Chuck Norris: Academic Qualifications Unnecessary to Teach Bible
Chuck Norris, 2004
Photo: Frederick M. Brown /
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One defender of this position is Chuck Norris, an actor who seems to be trying to re-invent himself as an opinion columnist focusing on promoting the political and religious agenda of Christian extremism. He has argued that Christians shouldn’t vote for atheists and has attacked the principle of church/state separation by arguing that the presidency is a "divine" institution rather than a secular office. It's thus no surprise that he would reject teaching about the Bible in an academic, scholarly manner in public schools.
Chuck Norris accuses the Texas Freedom Network of requesting five "unnecessary" changes to a Texas bill authorizing the creation of Bible classes in public schools:
Mandate that teachers have appropriate academic qualifications and sufficient training on legal and constitutional issues surrounding instruction about the Bible in public schools.
Require rigorous, scholarly reviewed textbooks and other curriculum materials for all courses.
Include strong and specific language that protects the religious freedom of students and their families by barring the use of Bible classes to evangelize or promote personal religious perspectives.
Require the Texas Education Agency to regularly monitor and report on the content of public school Bible courses to ensure that they are academically and legally appropriate.
Continue to allow districts the option to offer – or not offer – such courses.
According to Chuck Norris, then, it's apparently unnecessary that someone teaching about the Bible have "appropriate academic qualifications" or any training on "legal and constitutional issues" related to such classes. It's unnecessary to use texts that are rigorous or scholarly. It's unnecessary to protect the religious freedom of students. It's unnecessary that classes be monitored to ensure that academic and legal standards are being upheld. It's unnecessary for schools to have the choice to offer such classes.
Proclaiming any one of these as unnecessary is inconsistent with wanting students to learn more about the Bible as a factor in art, literature, philosophy, politics, and history. It's inconsistent with believing that students are missing out academically by being unfamiliar with basic biblical stories, themes, images, and uses. It is, however, completely consistent with wanting to teach Bible courses that are little more than Sunday School classes. It's consistent with using "academics" as a disingenuous excuse for proselytization and evangelization in the schools — for using Bible courses as a means for promoting, endorsing, and indoctrinating Christianity.
The National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools posted Chuck Norris' column on the front page of their web site, so it seems reasonable to think that they agree with his position. After all, Norris is one of their advisory board members. I don't think they would post his column like that if they didn't agree that all of the above proposals are "unnecessary" and, therefore, that there's no point in making Bible classes academically, scholarly, or legally strong.
Then again, it might be too much to expect them to be entirely forthright in acknowledging their agreement with him. The original article on World Net Daily had a sub-heading near the end proclaiming that getting the NCBCPS curriculum into public schools is "your first step to get God back into your public school." Chuck Norris was being quite plain about his agenda and the purpose of the Bible classes — perhaps too plain for the NCBCPS, because the deleted that line when they posted his column on their own web site. Even WND felt the need to cover up Norris' beliefs and change the text. Is it any wonder then that these courses are consistently regarded by both supporters and opponents as thinly-veiled means for bringing Christian apologetics into secular public schools?
Comments
It’s quite possible that even a Colonoscopy exam…albeit in the appropriate area…would fail to find evidence for any remnant of viable ‘Norris’ brains. ‘They’ (both hemispheres) just might be significantly farther up his arse, than is even the case with our illustrious President Chimpy.
Either that; or they’re out there somewhere…
beyond even the most advanced radar!
But then, that’s just my, non-medical, opinion…ahem!
It might just be me, though I’ve tried it from two computers now, but when I click “read more,” nothing happens. If there’s more to the article then the blurb, I’d really like to read it.
Anyway, I’ll give it another try in a few hours. Maybe it’ll be working then.
It’s not just you… the link is not working right now.
For years conservative pundits like Laura Ingraham have been screaming that entertainers should keep their political comments to themselves. Where are they now that Chuck Norris has decided to enter the realm of political commentary?
I can’t wait until Chuck Norris and his collegues run into the No Child Left Behind Act. All teachers have to be certified and competent according to Federal mandates.
Triphesas: The link is working for me–just fyi.
I checked it a few hours after that, and it worked fine.
As for the article, all I’ve got to say is that it seems that the liars for Jesus are still going strong…not that I’d expect anything else from them.
Patrick said:
Was Ingraham talking about people who were entertaining before they made their political comments or as a result of them? If it is the former then her silence might be consistent in the case of Chuck Norris.
