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This is really saddening how fundamentalists in certain parts of our country are messing up our education systems. Apparently, now they are moving on from trying to bring religion from disucssion of evolution/creation over to explicity discussing theology as part of the sex-ed curriculum. And of course, these Fundies are only using theology to support their own view of sexuality, presenting only one side of the theological issue and ignoring the viewpoints of the many denominations which don't hold to that view. They even go so far as to speak favorably of the religious denominations which hold to their point of view and speking unfavorably of a religious denomination that doesn't. Apparently, these Fundies have lost all concept of seperation of Church and State.
What's even more sickening to me is that this is happening in my home county of Montgomery County, MD. Here is an excrept for a material which they will be distributing on teaching about homosexuality:
Well, ther you have it, they are talking about their religious view of sexuality and giving their own interpretation of Christianity, and teaching it in a public school. If we keep following this track, we'll end up just like those gun-toting, bible-thumping rednecks across the river in Fairfax County, VA. Fortunately, a judge has put a restraining order on the school board temporarily.
Here is a Washington Post article with some more background about the issue at hand:
What's even more sickening to me is that this is happening in my home county of Montgomery County, MD. Here is an excrept for a material which they will be distributing on teaching about homosexuality:
Myth: Homosexuality is a sin.
Fact: The bible contains 6 passages that condemn homosexual behavior. The bible also contains numerous passages that condemn heterosexual behavior. Theologians and Biblical scholars continue to differ on many Biblical interpretations. They agree on one thing, however. Jesus said absolutely nothing at all about homosexuality. Among the many things deemed an abomination are adultery, incest, wearing clothing made from more than one kind of fiber, and eating shellfish, like shrimp and lobster. Religion has often been misused to justify hatred and oppression. Less than half a century ago, Baptist churches (among others) in this country defended racial segregation on the basis that it was condoned by the Bible. Early Christians were not hostile to homosexuals. Intolerance became the dominant attitude only after the Twelfth Century. Today, many people no longer tolerate generalizations about homosexuality as pathology or sin. Few would condemn heterosexuality as immoral - despite the high incidence of rape, incest, child abuse, adultery, family violence, promiscuity, and venereal disease among heterosexuals. Fortunately, many within organized religions are beginning to address the homophobia of the church. The National Council of Churches of Christ, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Society of Friends (Quakers), and the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches support full civil rights for gay men and lesbians, as they do for everyone else.
Fact: The bible contains 6 passages that condemn homosexual behavior. The bible also contains numerous passages that condemn heterosexual behavior. Theologians and Biblical scholars continue to differ on many Biblical interpretations. They agree on one thing, however. Jesus said absolutely nothing at all about homosexuality. Among the many things deemed an abomination are adultery, incest, wearing clothing made from more than one kind of fiber, and eating shellfish, like shrimp and lobster. Religion has often been misused to justify hatred and oppression. Less than half a century ago, Baptist churches (among others) in this country defended racial segregation on the basis that it was condoned by the Bible. Early Christians were not hostile to homosexuals. Intolerance became the dominant attitude only after the Twelfth Century. Today, many people no longer tolerate generalizations about homosexuality as pathology or sin. Few would condemn heterosexuality as immoral - despite the high incidence of rape, incest, child abuse, adultery, family violence, promiscuity, and venereal disease among heterosexuals. Fortunately, many within organized religions are beginning to address the homophobia of the church. The National Council of Churches of Christ, the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the Unitarian Universalist Association, the Society of Friends (Quakers), and the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches support full civil rights for gay men and lesbians, as they do for everyone else.
Here is a Washington Post article with some more background about the issue at hand:
Schools have no business teaching interpretations of religion.
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