Prayer, Bible lessons and a big red bus: How an Ohio group is bringing God to public schools

[AZOldGal66]

A friend of mine who is Roman Catholic has described being taken out of regular academic classes a few times a week for religious instructions.

As he's 70 now, this is going back decades ago.

The way I see this, if it's voluntary, there's no harm being done.

Was this is a Catholic school? If so, that makes sense - that is one reason parents choose a religious institution. If it is a public school that would be a lot of time taken away from academics.

No, it was a public school in Queens. It was voluntary and his Mom wanted him to participate.

[SouthernIslander]

A friend of mine who is Roman Catholic has described being taken out of regular academic classes a few times a week for religious instructions.

As he's 70 now, this is going back decades ago.

The way I see this, if it's voluntary, there's no harm being done.

Was this is a Catholic school? If so, that makes sense - that is one reason parents choose a religious institution. If it is a public school that would be a lot of time taken away from academics.

No, it was a public school in Queens. It was voluntary and his Mom wanted him to participate.

I don’t think I have a problem with voluntary participation either.

[Della]

Pure indoctrination, but they are okay with it because it's THEIR indoctrination.

"Penton appeared on the Truth and Liberty Live Call-in Show hosted by a group whose mission is to reshape American society by advancing conservative Christian values in seven key “mountains” of public life — including media, government and education."

"What other hope do we have,” Penton said, “but to inject the word of God into the hearts of the next generation?"

[Della]

Who cares…

[mommy_jules]

But parents and activists who’ve mobilized against LifeWise say that busing students to nearby churches, where they sometimes collect prizes and eat candy, has made some non-Christian children feel left out or pressured to attend.

This is by design. Peer pressure is a great motivator to attend evangelical events/classes/programs. It’s built into it and encouraged. Pressuring kids to say a special prayer, etc.

But this is what is more concerning to me because it really goes beyond just your run of the mill evangelism…

And in December, Penton appeared on the Truth and Liberty Live Call-in Show hosted by a group whose mission is to reshape American society by advancing conservative Christian values in seven key “mountains” of public life — including media, government and education.

[SallyMae]

Interesting. Here's my take.

I don't agree that this should be done during classes like library, art or gym. What if my kid wanted to leave with me for "religious instruction" during every non-core class? Or to take piano lessons? Or play X-Box. Is that now allowed too? If not, then this shouldn't be either. I don't agree that the school day should be chipped into - I think everyone needs class periods like library, art and gym. If they want to bus kids off campus at lunch, or after school, I would see no issue.

I'm not really concerned that kids will be indoctrinated into Christianity by this, at least not any more than they would be by their parents and church on Sunday. Kids today are smart and have exposure to many different ideas. They have the internet. The problems with Christianity are really well documented. If it's typical Christian dogma, I think as many will be motivated to skepticism as belief.

[Della]

Interesting. Here's my take.

I don't agree that this should be done during classes like library, art or gym. What if my kid wanted to leave with me for "religious instruction" during every non-core class? Or to take piano lessons? Or play X-Box. Is that now allowed too? If not, then this shouldn't be either. I don't agree that the school day should be chipped into - I think everyone needs class periods like library, art and gym. If they want to bus kids off campus at lunch, or after school, I would see no issue.

I'm not really concerned that kids will be indoctrinated into Christianity by this, at least not any more than they would be by their parents and church on Sunday. Kids today are smart and have exposure to many different ideas. They have the internet. The problems with Christianity are really well documented. If it's typical Christian dogma, I think as many will be motivated to skepticism as belief.

If they were being indoctrinated into truly following Jesus, that would be great, but that's not what a lot of Evilgelicals are doing. They have turned the pulpit political. Just like Trump has turned his Rally's into "revivals".

[Aletheia]

an Ohio-based nonprofit on a mission to put God back in the public school day.

Why do I get the feeling that the Church of Satan are going to have a field day with this one?

Maybe a big white bus with cartoon smiling Satans playing chess on it, and the logo "Putting Satan back into the public schools" ?

[SallyMae]

Interesting. Here's my take.

I don't agree that this should be done during classes like library, art or gym. What if my kid wanted to leave with me for "religious instruction" during every non-core class? Or to take piano lessons? Or play X-Box. Is that now allowed too? If not, then this shouldn't be either. I don't agree that the school day should be chipped into - I think everyone needs class periods like library, art and gym. If they want to bus kids off campus at lunch, or after school, I would see no issue.

I'm not really concerned that kids will be indoctrinated into Christianity by this, at least not any more than they would be by their parents and church on Sunday. Kids today are smart and have exposure to many different ideas. They have the internet. The problems with Christianity are really well documented. If it's typical Christian dogma, I think as many will be motivated to skepticism as belief.

If they were being indoctrinated into truly following Jesus, that would be great, but that's not what a lot of Evilgelicals are doing. They have turned the pulpit political. Just like Trump has turned his Rally's into "revivals".

Again, I don't think that is appropriate for school hours. But if parents *want* their kids to be indoctrinated into Trumpism, what can anyone do about it? Nothing, really. They are free to try.

But, that kind of thinking is really not for everyone. Plenty will reject it. It's the same as with Christianity. In a free marketplace of ideas, some ideas fail on the merits, especially when kids can just look stuff up. I think hardcore Christianity and Trumpism WILL fail for a lot of kids, at least once they get to be teens and see that is not the fun crowd.

[SallyMae]

an Ohio-based nonprofit on a mission to put God back in the public school day.

Why do I get the feeling that the Church of Satan are going to have a field day with this one?

Maybe a big white bus with cartoon smiling Satans playing chess on it, and the logo "Putting Satan back into the public schools" ?

That's fun to imagine, and might happen once as a publicity stunt, but it's not going to sweep the country like this is. There are lots of people who are nominally Christian, who worry about their kids and think this might help them grow up better. I don't think people willing to act as Satanists will have the numbers to counterweight this movement.