(Media Matters)–“Two organizations involved with Project 2025 — a personnel and policy initiative for the next Republican administration — have on at least three occasions promoted LifeWise Academy, a group that aims to bring Bible study to public schools throughout the United States. Project 2025 is a comprehensive effort of more than 100 organizations to provide a potential second Donald Trump administration with staff and position papers. Its central document is a nearly 900-page policy book called Mandate for Leadership: A Conservative Promise, which employs Christian nationalist talking points to support its right-wing goals, such as its promises to remove the term “abortion” from all federal laws and regulations and its call for a future executive to “maintain a biblically based, social science-reinforced definition of marriage and family.”
In providing a platform to LifeWise, the Family Research Council is furthering that Christian nationalist agenda. Penton’s organization takes advantage of a pair of relatively unknown Supreme Court decisions that, according to LifeWise, allow for religious instruction during regular school hours as long as it takes place offsite and isn’t promoted or funded by the school or district. NBC News reported that LifeWise has “super-charged” the “release time” concept, “using a franchise-style, ‘plug-and-play’ model that allows local groups to easily start new chapters” staffed by LifeWise teachers.
According to NBC News, LifeWise now operates in “chapters in more than 300 schools in a dozen states, teaching 35,000 public school students.” NBC further reports that in some cases LifeWise “promised students ice cream or popcorn parties if they convinced a certain number of classmates to sign up,” linking to a LifeWise podcast episode titled “Popcorn Parties and Enrollment Growth.” The article also notes Penton’s appearance on a show that adheres to the “7 Mountains Mandate,” which Rolling Stone characterizes as “a quasi-biblical blueprint for theocracy.” NBC added that during that interview Penton said Ohio’s recent referendum protecting abortion rights made him “incredibly sad.””
(CEO)— For as much as right-wing nuts complain about the “indoctrination” of public school students regarding LGTBQ+ topics. Making false accusations about the curriculum being taught, as promoting a lifestyle they are religiously opposed to. When in reality the children are simply being taught to respect people from all walks of life no matter what their background.
When the real indoctrination taking place in public schools throughout the country is a push to make Christianity part of the student’s school day. Using child bribery and peer pressure tactics to recruit kids from differing faiths. Further blurring the lines of separation of church and state. Preying upon children to spread their increasingly unpopular ideology. Hoping to create a generation of cult-like followers before they become aware of the underlying political agenda.
If it wasn’t so frightening the hypocrisy would be laughable. Christian Nationalists would have you believe that they are under constant attack. When the truth is, they are the ones forcing their religious agenda on the rest of American society. We are merely defending our right to have our own belief system without government involvement. The right-wing has this delusion that America is a “Christian Nation”. Yet the whole reason this country was founded was to escape religious persecution in Europe.
So add this, to the list of reasons, why Republicans should no longer be voted into power. They pose a real threat to Constitutional liberties and freedoms granted to all citizens. You can’t just pick and choose the rights that support your argument. Ignoring the rule of law if it doesn’t suit your needs. Imagine the outrage of the religious right if public schools were promoting Koran study instead of the Bible.
I’m just thankful, growing up going to CCD, (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine or Central City Dump as my friends and I often joked) after school once a week. We had mean old nuns, who would bore you to tears, keeping you from having fun with your friends outside after school. Because ultimately, it was much easier as a young kid to see through the hypocrisy of it all. Then if we were brainwashed with ice cream and popcorn parties during school hours as today’s youth faces. That’s some dastardly coercion that reeks of desperation. Which public schools, should have no part in facilitating.
Click the link below for the Media Matters article quoted in this column
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