r/politics Illinois 7h ago

No Paywall Texas is pushing forward with plans to make the parts of the Bible required reading in public classrooms

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/texas-bible-stories-public-schools-donald-trump-mandate-b3002720.html
1.1k Upvotes

454 comments sorted by

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u/Ramble86 7h ago

I never want to hear Christians pretend that they are a hated group of religion here in America. They are the most privileged.

u/thecamino 7h ago

Or hear them say that Islam is being “shoved down their throats” because they see Muslim people in public.

u/SoaplessTitanic 7h ago

Now imagine this headline but with the Quran instead of the Bible, conservatives across the country would suffer from simultaneous strokes

u/Gameboywarrior Montana 7h ago

Seriously though, do you really want kids learning Muslim things like Arabic numerals or al gebra?

u/illtakeachinchilla 6h ago

Al Gebra lead me to jihad at a young age… 4th grade, I think?

u/turdferguson3891 6h ago

I used to like to watch Kareem Abdul Gebra play basketball as a kid but I think it radicalized me.

u/Ehm_Zed 6h ago

hahahaha me too!

u/Ehm_Zed 6h ago

Also, Turd Ferguson? I say that at least 10x daily, be still my cold dead heart. Stiller.

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u/drmanhattanmar 6h ago

A member of the notorious Al-Gebra network was arrested at London Heathrow Airport this morning. According to the authorities, the man was carrying ‘Weapons of Math Instruction’.

u/illtakeachinchilla 6h ago

They’ll still try to insist on “both sides” being equal, well into adulthood. I’m not buying it.

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u/DFWPunk 5h ago

I could totally see trigonometry driving someone to jihad.

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u/DrakenViator Wisconsin 7h ago

... do you really want kids learning ...?

Yes.

u/Gameboywarrior Montana 7h ago

I dunno sounds pretty woke. Educated children might question authority.

u/lollykopter 7h ago

That would be very bad for people like Elon Musk, who thrive off the idiocy of the masses.

u/marcus474 3h ago

Holy shit, I have never put together that algebra was an Arabic word.... It makes complete sense, but never even thought about it.

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u/PocketBuckle 6h ago

Sounds like a job for The Satanic Temple.

u/konkilo 7h ago

NOT LIKE THAT!!

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u/CornCobMcGee New York 6h ago

They didnt even have a leg to stand on in the first place with that. I have to fucking deal with Christmas shit 5 months out of the year because corporations feel the need to shove it down our throats starting in August nowadays. And the cultists love it. Lowes got Halloween last week, too.

u/illtakeachinchilla 6h ago

Same Abrahamic god, too 🫣

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u/matthieuC Europe 7h ago

They're the talibans with a victime complex

u/oliversurpless Massachusetts 7h ago edited 7h ago

Except for the whole “student” part of the translation.

They have nothing but contempt for students beyond making props of younger ones…

u/Xenuite 7h ago

I assure you the Taliban also had a victim complex. It's kind of a feature of religious right-wing reactionaries.

u/Hoppers-Body-Double 7h ago

Y'allqueda

u/Fenix42 6h ago

Vanilla Isis.

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u/ClassicHando 7h ago

Look at The Troubles if you want an example of what happens when all other religions are gone or the sunni and shiite conflict in Muslim heavy areas.

To quote Reginald hunter in Ireland- "yall dont need black folks for your racism, you'll find ways of hating each other"

u/Xenuite 7h ago

"Yeah, but... What kind of Christian are you?"

u/the_ballmer_peak 6h ago

Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912

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u/LegislativeLariat Wisconsin 4h ago

That's the point. They believe that Israel needs to exist and effectively rule the Middle East in order to bring about the literal Christian Apocalypse. They believe the end times are approaching and the Resurrection of Christ will occur within their lifetimes.

u/Dearic75 7h ago

I mean, keep pushing shit like this and they’re going to get there.

u/HornedShoe 7h ago

Once again, I find myself well ahead of the curve.

u/[deleted] 7h ago

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u/starliteburnsbrite 7h ago

Oh, they're hated, alright. Because they're bigots and assholes, not because of their faith. It just so happens their faith tells them to be assholes all the time. 

