Atheist Richard Dawkins supports the distribution of Bibles in public schools, but before you creationism-fans get all warm for the thought of it, it's for a noble reason on the side of atheism and free-thought. In fact, it's not hard to disagree with Dawkins on this one, because if there is anything that turns a person away from religion faster than anything, it's the actual knowledge of the dogma of said religion.
While some sources are spinning this into some "pro-Christianity" news coming from the atheist front, it's absolutely not. In fact, the support of bibles in public schools is something that Dawkins shares as a tool to steer people away from religion.
"A native speaker of English who has never read a word of the King James Bible is verging on the barbarian," he said.
He is absolutely right. It's touted as "the greatest story ever told" (snore), but very few people have actually read it. In fact, this study shows that those who are most well-read in religious scripture are atheists and agnostics. That further strengthens Dawkins' point that reading the Bible and actually knowing about the religion deteriorates the desire to be a part of it as an intelligent person.
So to be completely honest: Yes, Bibles should be accessible in public schools. Now, that doesn't mean religion should be encouraged by school staff or anything of the sort, because that would be a violation of the separation of church and state. However, allowing school children the ability to access, read and openly discuss what's within the pages of the Bible without any guidance from a preacher or someone else to sugarcoat, twist and "interpret" the scripture, would just prove to be better in the long run for human intelligence. It would possibly create more freethinkers and agnostics!
Crime analyst and profiler Chelsea Hoffman can be found on The Huffington Post, Chelsea Hoffman: Case to Case and many other outlets. Follow @TheRealChelseaH on Twitter or click here to contact Chelsea directly.
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Comments: 8
I can see using the Bible in something like a "Comparative Religion" class, since religion is a significant part of who we are (globally), but Atheism should be presented with that as well.
"Teaching" about the Bible as though it's the authorized "word of God." Definitely not. There's absolutely no evidence to support that. The Bible saying so, or being interpreted it as such is no different than "I am the Oracle" being inscribed on a coconut.
― Isaac Asimov
There are numerous passages in the Bible which they don't teach in Sunday School or discuss in Bible Study.
I wonder how the kids will react to that?
It had always bothered me that not only was Abraham willing to sacrifice his own son, but he was praised for being willing to sacrifice his son. I know many fathers who would willingly give up their own life to save that of their child.
No. It's a waste of a student's time to study insane gibberish.
http://darwinkilledgod.blogspot.com/