In a move sure to make dominionists around the country happy, Kentucky’s Senate just approved a bill which would permit Bible classes in the commonwealth’s public schools. WLKY-TV in Louisville reports on this development (WebCite cached article):
Bible classes could be taught in Kentucky public schools under a bill that’s made it halfway through the legislature.
State Senator Joe Bowen wants Kentucky public school students to have an opportunity to take classes about the bible.
“No doubt about it, the most important book ever written and obviously, it’s had so much influence on our society and all of western civilization,” Bowen said.
The bill in question is SB56; its supporters insist this is not an effort to proselytize to school kids; it’s supposed to be strictly academic-literary:
“What this bill provides for is a social studies course. It’s education, it’s not indoctrination,” Bowen said.
Riiiiiight. As though that’s how it will be. I’m sure some of these “Bible-as-literature” teachers will keep it strictly literary … but not all will. Devout Christians never let the rules get in the way of foisting their beliefs on others … not even the principle of separation of church and state.
Also, even though this “Bible-as-literature” course is only an elective, there’s no doubt that children will be pressured by their communities to take it, at least in areas that are intensively evangelical Christian (and that description applies to a great deal of Kentucky).
SB56 still has to get through the Kentucky House, though, and it’s not likely this will happen. So the Christofascists may well be kept at bay for another year, anyway.
We hope.
Hat tip: Mark at Skeptics & Heretics Forum on Delphi Forums.
Photo credit: FreeFoto.
