It barely made the headlines, but something very bad for the Country happened in Texas a couple weeks ago. Texas is the second largest consumer of high school text books in the Country. That means that they can have extraordinary influence not only over Texas students but also other school systems because of the availability of the text books being printed (or not being printed). Years ago, a coalition of conservative religious extremists were elected to the Texas State Board of Education and immediately began to impose a policy of “re-education” of Texas High School students to what they consider the “genuine” history of the United States. That history, according to conservative religious nuts, is that our Country was founded as a “Christian Nation” and that one essential role of Government was to protect the role of religion in government. It is as ironic as it is disturbing that the real “reeducation camps” are being built by Conservatives.
Those of us who are literate and well-educated on the evolution of the Constitution understand that the principles of the Enlightenment and the experience of persecution by organized religions was the guiding influence of the Founding Fathers. Washington assiduously avoided invoking any reference to a “Christian God” and always referred to the “Grand Architect”. Some of the Founding Fathers were actually ministers in Christian denominations and they refused to incorporate Christian dogma into the Constitution. The Constitutional principles of the separation of church and state were based on Virginia law written principally by Thomas Jefferson, who although personally a Christian believer expressed a constant animus against organized religion. It was Jefferson also who wrote extensively on the importance of unrestricted access to public education as an essential requirement of any Democracy.
No wonder the State of Texas School Board refused to approve any history text book mentioning the contributions of Thomas Jefferson in founding our country!
It is an inescapable fact that conservatives use Christian dogma to justify their policies and existence. They seek to take power and create the Christian equivalent of an Islamic Republic – to turn our country into a place where laws enforce Christian doctrine. A few weeks ago a Republican Congressman told a Tea Bagger Rally that they should march on Washington D.C., shut it down and take over the government! Some people dismissed his comments as rhetorical flourish, but the treasonous message was obvious, revealing an emerging tolerance for the thought of a conservative coup. Would advocating taking over the government by force or Secession (as advocated by the Governor of Texas) be tolerated a 20 years ago? What will happen in the next 20 years if our children are being taught such a twisted version of our history?
FiegerTime - Geoffrey Fieger's Blog 
Its Fieger Time…
I helped campaign for you when you ran against Engler in the 90s, and would love to see you make another run. !!!!
Well, Geoff….I just want to make a comment about your Christian nation blog. I have taught in education for public and private schools for over 35 years and I can sincerely tell you that the secular humanism which has been taught to our kids for the last 60 years has had a major impact on our young people and their parents as well. Secular humanism is a religion as well as Christianity, Islam, Mormonism etc. Just looking around at failing schools, unmotivated kids, materialism, and in some areas a 60% dropout rate in our city public schools is a testimony to the failures of our societal lack of values and integrity. I have always liked your sincere attitudes especially when you have been on Greta Van Susteren’s show. I don’t agree with your politics most of the time, but don’t write all Christians off as twisted. I’m an Athletic Director in a Christian High School right now working hard with high school kids to encourage them to think for themselves and live honestly. Boy could I tell you how goofed up many kids are in regards to cheating, lying, and still thinking that they are justified and living a good life! We sure need to talk! 🙂
Dear mr. Fieger,We here in Detroit heard that you are thinking about running for Governor of Michigan.We also hear that you need 15,000 signatures to get on the ballot. We have some signatures for you we need an email address or a contact point for you.I have a grass roots backed group who are interested in helping to work with you to help you get elected to the office of Governor of Michigan. We also would like to get your petitions to start getting them signed.We are offering our help if you need it but know that you have a large voting block in Detroit.
You know, Mr. Fieger, I think that those people who are pushing so much dogma need to do it for a reason. Fact is, the truth has a power all its own. But when you’re lying, you need a lot to back you up, i.e., dogma. Also you have to work HARD to hide the reality.
It can wear you out.
Don’t worry about the next 20 years. I do, too, so I don’t blame you. But worry is a waste of time.
Have faith in the power of truth. Eventually, it always conquers all.
It’s just that waiting period for “eventually” that can be the real kicker.
I believe that the Conservatives, left to themselves, will eventually dig their own graves. My feeling is that the best thing to do is ignore them.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU RUN FOR GOVENOR. THERE IS NO COMPETITION OUT THERE. YOU KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND I THINK YOU CAN DO IT. I DON’T HAVE ANY FAITH IN THE OTHER UNKNOWN CANDIDATES. GO FOR IT!!!! YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT.
Good reason for concern when anyone talks about as if taking over anything. As to the history books, to include new facts, or to change point of view as to what happened creates a dangerous hand to as you said, doctrines and beliefs, which to believe. Once upon a time it was as if shrugged about for what happened to the denizens of this country, the Natives. This country is a haven to the world for a better life, churches as vast choices on the same street ,different songs and prayers, it does not matter of looks or songs sung in a particular building with like minded people that matters, it is how nice to others, Good Samaritan ethics, you cannot make someone like what someone else likes if they do not like it as well. Freedom is not crime. Guidelines of society, 10 Commandments, polite society , respecting opposite differences goes a long way if expecting respect for who and how one is.. The Constitution is written on HEMP, manna for tree products instead, proxy ingrediant for most current businesses ,same biz, just hemp where possible will in turn return this nation and world to better ways using some old fahioned ideas, this comes to say if this far, to the adult willing, too many for EVERYTHING.
If you run for governor, you will have my support as well.
@Karen Pecore,
“Just looking around at failing schools, unmotivated kids, materialism, and in some areas a 60% dropout rate in our city public schools is a testimony to the failures of our societal lack of values and integrity.”
Do you honestly and sincerely think that these problems are a result of not enough religion? Do you realize that a lot of crooked politicians are fundamentalist Christians? How about Bush claiming that God told him to bomb Iraq? Anyway, I really don’t believe you are getting your morals from the Bible (forgive me for my inference of your post; please correct me if I’m inferring wrong), but if you were getting your morals from the Bible, you would advocate stoning adulterers to death and so forth. People cherry pick the morals they think they get from the Bible and it’s because they are using another standard of what’s moral and what isn’t in order to do the cherry picking. It’s their inner sense of what’s right and wrong which can be explained in evolutionary terms (but that’s another post altogether).
Also, are morals necessarily getting worse? Or are some getting better and some getting worse? People like to point out what’s wrong with the world today and what was right 50 years ago. But what about what was wrong 50 years ago but right today? Here’s an example: I grew up with undiagnosed Asperger’s syndrome (high-functioning autism) and my parents, befuddled, took me to a psychologist. I started going at age 11, in early 1992. Back then– just 19 years ago– you DID NOT tell ANYBODY that you were going to a psychologist. There was stigma attached to it. There was even more stigma, say, in the 1950s. It the ’90s it turned heads, but in the ’50s it meant you were crazy. No questions asked. Only crazy people went to psychotherapists, was the perception. Do you think that’s moral? Is it not more moral today that kids who have psychological/neurological issues can talk about it openly with their peers?
“Secular humanism is a religion as well as Christianity, Islam, Mormonism etc.”
Secular humanism is not a religion. Nor is atheism (and I myself am an atheist). Being an atheist or a humanist is not a religion any more than non-stamp collecting is a hobby. And anyway, how can you connect humanist values with problems in our society? Humanists are people who base their morals on what actions benefit people’s well-being and alleviate suffering. There is a really great book by neuroscientist Sam Harris called The Moral Landscape which goes into this in depth. Excellent, excellent read.
Julie