Parents at a public elementary school in Georgia were shocked to find Bibles in their children's backpacks when they came from school.
The source? A local church.
It all began with a donation of backpacks to the school from the Catoosa Baptist Association – an innocent act of charity, the Church is arguing. However, inside each backpack were copies of a Bible and a note encouraging the kids to “visit them and become part of the Catoosa Baptist Association family.”
The church insists it was simply doing a good deed, offering backpacks full of school supplies and backpacks to children in need. But watchdog groups were tipped off, and the incident went viral. Critics argue that public schools can’t give out donated supplies that also proselytize to students.
School Meets Sunday School
It didn’t take long for the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) to jump in after several parents reported the mystery Bibles to them. FFRF, a non-profit watchdog group that keeps close tabs on separation of church and state issues, sent a warning to the school, letting them know they’d crossed a line in sending students home with Bibles, and not to do it again.
When they include a Bible in that, what they're doing is promoting endorsing religion, and the school through allowing that or through working with that church is also promoting and endorsing religion," FFRF attorney Chris Line stated.
He also highlighted an apparent double standard in how faith is treated in schools, pointing out that if non-Christian religious literature were included in the backpacks, parents would likely be indignant:
"You can imagine the outrage if there were Qurans being given away to every student with an invitation to go to a Muslim church. You can see how the community would probably feel differently than it may about the Bibles,” he said.
Baggage Check
The school has since apologized, insisting they weren't aware the donated backpacks contained religious materials. They say that they receive donations all the time, from three or four community churches, and have never had this problem before.
But FFRF says they have a responsibility to do so. "I mean, if there were weapons in the backpacks, and the school wasn't aware, the school would still be liable for helping distribute those," says Line.
For their part, the school’s principal Kerri Sholl says that she’s instructed the individuals who handle donations to thoroughly check all future donations for religious texts. Even still, it’s a little hard to believe that the school had no idea this was going on, given that, by the church’s own admission, they’ve been slipping Bibles into donated backpacks for ten or more years.
Many online were outraged that the FFRF stepped in, arguing that “no good deed goes unpunished.” But others said that good deeds are usually selfless… is it really a good deed if the backpack giveaway was self-promotional?
What do you think?
109 comments
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James Riggle-Johnson
Leave religion to the parants to teach.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
It seems to me like parents ought to leave it up to their children to figure it out on their own. The only time parents should say anything about their religion is if and when their kids inquire about it.
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Rev Mark D
Yes because we know that children have the minds of adults and so they're fully competent to decide these things for themselves. Along the same lines as your recommendation, children should be allowed to use drugs have sex determine when they go to school and when they wake up and when they go to bed and of course they should have individual financial rights as well because of course they're actually little adults isn't that right Carl?
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Ilmenheru Terikson
We all know that any emotional bias — irrespective of truth or falsity — can be implanted by suggestion in the emotions of the young, hence the inherited traditions of an orthodox community are absolutely without evidential value…. If religion were true, its followers would not try to bludgeon their young into an artificial conformity; but would merely insist on their unbending quest for truth, irrespective of artificial backgrounds or practical consequences. With such an honest and inflexible openness to evidence, they could not fail to receive any real truth which might be manifesting itself around them. The fact that religionists do not follow this honourable course, but cheat at their game by invoking juvenile quasi-hypnosis, is enough to destroy their pretensions in my eyes even if their absurdity were not manifest in every other direction.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Law breaking Christians like these people are the reason young people don't want to be Christians.
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Rev Mark D
Amen.
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Craig
If a church is "doing good" and helping out those less fortunate, it should be an altruistic act, not a segue into looking for new members.