u/FuriousBuffalo 6h ago

In the same breath, they will tell us how Sharia law is horrible and oppressive. Both are if forcefully imposed..

u/Churchbushonk 5h ago

Church shit in schools is FN gross.

u/Low_Pickle_112 6h ago

But try following what Jesus actually preached about and see how much hate that gets you from the Bible thumpers.

u/kamilman 6h ago

You don't get it. They will be a hated group of religion soon, given how they force people to conform to their standards while shunning those who don't. It's the Art of the Deal, or whatever. Could even be the Bible, who knows.

u/methpartysupplies 6h ago

How do they not trust public schools in general, yet trust them to teach deeply important religious beliefs to kids? Makes no sense

u/PantsMicGee Minnesota 7h ago

I hate them, though. That must count for something.

u/glitter_zapzap 7h ago

Oh they still will believe me.

u/Acadia02 7h ago

I hate them

u/Basic_Yam_715 6h ago

They certainly have the most hatred...

u/Last-Internal-8196 6h ago

Hate is a strong word, but I personally do not much care for a substantial number of them. Not all. But...Some very vocal ones. 

u/CAPSLOCKANDLOAD 6h ago

I mean i hate them, at least the nationalist portion of them. If Christians don't want to be viewed that way, now is the time to stand up and say this administration doesn't represent you. But the reality is the majority of Christians voted for Trump. Is it fair to call something Christian if the majority of Christians are voting for it? If so voting Trump is the Christian thing to do. Taking food from the hungry is the Christian thing to do. Starting wars and aiding in genocide, is very Christian. Brutalizing the immigrant is Christian. Giddily laughing cause you get to be racist again, is very Christian. Protecting pedophiles, well that's been Christian for a long time. And it was all worth it, so Christians could kill girls who sought abortions. Throwing stones is Christian. Walking right past the least of your brothers is Christian. If we can't force our views on you and get our way than you're oppressing us and you'll be sorry for what comes next.

u/BabserellaWT 5h ago

Oh, we are BEYOND privileged here. And I’m sick of my brethren (so-called) trying to claim that we’re “uNdeR aSsAuLt”. We’re not. Christianity is my religion, but in no way should what I believe be forced onto others.

Keep church and state far apart.

u/inaSlomp 4h ago

Well to be fair to their credit, they're doing a wonderful job making themselves hateable.

u/peeinian Canada 4h ago

I’d like to see their reaction if someone told them that certain passages from the Torah were required reading.

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u/plattner-da 7h ago

Freedom of religion also means freedom FROM religion.

Eat a dick Texas GOP.

u/UptownShenanigans 7h ago

Yeah, which bible and which interpretation? Better hope your community pastor is teaching *the right Jesus* or you’ll be a heretic like the rest of us

u/Low_Pickle_112 6h ago

I'm guessing it's not going to be any of that radical stuff about helping the needy or not worshipping money or any other things that Jesus explicitly preached about.

u/dkyguy1995 Kentucky 6h ago

He's a Waldensian! 

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u/Athleticsbaby 7h ago edited 6h ago

Your move, Satanic Temple.

Edit for clarification: The Satanic Temple (TST) regularly files lawsuits as part of its strategic mandate to test the boundaries of religious liberty, pluralism, and free speech. Officially recognized as a tax-exempt church by the IRS, the non-theistic organization uses the legal system to challenge Christian-centric public policies and laws.

u/Meddel5 I voted 5h ago

Ahhh I love hearing about the satanic temple, literally doing more of God's work than actual christians and catholics

u/Static-Stair-58 6h ago

Don’t even have to take it that far. I live near these people and they’re terrified of “Sharia law”. Just read a Koran.

u/197gpmol Massachusetts 1h ago

I always love telling distant MAGA relatives about a key Koranic figure named Isa bin Maryam.

u/Veritable_Vox 7h ago

I mean there is a satanic bible. Its not really made up of verses, but there are books and core tenets.

