Hindus, Muslims, and Christians

[Josh]

There is no reason false religions need to be perpetuated. I am talking about the true faith, ...

Which is the same thing that everyone from Mormons to Scientologists to Muslims say.

If you expect public schools to sort it out you are advocating for an establishment of religion.

Once again, I will repeat myself:

It is never wrong to spread the good news of Jesus and the Bible.

The fact false religions exist doesn’t change that.

Fear of governments or jobs or kings or emperors should never stop us from sharing the good news of Jesus.

[RZehr]

Ken-
Would you object to a theoretical public American school that was 100% staffed by, and 100% of the students and their parents, and 100% of the school board etc., was the same religion, and openly promoted their religion in that school?

I’m thinking sort of olden days when roughly everyone shared a basic religious framework. Except, let’s turn up the community religious alignment

[Ken]

There is no reason false religions need to be perpetuated. I am talking about the true faith, ...

Which is the same thing that everyone from Mormons to Scientologists to Muslims say.

If you expect public schools to sort it out you are advocating for an establishment of religion.

Once again, I will repeat myself:

It is never wrong to spread the good news of Jesus and the Bible.

The fact false religions exist doesn’t change that.

Fear of governments or jobs or kings or emperors should never stop us from sharing the good news of Jesus.

And once again I repeat myself. If you allow the proselytizing that you approve of in public schools then you are opening the door for everyone from Scientologists to Atheists to also freely proselytize and indoctrinate your children on a daily basis. Instead of teaching what they are actually supposed to be teaching.

Most Americans don't want that and, in any event, the Constitution and courts say that it is impermissible under the 1st Amendment. And if you are a public school teacher and don't understand that you are in the classroom you are, in fact, acting on behalf of the state and not yourself. Then you are indeed, in the wrong job.

[Josh]

The Bible never says it is wrong to do so.

When the authorities imprisoned Paul & Silas for sharing the good news, they rejoiced even in prison, and they knew they must obey God rather than men. Our modern society is no different.

[Ken]

Ken-
Would you object to a theoretical public American school that was 100% staffed by, and 100% of the students and their parents, and 100% of the school board etc., was the same religion, and openly promoted their religion in that school?

I’m thinking sort of olden days when roughly everyone shared a basic religious framework. Except, let’s turn up the community religious alignment

You are proposing a hypothetical that exists nowhere in this country. I would challenge you to find a single school district anywhere in the country where all students, all parents, and all taxpaying citizens in that district are all of the same faith and of the same mind when it comes to the tenants of that faith.

And, in any event, it doesn't matter what I thing anyway. The courts would rule that such an arrangement would be an impermissible violation of the 1st Amendment separation of church and state. Because you would be using the power of the state to coerce citizens to pay taxes for such as public school. And public employees paid for by public tax dollars would be using their public positions to favor and promote one specific religion.

On the other hand, what Catholic, Mennonite and Amish communities do is perfectly fine. Which is to build their own schools and operate them outside the umbrella of the state.

[Ken]

The Bible never says it is wrong to do so.

When the authorities imprisoned Paul & Silas for sharing the good news, they rejoiced even in prison, and they knew they must obey God rather than men. Our modern society is no different.

We don't live in a theocracy and the Bible isn't the basis for our system of law. The Constitution is. It protects your faith from the government and that of everyone else's as well.

[Josh]

The Bible never says it is wrong to do so.

When the authorities imprisoned Paul & Silas for sharing the good news, they rejoiced even in prison, and they knew they must obey God rather than men. Our modern society is no different.

We don't live in a theocracy and the Bible isn't the basis for our system of law. The Constitution is. It protects your faith from the government and that of everyone else's as well.

The Bible and Jesus are the basis for what is right and wrong.

The Constitution, which explicitly allowed slavery, is not.

[Ken]

The Bible never says it is wrong to do so.

When the authorities imprisoned Paul & Silas for sharing the good news, they rejoiced even in prison, and they knew they must obey God rather than men. Our modern society is no different.

We don't live in a theocracy and the Bible isn't the basis for our system of law. The Constitution is. It protects your faith from the government and that of everyone else's as well.

The Bible and Jesus are the basis for what is right and wrong.

The Constitution, which explicitly allowed slavery, is not.

THAT is your argument? slavery?

At one time, both the Bible and Constitution explicitly allowed slavery. In fact, southern slavers used the Bible to justify slavery. The Constitution was subsequently amended to prohibit slavery. The Bible still endorses it. And not just the Old Testament

In Ephesians 6:5–8, Paul states "Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling, In Colossians 4:1, Paul does not say slaveholders should free their slaves or that keeping people in bondage is a sin. Rather, he advises members of the church, who are slave masters, to "treat your slaves justly and fairly, realizing that you too have a Master in heaven." In 1 Peter 2:18, Peter writes "Slaves, be subject to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and equitable but also to those who are perverse.

I expect there are many people in this country descended from slaves who are thankful we are ruled by the Constitution and not the Bible.

[Josh]

Ken,

Have you read the book of Philemon?

[Ken]

Ken,

Have you read the book of Philemon?

Yes, more slavery apologia. We are all better off that the Constitution outlawed slavery rather than accommodate it as Paul did and as the Bible does. If you want to circle back to the original subject that spawned this subthread, there is frankly more discussion and support for slavery in the Old and New Testaments than there is for your position on LGBT people. That is just an uncomfortable fact.

Regardless of what you or I think. Our government and public schools are governed by the Constitution and not the Bible. Teachers who do not understand that are in the wrong profession. And that is frankly a good thing because we live in a diverse society and only a tiny fraction of teachers are going to share the particular tenants of your faith or mine.