ONE NATION, UNDER WHOSE GOD?
by David Sisler
Imagine for a moment that you are a seventh grade junior high school student, in a public, tax-supported school.
You have begun a three week class in which you are required to pray to the Lord God Almighty in the name of his son, Jesus Christ.
You are taught that Christianity is the only way to eternal life, the only true religion, all other religions are false.
You will extensively study the life of Jesus, becoming intimately acquainted with his teachings.
You must memorize more than two dozen specific Christian terms and phrases, the Beatitudes, the Lord’s Prayer, and selected passages from the New Testament.
Your textbook, approved at the highest levels, barely mentions any other religion, and when it does, it points almost exclusively to their dark moments. To make sure that you are not tempted to view them with any compassion, those dark moments are highlighted in bold letters in the text. The language which discusses those other religions is full of ridicule and mockery. There is no mention of the atrocities perpetrated by some Christians in the name of God – the Inquisition, the Salem witch hunts, the activities of some of the Crusaders.
In addition, you must wear clothing which will identify you as a follower of Jesus Christ, you must play games which teach you how to spread your faith, and you must choose a new name which is specifically a Christian name.
All students must participate in this three week class.
No students are excused from this three week class.
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you might say, “Well, it’s about time!”
Of course you know that this story is only make-believe. You know that for me to even suggest such a course is indicative that I have had either one too few, or one too many, cups of Caramel Nut coffee today (or some other, far more serious, disorder). There is no way that such a course, backed up with hand-outs, text books, and the official sanction of the school board will ever be taught anywhere in this country – at least in any public school.
Well, if you think so, you are partly correct. And very much wrong.
If you are a parent of a seventh grade student in the Byron, California Unified School District, your child was required, by the laws governing the accepted curriculum, to study not Christianity, but Islam. And to study it in the manner outlined above. There is no provision to “opt out.”
Don’t bother to contact school board officials. They will not return your phone calls. They think it is just swell.
“Islam means peace,” supporters of the curriculum pontificate. “And for diversity’s sake, we must study Islam thoroughly. All parents and students must submit to our wisdom.”
Islam does not mean peace. Anyone who says that is very mistaken or is a bare-faced liar. Islam means submission. The Barnabas Fund, a ministry which serves the Christian church in the Muslim world – because believers in Jesus Christ are at risk of their very lives in places like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran – states, “Islam as a faith emphasizes submission to God, and by logical extension, the submission of non-Muslims to Muslims.”
Can you imagine the outrage by the ACLU and their kin if such a course as I suggested – a course on Christianity – were even suggested, let alone made part of the school curriculum? The protests would happen faster than you could say, “Separation of church and state.”
But then “separation of church and state” only means the separation of the state from the Christian church. If you don’t believe that, search the media for one instance of the ACLU protesting this three-week indoctrination into Islam being foisted on Byron, California. There is not one peep!
When a teacher asked the principal if she could teach a similar class on Christianity she was told she could do so, but only after regular school hours, when students can come of their own accord, and thus not have the law of separation of church and state violated!
“All men are created equal” our founding fathers wrote. Unless those men practice Christianity? One nation – under whose God?
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Copyright 2002 by David Sisler. All Rights Reserved.
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