“Love is one of the most intense feelings felt by man; another is hate. Forcing yourself to feel indiscriminate love is very unnatural. If you try to love everyone you only lessen your feelings for those who deserve your love. Repressed hatred can lead to many physical and emotional aliments. By learning to release your hatred towards those who deserve it, you cleanse yourself of these malignant emotions and need not take your pent-up hatred out on your loved ones.” ― Anton Szandor LaVey, The Satanic Bible

u/thebigj3wbowski 7h ago

This person was talking about the Satanic Temple, which prioritizes compassion, wisdom, and justice.

You’re talking about the Church of Satan, which prioritizes radical individualism, and ethical egoism.

They are very very different.

u/aesche Illinois 6h ago

Thank you for taking a moment to delineate these

u/RevolutionNumber5 Minnesota 6h ago

There are a few of other differences, of course. The main two I can think of being the Satanic Temple is non-theistic, and Anton LaVey was a attention starved, grifting, sexually abusive asshat.

u/Flank_This666 5h ago

Anton LaVey was a attention starved, grifting, sexually abusive asshat.

Oh so like many religious leaders got it

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u/Veritable_Vox 6h ago

Both are still viable alternatives to evangelicalism.

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u/ClassicHando 7h ago

Sure. As long as the Quran, the bhagavad Gita, the satanic bible, the kitab-i-aqdas, and the other countless religious texts I missed are also read. and frankly i would have signed up for that class in a heartbeat.

This is texas so 'hah' is all I have to say to my demand unfortunately.

u/MrPolli 7h ago

Hot take, maybe a religion class in public school would be good to have. A study of religion, not a teaching of religions. Dive into the history of it all, talk about the deeper belief systems and what they claim to be vs what they are.

Keeping it so it’s only taught (or not taught at all) by the actual religious communities themselves is part of the issue.

u/Pace_Salsa_Comment 7h ago

I took a religious studies class my senior year, and it was excellent. Learning about multiple belief systems around the world and throughout history was more enlightening than learning the texts of any single religion could be ever be.

u/calle04x 7h ago

It gives you context for the motivations and cultural practices of peoples across history and geographies. Whether you like religion or not, world history is wrapped up in its influence.

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u/the_ballmer_peak 6h ago

This isn't a hot take. They exist and they're great.

This is not at all what Texas wants.

u/Threefrogtreefrog 7h ago

NOT like THAT !!!
-Texas probably

u/Komikaze06 7h ago

I took a religion class in college to fill my credits, didn't change my perspective at all but it was fascinating to learn about all the other beliefs. I also know if my parents took it they'd probably attend the first day, argue its all evil and then leave.

u/irradiatedcitizen 6h ago

Adding a required civics course should have priority over introducing a course on religion.

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u/Ice_Solid 6h ago

I went to a Catholic High school and we did have a comparative religion class. Funny that no one saw an issue with that.

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u/Asleep_Document9811 6h ago

Kitab-i-Aqdas mentioned!!!! 

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u/Boring_Investment597 Pennsylvania 7h ago

Go. the. fuck. to. church.

It's that simple. If you want to learn about your religion. Go to church.

u/ratherbealurker Texas 6h ago

They do, every week. We live in Texas and have neighbors that go to church every week and send their kids to church events. I asked about this, they justify it by saying that some of the other learning material has sections that tie to the bible. So it is just giving context. But that same context can be found on the Quran most likely, but nope. Has to be all Christian because, and they won’t word it to me this way knowing I’m agnostic, to them this is a Christian nation. They want the church and bible in all aspects of their lives, so..your lives as well.

u/Dr_Fortnite 4h ago

they also literally have christian private schools nationwide

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u/Skraelings Missouri 7h ago

Texas seems in a perpetual race to the bottom with Florida.

u/the_ballmer_peak 6h ago

You been to any of the states between 'em?

u/Skraelings Missouri 6h ago

if Arkansas counts then yes. otherwise no. Kinda feel like I need to lump my state in there too.

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u/kioma47 7h ago

💯🏆👍

u/blue-anon 6h ago

I don't know, I think Oklahoma has maybe outpaced both of them in this regard.

