Posted on 10/05/2005 6:58:20 PM PDT by dnmore
Gov. Jeb Bush is encouraging Florida schoolchildren to read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a parable of the New Testament gospels, for a contest timed with the release of the movie version by a company owned by a prominent Republican donor.
The $150 million film opens Dec. 9, and three sets of winners will get a private screening in Orlando, two nights at a Disney resort, a dinner at Medieval Times and a copy of the C.S. Lewis children's novel signed by Jeb and Columba Bush.
As to the religious themes in the book, Openshaw said the story could be read without reference to Christianity. She said she wanted children "to read the book and decide for themselves."
Critics, though, said sponsoring a contest around a book as overtly Christian as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was over the line.
"This whole contest is just totally inappropriate because of the themes of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," said Barry Lynn, director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. "It is simply a retelling of the story of Christ."
(Excerpt) Read more at palmbeachpost.com ...
Or how about (6th grade) "Kissing Tennessee & Other Stories from the Stardust Dance " which contains Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual content and is on the list of "General short story collections for teenagers containing gay and lesbian stories" (although when my kids were in 6th grade they weren't teenagers!)
Pathetic
How about the Harry Potter books...creator and author is a prominent donor of what party or causes?
That would be Rev. Barry W. Lynn, an attorney and ordained minister, is the executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State in Washington, D.C.
Hey, are they going to forbid The Lord of the Rings as well?
The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe is a wonderful series full of imagery, allegory, and metaphors.
If the anti-Christian, anti-religious idiots want to remove all Christian materials from the classroom they'll have to start sanitizing all of the subjects.
Can you imagine an art history class that doesn't discuss Renaissance art in its entirety because much of the art is Christian in nature? Can you imagine an architecture class that doesn't include the great cathedrals? Can you imagine English classes that exclude the poetry and prose of entire eras because the authors were inspired by the Christian Bible? Can you imagine a philosophy class that excludes the work done by theological philosophers?
Where would these people draw the line between scholarship and undue influence? Would they enforce their sanitized curriculums to the point where 99% of our culture's history has been wiped out because it offends less than 10% of our population to be exposed to the truth that Christianity played a major role in the birth and survival of our civilization?
Barry Lynn
Law school beckoned when his wife, Joann, a physician, began her internship and residency at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Lynn talked his way into an internship that had opened up at what was then the UCC's Center for Social Action. During the day, he worked with Vietnam veterans and sought amnesty for war resisters. At night, he studied law at Georgetown University Law Center. The internship eventually led to a fulltime position with the national staff of the UCC, and he earned his law degree in 1979. For two years, he was legislative counsel for the UCC's former Office for Church in Society.
When his daughter, Christina, now 26, was born, he took what he described as a break—editing a magazine half-time for about a year and a half before taking on another big job as a lobbyist on first amendment issues for the ACLU.
As legislative counsel for the Washington office of the ACLU from 1984 until 1991, Lynn became alarmed at "the moral myopia of the so-called religious right" and their apparent desire to turn their religious beliefs into the law of the land.
"I came to realize that they posed a threat to true religious freedom for the believer and the nonbeliever. They want to turn America into a theocracy along their narrow religious lines," he says.
snip
Equally concerned about issues of justice, Joann Lynn has focused her life's work on end-of- life care and the pressing need for changes in the health care system.
******
Jerry Falwell:
A couple of years ago while debating Mr. Lynn on a national TV talk show, I accused him of being an attack dog for the DNC and asked him why he never challenged Rev. Jackson, Rev. Sharpton, Bill Clinton, Al Gore and other liberals for brazenly campaigning in African-American churches. As a result, Mr. Lynn has since written some complaint letters to the IRS regarding such situations for the express purpose, in my opinion, of leaving an impression of impartiality.
Fright Letters to Churches are Coming
About this time each election year, AU sends what I term a “fright letter” to thousands of conservative evangelical pastors, telling them — quite incorrectly — that any use of voter guides, political discourse or other such activity could result in a loss of tax-exempt status for their churches.
