McGuinty won't weigh in on bibles in public school

18 posts / 0 new

Sun, 2011-02-13 12:04

Snuckles

Quote:
TORONTO — Critics say Dalton McGuinty, Ontario's self-proclaimed "education premier," should be willing to take a stand on handing out bibles to students in public schools and on a new school for low-income kids.

"I think it was Bill Davis who once said the provincial government doesn't have to have an opinion on everything," said McGuinty, a Liberal premier, in a rare quote of a former Conservative premier.

The Waterloo Region public school board is seeking a legal opinion on its policy of allowing Gideons International, an evangelical Christian group, to give bibles to students in Grade 5 whose parents have signed a permission slip.

The policy has raised concerns about distributing religious materials through the public school system. The "Little Red Answer Book" distributed by Gideons includes the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible books of Proverbs and Psalms, which critics say include proselytizing statements in violation of the board's policy.

Despite the ongoing debate, the premier refused to take a stand on the issue.

Read it [url=http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110213/mcguinty-bible-s....

Sun, 2011-02-13 14:01

absentia

You mean, not just bibles, but edited, readers-digested, bowdlerized bibles?

I suppose, in a province that's okay with kill-em-all cage-fighting, one shouldn't be surprised.

Sun, 2011-02-13 14:06

Lard Tunderin Jeezus Lard Tunderin Jeezus's picture

Simply by renaming it, Gideon's is clearly proselytizing the Blble, rather than simply distributing a book of cultural and historical significance.

"Little Red Answer Book" indeed.

Sun, 2011-02-13 16:36

Dodger718

I wonder what the reaction would be if a Muslim group wanted to distribute Korans...

Sun, 2011-02-13 17:07

Ken Burch

Or the Scientologists wanted to distribute Tom Cruise DVD's.

Sun, 2011-02-13 19:51

absentia

I think any one of those should be allowed, if all of them are distributed. Plus The Blind Watchmaker (in comic-book format, as it's too difficult for second-graders.)

Sun, 2011-02-13 22:24

Dodger718

I think if you want your kids to get religious instruction in school, do as I do and send them to a school that reflects your faith and traditions.

Sun, 2011-02-13 22:51

RevolutionPlease RevolutionPlease's picture

Too bad that's not possible for most. My faith and traditions include a learning system that is free of that crap but alas, so it goes.

Mon, 2011-02-14 00:44

genstrike

Or if I wanted to distribute a certain other little red book...

Mon, 2011-02-14 07:55

#10

Ken Burch

...The Wobbly songbook?

Mon, 2011-02-14 09:29

#11

Snert

Interesting to me that there would be such resistance to an opt-in distribution of Bibles, considering I spent 9 years dutifully mouthing the words to the Lord's Prayer in school every morning, and nobody really seemed to care about that.

I'm waiting for the class action suit, actually. :)

Mon, 2011-02-14 12:13

#12

edmundoconnor

Ken Burch wrote:

...The Wobbly songbook?

They'd be very grateful for the publicity.

Mon, 2011-02-14 13:45

#13

Bacchus

Snert wrote:

Interesting to me that there would be such resistance to an opt-in distribution of Bibles, considering I spent 9 years dutifully mouthing the words to the Lord's Prayer in school every morning, and nobody really seemed to care about that.

I'm waiting for the class action suit, actually. :)

I remember everyone on my class getting a gideon bible when I was in school. At least now it has to be with a signed permission slip. Then everyone just got one. I tossed mine in the basement and never looked at it again

Mon, 2011-02-14 14:08

#14

absentia

I read mine carefully and annotated the first 40 pages. Then i turned 12 and realized how silly that was. But knowing what's in there is a good idea, just as it would be a good idea to learn what's in the other holy books. Teaching the foundation, form and content of all belief systems should, indeed, be one of the tasks that public education (especially in a multicultural society!) performs.

Prayers, on the other hand, were taken out after strenuous argument by people who did care. Every tiny progerssive step is the result of a fight by people who care. When we slide backward, the same battles will have to be faught all over again. So wasteful!

Mon, 2011-02-14 14:15

#15

Pogo

We received ours in grade 5. I remember being pissed cause my sister got a golden one in 1967. It was to commerorate the 100 year birthday of our country. Jesus would have wanted it that way.

Wed, 2011-02-16 01:33

#16

Aristotleded24

Snert wrote:
Interesting to me that there would be such resistance to an opt-in distribution of Bibles, considering I spent 9 years dutifully mouthing the words to the Lord's Prayer in school every morning, and nobody really seemed to care about that.

I'm waiting for the class action suit, actually. :)

[url=http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206:5-8&version=NIV]... the Gideons actually read the instructions Jesus gave immediately preceding the Lord's Prayer?[/url]

Quote:
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Wed, 2011-02-16 14:44

#17

Unionist

Jesus wrote:
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

That Jesus fellow wasn't much for diversity, was He? I guess when your Dad is God, you can ridicule how others practise their faith and get away with it.

On second thought, He didn't actually get away with it, did He?

Ok, back to handing out [s]free heroin samples[/s] Holy Books to the young 'uns.

Mon, 2011-02-21 16:10

#18

Ken Burch

So...if McGuinty won't get involved in this...what will Rocky Racoon say?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nucSvl7VXVM