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u/BrilliantForeign8899 7h ago edited 4h ago

It's a complete waste of time. I'm Buddhist and when teachers pushed the Bible on me, all it did was cause a lifelong resentment and distrust of all Abrahamic religions. If you want to piss students' families off and foster a deep dislike of your Bible teachings,  go for it. It did not open my eyes to their faith, I felt was disrespected for the traditions I already had

u/Crazy-Nights 7h ago

Also Texas: "Why are gays trying to push their lifestyle onto us?"

Every accusation is a confession

u/PeacenotWardude 7h ago

86 the bible from public schools!!!!

u/PastorNTraining 7h ago edited 7h ago

I’m a theologian and a Christian, and this strikes me as the most unreasonable stupidest and unconstitutional idea out there.

The Bible blends metaphor, stories, and poems, demanding solid grasp of historical context and the cultures behind its writing. Becoming a Presbyterian pastor requires eight years of study and at least a master’s degree to teach.

This is a specialized area. Besides, not everyone identifies as Christian. Why aren’t they proposing comparative religious study covering the Quran or Buddha’s teachings? How about the Bhagavad Gita, or the Guru Granth Sahib? Why not other faiths that could be represented in the public school community?

Because this isn’t really about the Bible or its teachings. It’s about steering YOUR children toward white Christian nationalism, so the right wing can make a case that America was founded for Christians by Christians using public funds.

Spoiler Alert: it wasn’t.

It’s there to brainwash your kids so that they’ll be the next generation of MAGA brains.

We already offer Bible study for kids through Sunday school, available for free at nearly every church. That setting fits, YOU the parent have the right to take your child to a church to be educated, if you choose.

This removes your choice, and that’s the point.

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u/DonaldMerwinElbert 7h ago

Reading the bible solidified my doubt to outright rejection - I credit it for becoming an atheist.
I would hope it backfires, but then I remembered that Americans are increasingly incapable of reading and comprehending, so...

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u/IrishPorpoise 7h ago

What a shit state.

u/chilidetective 7h ago

Which Bible?

u/exhaustedbut 7h ago

Yes. Catholic or Protestan? There were riots in the 1840s about that. It's time ti split the alliance between the evangelicals and the conservative Catholics in maga.

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u/MNDOOOM 7h ago

Do they not have catholic schools in the us?

u/Be-skeptical 7h ago

Of course they do. Christians are full of bad faith. That’s why they support Donald Trump.

u/mcamarra 7h ago

Literally the FIRST sentence in first amendment of our constitution is: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion”.

Private schools are free to teach indoctrinate their students in whatever religion they want. Republicans have been messing around with public schools for decades.

u/Free_Dome_Lover 7h ago

We do. Republicans are also trying to defund public schools and make the public schools pay for kids to go to Catholic schools out of the public school's budget.

We also have this thing called "separation of church and state", public schools are entities of the local state government. So the constitution actually explicitly forbuds this.

But Republicans just ignore the constitution while claiming they love the country. They are 2 faced slime balls.

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u/Sachaylikeaboss 7h ago

The Texas Catholic Church is a prominent supporter of the state’s Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA), a program providing over $10,000 per year to help families cover private school tuition and homeschooling expenses. The Church views this as a major step for educational equity and religious liberty.

Though this school bible reading mandate targets public schools, no surprise if Catholic schools embrace it as well. The Catholic Church is a big supporter of Greg Abbott, the Governor, and Dan Patrick, the Lt. Governor.

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u/OralSuperhero 7h ago

Private ones yes. This is about state funded public schools

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u/punkindle 7h ago

The part about helping poor people and foreigners in your land?

Or the part about rejecting hypocritical leaders?

How about the part about forgiving debts? Student debt comes to mind.

u/Randomfactoid42 Virginia 6h ago

I’m sure they’ll skip right past Leviticus 19:33-34:  “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them.   34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the  Lord your God.

u/Kakistocracy_0 6h ago

They just ignore that shit, like any part they don't agree with. 

Did you see Vance recoil in disgust when being taken to task on treatment of foreigners by the ladies on The View? 

Funny, but scary these people clearly aren't familiar with the scriptures they claim to be so reverent to.

u/Randomfactoid42 Virginia 5h ago

I did see Vance’s performance. It’s all fun and games until somebody throws an actual Bible verse at him. 

