Bibles on the School Bus

Armitage

Banned
Feb 23, 2001
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So this morning my 7 year old daughter (1st grade, public school) tells me the Mr. Jim, her bus driver asked her to ask me if he could give her a "school bible".

I consider myself to be a Christian, to the extent that I buy into organized religion (not much). But I really dislike proselytizing, particularly to kids of this age.

Discuss...

[update - 2006-02-16]

So a few days ago I told my daughter she could accept the bible if she wants to. Decided not to make an issue of it at all.

Now this morning as we're going out to the school bus she has it in her hand (it'svery small - maybe 2" x 3") and I suggest she leave it at home or put it in her backpack so she could keep her hands in her coat pockets - very cold and windy this a.m.

She then tells me that "Mr. Jim wants her to show it to him every morning when she gets on the bus"

Ok, this is going to far. Handing it out was one thing - but pressuring the a 1st grader to carry it with her all the time??

[update - 2006-04-17]
Well, this got put on the back burner for awhile owing to the drama with my x's mental issues. But of course they converged. She (my x) got a mild panic attack about this issue last friday when my daughter said again that Mr. Jim was asking if she had the bible with her. She called me up about it and I said I would talk to him on Monday. But she panicked some moreand and filed a complaint with the school.

Fast forward to today - I went out to talk to him. Nobody else was on the bus. I told him that my daughter was feeling pressured by him always asking about the bible, and that I thought it was very inappropriate.

He then tells me that my daughter asked him for a bible when she saw the small one he has on the dash of the bus. This doesn't neccesarily suprise me as she's nuts about books - I don't doubt that she might have asked to see his book. Then he says he only asked about it once after he gave it to her. I know this is complete B.S. as she has been saying for weeks that Mr. Jim is asking her every day about her bible. He also said that he got "called into the office about this issue" last Friday. I didn't let on who had called the school - he probably thinks it was me, but according to my daughter there are a few other kids on the bus that he does this stuff with as well.

It was all very cordial & friendly - we'll see what happens.
 

AznAnarchy99

Lifer
Dec 6, 2004
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i remember back in elementary school, people from churches will take boxes of mini bibles and wait until school ends and starts passing them out..
 

Armitage

Banned
Feb 23, 2001
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Originally posted by: Citrix
how would you feel if he tried to pander a Koran?

Pretty much the same way - doesn't matter to me what particular franchise is doing the proselytizing,
 

Sphexi

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2005
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At least he asked first, he could've just given it to her. Tell her to tell him no thank you, and it should be the end of it.
 

Armitage

Banned
Feb 23, 2001
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Originally posted by: Sphexi
At least he asked first, he could've just given it to her. Tell her to tell him no thank you, and it should be the end of it.

Yep, that's pretty much the approach I'm going to take - she sprung this on me literally as the bus was pulling up this morning. It just disturbs me that my kids are being approached this way at this age.
 

JasonSix78

Platinum Member
Mar 5, 2005
2,020
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Originally posted by: Armitage
So this morning my 7 year old daughter (1st grade, public school) tells me the Mr. Jim, her bus driver asked her to ask me if he could give her a "school bible".

I consider myself to be a Christian, to the extent that I buy into organized religion (not much). But I really dislike proselytizing, particularly to kids of this age.

Discuss...

If you're a Christian then what's the problem?

-Jason

 

KarenMarie

Elite Member
Sep 20, 2003
14,372
6
81
there was a time that ppl gave bibles and faith based booklets to other ppl all the time. no one ever got the cooties and died. if they did not them, they either said "no, thank you" or took it and threw it away at home.

if he had given it to her without asking, i can almost see a problem. but he respectfully asked and the only polite thing to do is respctfully accept or respecfully decline.

 

TBone48

Platinum Member
Feb 23, 2005
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I'm Christian, and I don't think the school bus driver should be approaching little kids like this. It's not cool to get into this with kids so young, especially without consulting the parents first. I predict Mr. Jim will be job hunting soon.
 

OdiN

Banned
Mar 1, 2000
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Originally posted by: TBone48
I'm Christian, and I don't think the school bus driver should be approaching little kids like this. It's not cool to get into this with kids so young, especially without consulting the parents first. I predict Mr. Jim will be job hunting soon.

....Because the Bible and Christianity and God is not for kids!!!!!
 

