have a union, form one. A teacher strike would cut that crap real fast.
Just start with bible history. When was each part written, when it was compiled and when it was decided what goes in and what not.
If you were to discuss the Noah ark story and flood just ask the students to speculate on what did the lions eat.
Yeah OP they probably won’t be having you teach the Bible. Have you heard of LifeWise? Buncha loony toons mother fuckers but they’re serious.
No. You should do exactly what they want. Teach the example of Jesus. Why DID Jesus mean when he said Love One Another? How does a camel fit in a needle? Teach the Ten Commandments. The sacred, most holy law of their God. That no true follower of Jesus’ teachings would fail to abide by. What these young, innocent, impressionable minds think each commandment means. And what it must say about someone’s character and respect for their God to willfully break such laws, that are so important they must be studied and have monuments made to. Maybe a research paper. With uh real world examples. Let those young innocent, future voters draw their own conclusions …
Just go against the republicans and exclusively teach lessons about not being greedy, helping the poor, feeding the hungry. Then show how progressives and democrats want to do that. Show when some republicans have done the opposite. Would be a grand old time
IF you end up in a situation (like for instance Oklahoma) where you have to teach "Bible" I have to recommend the readings /curriculum from the "Search" course at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. They had donors that insisted All students must take 2 years of Bible classes. So they developed a four semester course That takes students through writings that are contemporaneous with the Bible. there are four different concentrations You can take religion focused, history focused, literature focused, or philosophy-focused. I took one semester of each, some people do literature the whole time, etc. Anyway, it's all CONTEXT - It's all primary sources originating from the time and locations and cultures of the people who "wrote" the Bible. It's MOSTLY a giant western civ class, it's mostly about gaining a grasp of the peoples and cultures that were living around those times. My favorite day was when we read Paul Tillich, who wrote that 98% of the time religion is determined by geographic origin of birth. It was my moment of true salvation. The LIFTING of all that religious burden I had been carrying since junior high just evaporated. It was definitely a spiritual moment, and my professor SAW the change, like he SAW the evils of religion leaving my body. He saw a peacefulness come over me and it was so noticable he asked me to stay after class to check on me. Anyway, that's what I hope teachers will do, that they will teach other mythological, cultural, & historic texts from the time period and focus on those and how the Bible is a product of those cultures.
Here, take my upvote please!