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Thom
I had a friend who was asked for a phone # in order to receive a food donation during COVID. He asked the volunteer what if he didn't want to give his phone # and the volunteer said they would have to go get another Church Member and he would have to talk to them. Intimidation. So he just gave his #. He got his food. That week a phone call came from a Member from the congregation of the Baptist Church where the food donation originated. They wanted my friend to come to Church the following Sunday. He was polite, but the calls didn't end. I'm sure the church received donations from federal supported food back in this town. It's a small town in Indiana. We have to stop situations like these. The world is full of religious hatred due to Christianity and the wars they started and the religions they have destroyed. Many of which our ancient ancestors practiced and believed in the harmony of our planet. The balance with humanity and this giant space ship on which we float in our universe, which we MUST have to survive. We have lost our theoretical ideals about nature and our place in it's harmonic resonance that allows us to coexist with each other. This recent Pandemic could possibly be a way that our planet controls the number of human beings existing on it even. Who are we to say. We can only question. What I do know is that the religions of this world must learn to co-exist with each other and respect each other. I fear that Christianity is the one that has the most to learn and the least ability to do it due to their arrogances.
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MIKE
Yes, christianity has a dark and bloody history, but it didn't start that way. The man made churches and doctrines are the cause of much of that dark history. If Christian churches would stop participating in the world of politics and get back to the realm of spirituality, things would change. You are also ignoring the attitude of Islam!
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Rev Mark D
"...This recent Pandemic could possibly be a way that our planet controls the number of human beings..."
Umm, more likely the Chinese military leaving the barn door open one day.
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Mark Hannon
I'd lump all the Bibles together and sell them to the highest bidder on Ebay.
I really would.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I thought about doing that too, Mark. However, I think I'd have a guilty conscience about contributing to the evil and ignorance of the world. It seems much better to charge admission to a bible burning party, and have that party and bonfire next to the church where those evil books came from.
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T Kosse`
Yes I'm with you on this, I think all those bibles that were snuck in those backpacks should be burn publicly.
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Rev Mark D
Yeah I like that better, except that the school is full of those same people in the first place, and they fully knew and know what is in those backpacks and has for 10 years. So I doubt it would do much good, after all, in loco parentis the school is the boss when the kid is in their custody
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David A Griffith
How about a book burning? Christians force their choices on us about what books are okay to read and burn the rest. Why can’t we burn the books that we believe are dangerous?
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John P Maher
HAS GOD BECOME a SNEAK ??? NO ITS STUPID PEOPLE, THE DO GOODERs THAT REALLY NEVER DO GOOD, like the G O Pigs !
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Rev Mark D
"God" can do many wonderful things. I know of several cults who used young women to go out and "donate" sex for Christ. Good times.
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Frederick Ollie Aldridge
From 99 percent of those posting here I have to believe that this is not a "Christian Site". For you believers of the DEVIL, You definitely will get what you deserve, "The Devil". As a believer of Christ and the Father God we as Christians must serve him by witnessing to everyone who will listen and observe his will. Anything else is "OF the DEVIL".
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Joyce A Dennis
Amen
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Robert Wilson
Frederick you’re so right. they don’t like Christians on this site.I found this out, when I said let God sort them out or something like that
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Crystal Darlene Gregory-Barnes
Amen to that!
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Craig
It's going to take a llloooooooooooooooooooong time to get "conversion" out of Christianity. It is getting better, however.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Who want's to be a Christian when all they do is break the law? How can a congregation of a church give a standing applause to a pastor who admitted to raping a young women? Why aren't the calling for his arrest?
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arawngraalrd
I know a guy whose ministry is to be annoying like that.
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Paul McEwan
If children were allowed to make their own minds up about religion then there would be no religion.
Religions have to grow to keep money flowing in and the way to increase the faithful is to make sure children are introduced as soon as they can be.
PS to the person who thinks you can get 'conversion' out of Christianity, you can't, it's in the bible right from the beginning. It is exactly the way it grew to be one of the big religions.
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JoAnn Smith
I agree politics do not belong in the church.
Now as for putting Bibles in the back packs, yes it might upset some parents but some may be thankful for them and who knows we can pray that it just might keep some kids off the street and out of trouble.
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JoAnn Smith
I agree politics do not belong in the church.
As for putting Bibles in donated school backpacks, I think that is a good thing. It may upset some parents but some parents may be thankful and who knows it could just keep a kid off the streets and out of trouble, Now wouldn't that be a good thing, what parent could complain about that?
