(Todd A. Smith)
I am a devout and saved Christian.
I try to do things that draw all men, women, boys and girls to Christ too.
But I do not like performative Christianity used as a mechanism to gain political and worldly control over the people who do not believe as I do.
That is why, even though I am a Christian, I support the judge who blocked Ten Commandments displays in Texas public school classrooms and hope his ruling stands upon future appeals.
Haajrah Gilani of the Houston Chronicle reported, “A federal judge sided with 15 Texas families suing public school districts—including Conroe ISD—to stop the Ten Commandments from being displayed in classrooms, saying the requirement interferes with their religious freedoms.
“U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia issued the ruling in San Antonio on Tuesday as he also denied a motion from the defendants to dismiss the case.
“It isn’t the first group of Texas families challenging Senate Bill 10, which mandates public schools place donated, or, optionally, district-funded copies of Ten Commandments posters in classrooms.”
One of the problems with conservative politicians wanting the Ten Commandments displayed is that it contradicts some of their other political positions when it comes to what is taught in public school classrooms.
For years, conservative politicians have gotten elected to positions like school board trustees so that they could monitor what was taught in public schools.
Many parents and conservative community leaders wanted to control what their children could learn about American history.
Many wanted parts of Black history rewritten as to not offend some White people.
If talks of racism offended some White people, many wanted that subject matter removed or whitewashed from the curriculum.
If history and social studies teachers wanted to talk about the Civil Rights Movement, they faced criticism from people claiming that their lessons promoted critical race theory or woke viewpoints.
Some educators even lost their jobs for teaching factual American history and not the propaganda that some White conservatives want taught to young students.
Parents said that they should have some say on what their children are taught.
Furthermore, many did not want their children to learn things that made them uncomfortable or made them feel guilty about what some White people did to Black people and past generations.
But when other parents have those same complaints, should they not complain too?
If we care about White students feeling uncomfortable learning about the atrocities that Black Americans endured at the hands of some White people back in the day, shouldn’t we also care if learning about a religion that a student does not believe in makes them uncomfortable?
Shouldn’t non-Christian parents have the right to teach their children the religion that they want them to believe in, just like Christian parents?
I always believed that a child should have to attend the religious services that their parents want them to attend while growing, if any at all.
But once the child becomes an adult, they can decide for themselves.
And I was always under the believe that if a child is properly exposed to Jesus Christ, even if they stray for a little while, the pull of the Holy Spirit would eventually bring them back to the body of Christ.
As Proverbs 22: 6 reads, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
I interpret that to mean that parents should do the training when it comes to morals and religion, not necessarily the public school system.
Personally, I want public schools to teach the children reading, writing and arithmetic, and leave the values and morals to the parents because not everyone has the same belief system.
Furthermore, I believe in the Bible wholeheartedly.
But I do not believe in everyone’s interpretation of the Bible.
I am not saying that my interpretation of every Scripture is always right, but I would not want one of my younger family members taught by someone who does not truly understand the Bible or manipulates it to mean what they want it to mean.
Many past White supremacists manipulated the meaning of Bible verses to justify their treatment of enslaved people and support Jim Crow laws.
Many people have used their misinterpretation of Scripture to oppress women.
And many people use certain Bible verses when it benefits, while ignoring Bible verses when they don’t.
Even if public school children are not taught Christianity by public school teachers and must only see the Ten Commandments on posters, what good would it really do?
In some cases, it might make a positive impact and teach a child good ethics and values.
But many people know Bible verses.
However, many do not have the love of Christ in their heart.
Many people can recite Bible verses.
But so could the devil.
Atheists know some Bible verses.
Therefore, knowledge of Scripture without a transformation of the heart and true salvation means nothing.
Salvation through Jesus Christ (meaning a person believes that Christ died on the cross and was raised on the third day and accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior) is the only way to God.
However, many people do not agree with that.
And all parents, not just conservative White evangelicals, should be able to protest if their children are being taught something they wholeheartedly disagree with.
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