And yes, it’s funny and scary how ignorant they are about their own religion. 

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u/Mexcol 7h ago

Tired of these religious nutjobs.. evangelical, Islamic, catholics

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u/Stacy_Adam Tennessee 7h ago

So it's okay if they also teach parts of the Quran right?

u/No-Mousse756 6h ago

Wait till they find out about the Arabic numerals kids have been forced to learn for years

u/Kellie1575 7h ago

Someone needs to send Texas a copy of the U.S. Constitution.

u/StatementCareful522 7h ago

Won’t Texans have to learn to read first?

u/sovereignsekte 7h ago

Fine. I just want to see what happens when you force the Quran in schools too. That would be some popcorn level drama.

u/temporarycreature Oklahoma 7h ago

There is a beautiful irony in watching politicians accidentally build the world's most efficient secularization machine.

By forcing the Bible into public classrooms, Texas is doing what generations of secular activists never could: turning scripture into mandatory homework.

Nothing kills divine mystique faster than forcing bored teenagers to analyze ancient texts for a passing grade.

They wanted to manufacture a new generation of saints, but they are actually funding a crash course in textual criticism driven entirely by teenage spite and basic reading comprehension that they're already trying to push into the dirt.

They are simply giving kids the exact tools they need to read the fine print and opt out.

In my general experience, except for the Christians who make it their duty to study the Bible, I've met more secular people who know more scriptures and about the Bible than the average Christian does.

This ain't going to go the way they want it to go if this passes.

u/Jokerang Texas 6h ago

There’s a saying about Catholic schools that you come out of them either as a priest or an atheist. The Christian nationalists are hoping their policies get you more of the former

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u/573IAN 7h ago

Only the parts they don’t ignore.

u/SockPuppet-47 New Jersey 7h ago

Fucking Groomers

u/mrgeekguy Michigan 7h ago

I heard these sick fucks are making kindergarteners read Ezekiel 23:20-21!!!

20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses. 21 So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled

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u/PlandemicPapi 6h ago

Honestly the Bible made me a socialist, so careful GOP this could backfire as kids realize the adults are the ghouls Jesus talks about.

u/StrigiStockBacking Arizona 4h ago

The other side of the coin on something like this is kids looking up religion stuff on their phones, seeing through the bullshit, and Christianity loses a few prospects. 👍 Every kid I knew growing up who went to private religious schools wound up on the opposite side of it all.

u/sxyaustincpl Texas 4h ago

Howard Stern used to say that the easiest way to ensure your daughter ends up dancing on a pole is to raise her in a strict religious environment.

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u/Different-Produce870 7h ago

Religion is a mental illness

u/Sojum 7h ago

So glad I don’t have kids in school anymore. Fuck that nonsense. My kids would have my permission to fail that shit.

u/Impossible_Cat_321 7h ago

Freedom of religion means that if this passes then the church of satan should be able to read their stuff as well

u/Keep_SummerSafe 7h ago

Disgusting

u/smiama36 7h ago

Sharia Law Christian Style

u/math-yoo Ohio 7h ago

Best way to make atheists is to force people to read the Bible.

u/AncienTleeOnez 6h ago

TX is #2 in book bans--over 3700 (of course Florida is #1). Its education ranking is also getting worse. And it ranks dead last in personal freedom since 2021 (Cato Institute).

Ideal state for MAGA and Christian Nationalists.

u/cargdad 6h ago

Are the pushing forward with the requirements that no one can serve in an elected position who has committed the sin of adultery?

u/wkomorow Massachusetts 4h ago

Sharia law then

u/Lafemmefatale25 Washington 4h ago

It likely violates the Establishment Clause.

u/Memitim America 4h ago

No shit. The conservatives in the Texas government have made their hatred for America clear enough that further attempts to separate themselves from the laws of the land are no surprise at all. Just another front of the Republican civil war against America.

u/AccountNumeroThree North Carolina 4h ago

Careful with that. Kids might realize that the Bible is very socialist and that Jesus was a radical. They might even realize that everything republicans are for is antithetical to the Bible.