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Cindy L Edgar
It's supposed to be up to the parents not up to a church to promote Christianity
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
It shouldn't be up to anyone to promote Christianity,Cindy. It ought to be up to all influential people in the lives of children to condemn it.
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Lionheart
No. It’s supposed to be up to the child to learn about religions if/when it wants to, and when it’s old enough to use sound logic and reason.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I think it's totally irrational to think that such an evil, corrupt book would help keep a kid out of trouble. I was a bible thumping juvenile delinquent for years, and in my thirty something years of affiliation with A.A. and N.A. I've known many criminals who were christians. I even knew a minister during his two escapes from death row. That was many years ago, and he has since been executed, but was a goddam, worthless Christian when he died, as if reading his goddam bible did him or the world any good. It didn't save the lives of any of the people he murdered, on multiple occasions, and even a twelve year old girl! But atleast that goddam bible saved his soul,eh? That alone should tell you that the god of the christians is evil. A lot of people who believe in that evil book don't improve their behavior because of it.
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arawngraalrd
Interesting bit of History, is that History derives from The Angiras, and the words God and The derive from these early recitations, which are also the origins of Language. In fact The and God derive from the same "Hu" noise, that we hear in names like O'Brian or Odin. So any grammatical discussion of any Determinant Artical, touches on Religion. The Bible, btw, is a fine compilation of Rhetoric, and should be taught in the parents' choice of schools.
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rebadams7
It’s a donated item. Something noting that these supplies were donated by XXX church and we invite you to join us for Sunday services XXX is information. It’s not a demand that you show up it’s just letting you know it’s available just like the Bible. it’s a book. Nobody makes you read it if you don’t want your child to have it take it out of the backpack and say this isn’t something that we like so we’re putting this away or we’re going to donate it or whatever same for whatever religious texts might be found in a donated item. Now if the school sold These backpacks as necessary for school then you would have a leg to stand on. These are gifts so you have the choice to keep it or not. Next time perhaps the school can state simply that these items are donated from wherever and if you don’t want to be associated with that place or a group then don’t accept the gift. Once upon a time we used to allow notices about things like Sunday school and vacation Bible school, church after school programs and other items of note to be distributed via the school system simply as information. Those were more civil times.
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T Kosse`
No you're wrong! Religion has NO PLACE in a public School and they know that. That why they snuck them in the donated backpacks. If you allow one Religion then you must allow ALL Religions that include Paganism & Satanism plus non-Religion as well.
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Cindy L Edgar
Yeah I disagree with anybody putting Bibles in kids backpacks that should be up to the parents not the churches to make that decision even though I'm an ordained minister I don't even go to a church I'm a pagan ordained minister I get so sick of people telling other people what they should do with their lives stop pushing religion onto kids
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Douglas Robert Spindler
I can see drug dealers, drug companies, and companies which make sugar drinks putting free samples in back pack for kids to consume. Are Bibles any different?
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Rev Mark D
Actually, why can't they just give the equivalent in money to the school teachers themselves the classroom teachers you already know better than anybody which kids need what.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
The dull and the ignorant do have their stories Mr. Ehrman, but they aren't entertaining enough for me to care to hear them.
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Daniel Gray
Whaaaaa, no different then teachers trying to force their political views down the throats of the students. If the parents didnt want the bibles there the simple thing is to remove them instead of getting your panties in a knot like what is happening here.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I mostly agree with you Daniel, but don't you think it's good for us to have a heated debate around here sometimes. They don't often give us something that's worth getting a tit in a wringer about.
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Daniel Gray
There is nothing to get upset about. If a parent does not have enough sense to look through the backpack and remove items they dont agree with then they shouldnt have kids to start with
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Rev Mark D
Amen to that!
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Joyce A Dennis
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and Sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. Isaiah 5: 20-21
Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down into the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers will blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurn the word of the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 5:24
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Tracy Lynn Peterson
Let me speak up. Churches are good when someone needs something but why all the panic when the Church wants to reach out to the public. Seriously how many churches offer free clothing food donations help with rent help with electricity people use these services people go to the church and ask all I need this I need that help me please but they think they can get away with never hearing about God come on let's get serious it's time to stop being so selfish .
