Religions > Atheism > Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural high schools.
| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"The List Man" |
| Date: |
15 May 2006 03:07:12 PM |
| Object: |
Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural high schools. |
Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural high schools.
Southport, North Carolina's The State Port Pilot is reporting this
week that the Brunswick County Board of Education has backed down on
their planned policy to allow faith-based organizations into the
county's public high schools. Chairman Scott Milligan told the local
newspaper that, "I know many of you were expecting this to be approved
tonight, but after legal consideration and feedback and various points
of view, we still have some issues with it." The debate to change the
policies stemmed from an event that took place this past March where
the evangelistic group known as The Gideons International requested
permission to distribute bibles to students. Most of the bibles that
travelers find in their hotel rooms originate from this same group
of evangelists. As a result, they drafted a policy to grant "any"
religious group access to the high schools. The newspaper added that,
"Since approval of the first draft, board members have been bombarded
with requests to hand out materials from both Christian and non-Christian
faiths, including Buddhists, Wiccans and Pagans. The American Civil
Liberties Union and the Freedom From Religion Foundation have
threatened legal action." With fear of having to allow Wiccan
materials to be distributed to the schools and possible legal
action from the ACLU, they have decided to place it on hold. Board
member Jimmy Hobbs told the newspaper that, "When we started this
I said, ‘No one wants a lawsuit.’ We need much wisdom as we move
forward. There has been a lot of media hype on the issue. All I
wanted was some healthy debate. I’m in no way going to drop this
matter. I intend to push forward, but I will not rush into it."
Article: http://www.stateportpilot.com/stories/school-board0510.htm
This seems to be a rather sly and very slick tactic on the part of
Gideons International. They are trying to win the right to distribute
bibles in public high schools. They decided to target rural conservative
small towns like the small middle to upper class port town in North Carolina,
called Southport. It was only recently when the school board in the small
town of Dover, PA was voted out of that city only due to the opposition by
democratic voters. Unfortunately for them, the ACLU is never too far behind
them as local pagans are always eager to write to their local ACLU chapters
requesting their involvement. It was not until after the Brunswick County Board
of Education received pressure from the ACLU and other religious organizations
that they finally backed down on the clandestine policy.
Who is Gideons International?
They are an evangelical Christian organization that is funded by
numerous churches. Nearly 90% of the bibles that travelers find in
their hotel rooms come from this organization. The next time you travel
to a hotel, look at the cover of the bible. You are very likely to see
on the front cover their logo with the message, "Placed By The Gideons."
These bibles are given to the hotels for free as a result of the donations
that they receive from numerous churches. The bibles are also distributed
to prisons, hospitals, as well as military bases in the U.S. Their website
claims that they have delivered up to 63,000,000 scriptures worldwide in
over 80 languages in more than 180 countries around the world. They are
a massive organization.
Website: http://www.gideons.org/
They are very much a very large organization, and they have very much tried to
use their emense power to manipulate a small school board in a very rural part
of the United States known as Southport, North Carolina.
This is just another shrewd example of how religious organizations are
trying to sneak their way into the public school system. There is
something in common with most of these cases. Most of them take place
with well orchestrated plans by these multi-million dollar organizations
to target the schools in rural towns rather than in big cities where such
an effort would definitely spark more media attention. The ACLU is always
right on top of things like this and if you notice any activity in your
area, as a pagan, you are encouraged to write to the ACLU and other
organizations.
--
The List Man
http://www.esotericwonders.com
.
|
|
| User: "Melanie Boxall" |
|
| Title: Re: Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural high schools. |
18 May 2006 06:16:49 AM |
|
|
I've heard of ONE Pagan group that did the leaflet thing, but it was in
retaliation for Christian groups standing outside schools and handing out
<shudder> Chick Tracts. It was more damage control than anything. Still not
sure I approve, but I sort of understand.
--
Melanie the Determined
http://stores.ebay.ca/Mooncats-Basement
(Don't dream it; BE it!)
"Tigrah" <felinefan@pmt.org> wrote in message
news:126nhn9oskvqj19@corp.supernews.com...
See, that's the thing though. Most pagans don't stand out there with
leaflets. I haven't heard of any religeons other than budhism and hari
krishnas that do that kind of thing. And I may even be wrong about that.
--
Tigrah
=^.^=
"LisaKay" <LisaKay2054@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1147899572.407403.133850@j55g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
College students are adults and can make up their own minds. That
said, if all groups would be allowed to distribute their literature, I
would donate to pagan groups (I'm an atheist, by the way) and as many
other non-traditional religious groups as possible. I would almost
enjoy seeing the kids come home with very non-Christian literature. It
would certainly open some minds and freak out the close-minded!! :-)
-LisaKay
aa#2054
.
|
|
|
|
| User: "Raist" |
|
| Title: Re: Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural highschools. |
17 May 2006 06:24:16 PM |
|
|
Michael Gray wrote:
On Mon, 15 May 2006 16:07:12 -0400, The List Man
<listhunter@esotericwonders.com> wrote:
- Refer: <4468DF70.D68F3FA@esotericwonders.com>
Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural high schools.
