Pick a topic, virtually any topic that involves the everyday lives of average people, and you will see a radical difference in beliefs, practices, and approaches between the mainstream religions we are familiar with and these fringe-element groups. One popular topic is prayer and/or other religious practices in public schools- the separation of church and state issue that was allegedly settled way back when I was in Kindergarten. After recently reading a particularly disturbing article (only one of many) about a High School football coach who's been baptizing football players on the field, curiosity led me to research, and the research brought some interesting information: every single mainstream Christian religion I found supports the full separation of church and state. My question on the article: so who exactly are they who are pushing religion in public schools? I learned my hunch was correct when I posed the same question on a religion forum: fundamentalists. And it does not matter whether they are posing as members of a specific religion but with their own agendas, or simply call themselves christians- fundamentalism is not that difficult to spot.
Can it get worse? Naturally. I'm sure many if not most American parents would strongly object to someone else's agenda being pushed on their kids in public schools. One example is known as 'The Good News Club.' I'm sure most people are familiar with the term as used to describe 'the gospel of Jesus Christ,' or, as I've seen it, as an alternative name for the New Testament- stand-alone New Testaments labeled 'The Good News Bible.' But while religion does not belong in public schools at all, this club that's aimed primarily at youngsters from four to fourteen is not Christ-centered Christianity at all.
I urge all parents, grandparents, schoolteachers and staff, and everyone else who is concerned about the well-being of children to read The Good News Club, by Katherine Stewart. From the history of this 'movement' to how widespread its become and what children are encountering in public schools will cause your hair to stand on end and your blood to boil. As only one example: one of the Club's instructors had her five-week-old baby with her; addressing children as young as five years old, she told them the very first thing the infant did after she was born was she 'SINNED!' With the fundamentalist approach that infants who cry for food or a diaper are 'self-centered and spoiled,' she said the newborn cried because she 'wanted her own way!' and that's 'sin!'
I also urge you to read this website to see what schoolchildren are encountering: http://www.goodnewsclubs.info/abusiveshame.htm
The separation of church and state is only one issue that draws the line between fundamentalists and genuine religions. A second example is the approach that the Bible is inerrant, infallible, and literally the word of God. Although I do not agree with the author's viewpoints on every subject, I encourage you to read The Sins of Scripture, by retired Episcopalian bishop John Shelby Spong. The book presents information on Bible history- who wrote various parts of the Bible, when, and for whom.
An additional point to consider: factors that make fundamentalism a cult, whereas genuine religions are not. One factor: cults employ deceptive, manipulative practices. When attempting to recruit individuals, one part of the deception and manipulation can be seen in the vocabulary. Some that seem to be most popular: “Do you believe the Bible is true?” “Are you a believer?” “Is it a Bible church? “Is it a Bible-believing church?”
When it comes to cults- and the deceptive, manipulative practices- there is one point to keep in mind: simply using the name of a church, a religion, 'Christianity,' or the names of 'God' or 'Jesus Christ,' does not necessarily make it so. Similar to so-called white supremacist groups that put 'God' or 'Jesus Christ' in their titles, they are taking the name of the Lord in vain. After all, the word 'Christian' comes from the name Jesus 'Christ'- and there is nothing about fundamentalism's beliefs or practices that make it Christ-like. As Mrs. Stewart's research netted the information that these groups intend to take over every school in the United States, every family, every business, it is a cult that endangers everyone. It is definitely not 'what Jesus would do.'
Can it get worse? Naturally. I'm sure many if not most American parents would strongly object to someone else's agenda being pushed on their kids in public schools. One example is known as 'The Good News Club.' I'm sure most people are familiar with the term as used to describe 'the gospel of Jesus Christ,' or, as I've seen it, as an alternative name for the New Testament- stand-alone New Testaments labeled 'The Good News Bible.' But while religion does not belong in public schools at all, this club that's aimed primarily at youngsters from four to fourteen is not Christ-centered Christianity at all.
I urge all parents, grandparents, schoolteachers and staff, and everyone else who is concerned about the well-being of children to read The Good News Club, by Katherine Stewart. From the history of this 'movement' to how widespread its become and what children are encountering in public schools will cause your hair to stand on end and your blood to boil. As only one example: one of the Club's instructors had her five-week-old baby with her; addressing children as young as five years old, she told them the very first thing the infant did after she was born was she 'SINNED!' With the fundamentalist approach that infants who cry for food or a diaper are 'self-centered and spoiled,' she said the newborn cried because she 'wanted her own way!' and that's 'sin!'
I also urge you to read this website to see what schoolchildren are encountering: http://www.goodnewsclubs.info/abusiveshame.htm
The separation of church and state is only one issue that draws the line between fundamentalists and genuine religions. A second example is the approach that the Bible is inerrant, infallible, and literally the word of God. Although I do not agree with the author's viewpoints on every subject, I encourage you to read The Sins of Scripture, by retired Episcopalian bishop John Shelby Spong. The book presents information on Bible history- who wrote various parts of the Bible, when, and for whom.
An additional point to consider: factors that make fundamentalism a cult, whereas genuine religions are not. One factor: cults employ deceptive, manipulative practices. When attempting to recruit individuals, one part of the deception and manipulation can be seen in the vocabulary. Some that seem to be most popular: “Do you believe the Bible is true?” “Are you a believer?” “Is it a Bible church? “Is it a Bible-believing church?”
When it comes to cults- and the deceptive, manipulative practices- there is one point to keep in mind: simply using the name of a church, a religion, 'Christianity,' or the names of 'God' or 'Jesus Christ,' does not necessarily make it so. Similar to so-called white supremacist groups that put 'God' or 'Jesus Christ' in their titles, they are taking the name of the Lord in vain. After all, the word 'Christian' comes from the name Jesus 'Christ'- and there is nothing about fundamentalism's beliefs or practices that make it Christ-like. As Mrs. Stewart's research netted the information that these groups intend to take over every school in the United States, every family, every business, it is a cult that endangers everyone. It is definitely not 'what Jesus would do.'