Do you think the Bible should be taught in public school?

[let-them-eat-cake]

I like the idea of public schools teaching world religions. I think it would make kids more tolerant. Ignoring religion in general makes it easier for kids to have many misconceptions when it comes to other religions.

Would I want JUST the bible taught? No.

[Guest Anonymous]

No, the bible should not be taught in public schools.

[snip]

Because that is the way PUBLIC education works. It is for everyone in the public.

And, I not only learned literature, I developed a great love for it, without reading or being 'taught' the bible, thankyouverymuch. Making reference to the bible does not mean the bible needs to be taught to understand that reference. It is discussed just as...an island one never heard of is discussed, a way of life in 19th century England is discussed. Whatever.

Who would 'teach' it and 'how' would they teach it? What would be taught from it? Who's interpretation? Which bible? Which brand of Christianity would be taught to the general public?

I agree with this.

I studied English and French Literature to A Level and we were sent off to research and read all sorts of complementary literature as and when needed - we would have needed to attend school 7 days a week and more, if we had been taught vast detail on all that supplementary stuff 'just in case' it was needed to understand a particular work of literature.

[ElphabaGalinda]

I'm not really sure how you'd go about teaching literature or art without ever mentioning the Bible or religion:

Harry Potter [or Aslan, if you'd prefer] sacrifices himself to save the lives of everyone else and then comes back to life to defeat evil. This is a common trope in literature, but I can't tell you why or where it comes from.

Dante journeys through Hell with his guide, Virgil, but I can't tell you what hell is or where the rules are that Dante's characters broke to get there.

Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel with scenes from a book, but I can't tell you which one or what stories they illustrate. He also sculpted the Pieta of a woman named Mary and her dead son, Jesus, but that's all I can really tell you about them. Just trust me that they were interesting to people in Michelangelo's time.

Hester Prynne has to wear a scarlet A as because she broke a commandment, but I can't tell you what a commandment is or where they're written down.

And forget Milton. It would have to be as though he never existed. So, yeah, I think to have a full and well-rounded education in literature and art (and history and politics and and and) it's important for teachers to be able to talk to their students about the Bible, the stories in it, and how it's been read and used at various points in history.

I don't think it's wrong to make reference to the Bible when studying literature. In fact, in the cases you mention, it's important. I just don't think it's necessary to specifically teach the Bible. You can make those references without that.

[ElphabaGalinda]

I agree with that. Personally, in regards to Harry Potter, I think a background knowledge of the Holocaust would be more effective than knowledge of the bible.

I agree. Well obviously, since you quoted me :lol: But I agree that understanding the Holocaust would be relevant to more of the Harry Potter series than the Bible is. Learning about civil rights movements might be helpful too. Anything where people are discriminated against for something they can't control (such as muggles and muggleborns), and how it's important to stand up against those people. I understood one of the important themes of Harry Potter, as Dumbledore said "It matters not what someone is born, only what they grow to be." And that's not exactly Biblical.

[ladypuglover]

I like the idea of public schools teaching world religions. I think it would make kids more tolerant. Ignoring religion in general makes it easier for kids to have many misconceptions when it comes to other religions.

Would I want JUST the bible taught? No.

I agree but a lot of teachers would still put their spin on the subject just as they do in other classes like government and so forth.