State’s bid cites requirements that $60 Trump-endorsed God Bless the USA Bible appears to be tailor-made to meet

Oklahoma’s top education official is seeking to buy 55,000 Bibles for public schools and specifying that each copy contain the Declaration of Independence and US constitution, which are not commonly found in Bibles but are included in one endorsed by former president Donald Trump.

The request is part of Republican state superintendent Ryan Walters’ ongoing efforts to require Bibles in every classroom, which has been met with resistance by some of Oklahoma’s largest school districts.

Walters is seeking to spend $3m in state funds for Bibles that fit a certain criteria, including that the pages are supplemented with US historical materials. The Bibles must also be “bound in leather or leather-like material for durability”, according to state bidding documents posted this week.

    • IninewCrow@lemmy.ca
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      1 month ago

      At this point in history … the only legimate way to be a Christian is to just say you’re one. It’s about the only criteria anyone goes by now.

      It used to mean something a hundred years ago … it doesn’t mean much any more

        • catloaf@lemm.ee
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          1 month ago

          As opposed to actually practicing being kind to your neighbor. Stuff like that.

          • solsangraal@lemmy.zip
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            1 month ago

            pretty sure there have always been, probably always will be, people who say “i’m christian” just because that’s what they’re supposed to say.

            “i’m christian” has literally never made someone a good person just because they slapped that label on themself. if anything, if someone is one of those “i’d be a bad person if not for religion,” then that person is still not a good person

        • Evotech@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          You can’t just say you are Jewish. The Jewish community well not accept that.

          Used to be kinda like that

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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            1 month ago

            You can’t just say you are Jewish. The Jewish community well not accept that.

            That highly depends on the Jewish community. There isn’t just one.

            Plenty of ultra-Orthodox Jews would say I’m not Jewish despite being born to two Jewish parents, having a Bar Mitzvah, etc. because I don’t fit into their weird little mold.

            On the other hand, at the temple my mom goes to, they wouldn’t care who your parents are. If you say you’re Jewish and go through the motions, they’ll accept you as Jewish.

            On top of that, there are Jews who would say I’m not a Jew because I’m an atheist and others, like myself, who consider it an ethnicity as well as a religion and argue that if those Jews are right, Larry David isn’t Jewish either. Neither are Billy Crystal, William Shatner, Sarah Silverman, and so many other people that Jews often claim as their own.

            I’ve been called an antisemite by Jews that support Israel when they find out I don’t. That’s how messed up it all is.

    • Sam_Bass@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      the source material is all created and editted by men under orders from the king of england at the time. inasmuch as it was a royal effort i suppose it could be considered heretical but not in an ecclesiastical sense

    • Blaster M@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Yes, in multiple ways… adding to the scriptures, promoting a man-made government, and the state government promoting a religion, which is barred by the first amendment.