NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — The commentary by Grady Jim Robinson, “Bibles to School, Guns to Church” (April 3) was strongly biased and opinionated. The portion dealing with a proposed bill to teach the Bible called “most Christians, even the very devout as not having a clue” and putting a stipulation on teachers to “teach the real truth about the Bible.”
Let me state certain truths that Robinson should have acknowledged and hopefully would have agreed must be taught in our public schools.
The Bible is the basis and inspiration for the following:
The founding of our country.
Our laws, justice system and government.
Founding Fathers relied on biblical principles and morality in writing the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Northwest Ordinance andlandmark court cases and opinions.
Washington, D.C., is rife with statues, buildings, paintings and monuments which have Bible quotes and biblical themes.
The moral principles and values which were taught in our local schools for almost two centuries.
When local schools were federalized, the God of the Bible was eventually kicked out of public classrooms. The result? A steady downward spiral of morals and the upward spiral of divorce rates, crime, unwed mothers, child abuse and low school test scores.
No wonder we have a nationwide increase in private parochial and charter schools looking for ways to get moral teachings back into the classroom.
By referencing Elaine Pagels’ book “Beyond Belief,” Robinson tries to say there is more truth to discover. Pagels questions NewTestament writings by pointing to Gnostic writings like “Gospel of Thomas,” which denies the physical resurrection of Jesus.
You gotta be kidding! It’s the most proven fact of antiquity, from an empty tomb, more than 500 eyewitnesses and from more than 23,000 pieces of New Testament manuscripts with the undeniable stamp of God-given inspiration. Robinson and Pagels just can’t stomach the fact that our Lord and his Father could speak directly to New Testament authors, and thereby inspire them to write the glorious, Godbreathed text we have today.
Boy do we ever need to get back to where our founders wanted to take us: the Solid Rock where our country and our lives must be secured. I say, more Bible teaching and believing, less Bible bashing.
RICHARD MCKEEHAN / Rogers
Opinion, Pages 5 on 04/18/2011