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Robert Brian Banks
In God we trust is on the money America uses. This is a Christian nation. Leave that Church alone; they did what God wanted them to do. If you don't believe in God find a country that lives that way. Quit making a fuse with churches that have good intentions
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Wayne Alan Demers
How is okay for these schools to take donated money, food, materials etc? But a Bible is a bad thing. Give no more to these schools. The devil walks the earth more and more each day it is so evident when more and more people turn away from the Bible.
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Crystal Darlene Gregory-Barnes
I do not think that the “free Bible” within the “free backpacks” are or should be an issue. People truly need to separate their “feelings” from the situation focus on what is actually happening here and at hand! If you do not care for the “free Bible” don’t utilize it donate it to someone who may actually use it or whatever. Everything does not require a huge debate! The church is a business just like any other business! That is a method to try to teach souls, save souls and increase membership! Everything is NOT a religious or government conspiracy! Shaking my head, literally! It’s like any other pamphlets left on the door or on car windshields! Some individuals in this generation want to attack ANYTHING that “is thought” to be connected to religion / Christianity or really that one mistakenly thinks is an attempt to correct or infringe or place moral values on these “do anything because, I “think something ,” Or I want to and or it feels good to me mindsets ! It’s marketing and advertising, period! It is a take it or leave it concept or rather a use it or not option. People just need to stop thinking that just because, they “think something” that it’s actual facts in truth! Individuals misguided thoughts are not real or reality and that is what is wrong with this generation, period! Now that is definitely the real problem!
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William Mitchell
Evil works hard and uses as many people as it can to turn people from God. If you believe in God then let no man or woman turn you away from God. Even though everyone has free will we must turn as many to God as we can. Evil is going to fight against us but we must do the work God asks us to do.
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Gerardo Salazar
Before being quick to judge someone for their actions, you should always try to put yourself in their shoes. Everyone is human, after all.
What I mean is what would happen if the local Mosque were to distribute material for the local schools and someone discovered hidden volumes of the Coran. Just imagine the outcry, or, to keep the discussion out of religious borders the same could happen if the kids are given copies of Mein Kampf or Das Kapital. Just not good it, isn’t it?
Religion belongs at home and with your particular religious community and we simply cannot give ourselves the right to interfere with other people’s children education.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Religion is like a penis. Just because you have one doesn't mean you should be showing it to everyone.
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Alexander Clarke
If you think all men are created equal you have never been to a nudist colony.
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Stewart
Religion belongs in a church or home . Religious freedom dose not include right to harass and bother others it simply means Government can not tell you which ones the right one or none ...
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Rev Mark D
First off, You misspelled Quran. Second, what if you're a Muslim and got one of those Bibles?
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BENOVOLENT LIBERATIONS
and far different had been satanic bible witches bible devils bible or any other various religious and belief bibles or book of literary works etc.........their outcry from the same ones that did that would be completely different in defending their actions and joined the outcry against doing that and most likely more in the assaults and dangers etc than the out cry has been.
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Alice Stewart
I'd like to put a copy of Rose Levy Beranbaum's "The Cake Bible" in a child's backpack - it might inspire the child to grow up to become a pastry chef.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Just because someone gives you something does that mean you have to keep it? Like with everything else, take what you can use, and throw away the rest.
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Nicholas J Page
Minister Nicholas J Page UK We we're given The Gideon's Bible.Which appeared to me that it was the same as the Bible.I was only a youngster.My family were Christian's but it wasn't preached to us everyday.Yes the world is a bad place now.So the back packs should have been searched.For any weapons.The school is at fault for not checking.
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Robert Wilson
Rev robert wilson
Let god sort it out
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Rev Mark D
Robert: God leaves it to us. He created Eden and kicked us out, remember?
