Christians are adamant that they are persecuted, despite being a majority in this country and despite controlling all of politics — not only is it almost impossible to get elected to high office unless you’re Christian, but one of the most common complaints about politicians people don’t like is that they are non-Christian, as if that’s enough reason to impeach. Look at Obama, who’s always getting called a Muslim. He’s clearly not, by all that he says and does, and besides, it shouldn’t matter if he were a Muslim or a Satanist.
As a vocal and activist atheist, I’m in a peculiar position. I ought to be in a position to hammer young minds with godless propaganda, but I don’t — I’m actually very conscientious about avoiding making students think about the anti-scientific nature of religion in the classroom, because we’ve got more than enough topics to cover. Yet over and over again, I learn that Christian educators have no such compunction, and are happily engaged in indoctrinating their students, while at the same time, whining that they get no respect and are oppressed by godless scientists.
Zack Kopplin interviewed students in Louisiana. It’s all preachin’ and bible-thumpin’.
I spoke with another Airline graduate, Ben, who had been an officer in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes while in high school. He told me that the faculty was “extremely involved” in the FCA and said that Airline’s principal Rowland “often led the FCA large group sessions with his testimony and preaching.”
Allie, the recent graduate, mentioned a dispute she had with principal Rowland about song lyrics on T-shirts. “Not only did he discuss how it was not Christian, but then proceeded to point to the Holy Bible sitting smack-dab in the middle of the desk,” Allie said. “I’m not the only person who was told ‘no’ and then [he] used his Bible as a reference.”
Rowland “definitely used/uses his position of authority as an avenue to evangelize and push his religious beliefs,” Ben said.
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is supposed to be student-led, but Michelle told me, “teachers encourage you to join the FCA.” Sometimes teachers even forced students to attend FCA meetings. “My freshman year one of my teachers … took all of his kids to FCA,” said Tina. “I had no option whether or not to go and didn’t want to make a scene so I simply followed and sat quietly.” She also told me another teacher made students write her letters to request permission to avoid going to FCA club meetings, forcing non-Christian students to out themselves to her.
Can you imagine the squawking I would hear from all directions if I used my position of authority as an avenue to evangelize and push
atheist ideas? I’d be complaining about myself! This week my students are learning about cell cycle regulation, I can’t possibly disrupt class by telling them that Jesus-crap is nonsense.
Teachers and administrators who wave Bibles around as a source of authority are simply not doing their jobs properly.
What coercive environment those “christians” have created.
Teachers and administrators who wave Bibles around as a source of authority are simply not doing their jobs properly.
Not only were they waving bibles, they literally threw them at students who turned down the offer of a free one.
When I went to public school, they were just phasing out the daily recital of the Lord’s Prayer. The concept of a teacher angrily throwing a bible at a student just blows my mind.
@doubter (#2): Well, The Bible is a book that should not be tossed aside lightly…
I honest to goodness had a chemistry professor tell us that God was going to create Hell by sealing off the Universe and igniting a bunch of unburned hydrogen in the stars (and it would stay hot because the energy would be conserved). We just rolled our eyes.
But they are guaranteeing themselves a place in heaven when they die – the only thing these selfish bastards are interested in.
Nonsense, PZ. They are doing what they conceive their job to be, and what they conceive their job to be involves unilaterally shoving their invisible friend down the captive-audience throat of any & every student that comes within arm’s reach of their power. It’s all very logical, assuming you accept the premise that a trivial, temporary little violation of “Man’s laws” can yield the oh-so-desirable result of ETERNAL LIFE. Haven’t you ever heard of Pascal’s Wager? I mean, really!
doubter at 2:
Yeah, that’s some respect they have for their own “holy” book, eh? Also, you shall know them by their love, and all that.
I’m reminded of the Penn & Teller Bullshit! episode on creationism featuring the Cobb County sticker case.
So, they would be perfectly fine with a Muslim student leading the school in a prayer to Allah over the intercom, right? Right?
When I was in sixth grade, our teacher would often tell bible stories during the time set aside for science class. I was a Christian at the time, but I still complained about it every time. I remember one time in particular when I argued with her assertion that the Earth is only 6,000 years old, 10,000 at the most. I wasn’t the only person who complained, but I was pretty much always the one who started it.
Near the end of the year, several failing quiz scores mysteriously appeared in my science grade. I asked her to produce the tests, as I couldn’t remember failing the quizzes, or even that the quizzes were given at all. She refused. I asked my classmates if they remembered the quizzes. They did not.
I worked my ass off, trying to raise my grade before the end, but somehow, no matter what I did, the grade remained a C. I’d never gotten a C before. I literally got down on my knees and begged her to reconsider. I was pretty sure I knew what was going on, and I knew damn well what would happen if I brought home a C. She just smirked and said “Next time you’ll know better.”
To the religious conservative, teaching ANYTHING in conflict with the Bible or a particular sect’s teaching is indoctrinating students in atheism. Even if you try not to say anything specifically anti-religious, the actual factual teaching that conflicts with the Bible is anti-religious and is assisting in oppression of Christians. They are trying to save the students so they will go to heaven. It is a battle that is hard to win.