However, no such letter is sent to African-American churches or to liberal main-line denominational churches. Traditionally, the Democratic candidates speak in many African-American churches during their presidential campaigns.
Last Sunday, July 18, Sen. John Edwards spoke in the pulpit of the St. Mark AME Church in Orlando. As reported in wire stories and on NBC Nightly News, the pastor of the church strongly endorsed the Kerry-Edwards ticket. As also shown on this same NBC broadcast, Sen. John Kerry, on April 4, spoke in a large African-American church where the pastor introduced him as “the next President of the United States.” Bill Clinton and Al Gore routinely conducted similar church-based campaigning.
snip
No Church has Ever Lost its Tax-Exempt Status
Every American pastor, as a tax-paying citizen, is free to express his views and opinions. I continually urge pastors who receive the traditional Barry Lynn “scare letter” to simply ignore it. America needs your voice!
The Church at Pierce Creek in Binghamton, N.Y., had its “IRS letter” pulled for one day a few years ago. For the full story on this single instance in American history where a church’s tax exemption was challenged, I am, by permission, reprinting an article by Mat Staver, general counsel and president of the Orlando, Fla.-based Liberty Counsel, a law firm of several hundred attorneys that defends the constitutional rights of churches and Christians. It appears below. In the meantime, pastors, continue to speak the truth from your pulpits. Don’t let any inaccurate letters scare you away from urging your congregations to political action.
http://tinyurl.com/b4ee3
This is just my opinion. Right or wrong. It is an opinion. I am not looking for a response ar being flamed.
I would never flame you, your great grand children miight come get me in my elderly years
I often feel this way too, I am still conflicted on whether to have kids someday or not. Sometimes I think adopting would be good, because they're already here and maybe I can help them do better than they otherwise would. I doubt anyone will flame you for this though, it probably crosses everybody's head sometimes.
This IS pathetic. C.S.Lewis' classic has been around a LONG time ...long before any Republican donor got involved. Students SHOULD be encouraged to read this great book and have been for YEARS!
This is why the classics are hardly read in schools anymore? So many of them mention God or ruminate about the existince of God.
I guess Jeb Bush should cross off his "trust list" anyone who has ever gave him money or supported him in any way, shape or form.
C.S. Lewis' book has been around since 1950. In the '70s and 80s, it was required reading in 6th grade English/Reading classes in some NH school districts!
I mentioned this concern a year ago here. And the Nomex suit and Tin Foil hat were obliterated. Even the Kevlar was not effective from the 9mm rounds.
Series, the way this country is going, I would not procreate. Now if you want to adopt, Karen (my wife of 33 years) and I would homeschool. The crap happening in public school is BS, unless you want your kids to learn RAP music to kill LEOs and our soldiers.
I could go on. Keep your children safe and whole. If you can, see if you can get them into the United States military. Demand respect and Love of America.
You also have very good points, I'm sure I'll end up having kids because the wife (as most do) want them. Don't get me wrong, I really want kids too. I'm sure I will. It may not be fun for them, but they might help bring about change for the better someday in ways we really can't right now.
I agree with you on the homeschooling issue. Not much good goes on in public school anymore. I was in the Air Force for 4 and a half years and absolutely will suggest it to my kids someday. It will be their choice, and hopefully I'll have the money to send them right to school, but if not the military beats the heck out of flipping burgers and working through school. After they get a degree, I will also suggest becoming an officer. No matter what the idiots say, the military is a good idea.
If I could rewind my life 37 years, I'd have enlisted in the Navy, come out as an officer, THEN gone to college. I did it bass-ackward. I got my MBA, worked my ass off, have been trying to get into some military work to support our country, but I'm "too old" at 55. Though I've been running businesses for years. I'm a supply chain / distribution logistics / manufacturing kinda guy. Most of my friends are retired military officers from the 'Nam era.
Stick with it man, every base needs contractors, and it sounds like you're very qualified. You'll end up getting a good job soon.
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