That's why the story of the fellow whose house was in the flood, when the water was at window level, the fire department came and he said I'll wait it out, God will save me...then the flood was at the eves and the rescue team sent a boat and he said, "No, God will save me." And then the flood was at the roof and he was forced to the crest, and the sheriff sent a helicopter and the man said, "No, God will save me." And then the water crested and he drowned, went to the Gate, and was told he can't come in. "But I was faithful, why did you not save me?" And Peter said "What did you do with the fire truck, the boat, then the copter God sent?"
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Lionheart
What on earth is that comment supposed mean Robert? Since when has any supposed God ever done anything? It would be nice if it showed up once in a while to prove it existed for a start. Until it does, how can it sort anything out? It didn’t do anything during the Holocaust, or 9/11, or with little children dying horrifically of cancer, so what makes you think it would sort something out as simple as books in backpacks?
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Maybe Robert was talking about his god sorting out his report forms on the subject, and placing them in alphabetical order, in his file cabinet. Maybe he's just sitting up there watching us, and taking notes, to compare with the stories of other gods, at their god parties.
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Robert Wilson
Rev robert wilson
Lionhearted
Carl
Maybe your of little faith
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Robert, in your last sentence above, the word your should be spelled you're. You'll learn about such things next year, when you're in the fourth grade. You should also end your sentences with something called a period. We really prefer having conversations on this blog with more literate grown-ups.
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Robert Wilson
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Robert Wilson
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Robert Wilson
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Robert Wilson
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Robert Wilson
Thanks Carl for the kind words.......
Carl I’m 82 years old. And a rev for 61 years. My education not as great as yours I’m sorry. I do my best. Now I have old people’s d Sorry I can’t spell it. And I never went to grade 345678 I do believe in god.
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Robert Wilson
Something is going on here. I did not type or remove All the above.
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Robert Wilson
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
We're certainly not of the same faith as you, Robert Wilson. That's for damn sure!
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Lionheart
I don’t need to use faith Robert. Logic and reason are good enough for me.
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Robert Brian Banks
Sin or disobedience to God's will is the cause of all the bad in the world. He did come into the world but the world didn't receive Him, but put Him to death instead. Notwithstanding, He rose from the dead on the third day. He has promised those who believe in Him to be resurrected as well. The only sign we will get is the death and resurrection of our God, Saviour, Lord, Redeemer, Jesus the Christ.
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Lionheart
Thank you for your thoughts Robert. I do of course realize that you are stating things from a point of view of indoctrination, and that's okay.
For those of us that believe in logic and reason, I'd like to point out to you that the religious blackmail of an impending Hell, unless you do as you're told and be a good boy and "believe" in your God, just doesn't wash with me.
Just like other religions such as Islam, Judaism, Hindu, Mormonism, etc., we need good supporting evidence don't we Robert, before we will accept their claims of them saying they have the truth. Well, I am just the same way as you in not accepting their claims of the truth of their god, and I extend that same concern when it comes to accepting your claim of your god, because no matter which religion is saying they have the truth, there is still no demonstrable evidence to back any of them up. You refuse to believe their beliefs, just as I refuse to belief your belief.
Because you have a belief Robert, doesn't mean that it's true. Because things are written down in an old book professing to be true, just like the Torah, the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran, the Book of Mormon etc, doesn't make those writings true. We need evidence to back up those claims written in those old documents.
So far, there is very little evidence to support Jesus was real. There's a very good chance he was real, just like there's a very good chance Mohammad was a prophet of a God, or the angel Moroni was real to Mormons, but in reality, we just don't know for sure, do we? Everyone is just going by how they "feel" Robert, but that wouldn't stand up in a court of law would it, so why should we believe what everyone believes without evidence?
Anyway, thank you for telling us what you believe. Let us know what evidence you have to back up your claim. I hope it's stronger than all the other religions with their claims.
Take care
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William Waugh
18 comments in; I'm surprised not to see this yet, should have been a copy of " The Idiots Guide to World Religions".
