The Bible, which was threatened with removal from the Davis School District in Utah, will now remain. The district’s school board unanimously decided Tuesday to keep the Bible in the schools. Students will be able to read the Bible in school, even though it will not be taught.
Local TV station KSL reports that the district had reviewed the Bible, and then earlier voted to remove it for elementary and junior high students. A parent complained about a state law that made it easier for schools to remove books containing what they consider obscene content. The complainant argued that the Bible contained passages that depicted violence and sexual themes and that it should be removed from other books parents find objectionable. The district agreed.
This sparked outrage from parents and lawmakers in the state. Fox 13 reported on a hearing in June where State Senator Curt Bradble emphasized explicit content within a book that was allowed to stay in schools after the Bible was banned. He said, “Adults are able to tell the difference between religious texts from the Bible, Torah, Koran, and the Book of Mormon even if they portray historical evidence of different acts, related to pornography. Come on, people!
Rep. Kera Brinkland asked, “How can we change the law so that books with a woman naked on top of a man holding a gun over his head are allowed in junior high school libraries, but the Bible isn’t?”
Before anyone out there makes a comment, it is fine to have the Bible, as well as the Torah, Koran, The Book of Mormon, or Buddha’s sayings, available in school. The content of these books will better serve students than a book advocating oral sex.
The Bible contains a few passages and stories which would be rated R or NC-17 in a movie theater. The Bible doesn’t encourage bad or evil behavior. It warns against these behaviors and illustrates their results. It does so without being lewd or obscene.
The habit of removing passages or lines from context to achieve a desired outcome is a problem that both believers and nonbelievers face. Theologians of the left have claimed that the sin committed by the people of Sodom wasn’t that they were homosexual, but rather that they didn’t show the proper hospitality to angels that visited Lot. The fact remains that, even without a homosexual aspect, the people of Sodom wanted Lot to turn over his guests so they could rape them. The word “inhospitable” is not enough to describe the situation. Sodom’s people were so consumed by their desire that they were willing to abandon all manner of good behavior for lust. They were also present at a large barbecue held in their honor.
Or let us consider King David. We learn about David’s fight with Goliath in Sunday school. We learn more about David’s indiscretion when we are older. He lied to Bathsheba and even killed his son to hide his sin. It is not covered in sermons or Bible studies that David’s family suffered from rape and rebellion toward the end of his life. David was forced to flee Jerusalem at one time as Absalom’s army advanced. David was the apple of God’s eye but God did not let him off the hook. Old Testament prophets warned the people repeatedly about their idolatry, lack of compassion, and desire for justice. They departed from God’s commands and wisdom, with disastrous results.
This could be the reason for the opposition to the Bible being taught in schools. In this day and age, it is acceptable to indulge in self-centered, selfish behavior without considering the impact on others or oneself. Some are working furiously to make it the law. We shouldn’t be surprised. This mentality has existed since the beginning of time (pun intended). You can find it in a book.