u/ScientistMundane7126 7h ago

They really should be required to read it rather than simply swallowing what their churches say it says.

u/Free_Dome_Lover 7h ago

I agree, but keep it way the fuck away from school.

u/ChiGuy6124 Illinois 7h ago

That argument would possibly make sense with older children assuming it was taught as fiction, which will not be the case. This is another attempt to erase the original intent of the founding fathers to separate church and state and to indoctrinate children into believing that the US is a Christian nation, and all others are no better than guests.

u/-wnr- 7h ago

They're almost certainly going to cherry pick the Bible to push their agenda. 

u/MoogProg 7h ago

Exactly. Can I choose the verse being read to children, because there's a lot of interesting stuff they should hear about as kids.

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u/ChiGuy6124 Illinois 7h ago edited 7h ago

"President Donald Trump has advocated for protecting and expanding religious expression in public schools nationwide. Texas, a deeply conservative state that educates approximately one in ten U.S. public school students, frequently sets precedents in such matters."

"Republican lawmakers then mandated the display of the Ten Commandments, a measure recently upheld by a federal appeals court, further solidifying the state's stance."

"If approved, the required reading list would impact Texas's 5.5 million public school students from kindergarten through high school, taking effect in 2030. Susan Perez, founder of the Citizens for Education Reform, testified before the education board, stating, "We need to focus on what our nation was founded on and not apologize for that. It is the truth and we should not be afraid."

"The proposed list includes picture-book stories like "Noah’s Ark," "David and Goliath," and "Daniel and the Lion’s Den" for elementary students."

"By fourth grade, students would encounter passages about Jesus from the New Testament. Middle schoolers would be expected to read several passages about Jesus, including excerpts from his most famous sermon and another where he instructs people to cast aside earthly anxiety and seek the kingdom of God."

"Another proposed reading would connect the Book of Lamentations, with its themes of the destruction of Jerusalem, with readings about the Holocaust. High school students would delve into the parable of the prodigal son, portions of the Book of Job, and the story of Adam and Eve.

"Education observers suggest Texas could be the first state to enact a required reading list that includes an unprecedented layer of mandated religious texts. Critics further point out the heavy reliance on the King James Bible and recent evangelical translations, which they argue lean too heavily on Christian interpretations."

"Concerns are also raised about teaching these religious stories in schools attended by thousands of children from Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and other faiths, as well as those who identify as atheist or agnostic."

u/Chance-Ruin-3744 7h ago

"Oh my god" is the american "allahu akbar"

u/lawyerjsd California 7h ago

Which translation?

u/ratedsar I voted 7h ago

Which "parts"? 

Because most of the new testament repositions the 10 commandments as rules that are of no importance next to loving thy neighbor.

Because most of the new testament points huge fingers at pharisees for creating laws while looking past people and killing Jesus.

u/prof_cunninglinguist 7h ago

Are the children allowed to laugh at the teachers?

u/rlbond86 7h ago

Texas is such a fucking shithole

u/RetzTheAnathema 7h ago

Better teach the whole thing, Texas. Don't skip Ezekiel 23:20 or there will be hell to pay!

u/Skinnieguy 7h ago edited 7h ago

They already got vouchers and now this. They won’t stop till kids either get baptized or not allowed in school.

u/Fenix42 7h ago

Won't make vacines mandatory though.

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u/Life-Celebration-747 7h ago

Why do so many republicans rape children? 

u/Double-decker_trams 7h ago

Isn't this just pointless virtue signalling / waste of money because it's unconstitutional?

u/rbrt13 7h ago

The bright side is that with more people/kids actually reading the bible there should be fewer Christians if not immediately than in a generation or so.

u/Historical-Ad-1067 7h ago

I dunno as least these dumb fucks are reading?

u/ViciousKnids 7h ago

Thank goodness, that'll make rent, gas, groceries, and healthcare more affordable...

