David Cameron to send every school a Bible

**Rheghead** · 25-Nov-11, 19:22

And with the forward written by Michael Gove no less.

http://www.secularism.org.uk/prime-m...a-bible-t.html

Surely there are more pressing matters to spend taxpayer's money upon?

**Incognit0** · 25-Nov-11, 19:37

And soon the PC brigade will jump on it and insist that a copy of the main religious text from EVERY religion is given for free - can't give one without the others - that's racism...

**gleeber** · 25-Nov-11, 19:58

The bibles not a problem. People are not converted by the bible although once converted the bible will strengthen their faith.
I would be more concerned by another link on that page you refrenced Rheghead.
This one
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...ays-Blond.html

Camerons philosopher king hes called and he sees individualism as the big danger to modern society. Of course individualism is a danger. People stop behaving like sheep and discover they have minds of their own. It's not going to be easy to escape from the flock mentality but the process has started. Goodness knows where it will end.

**oldmarine** · 25-Nov-11, 21:51

I learned my faith at home while maturing. My mother saw to that. She along with the church saw to it that my faith was strengthened by reading the Holy Scriptures (otherwise The Bible). My faith was challenged on the battlefields during WW2. Thus, it became stronger when I wondered whether I would make it or not. It's amazing what combat will do to a person's mind.

**gleeber** · 25-Nov-11, 22:27

Originally Posted by oldmarine

I learned my faith at home while maturing. My mother saw to that. She along with the church saw to it that my faith was strengthened by reading the Holy Scriptures (otherwise The Bible). My faith was challenged on the battlefields during WW2. Thus, it became stronger when I wondered whether I would make it or not. It's amazing what combat will do to a person's mind.

I watch some of the south pacific campaign on the military channel for an hour or so and you were there for nearly 3 years oldmarine. Whoever says faith isnt real is living in a fantasy world.

**sids** · 25-Nov-11, 22:31

Originally Posted by oldmarine

maturing.

I misread that as a Latin-derived word for self-abuse.

There's no Heaven for me, I know.

**redeyedtreefrog** · 26-Nov-11, 17:10

First off, surely they'd be better off sending a Koran or something that isn't so readily available for everyone from churches and evangelical organisations, to get a taste of another culture? Or even Darwin's Origin of Species or something interesting that there's no evangelical organisation to provide.

But, if this bible nonsense does go ahead, I hope they encourage the kids to read the whole thing and not just the carefully-selected nice bits. Like the bit where forty-odd teenagers call a prophet bald and then get smote by the Lord with two bears who tear them to pieces. Hopefully some kids who just accept Christianity on the basis of being told will be smart enough to realise what a cruel megalomaniac this God guy really is.

Nothing turns people atheist like reading the Bible.

**theone** · 26-Nov-11, 17:20

The sooner we get a government that is secular, and not afraid to be secular, the better.

For a democracy, the church is still given far too much of a say in our affairs.

Only 6% of the population go to church regularly, but you can guarantee there will always be some church leader throwing his opinion around on the news whenever there's a moral issue up for debate.

**John Little** · 26-Nov-11, 17:28

Aye - that's true, though when Rowan Williams points out that most people did not vote for the policies this government is following, then he speaks the truth.

As to the King James Bible, most of them will sit unopened and doing nowt.

Better to spend the money on a few teaching assistants to help kids learn to read. Then they can choose their own books...

**Rheghead** · 26-Nov-11, 17:35

The tory trinity

the Father, The Sun and the Holy Gove.

**John Little** · 26-Nov-11, 17:46

Well Gove's from Aberdeen isn't he?

That explains it.

**secrets in symmetry** · 26-Nov-11, 19:09

Originally Posted by John Little

Well Gove's from Aberdeen isn't he?

That explains it.

Aha! Now I get it - it's his Doric tongue that makes him hard to make sense of!

**bekisman** · 26-Nov-11, 19:28

Originally Posted by John Little

Well Gove's from Aberdeen isn't he?

That explains it.

Oh John, he was born in Edinburgh and was adopted by a Labour-supporting family in Aberdeen, where he was brought up.!!

**John Little** · 26-Nov-11, 19:43

Ah t'is a bunch of haythens oi has to deal with...

In 1637 the government in London attempted to force a new prayer book and bishops on Scotland.

They didna want it and signed a solemn covenant, rising up in revolt against the King and stoning his bishops.

Except a few notable pockets which supported the King - especially Aberdeen which accepted the new prayer book and held out against the Covenant longer than anywhere else.

Now we have a man in the government in London, brought up in Aberdeen, trying to enforce a 17th century Bible on a country which probably don't want it.

Logically what follows is the stoning of a few bishops, the signing of a solemn League and Covenant and bloody revolt against the government.

See?

**secrets in symmetry** · 26-Nov-11, 19:55

Apologies for being a historical ignoramus!

Actually, I probably know (or knew) all that - because I educated myself about the Covenanters not too long ago. It obviously went in one ear and out the other....

**John Little** · 26-Nov-11, 20:02

Whatever terms you may describe yourself in, I will not admit 'ignoramus' to be among them.

Great period in Scottish History; interesting that the Covenanters more than anyone else came close to giving Cromwell a damn good hiding. If there had not been so much interference from divines then the Battle of Dunbar would have had a very different outcome.

Gove should know better than to force religious texts on Scotland. The spirit of Knox is not entirely dead I think.

**secrets in symmetry** · 26-Nov-11, 23:27

Oh ye of far too much faith!

I am a historical ignoramus of the highest order. I thought the Covenanters were Catholics, and I have problems remembering when the battles of 1066 and 1314 were fought.

I have a theory that the Daleks came from Skaro Brae....

**John Little** · 26-Nov-11, 23:33

Having read '1066 and all that' I think that you are probably right.

What would the Red Dalek do with Mr Gove's King James Bible?

**gleeber** · 27-Nov-11, 00:04

I didnt know the reasons for the bible gimmick but its to commemerate the 400th anniversary of the King James publication. Its history in the making and those bibles will be in glass frames in schools in Britain in 10000 years time. Can you just imagine it?