Oklahoma’s top education official ordered public schools Thursday to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12, the latest effort by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms.

The directive drew immediate condemnation from civil rights groups and supporters of the separation of church and state, with some calling it an abuse of power and a violation of the U.S. Constitution.

The order sent to districts across the state by Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters says adherence to the mandate is compulsory and “immediate and strict compliance is expected.”

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/16932713

>...the state Supreme Court ruled against allowing what would have been the nation’s first taxpayer-funded, state-sponsored religious public charter school.

Linked article mostly just covers the bare bones and a comment from the state AG.

If you want more flavor here's some different coverages:

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/25/oklahoma-high-court-rejects-religious-charter-school-contract-00164843

https://apnews.com/article/public-religious-catholic-charter-school-unconstitutional-oklahoma-e4ef414605094313331a39cc645ede8a

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2024/06/25/oklahoma-state-funded-religious-charter-school-unconstitutional/74205802007/

https://okcfox.com/news/local/oklahoma-supreme-court-rules-st-isidore-charter-school-contract-unconstitutional-public-religious-funds-statewide-virtual-charter-school-board-constitution-establishment-clause-freedom-religious-practice

Direct link to the opinion:

https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/oag/documents/news-documents/2024/june/1058190300-20240625-085757-.pdf

> At one point the qualifications for membership were that one must be 21 years old, possess a good character, not be a Communist and be a Caucasian. By the late 1970s the all-white provision had officially been rescinded, but, because the Order used the blackball to admit new members, it was difficult for minorities to gain membership. In 1979 the FOE tried to get a lawsuit dismissed that alleged it was violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by not allowing African Americans to use their athletic facilities. The article stated that a local Eagle official could only cite Joe Louis as a black member of the FOE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraternal_Order_of_Eagles

Learn all about-

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Who is there to teach you about Jesus? Why, it's the Riverdale gang!

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But not just Archie and Jughead, oh no. A much bigger fish!

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Enjoy!

In a surprising and troubling decision, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario has ruled against Adam Knauff, a firefighter who made global headlines for filing a legal case after he faced discrimination for being vegan. The case raised a novel issue—whether a vegan belief system counts as a “creed”, a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Mr. Knauff plans to appeal the decision by seeking judicial review in the Divisional Court of Ontario.

This lady is super stupid.

There’s a parable here somewhere.

So I am out with my family for Father's Day and we passed a church who had:

"What's your favorite Bible verse? Post it on our Facebook."

And it got me to wondering how they would react if someone started posting all of the verses from their storybook that specifically call out the behavior of modern Christians. All the ones about welcoming immigrants and providing shelter and care for the poor, or deriding capitalism. Wonder what would happen if people did that en masse? I almost want to write a bot to go through and do it.

cross-posted from: https://lemy.lol/post/26754061

> https://archive.is/bnGfr

I talk about my beliefs about what happens during the process of death, and how that can provide comfort as an atheist.

(The joke is that US Christians whine about being ostracized while every US president so far has publicly claimed to be a Christian, although that claim's validity is debatable for many. There are other groups that haven't been represented in the position, including worshippers of any other religion, women, openly LGBT+ folk, and until 2009, non-Caucasians.)

I saw an ad for this article because I forgot to enable adblocker and clicked it to make them lose money. I needed to wait for it to get approved but they did not notice the satire.

The article, for the record, says:

> [Stock photo of a cross with Bible quote overlaid]: > > > "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" > > (Ephesians 6:12-17) > > SUNDAY SERVICE > ## DOMINION OVER SPIRITUAL TERRORISTS 1A > > March 26, 2024 > > There is a general lukewarmness in the Church today and it would appear to have started after the Covid 19 pandemic. It is not peculiar to this nation and it is not a good sign. People are now very lazy about the things of God; lazy to gather, they prefer virtual meetings instead. This is in direct violation of the word of God. How many people even participate in the virtual meetings properly? Many times during the virtual service, some people are busy doing other things in their homes. This is a lie of the devil, a very big one. > > The Church is in dire need of revival. The Church in this nation is under the siege of spiritual terrorism. It is not just ordinary. The level of physical terrorism going on in this nation is not ordinary, there is more to it. They are getting bolder by the day and because they have noticed that there is no push back, they keep pushing for more grounds and take more territories. > > Today, there is a very blurry of line between the world and the Church; tradition of the people (vain traditions) and the Church. It happens even in the Church. It is written in the Bible that a time will come when it will be difficult for anyone to be a Christian. > > > text > > "You may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days > > it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian”. > > > > 2 Timothy 3:1 TLB > > A lot of people are too encumbered. God’s work is a fiery work, only burning forces can move it forward. If you are no longer passionate about the things of God, it is an indication that something has gone terribly wrong. I pray that God will silence every voice of the adversary that is trying to put off the fire of God in your life, trying to dilute, trying to diffuse, trying to dislocate, trying to confuse, trying to deceive, trying to disrupt and trying to divert to direct your attention away from the presence of God in the mighty name of Jesus. > > Nothing is better than being in the presence of God. The Psalmist understood it when he said, I was glad when they say to me, let us go into the house of the Lord. That should be our song; to be excited when we are called into the presence of God. It is only in the presence of God that you find meaning to life, that you find fulfillment, treasures and fullness of joy. That is the only place that makes sense. > > #### 𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐘 – > > * Lord, please help me. Do not allow me to get cold. I want to be where you want me to be at all times doing what you want me to do and fulfilling it all the way, all the time. > * Hear my cry and attend to the voice of my supplication. Be not far from me. Do not allow me to put the things that should come last first and put the things that should come first last. Help me not to put the wrong foot forward. > * Make me a person of your presence. I desire your presence more than I desire gold. Grant me grace to walk with you. Supernaturally empower me that I may operate in the highest in the name of Jesus. > * Uphold me by your spirit and guide me. Shield me, O Lord, from taking wrong decisions. Help me to prioritize aright. For one thing is needful: your presence. Help me. I depend on you. > * Do not allow me to get cold. Let the fire of your presence be intensified in my life in the name of Jesus. > * Kindle the fire of your presence and keep me burning for you; keep me aglow in the name of Jesus. Thank you, Lord. I give you praise, in Jesus’ name. > > TO BE CONTINUED.