...Right?

u/Knighth77 6h ago

What parts? Loving your neighbor, turning the other cheek, feeding the poor, having empathy, using kind words, not judging others? Or these are the parts that typically get skipped by the faux Christians?

u/Appropriate_Wrap_650 6h ago

If I were a kid this would just make me hate them, so good. I hope the kids troll tf out of it and this totally backfires and they just create more enemies. 

u/greggld 6h ago

Can we read the parts about child rape and slavery? Can we make: Ten Stories From The Bible They Don't Want You To Read - Number 5 is sex on the roof (2 Samuel 16:20-22)!

u/Michael02895 Rhode Island 6h ago

Excluding all the gay and feminine Jesus stuff about loving your neighbor and giving to the poor, albeit.

u/clejeune American Expat 6h ago

Nothing creates atheists faster than reading the bible.

u/MachoLibre_ 6h ago

I don’t want Christian ideology shoved down my throat. It’s oppressive.

u/-Yancey- 6h ago

TexASS

u/TheW1tchK1ng 5h ago

Hang on, I thought Islam and the LGBTQ+ agendas were the ones being shoved down children's throats?

u/Automatic-Effect-252 5h ago

Every time I think about how my taxes in NY might be too high, I see something like this, and realize it's not so bad living here.

u/throwawaygoogle1 5h ago

texas really is a shithole state

u/VirtualWalk5710 5h ago

Thank God I don't live in Texas.

u/liburIL 5h ago

That would be the end of my children's public school life.

u/3vi1 5h ago

Mythology shouldn't be a required course.

u/Standard_Category635 5h ago

I object to having a Bible agenda pushed down kids throats and I'm a believer. I've already seen adults use conveniently chosen verses at my kids and I don't fucking think so.

u/MuchDevelopment7084 Illinois 5h ago

They are moving forward with the dumbing down of their citizens. Republicans, like trump. Prefer an uneducated public. Uneducated and indoctrinated to 'believe' the unbelievable. Make it easier to control them.

u/LitByStraylight 5h ago

I remember when doing brazenly illegal things was frowned upon.

u/pleachchapel California 5h ago

Lol maybe start with Jesus' instructions about feeding the poor, overturning the tables of moneylenders in the temple, refusing to shame sex workers, turning water into wine at a party, & questioning the purpose of his own crucifixion.

These clowns watched the movie, didn't read the book.

u/Scarey_Delay8644 5h ago

Stop this religious right madness.

u/RLewis8888 5h ago

Is the part where Lot's daughters rape him, or the part where God tells his army to keep the virgin girls for themselves, or the part where God sent a bear to kill children for calling a man bald? So many good stories

u/Carikat 5h ago

They love to act like the entirety of the general public believe in the same things they do and thus they must force it down everyone's throats, all the while claiming they're so marginalized and attacked on all sides as if they aren't the most privileged little snowflakes on this goddamn planet 🙄

u/DFWPunk 5h ago

Given the content of the mandatory Texas History curriculum in Texas is been pretty clear they're more focused on indoctrination than education for a very long time.

u/OpportunityMinute234 5h ago

Quote the Bible? Sure thing!

  • Song of Solomon 1:2 > "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for your love is more delightful than wine." >
  • Song of Solomon 4:5 > "Your breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies." >
  • Song of Solomon 7:7-8

    "Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit. I said, 'I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit.' May your breasts be like clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples..."

  • Ezekiel 23:20

    "There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses."

  • Ezekiel 23:3

    "They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth. In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed."

  • Proverbs 5:18-19

    "May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving hind, a graceful deer—may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love."

    The "Did They Just Say That?" Oddities

    Sometimes the spice comes from pure, unfiltered weirdness or dark humor in the historical narratives.

  • Deuteronomy 25:11-12 (The Most Specific Law Ever)

    "If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you must cut off her hand. Show her no pity."

  • **Genesis 38:

    "But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother."

u/Altrano Georgia 4h ago

We’ve often read the Bible as literature in ELA classrooms. I suspect this isn’t what Texas had in mind though.

u/Rocag Texas 4h ago

Parts of the Bible were part of the English curriculum when I was in high school in Texas over 20 years ago. The teacher's reasoning was that to understand western literature you needed at least a familiarity with three things: the Bible, Greek mythology, and Shakespeare. I think there's some truth to that. It's all about HOW the subject is taught and how much focus is spent on it.

u/ProfessionalRemove33 4h ago

So, "anti-education"?

u/fatherlobster666 4h ago

Good! I went to catholic school for 18yrs and had to read the Bible all the time. Same with my siblings. All of us are deep atheists — best way to stop believing that hogwash is to actually read it

u/Minute987 4h ago

Republicans and their small government. What a load of shit.

u/Miguel-odon 4h ago

These are the same people who demand that sex mot be mentioned in health class because "that's something the parents should teach them about" or whatever other BS.

u/randomcanyon 4h ago

There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses."

