Bible removed from elementary and middle schools for being too violent and vulgar

S

Sarkus

Hippomonstrosesquippedalo phobe
Valued Senior Member
I'm not sure if this is genuine concern by religious people about the content of their Holy Book, or a clandestine attempt by secularists to remove religious content from schools, or maybe just a way of highlighting that their current laws need revising with respect to what is deemed "vulgar" etc.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65794363

I mean, this is happening in States that I, as an outsider to the US, would consider the more religious-minded, right, so is this not shooting themselves in the foot?
Or maybe, by moving religious education solely to the home, they're setting themselves up to be more divided, perhaps more extreme in their views?

Can someone, anyone, shed light on the whys and wherefores of what's going on. Just seems... odd.

And if this is better served in the religion forum, so be it, but I'm thinking about the political side of it, even if religiously focussed. Maybe that will change.

[About here I guess I should be disclosing whether I have any vested interests or not, but, yeah, whatever. ;)]
 
Sarkus said:
I'm not sure if this is genuine concern by religious people about the content of their Holy Book, or a clandestine attempt by secularists to remove religious content from schools, or maybe just a way of highlighting that their current laws need revising with respect to what is deemed "vulgar" etc.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65794363

I mean, this is happening in States that I, as an outsider to the US, would consider the more religious-minded, right, so is this not shooting themselves in the foot?
Or maybe, by moving religious education solely to the home, they're setting themselves up to be more divided, perhaps more extreme in their views?

Can someone, anyone, shed light on the whys and wherefores of what's going on. Just seems... odd.

And if this is better served in the religion forum, so be it, but I'm thinking about the political side of it, even if religiously focussed. Maybe that will change.

[About here I guess I should be disclosing whether I have any vested interests or not, but, yeah, whatever. ;)]
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I think the Mormons do use the Bible, alongside the Book of Mormon but I think they are careful to choose versions what have been translated accurately (in their opinions) so this may (or may not) be at the root of this story.
 
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Ah, yeah, Utah, Mormonism. Should have made that link, at least, but I think it's wider than that, as the report suggests Texas has already done similar etc. It does mention the KJV specifically, so maybe they are promoting a version with less explicit violence and vulgarity. Does one exist, though? Or is it a general move to push religious education out of schools and into homes?
 
Sarkus said:
Ah, yeah, Utah, Mormonism. Should have made that link, at least, but I think it's wider than that, as the report suggests Texas has already done similar etc. It does mention the KJV specifically, so maybe they are promoting a version with less explicit violence and vulgarity. Does one exist, though? Or is it a general move to push religious education out of schools and into homes?
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I don't know.
 
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Sarkus said:
I'm not sure if this is genuine concern by religious people about the content of their Holy Book, or a clandestine attempt by secularists to remove religious content from schools, or maybe just a way of highlighting that their current laws need revising with respect to what is deemed "vulgar" etc.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65794363

I mean, this is happening in States that I, as an outsider to the US, would consider the more religious-minded, right, so is this not shooting themselves in the foot?
Or maybe, by moving religious education solely to the home, they're setting themselves up to be more divided, perhaps more extreme in their views?

Can someone, anyone, shed light on the whys and wherefores of what's going on. Just seems... odd.

And if this is better served in the religion forum, so be it, but I'm thinking about the political side of it, even if religiously focussed. Maybe that will change.

[About here I guess I should be disclosing whether I have any vested interests or not, but, yeah, whatever. ;)]
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I think it is fairly clear this is a stunt to make a point about the absurdity of the book banning epidemic in Republican states at the moment.

(I should declare an interest here, in that I have formed a view that the US Republican party has become an illiberal danger to democracy in the United States. However I am not a US citizen and have no links with any US political party. It's not hard.........[repeat and fade]..........).
 
Sarkus said:
I'm not sure if this is genuine concern by religious people about the content of their Holy Book, or a clandestine attempt by secularists to remove religious content from schools, or maybe just a way of highlighting that their current laws need revising with respect to what is deemed "vulgar" etc.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65794363

I mean, this is happening in States that I, as an outsider to the US, would consider the more religious-minded, right, so is this not shooting themselves in the foot?
Or maybe, by moving religious education solely to the home, they're setting themselves up to be more divided, perhaps more extreme in their views?

Can someone, anyone, shed light on the whys and wherefores of what's going on. Just seems... odd.

And if this is better served in the religion forum, so be it, but I'm thinking about the political side of it, even if religiously focussed. Maybe that will change.

