The Freedom From Religion Foundation has sent a letter to Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin denouncing his deeply misinformed promotion of religion in schools after last week’s horrific events in Charlottesville.
On an Aug. 15 radio interview, the governor blamed the white nationalist violence that exploded on the removal of bibles from classrooms in the 1960s. Bevin — who recently signed a troublesome bill allowing for the bible to be taught in public schools — said that “mayhem” like Charlottesville has become more common as a result of the removal of biblical teachings from society.
FFRF reiterates to Bevin that biblical indoctrination of public school children is a major breach in the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the Kentucky state constitution, which prohibit the government from endorsing religion. Public schools exist to educate, not to proselytize a captive audience of students.
Furthermore, FFRF writes that it is highly inappropriate for Bevin to opportunize on tragedy to promote the bible:
“Ironically, the bible that you want to unconstitutionally inject in public schools encourages violence and racism,” write FFRF Co-Presidents Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker. “Inculcating more American children in the ways of the bible would not have prevented Charlottesville.”
FFRF’s letter documents the ways in which the bible has been used to justify such atrocities as slaveholding, racism and genocide. The holy book Bevin would like to promote to children has also been used to perpetuate the hateful ideologies of terror groups like the KKK, who has defined itself as Christian.
FFRF draws on history to inform Bevin that the bible will only teach intolerance to children. For example, the presence of bibles in schools has led to riots in the past over which version should be taught.
“If you want less violence, less religion is a good place to start,” writes FFRF.
“Your inflammatory comments were short on facts, history, and reality, much less a reverence for the First Amendment and its Establishment Clause,” FFRF’s letter noted. “Religion divides our one nation, indivisible; it does not unite it.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national state/church watchdog with more than 29,000 members across the country, including members in Kentucky and a chapter, FFRF Kentucky. Its purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
FFRF draws on history to inform Bevin that the bible will only teach intolerance to children. For example, bibles in schools have led to riots in the past over which version should be taught.
“If you want less violence, less religion is a good place to start,” writes FFRF.
“Your inflammatory comments were short on facts, history, and reality, much less a reverence for the First Amendment and its Establishment Clause,” FFRF’s letter noted. “Religion divides our one nation, indivisible; it does not unite it.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national state/church watchdog with more than 29,000 members across the country, including members in Kentucky and a chapter, FFRF Kentucky. Its purposes are to protect the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