The comment thread:

> George Goode Willow / June 2, 2024 at 8:55 pm: > > Oh no, not the anti-Christian society of today! I pray I’ll live to see an openly Christian president in the US. > > Liked by 1 person > > > holyghostfellowship / June 2, 2024 at 10:40 pm: > > > > AMEN

Anyway, there is another comment: ! Well, how did you end up on the sodomy, sodomy, weed website, Arsnof?

And look, they celebrate June as ummm... New Month! !

Elementary school curriculum proposed this week would infuse new state reading and language arts lessons with teachings on the Bible, marking the latest push by Texas Republicans to put more Christianity in public schools.

The Texas Education Agency released the thousands of pages of educational materials this week. They have been made available for public viewing and feedback and, if approved by the State Board of Education in November, will be available for public schools to roll out in August of 2025. Districts will have the option of whether to use the materials, but will be incentivized to do so with up to $60 per student in additional funding.

Crosspost

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/15908405

>Training materials produced by the Florida Department of Education direct middle and high school teachers to indoctrinate students in the tenets of Christian nationalism, a right-wing effort to merge Christian and American identities. Thousands of Florida teachers, lured by cash stipends, have attended trainings featuring these materials.

> A three-day training course on civic education, conducted throughout Florida in the summer of 2023, included a presentation on the "Influences of the Judeo-Christian Tradition" on the founding of the United States. According to speaker notes accompanying one slide, teachers were told that "Christianity challenged the notion that religion should be subservient to the goals of the state," and the same hierarchy is reflected in America's founding documents. That slide quotes the Bible to assert that "[c]ivil government must be respected, but the state is not God." Teachers were told the same principle is embedded in the Declaration of Independence.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/33205775

> Pope Francis apologizes for using a homophobic slur during a meeting with bishops | CNN > > >“The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who felt offended by the use of a term, as reported by others,” the Vatican said in a Tuesday statement. > > >“As he (Pope Francis) has said on several occasions, ‘in the Church there is room for everyone, everyone! No one is useless, no one is superfluous, there is room for everyone. Just as we are, everyone.’” > > Seems like they’re playing it off as “grandpa had a woopsie”.

Link for you unbelievers!

https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Spirit-Board-Games/dp/B09QH3HC72/ref=sr_1_1

> DISCIPLES IN THE MOONLIGHT takes place in the not-too-distant future after the government has banned the Bible for its “offensiveness” and replaced it with a government-approved version. A small group of Christians are recruited to smuggle God’s Word to underground churches throughout the Midwest. With a ruthless federal agent in hot pursuit, the believers must choose between following the law or honoring and trusting God.

A public school in Alabama invited a preacher to speak to students about Jesus and lead them in prayer. One reason we know that is because the preacher bragged about how he got away with itonline.

It happened at Stanhope Elmore High School, part of the Elmore County Schools District, on April 12. John Eklund was the speaker at a mandatoryassembly that students were told would address “mental health.”

As a licensed clinical social worker, Eklund could have told students about how to deal with mental health struggles in a way that was universal. Instead, he used the opportunity to proselytize before leading students in a group prayer.

Was he going rogue? Did he do this despite promises that he would keep things secular?

Nope. It seems the school was well aware of what he planned to do.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/15573986

> Tacos.

Oops. Forgot the front cover.

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Imagine being such a persecuted group in America that you get to blast spam mail to everyone in your community in the name of religion with no repercussions.

It is freeing to recognize that I have never sinned and it pissed Christians off when I say this. To clarify, in Christianity sin is not simply "the bad things we do" it is specifically an offense against god. God does not exists so i have never sinned against him.

I've been an atheist for for 16 years but it was only recently that I realized this distinction. It short-circuits the guilt based evangelism. It forces the christian to first demonstrate that god exists before they can convince me I have sinned and need to be saved from that sin. And to say the least, they are ill equipped to demonstrate the existence of god.

Lawrence Hecker pleaded the fifth 117 times as he detailed how the Catholic church protected him for more than two decades after he admitted to molesting children

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