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William Francis Foley
Believe it or not, there is a real difference between a Christian Jew, and a Jrwish Christian. A Christian Jew follows the Nrw Covenant, as the 12 apostles did. A Jewish Christian follows the Old Covenant, and is really not a True Christian, at all. They have given a bad name to Christianity. It is no wonder, so many in the world hate all Christians.
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Cindy L Edgar
Remember Christianity was created by Julius Caesar
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Stephen D. Atchley
The same Julius Caesar who died in 44 B.C.?
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Despite all that, Foley, Judaism and Christianity are both just as bad.
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Rev Mark D
Judaism is "just as bad" in what way, I don't understand, please explain.
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Rev Mark D
In 65 years I have never seen any Jews proselytize, not even once, what is it you are talking about Carl?
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I wasn't talking about Jewish people, who I think very highly of, but the old testament of the Christian bible, of which Judaism and Christianity both accept the teachings of, and are both just as bad for doing so, in my opinion. I think that book and by far most of it's teachings are evil.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I answered that question Mark, but they haven't posted it.
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Woodrow
So What? They are free. If you don't like them throw them away. Not as bad as the sexual intercourse bible they use for kids.
Have at it!!
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Rev Mark D
"Sexual intercourse bible" I assume you are referring to teaching materials and manuals and various sex-ed they do in the public schools, right?
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Woodrow
And again I say have at it.
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Rev Mark D
Perhaps we should get together and ship a bunch of Korans and LDS bibles to the church, along with a case of Kama Sutra.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Better yet, why don't we sneak in their Church when it's empty, and replace the service manuals in the pews with Satanic Bibles, and put a banner across the we it altar which states "Satan Loves You".
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Rev Mark D
That would be a riot! I vote yes.
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Rev Frankie PG
Many different responses touching many good points, however, I think many are also avoiding the main situation, a church donating backpacks putting Bibles into each backpack. Now, if the church wouldn't have put the Bibles in then is it morally right for the church to get the word out? Was it wrong of the school to accept backpacks donated from a church that contained Bibles? I CAN DEFINITELY SAY FOR SURE, in regards to security, that the school admitting that they didn't check the backpacks before handing them out was wrong but moreso that accepting donations without inspecting them first is even worse. Did the church have to donate backpacks? No. MANY people complain that students don't get enough and that teachers have to pay too much to fill their students "needs" but where does giving too much stop? Separation of church and state definitely takes part here, going back to the school (state) handing out the backpacks with Bibles (church).
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Steven P Jarvis
I don't care what book they put in the bag if it tells a child that they are loved by Diety. Or teaches them to love themselves and others. God is love.
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Robert Brian Banks
Amen
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Wayne Alan Demers
Teachers today think they are above God.
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Ronaldo
The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States clearly says "congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...", not "congress shall make laws denying the existence of all religions in any official setting." Our Founding Fathers feared the establishment of a government religion, like the Church of England, which wielded both religious and secular power over the land. Neither the American people nor their leaders had much problem with prayer in schools, courts, and political events and meetings, until someone raised a fuss in New Jersey in 1947, which eventually led to the Everson v. BoE case that created our present view of keeping church and state far apart from each other. In 1962, prayer was banned in schools by the Supreme Court, violating the letter of the First Amendment about no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion, but they claim they just "reinterpreted" the Amendment. It may be just a matter of time when the Supreme Court decides to remove all of our Constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms by simply "reinterpreting them", in spite of the intentions of those who founded this once-great nation.
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Robert Brian Banks
Real talk. God forbid they do that.
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Linda Salavarria
Another act of desperation from a christian church to recruit parishioners. Constantly advertising to those who have not asked for information shows a sad and almost laughable insecurity. This activity will doom them with future generations.
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Stanley Loran Pfeiffer
There is nothing wrong with the church putting bibles in back packs as long as the church distributes the back packs. The church should not put bibles in back packs and then let the school distribute the back packs to children.
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Robert Brian Banks
That's fair
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Frederick Ollie Aldridge
The church did what the "LORD" asked them to do (place bibles in the back packs). The elementary school did NOT co what they (think) should have been done. If the school did NOT want the bibles in the back packs, THE SCHOOL should have removed them. In other words the Church did right and the SCHOOL did wrong.