Chuck Norris has counted to infinity twice and can speak Braille.
“…getting the NCBCPS curriculum into public schools is “your first step to get God back into your public school.”
It never fails to amaze me that these people think an omnipresent being can be ‘kicked out’ of anywhere. If this being can bring on a superduper flood killing anything in it’s path you’d think it would be able to kick some school board’s ass for removing it from the Garden of Eden of school. Besides how could these believers actually believe in such a wimp?
In Naziland, lying and bullying are always the road to success.
It’s amazing how people who know nothing about the Bible; think they understand it. The Bible is a book that is best understood when one accepts its message. While others with education can read such a book and in some ways study it; they will never understand it fully. Academic degrees are not necessary for a full understanding. In fact, in some ways such knowledge from man, only serves as a stumbling block to true wisdom that can only come from God. Before you write me off as a mindless do-good-er, consider this: would you want a basketball coach, drivers ed teacher, band instructor, chemistry lab teacher to have an academic degree but no practical experience. Definitely not, you would want them to be experts in their field. In most of these cases schools now required practical experience before a degree is given; but there’s no way to enforce a heart decision when it comes to true understanding of the Bible.
(email: stormclouds18@yahoo.com)
You assume a lot when you insist that it has but one message. Feel free to actually make a case for this position.
Then again, maybe this is just a convenient cop-out whenever facts and reality threaten to intrude on superstition.
You might want to consider supporting the implicit assumption that “teaching the Bible” is more like being a coach than it is like teaching history or philosophy.
The Bible is an ancient text that cannot be held totally to blame for all the wickedness in the world. It is worth reading with skepticism and wisdom because it can stimulate thinking. For instance, it clearly states that Jesus hated phonies and blockheads.
\quote
Academic degrees are not necessary for a full understanding. In fact, in some ways such knowledge from man, only serves as a stumbling block to true wisdom that can only come from God.
\unquote
Which explains exactly why so many people have such profusely differing interpretations or revelations about the same things? God put these into everyone’s mind, and left it to…well, whom, to figure out which was true and which was bullshit? And there’s nothing but 2,000 year old ramblings of ignorant nomads to support ANY of it?
Good thing the REAL advances are brought about by people who take time to devote their time to learn and do, rather than nonsensical, irrelevent, religious hokum…
I was going to agree with Marie at #12 that many of the people who talk a lot about the Bible actually know so little of it.
Then I realized that we were talking about different people.
In my experience as a history/social studies teacher, I was surprised to find my proudly Christian students (9th-10th grade) generally ill-informed about the content of their faith.
Many of these students missed daily homework assignments because of midweek evening Bible studies classes, yet when I introduced units on comparative religion, they displayed serious gaps in their knowledge.
I think teaching comparative religion in school is a great idea. Do it in history/social studies. Make it part of the curriculum. Crowd out some wars to make room for them, fine.
Just get someone who has enough education and enough critical thinking to be able to help students analyze the differences and see the similarities among religions, and between religion and non-religious philosophies.
I’m an atheist. I added to my students’ understanding and appreciation of their religious beliefs and cosmologies, and helped their classmates understand them as well.
When will Chuck Norris and other no-brainers see that the bible is NOT the word of some almighty myth? please do not post such rubbsh on a site where atheists can exchange reasoned views.
“it’s amazing how people who know nothing about the bible; think they understand it”.comm’n dude; do you know those who were the first to print that jewish history book?do you know when it was first translated into English and the genocidal violence that precided its eventual translation ?do you how and why the so-called books of the bible were chosen to be included?
If in case you do not have a clue then you have got so much work to do if you are interested in really knowing and understanding the plot and setting of this “very very great book” about a single Tribe among the thousand of Tribes on this planet.SUPERSTITION IS GREAT.Hhhhmmmmm
I have to agree with Steve Shea. If we teach the bible and religion like any other subject, then students can start to see the fallacies. Then when they start to question the Sunday school teachers, maybe ol’ Chuckie might change his mind.
(Mothers advise to young budding daughters.)
Don’t you let him put that nasty thing inside of you as it will spit all over you.
Holly wood ham and egger looking for free publicity.
Religion and governent serve no other purpose other than to use,abuse,or otherwise menipulat those who would would believe and serve.
(Save humanity:)
Abolish religion.