Republicans and Religion

Since January of this year Religious Republican (and only Republican) legislators in Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Missouri, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and New Mexico have introduced legislation to allow religious teachings in public schools. They deny that it’s for religion, but once again we find otherwise respectable people “lying for Jesus.” And what gets me is everyone knows it’s a lie.

Almost all of them have wording similar to this: “critical analysis” or teaching “strengths and weaknesses” and “Academic Freedom” I’m guessing that these people from the religious groups and the legislators they control don’t quite understand that we’re on to them, because they use the same wording over and over again from state to state.It is evangelical fundamentalist Young Earth RELIGION that they are trying to insert into the curriculum of public (that means state/government sponsored) schools.  They want teachers to lie about the science behind evolution and the history of the earth and humanity; they are trying to move their foundational mythology to the status of science, so they can guarantee the cultural reproduction of their views.

However as the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) puts it;

“Teachers have no freedom to misinform and miseducate students. It is scientifically inappropriate and educationally irresponsible to present ID under its own name or in any other guise as scientifically credible. And it is unconstitutional to do so in the public schools.” (My emphasis)

Some of these views are pretty amazing.  The Reconstructionist faction of the fundamentalists wants to eventually restore Biblical law over the land. They believe that many areas of society now under control of secular government should be under control of family, churches, or private organizations.

“For example, since the book of Deuteronomy assigns to parents the responsibility of educating children, state-sponsored schools are considered a violation of Biblical law.  Under Reconstructionist generally libertarian guidelines, the civil government plays no part in personal retirement plans, welfare, or regulation of business, other than to maintain order and restrain fraudulent behavior.  Minimum-wage laws and Social Security would be eliminated.  All inheritance taxes and gift taxes would be abolished.  Income taxes would rise no higher than 10 percent of gross income.” From: ‘Religion and Politics’, (1992) Bruce Barron and Anson Shupe, Praeger Publishers, Westport Connecticut

Do some of these goals ring a bell with anyone? The Republicans have been leaders in trying to get all government regulation overthrown for big-business, keeping minimum-wages low or non-existent, the elimination Social Security and Medicare is presently simmering under the surface, and they have been trying for years to get the inheritance and gift tax laws thrown out. And they want taxes on big earners to be next to nothing. A lot of these goals are almost attained.  We should really worry about this.  I don’t fancy living under a theocratic dictatorship, which is exactly what it would be.

It should be noted they also want to restore the death penalty for numerous offenses outlined in the Old Testament.  You know like: Adultery (I suspect this will backfire on them), homosexuality, dissing your parents and old bald guys, etc. 🙂
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