:
I am a rabid atheist, but I don't have a problem with this.
The Gideons are not requiring state funding.
Where is the problem?
The problem (or so it seems to me) is that the Board of Education was
going to allow this, but then discovered that this would oblige them to
allow it from *any* faith based orginisation. The thought of "Buddhists,
Wiccans and Pagans" offering free pamphlets or reading materials in the
same way the Gideons did scared the pants off of them, so they backed down.
So yes, I do have somewhat of a problem allowing one group to distribute
material and not another.
R.
.
|
|
|
|
| User: "Dean" |
|
| Title: Re: Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural high schools. |
17 May 2006 12:59:18 PM |
|
|
Michael Gray wrote:
On Mon, 15 May 2006 16:07:12 -0400, The List Man
<listhunter@esotericwonders.com> wrote:
- Refer: <4468DF70.D68F3FA@esotericwonders.com>
Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural high schools.
:
I am a rabid atheist, but I don't have a problem with this.
The Gideons are not requiring state funding.
Where is the problem?
There is no better inducement to atheism than a bible, well read.
I say: "Bring 'em on!"
If I recall correctly, however, they usually only supply New Testament
bibles to hotels (can anyone confirm?). Specifically because of what
you just said. Nobody would read Job and think that this was a god you
wanted to associate with.
It would be interesting to see if they distributed the whole thing, or
just the NT.
.
|
|
|
| User: "Tigrah" |
|
| Title: Re: Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural high schools. |
17 May 2006 01:37:24 PM |
|
|
I doubt they do, the only ones I've seen from them are the new testament.
--
Heather
=^.^= Feline Fanatica Graphics
"Dean" <dionysus_2112@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1147888758.098473.147880@y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
If I recall correctly, however, they usually only supply New Testament
bibles to hotels (can anyone confirm?). Specifically because of what
you just said. Nobody would read Job and think that this was a god you
wanted to associate with.
It would be interesting to see if they distributed the whole thing, or
just the NT.
.
|
|
|
|
| User: "Michael Gray" |
|
| Title: Re: Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural high schools. |
17 May 2006 10:17:52 PM |
|
|
On 17 May 2006 10:59:18 -0700, "Dean" <dionysus_2112@hotmail.com>
wrote:
- Refer: <1147888758.098473.147880@y43g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>
Michael Gray wrote:
On Mon, 15 May 2006 16:07:12 -0400, The List Man
<listhunter@esotericwonders.com> wrote:
- Refer: <4468DF70.D68F3FA@esotericwonders.com>
Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural high schools.
:
I am a rabid atheist, but I don't have a problem with this.
The Gideons are not requiring state funding.
Where is the problem?
There is no better inducement to atheism than a bible, well read.
I say: "Bring 'em on!"
If I recall correctly, however, they usually only supply New Testament
bibles to hotels (can anyone confirm?). Specifically because of what
you just said. Nobody would read Job and think that this was a god you
wanted to associate with.
It would be interesting to see if they distributed the whole thing, or
just the NT.
That would be interesting, but I'm not going to book a hotel room just
to find out!
--
Michael Gray.
Founding Member and Doorman,
Earthquack's 666 Club.
EAC Trainee Inquisitor of the month (2nd runner up: April)
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
.
|
|
|
|
|
| User: "Yeata" |
|
| Title: Re: Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural high schools. |
15 May 2006 09:44:47 PM |
|
|
When I was in middle school, a lot of Gideons would stand outside with
small, orange, New Testaments. No one was required to take one, and I
don't actually remember them even saying anything. Some people took,
some didn't, but it wasn't forced either, so hey.
.
|
|
|
| User: "Michael Gray" |
|
| Title: Re: Gideons International is trying to sneak bibles into rural high schools. |
16 May 2006 04:19:26 AM |
|
|
On 15 May 2006 19:44:47 -0700, "Yeata" <YeataMoon@yahoo.com> wrote:
- Refer: <1147747487.421451.197000@j33g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>
When I was in middle school, a lot of Gideons would stand outside with
small, orange, New Testaments. No one was required to take one, and I
don't actually remember them even saying anything. Some people took,
some didn't, but it wasn't forced either, so hey.
I used the pages to roll cigarettes with, so they were welocomed.
--
Michael Gray.
Founding Member and Doorman,
Earthquack's 666 Club.
EAC Trainee Inquisitor of the month (2nd runner up: April)
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Related Articles |
|
|