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Annamarie Davis
Absolutely not
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Phyllis De Luca
We have to remember that children come from all different religions. Let us not forget this. It’s not fair that people try to push one religion against another. School is not the place to push religious beliefs.
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Cynthia Ann Reed
I am a retired Catholic Children's Minister, diocesan employed. Independently, I founded a non profit charity that receives gifts for children, from donors. In turn, we give those gifts to children who live in families that are struggling financially. We give the gifts through our various programs. All gifts are reviewed before we distribute. One of our programs is Back to School Backpacks, full of new school supplies. Supplies are described on a list we give to the donors. All Backpacks are gone through before we distribute them. Anything NOT on our list is pulled from the backpack. I would like the children to have a bible, however we know better. Bibles would be pulled out of the backpacks. I find it hard to believe that church didn't know better. Wrong is wrong.
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Frederick Ollie Aldridge
The church did right. The school did wrong because, as I said earlier and you just said NOW, THE SCHOOL was responsible for NOT removing the bibles. The church did God's work .
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Nicole Marie Ryan
I personally know someone whose church donates book bags filled with supplies. They never put any type of religious literature or Bible's in those bags. They have written a letter to the teacher or the principal, saying that they hope they have a good school year and listing what was in the bag and to reach out if they need further assistance. An organization has the choice to donate, but they don't get to pander their religion or organization. They have parents and they are the ones who should expose them to religion.
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Wayne Alan Demers
A Bible is a form of History. But it is okay to teach them the devils work. It is okay to force politics and homosexuality on them. Anything to give hope or something to give faith is always outlawed by the left.
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Lionheart
The Bible, Wayne, is proclaimed by many to be a form of history, but in reality it is far from it, with very little supporting evidence of the claims within it. I'm not sure what the "Devils work" actually is Wayne, because, again, we have no supporting evidence of what a Devil really is, and if it exists.
As for forcing homosexuality on children, are you suggesting that teaching children that some adults enjoy falling in love with people of the same gender is incorrect? It's my understanding that some people do in fact enjoy loving others of the same sex, so teaching children fact seems okay to me.
I think children should be taught "how to think", using logic and reason, and not "what to think", like religion teaches children to do, with no supporting evidence to back up those claims whatsoever. Indoctrination can be a terrible thing can't it Wayne?
I agree with you that Politics shouldn't be forced on children, or anyone. Just give them historical political facts, not teachers views of political individuals/personalities, and let them decide for themselves.
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Crystal Darlene Gregory-Barnes
Minister Crystal Gregory-Barnes
I do not think that the “free Bible” within the “free backpacks” are or should be an issue. People truly need to separate their “feelings” from the situation focus on what is actually happening here and at hand! If you do not care for the “free Bible” don’t utilize it donate it to someone who may actually use it or whatever. Everything does not require a huge debate! The church is a business just like any other business! That is a method to try to teach souls, save souls and increase membership! Everything is NOT a religious or government conspiracy! Shaking my head, literally! It’s like any other pamphlets left on the door or on car windshields! Some individuals in this generation want to attack ANYTHING that “is thought” to be connected to religion / Christianity or really that one mistakenly thinks is an attempt to correct or infringe or place moral values on these “do anything because, I “think something ,” Or I want to and or it feels good to me mindsets ! It’s marketing and advertising, period! It is a take it or leave it concept or rather a use it or not option. People just need to stop thinking that just because, they “think something” that it’s actual facts in truth! Individuals misguided thoughts are not real or reality and that is what is wrong with this generation, period! Now that is definitely the real problem!
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Robert Wilson
Rev Robert wilson
Amem
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Christian
The security failure was the schools, not the Church. Schools should take any and all backpacks seriously, just like Airports.
It would be better for the Church to set up a sidewalk give away, outside the school , and give backpacks, rosary crosses, bibles, & promotional tracts there. Public sidewalk, public access, free speech, Bill of Rights civil rights protected and intact. No child left behind...
