Christianity has never been a friend of learning and free expression. That's why few universities, which started as Christian institutions, have retained that character. This idiotic law will enable children to bail out of evolution, sex ed, and other classes that frighten Christians.

Pathetic.

"My church doesn't believe in alegebra because evolutionists use it to worship the devil. Don't argue with me or we'll sue you. Just give me an A and move on."

The only classes that "frighten" Christians are those that push perverted sex on children. Children are not meant to be the goal of sexual addicts. Children are in school to learn how to get and keep a job so they can marry and support or raise a family with intelligence after they figure out what as an adult they want to do. Reading, writing, arithmetic, science, English, the ability to comprehend, organize, implement, follow through and finish a project are what they need to learn. None of which involves the heavy push on sex. A sex course can be taken in high school and by that time it's hoped that the kids can comprehend sex as kept to married people not juveniles, teenagers and non-marrieds. Sex slavery is not to be the aim of teachers/adults unless they are out to destroy it and free children.

The new law is insanity. Atheists will, righfully, opt out of any discussion of religion. Even when discussing History. Frankly, I don't want to discuss catholicism either. It's the Whore Of Babylon in my religion. See how that works? Every religion, every demonination, every theistic discipline as well as non-theistic discipline will now be at war, publicly. I can't wait for the Baptists and the Episcopalians to start scratching each other's eyes out about EVERYTHING in the school cirruculum.
And just wait till the mormons demand that we all wear Magic Underwear, or the Jews demanding that we wear yarmulkes to gym class. Insanity.

Not more narrow-minded non-thinking - isn't there enough in the world already? Look at the mess it's in. Surely the call to the 'fullness of the stature of Christ' means a minds open, loving embrace of G-D hence our neighbours? Shame on those who thought up this legislation.

As a Christian, my first instinct is to side with those who are against this bill. It seems like it could lead to even more division and antagonism than we already suffer as a church and a nation. If you don't agree with evolution as taught in public school, you are of course welcome to enroll your child in another school at additional cost. Also, lets not forget the value of sitting around the dinner table as a family and discussing the very important "why" of our beliefs with our kids. Thanks for your article!

There was a time when teaching that the earth orbited the sun violated the religious beliefs of all of Western Christendom.

No, Sam, it's Galileo's shoddy support of Copernicus' model that they quashed. Copernicus' model of earth's relationship to the sun was being cautiously proved with optics and physics but was nowhere completely accepted yet. Galileo based his agreement on some bad observations he was taking and other's ideas, which were proving the right fact with the wrong data.

You forget that Copernicus was a cleric, a churchman himself.

Both men were financed by the church for their life of experimentation and science. Galileo wouldn't back down, wouldn't shut up, and got sat on, silenced, too harshly I guess because the church felt he needed apologizing to. I think they removed ALL his teachings from their approved list of science teachings, which was more of a snit than a thoughtful response.

Finally, you are also forgetting that science at the time was supposed to agree with the Bible, and this heliocentric view didn't seem to match. The Reformation and Counter-Reformation was in full swing at the same time and upset everyone's ideas of who had authority to interpret the Bible, and the Inquisition was spinning up, identifying heretics as traitors (something done in Prot countries just as vigorously, so don't start).

Therese Z., Your reply seems to overlook the theories of Aristarchus in the 3rd century B.C.E, or of Ptolemy's in the 2nd century. Copernicus merely refined Ptolemy's mathematics. And your point about science not being allowed to disagree with the bible seems to be as true today as it was in the 16th and 17th century.

In the USA, "religion" shall not be established by law. Missouri voters established "religion" by law. The law is on its face unconstitutional. It is as simple at that. Hello?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb7SbUWw9dM .

I agree with all of you on the points of how this new law will be justfied for all the wrong reasons. Most all states have the accessibility to home school, if you don't like the fact my children decide they wish to pray before an athletic game or class than fell free to opt out of your chance to further your own education.

If you feel your algebra teacher is trying to teach your child the ways of devil worship, take them home and teach them yourself.

If a person feels they should not have to do this assignment or class attendance; it is their choice if the do or do not want an education, it is not your choice.

Common Sense; You are in the education system for an average of 12 years. Do your education and when you become that adult, take your diploma and do not ever worry about having to do things like that again. Chances are if you feel that you should not have to attend that class and have no desire based on your relifious belief, chances are you would never make it to graduation anyway.

If we lived in a perfect world none of us would have a need or feel that we should express our thoughts on this website, in fact we would be the ultimate mindless sheep that our government is trying to get us to be anyway