Can't read Bible for show and tell

Recently covered in the Associated Press, was a story about a mother who was not allowed to read a passage from the Bible for her son's show and tell presentation. The mother argued with the court that holidays have been talked about previously at school so reading a passage from the Bible would be no different. In response the court said, "there was a 'significant difference' between identifying such holidays and reading from Scripture." The lawyer said that the school district can restrict material but they have to be "viewpoint neutral" once they invite parents in to celebrate their children. In the end this argument was more so about the mothers interest then the son's connection to his religion. In reality the son's babysitter said that his favorite book was "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" instead of the Bible.

I think that this is a significant current event because it shows how there is a very thin line about how much religious references can be taught in school. I believe that holidays should be taught as a learning example but not looked into as far as the Scriptures.

Associated Press. “Court rules that Pennsylvania woman Donna Kay Busch can't read Bible to son's kindergarden class.” New York Daily News. New York Daily News, n.p. 8 Feb 2010.

School board to pay in Jesus prayer suit.

Two Jewish Families sued a Delaware school over their policies on religion. They sued, "over the the pervasiveness of Christian prayer and other religious activities in the school." For instance, school board meetings starting with prayer was one thing that upset thedon't feel parties. One of the Jewish mothers, Mona Dobrich, suggested that the school board should consider more generic and less exclusionary prayers. Although the school was made to change its policy, the Dobrich family decided to move for the well being of their children.
As a Jewish student living in Deerfield, I that there is a big religious bias in our school. If I were living in Delaware at that time I would have been a little annoyed with all the Jesus talk but I would accept it as part of a religion as long as it did not get in the way of my education. I don't think that these two families should have made such a big deal about the issue. They embarrassed their kids and have hurt the school financially for having to compensate them.


Banerjee, Neela. "School board to pay in Jesus prayer suit.(National Desk)." The New York Times. 157. 54234 (Feb 28, 2008): A15(L). Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 8 Feb. 2010 .

Inherit the Wind

This play deals with the topic of teaching evolution versus religious theory in schools. Mr Cates, the main character, is taken to court for teaching his high school class about evolution. The court found that there is no way to explain to kids how the world was formed without God being involved in it as well. Cates's lawyer, Drummond, argued "Darwin moved us forward to a hilltop, where we could look back and see the way from which we came. But for this view, this insight, this knowledge, we must abandon our faith in the pleasent poetry of Genesis."(p.83) In addition to that statement, Rachel, one of Cates's students testified that Cates taught her, "God did not create man! Man created God."(70) This accusation left Cates's case down the gutter. Brady, a lawyer against Cates said, "in fact, he determined that the Lord began the creation on the 23rd of October in the year 4,004 B.C. at-uh, at 9 A.M.!(85) In the end the court found Cates guilty of violating public act volume 37,statute number 31428. His punishment was a fine of 500 dollars. Although Cates did not win the case he did however set a great example of fighting against the majority with what he believed was right. Religion has no place in the classroom. Drummond said, "You don't suppose this kind of thing is ever finished,do you? Tomorrow it'll be something else- and another fella will have to stand u. And you've helped give him the guts to do it."(110)
From this i learn that no mater what religion a teacher is, it is important to teach the facts to the students without religious bias. I'm happy today that we are taught evolution in school because it is necessary to learn from where we came. I was upset that Cates did not win the case but happy that he took the first step in trying to make a difference even though he did not have a chance.


Lawence,Jerome and Robert E. Lee. Inherit the Wind. New York, NY: A Bantam Book, 1955. Print.

A Lack of Religion Does Not Cuase Crime

In contrast to the previous article I read about how atheism is harming society, this article argues that lack of religion does not cause crime. He said that people with religious affiliation are actually more likely to commit crimes. He says that being religious does not always promote good deeds nor prevent crimes. An exception to this rule are those people who can sit through services in church. "They do not need to engage in activities to get themselves aroused or excited. So, they may not commit as many crimes."
I believe that people who only practice religion will be likely to not commit crimes because if people do not have something to occupy their time, they are likely to get bored. They turn to crime,as the article explained, for excitement even if it does go against their morals.
A lack of religion, as well, does not cause more crime. People who are atheistic have mastered living in a world without the belief in a God and the restriction of religious rules to follow, therefore they have more self control than others who are kept in line with harsh rules of society and religion.

Conyers, Lisa, and Phillip Harvey. "A Lack of Religion Does Not Cuase Crime." Current Controversies: Crime Paul A. Winters. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998. Opposing Viewpoints Reasource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 5 Feb. 2010

Atheism Harms Society

In this article, Dinesh D'souza comments about how historically religion has been unfairly blamed for being responsible for countless deaths over the years, while dictators have killed many more in attempt to soley gain power. He believes that religion offers a set of morals that denounce the killing of innocent people while atheism doesn't. He believes that dictators such as Hitler was successful in murdering millions without having religion attached to it. Yes, a majority of people he killed were Jewish but he did not do it just because they were Jewish. This was a fight for power.
Same for the current problem of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is not rooted in religious beliefs but a dispute over self-determination and land.
D'souza believes that religion teaches morality that atheistic people do not understand. He thinks, "Atheism, not religion, is the real force behind the mass murders of history."
I don't fully agree with this because, religion is not the only way to learn important lessons in humility. Living in a world shapes who we are and I don't think that atheism is the cause for all the harm in society.

Dinesh D'Souza. "Atheism Harms Society." Opposing Viewpoints: Atheism. Ed. Beth Rosenthal. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale Deerfield High School. 7 Feb. 2010

Intelligent Design vs. Evolution

This article was about how teaching evolution in school is another form of religious bias.It claims that life is not designed but can be explained via material causes. The article says, "...the court has effectivly caused the state to endorse materialism and the various religions it supports. Thus the court actually inserted a religious bias into science, while purporting to remove one." And then the court goes on to say, "in no way conflicts with, nor does it deny, the existance of a divine creator." --while it clearly does!
Educators only provide students with a limited amount of evidance, therefore favoring one relgion or another. I think that there will always be a bit of relgious controversy over how the earth was created although for scientific purposes I think that it should be ok to teach in schools. I mean clearly there is a lot to be learned about how we came to be, and I don't think just because there are a few arguments means we need to stop teaching this unit to future generations. We need to bring up the materials and be able to learn and build ideas off of them.

Is God actually the creator of this world?

Can there be other reasons for this planet's existance?




John H. Calvert. "Outlawing Discussion of Intelligent Design in Schools Is a Violation." At Issue: Intelligent Design vs. Evolution. Ed. Louise Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 5 Feb. 2010 .

Where I am now?

Where am I now? After around two weeks of studying my topic of relgiion i have found a lot of areas that intrest me. Recently i read a primary document about religion relating to citizens and the issue of if it should be taught in school. I thought that was very intresting. I also like how relgion and law work together... or against one another. I would still like to find more information about specific influencial people or events that happened after the civil rights movement.