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Ken Morrow
The failure of Southern Baptists (generally speaking) is their refusal to divorce themselves from the American public education system, which is off the rails. Jesus said to the disciples that when a village rejected them they should leave and "knock the dust off their sandals" and move on. Here's a thought: maybe they should focus on opening more private schools and educating more children in a way that is glorifying to God instead of insisting on being unequally yoked to the damned.
I am going to get a lot of **** for this! But here goes. The backpacks were given by a church but that did not give them the right to put bibles in them . What if the backpacks were given by the local Hiv/Aids center or planned parenthood and they put condoms in there or what if the backpacks were given from The Church of Scientology and they put Dianetics in them Or stephen king donated the backpacks and put the Stand in them, The out cry would be a million times worse .
You’re correct they don’t have the right. It hasn’t been so great since I took out the 10 Commandments away from everything. Now it’s OK to kill and now it’s OK to steal. Now it’s OK to commit adultery. That means you can go to bed with anybody it’s not between a man and a woman that are husband and wife. You’re correct they don’t have a right.
However the schools do have a right to say get out and riot get out and burn the place down. If you’re white blank blank blank. All of these things are OK now.
I do suggest you take the time to teach your kid right from wrong. And there’s a lot of good things in the Bible that teach each and everyone of us. In Proverbs I really like when it says to ask for common sense. These days common has went right out to the garbage pail. As a parent you do have a right to say no my kids not reading the Bible and yes my kid can be a disaster growing up and do anything they like. So you have free choice that’s what the Bible says. And if you took the time to read it you would understand we all have free choice. And you’re taking the free choice from your child to not read the Bible or to read the Bible. I’m sure it’s OK for your kid to play video games are extremely violent with extreme amount of killing. They can watch a movie or a TV program with all kinds of perversion. And I’m sure that’s OK with you too because the Bible is not OK with you. This is my opinion and it’s OK for you to have your opinion as a parent. But if you’re going to go 360 the other direction you’ve already seen how many places of burned to the ground businesses and homes are destroyed because of the violence. I hope that wasn’t your child out there doing it because they think it’s OK. I’m a little old so I’m a little old-school. I didn’t grow up in a Christian family but I was never told I couldn’t read the Bible. But I was told right from wrong and what was gonna happen if I was doing wrong. Now the kids are allowed to do anything and you’re not allowed to say anything. So it’s your choice to just take the Bible out of your child’s backpack. It’s ok to say you’re on your own and if you kill anybody or you kill you get killed it’s OK because it’s a new world. Do you have a blessed day and you do have free choice.
The Bible says so you can except it or not. Does the rest the world give you the choice.
Free Will is just that, free will. That said, our Constitution says there will be no National Religion as well as no state religion. If you want to have your child read the Bible, then no one is taking that right from you as a parent. But do not force my child to read something I choose not to believe in. When the child is curious, then by all means let him/her explore, but don't dictate your beliefs to my child. So, let churches do their thing and public schools do theirs. No Religion in tax-payer schools, unless of course churches want to pay their fair share in taxes.
Just because the bible was included in the backpack doesn't mean they were being forced to read it. As a parent we are to guide our children not censor them. We can teach what we believe is right and then trust we've done our jobs so they make informed decisions on thier own. If my child vame home with a bible or?a koran and they wanted to read them, I woyld read it with them andcwe would discuss what we read. I am a Christian and I want my kids to know about my Lord and Savior and have a relationship with Him. That being said if they want to learn what other religions are about, then I would allow it with myself reading along and discussing it's moral values. If parents take an active roll in thier childs life, what are they afraid of. If you are an athiest and have an active roll in your childs life, why wouldn't you read the bible with your child and discuss it with them and guide them through that process? Exposure at home with parents involved is the best place because they can ask the parents questions and be guided by the ones that love them the most. If after they are done they can choose to believe or disbelieve and go on as athiests and what did it hurt? Those who protest and wont pick up the book and read it are afraid they may change thier own minds and beliefs.