It's (Bible) Thumpin' Time!

Perhaps with the unheralded return to the silver screen of TMNT, it's time to start thumping the ol' Good Book to the kinders... so's that they have some clue of what the hub-bub's all about, bub.

Time Magazine presented its for/against case article (this is independent journalism?) for public schools to provide basic religious literacy to those who ask... not religious instruction, just a frame of reference.

It didn't occur to me automatically that there may be many little Boomer and X-ers spawn who have not clue one on any religious belief, what different religions are about, and why people get all up in each other and like kill one another. Because why?

If a parenting pair have decided not to pursue any religious observation in their family's lives, it may leave a big black hole in the cultural educations of their offspring. There may be a whole generation of know-nothings-not-by-choice. Obviously this becomes fertile ground for America's Christian Imans... Dobson, et al ... to go hog wild trying to control the curriculum for those school systems who experiment with comparative religion electives in secondary schools.

But, there are many comparative religion course programs in colleges and universities, and I think their design could inform the choices of regional and local school committees. Of course, I would just suggest you go hire a Unitarian to do the job. They're famous for this kinda shite.

Here's a cultural example of why this type of curricula might be of use.

I was a big fan of the HBO series "Deadwood", which was known for it's highly creative, obscenity -laced prose. One might ask, was this just artistic liscense on the writers' part? NO! David Milch spoke here at the 'Tute recently, and he made a very interesting point. At that time in American history, most people were literate AND the two books that every little red school house used to teach readin' and writin' were the King James Bible and a Complete Works of William Shakespeare.

So, a majority of people could quote scripture, Iago or Macbeth, and cuss like stevedores. Put that all together and you got the colorful expressions in the wild streets of Deadwood, South Dakota.

Their ability to express infinitely obtuse concepts from these three meager sources proves that knowledge of the Bible does not an uptight Christian make. And, contrary-wise, a knowledge of the Koran does not a mad mullah make.

Perhaps we should all consider the value of knowing whaddafuck other people are ranting about before we cast aspersions on their wobbly bits?