Religion at Its Worst

Recently, I received an email article evidently being circulated widely on the internet, and I’m madder than hell. It was written and read by Ben Stein on his CBS Sunday Morning Commentary recently.

In the article, he quoted Billy Graham’s daughter as saying in an interview that “for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives...” Stein, a Jew, agreed with her, blaming it chiefly on Madeleine Murray O’Hare, and saying that it was no wonder our children don’t know right from wrong. It is hard for me to believe that a man of his probable education and experience knows so little about non-believers.

There are at least five major places where religion is not only permitted, but entirely appropriate:

1. In the home.

2. In the church or other house of worship.

3. In a religious school.

4. In public school, (hopefully for all) teenagers, the history and tenets of all religions and beliefs, including those of non-believers. It is extremely important that this is taught by people who know what they are talking about and ubiased about their subject. Indoctrination is not OK in such a class.

5. And most important, by the way their parents live their lives.

Non-believers do not flaunt their values, but do not confuse and equate them with those who have no values at all.