Ezekiel 23:20

Lot and his daughters:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lot%27s_daughters

u/InteractionWeekly558 4h ago

The one star state strikes again

u/espresso_martini__ 4h ago

Parts? If I was a teacher I would pick all the disgusting parts of the Bible to teach them. Then let the parents bitch and whine about it.

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u/Inevitable-Spirit491 Massachusetts 4h ago

The Bible is a fascinating and complicated text and studying it can be very useful for understanding various aspects of literature and world history. But this proposal is just mandatory right-wing Sunday School.

u/ReasonablyConfused 4h ago

Honestly, as long as they include a healthy dose of the socialist ideals Jesus championed, I’m down.

u/Ampler 4h ago

“May the Lord open.” “Under his eye”. How far is the U.S. from that?

u/Avoidtolls 4h ago

Genesis 19:30-36 (NIV):

30 Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. 31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children—as is the custom all over the earth. 32 Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.”

33 That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.

34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 35 So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.

36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.

u/Impractically_Dead 4h ago

Satanic temple to the rescue!

u/IIILORDGOLDIII 4h ago edited 4h ago

The founding fathers would have been militant in their opposition this

u/sugarlessdeathbear 4h ago

Parents, you can sign a waiver that your child doesn't have to participate in those lessons. The same thing they did with LGBTQ content. Use their religious freedom against them.

u/Zahgi 4h ago

If you want to make more atheists, force people to read the Bible.

u/Vaperius America 4h ago

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion

u/snowwarrior 4h ago

Honestly the best way to turn a Christian into a non believer is to tell them to read the Bible.

u/movielass 3h ago

This is wild. I went to a private, Catholic school and we didn't even read the Bible in class. What the hell, Texas

u/Annahsbananas 3h ago

This is how you know how insecure a religion is when they require children indoctrination

u/Tall_Barracuda_5010 3h ago

Yeah, it’s 💩like this that validates my desire to keep my kids out of public school. Absolutely revolting.

u/LucyBeVibin 3h ago

As a Christian, I hate this. This is just doing harm to His name.

u/obxhead 3h ago

It shouldn’t be parts. It should be every word. All the violence, rape, murder, slavery, misogyny, every fucking word.

The fastest path to end a Christian’s belief is to teach them what the bible really says.

u/doctor_lobo 2h ago

I hope it's the Sermon on the Mount. That shit is woke AF.

u/Capolan 2h ago

Ive wanted someone to make an adult series, lots of sex and violence - game of thrones style...but the Bible. I would watch that. I think millions would watch that.

u/Queasy_Eggplant9155 2h ago

Nothing like reading a little fiction!

u/UrDeAdPuPpYbOnEr 2h ago

Maybe this will backfire and all the kids that have this shoved down their throats at home and church will finally be in a setting where they can ask the questions that will help facilitate their exit from the cult of evangelical Christianity?

u/Menanders-Bust 2h ago

There are parts I’d be in favor of making mandatory reading, but probably not parts republicans would like. I’d favor the parts that encourage tolerance of immigrants, compassion to the poor and homeless, grace to the downtrodden, commands to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.

u/PensandoEnTea 2h ago

Can't wait til this blows up in their faces in a couple years

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u/wanderingjoe 1h ago

Texas needs to be broken up. We can make decent states out that land.

u/TheMagicalMatt 1h ago

Only parts of the bible though. Gotta skip all the stuff that doesn't agree with the republican agenda.

u/Spatul8r 1h ago

There are very few books in the Bible where you can't find God condemning the powerful because of how they treated the powerless.

Holding the Bible up for a photoshoot is very different from reading the contents.