KY Bill allowing Bible literacy classes in public schools

[Bengalzona]

Personally, I see this kind of course as something that should be offered as an elective at a university rather than at a public high school or middle school.

Also I think there is some relevancy in studying the Bible, regardless of a person's religious or non-religious beliefs. Most atheists and agnostics I know tend to have read and studied more of the Bible than most Christians I know. If you are going to argue for or against something, it is important to know what it says first.

I think the Bible has historic relevance. I hear the arguments against the Bible being a historical document, the gist of which is that it was made for propaganda purposes. This is true. But this is a criticism that applies to pretty much every history up to and including modern times. A Roman historian tended to write from a Roman-centric viewpoint. He did not consider too many (if any) other views. Modern historians are now trained to consider the viewpoints of histories and their writers, and to seek out additional viewpoints which may verify or dispute. This is a relatively newer way of looking at history, but it leads to a more complete picture. A Bible can be used as one of several sources when considering a some historical period or events (the Babylonians overrunning Judah, the Roman occupation of the Levant, etc.). That said, it should never be viewed as the sole or complete source for history.

The Bible has made a contribution to our literature as well. Stories, parables and quotes from the Bible are referenced in may other literature works. Many of the phrases worked in the King James Bible are still used in common conversation today (in fact, many people cannot differentiate quotes from the King James Bible and quotes from Shakespeare). There is also the fact that, while it is not the earliest known writings, parts of the Hebrew Bible are among the earliest we know of and that are still existing.

The Bible has also had an influence on our legal system (outside of the whole misguided "legislating the Bible" movement). It contains one of the earliest known legal systems in the laws of Moses (the Mitzvah). This would become a precursor to modern legal systems. In that sense, and the fact that our current legal system values precedent, it is important to consider the sources of how we got to where we are.

There is a lot to be learned in our society from studying the Bible beyond the religious teachings in it.