[About here I guess I should be disclosing whether I have any vested interests or not, but, yeah, whatever. ;)]
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Isn't it a bit late in the year to be still wearing vests?
 
exchemist said:
I think it is fairly clear this is a stunt to make a point about the absurdity of the book banning epidemic in Republican states at the moment.
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You could be/are right, it seems: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...ble-pulled-school-shelves-expose-ba-rcna87450. So it seems that it [the Bible] was complained about so as to make a point, as you say, yet those in charge seemed happy enough to ban/age-restrict it anyway, rather than recognise the flaw in the law. Or maybe they did but by then their hands were tied, but if so I'd have thought that they'd have issued a statement to that effect. Maybe they have but NBC haven't reported it, but I can't find anywhere that suggests they have issued such.
Anyhoo - seems someone has appealed the decision, so will be interesting to see where this one goes from here.

I wasn't actually aware that this [book banning] was quite as prevalent as it appears to be, after reading a bit more, though. All seems a bit surreal, to be honest. This side of the pond we're considering removing "Of Mice and Men" from the reading list at schools because some feel uncomfortable while reading it in class, or hearing others read it out loud, due to racial slurs used. "To Kill a Mockingbird" might see a similar fate. A recent petition to get the government to remove it failed as it is up to the individual examining boards, not the government, to select books. In dismissing the petition, they did suggest that they might like to raise a petition asking the government to review the specifications of the English Literature syllabus to ensure students are not required to read books containing depictions of racism, though. Maybe this is the start of the slippery slope that the US has been sliding down for a while?
 
Sarkus said:
You could be/are right, it seems: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...ble-pulled-school-shelves-expose-ba-rcna87450. So it seems that it [the Bible] was complained about so as to make a point, as you say, yet those in charge seemed happy enough to ban/age-restrict it anyway, rather than recognise the flaw in the law. Or maybe they did but by then their hands were tied, but if so I'd have thought that they'd have issued a statement to that effect. Maybe they have but NBC haven't reported it, but I can't find anywhere that suggests they have issued such.
Anyhoo - seems someone has appealed the decision, so will be interesting to see where this one goes from here.

I wasn't actually aware that this [book banning] was quite as prevalent as it appears to be, after reading a bit more, though. All seems a bit surreal, to be honest. This side of the pond we're considering removing "Of Mice and Men" from the reading list at schools because some feel uncomfortable while reading it in class, or hearing others read it out loud, due to racial slurs used. "To Kill a Mockingbird" might see a similar fate. A recent petition to get the government to remove it failed as it is up to the individual examining boards, not the government, to select books. In dismissing the petition, they did suggest that they might like to raise a petition asking the government to review the specifications of the English Literature syllabus to ensure students are not required to read books containing depictions of racism, though. Maybe this is the start of the slippery slope that the US has been sliding down for a while?
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Yes it's only one school district, so I gather, not the entire state. So could be that district is run by people who welcome the opportunity to stick it to the lawmakers.

I have to say this issue does rather play into the Brit stereotype of the USA as a place full of hysterical people, always either litigating or shooting one another. :D
 
Not a bad stunt.I wonder will Two Corinthians survive the cut?

I wonder what Chat GPT ** would make of all the fuss?

**will it be our new Oracle of Delphi?
 
exchemist said:
I think it is fairly clear this is a stunt to make a point about the absurdity of the book banning epidemic in Republican states at the moment.
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Yep. The person making the complaint basically admitted that.

It will be interesting to see the pretzel logic that ensues that enables conservatives to ban books about being gay but not ban the Bible.
 
billvon said:
Yep. The person making the complaint basically admitted that.

It will be interesting to see the pretzel logic that ensues that enables conservatives to ban books about being gay but not ban the Bible.
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Pretzel logic? What's that. Sounds amusing, but not an expression I'm familiar with.
 
exchemist said:
Pretzel logic? What's that. Sounds amusing, but not an expression I'm familiar with.
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Just twisted logic. The sort of logic that allows you to ban a book that talks about how some kids are gay because that's indecent, but not ban a book that talks about dildos, men who ejaculate like horses, raping all the little girls in a conquered town, and killing your kids who talk back to you (i.e. the Bible.)
 
billvon said:
Just twisted logic. The sort of logic that allows you to ban a book that talks about how some kids are gay because that's indecent, but not ban a book that talks about dildos, men who ejaculate like horses, raping all the little girls in a conquered town, and killing your kids who talk back to you (i.e. the Bible.)
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Ah yes of course. I’ve never really seen the point of pretzels, but they are indeed twisted.
 
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