Armitage

Banned
Feb 23, 2001
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Originally posted by: JasonSix78
Originally posted by: Armitage
So this morning my 7 year old daughter (1st grade, public school) tells me the Mr. Jim, her bus driver asked her to ask me if he could give her a "school bible".

I consider myself to be a Christian, to the extent that I buy into organized religion (not much). But I really dislike proselytizing, particularly to kids of this age.

Discuss...

If you're a Christian then what's the problem?

-Jason

The fact that I might nominally accept the beliefs being pushed is irrelevant. As Citrix said above, what if he were pushing the Koran, or some cult? I've never heard of the "School Bible", it may well be a cult publication. What if I were Muslim or Jewish or such? The point is that this person, put in a position of trust by the government, shouldn't be pushing religion. I'm not particularly concerned about this if it's an isolated incident - my daughter and I will just discuss it and move on. But I do think its inappropriate.
 

TBone48

Platinum Member
Feb 23, 2005
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Originally posted by: OdiN
Originally posted by: TBone48
I'm Christian, and I don't think the school bus driver should be approaching little kids like this. It's not cool to get into this with kids so young, especially without consulting the parents first. I predict Mr. Jim will be job hunting soon.

....Because the Bible and Christianity and God is not for kids!!!!!


No, because I don't want anybody offering things to my kids without me knowing about it.There are too many psychos out there. I don't care if it's candy, gum, stickers,or Bibles.
 

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
616
126
Originally posted by: TBone48
Originally posted by: OdiN
Originally posted by: TBone48
I'm Christian, and I don't think the school bus driver should be approaching little kids like this. It's not cool to get into this with kids so young, especially without consulting the parents first. I predict Mr. Jim will be job hunting soon.

....Because the Bible and Christianity and God is not for kids!!!!!


No, because I don't want anybody offering things to my kids without me knowing about it.There are too many psychos out there. I don't care if it's candy, gum, stickers,or Bibles.


exactly. any adult who offers a kid something when their parents arent around in todays times are morons and lack common sense.
 

Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,333
10,842
136
Originally posted by: OdiN
Originally posted by: TBone48
I'm Christian, and I don't think the school bus driver should be approaching little kids like this. It's not cool to get into this with kids so young, especially without consulting the parents first. I predict Mr. Jim will be job hunting soon.

....Because the Bible and Christianity and God is not for kids!!!!!

No... because Mr Jim is working with Public school children & his conduct isn't appropriate.

 

Armitage

Banned
Feb 23, 2001
8,086
0
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Originally posted by: OdiN
Originally posted by: TBone48
I'm Christian, and I don't think the school bus driver should be approaching little kids like this. It's not cool to get into this with kids so young, especially without consulting the parents first. I predict Mr. Jim will be job hunting soon.

....Because the Bible and Christianity and God is not for kids!!!!!

Nope - it's just that it's not for the government, as represented by their employees, to decide.
 

OdiN

Banned
Mar 1, 2000
16,430
3
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Originally posted by: Captante
Originally posted by: OdiN
Originally posted by: TBone48
I'm Christian, and I don't think the school bus driver should be approaching little kids like this. It's not cool to get into this with kids so young, especially without consulting the parents first. I predict Mr. Jim will be job hunting soon.

....Because the Bible and Christianity and God is not for kids!!!!!

No... because Mr Jim is working with Public school children & his conduct isn't appropriate.

nevermind, you misunderstand.
 

Polish3d

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2005
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Originally posted by: AznAnarchy99
i remember back in elementary school, people from churches will take boxes of mini bibles and wait until school ends and starts passing them out..

Some Jehova's Witnesses did that at my junior high and the kids went wild with them, tore them up, eat them, rolled joints with them... I went to a somewhat rough junior high though lol
 

JasonSix78

Platinum Member
Mar 5, 2005
2,020
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Originally posted by: Armitage
Originally posted by: JasonSix78
Originally posted by: Armitage
So this morning my 7 year old daughter (1st grade, public school) tells me the Mr. Jim, her bus driver asked her to ask me if he could give her a "school bible".

I consider myself to be a Christian, to the extent that I buy into organized religion (not much). But I really dislike proselytizing, particularly to kids of this age.

Discuss...

If you're a Christian then what's the problem?

-Jason

The fact that I might nominally accept the beliefs being pushed is irrelevant. As Citrix said above, what if he were pushing the Koran, or some cult? I've never heard of the "School Bible", it may well be a cult publication. What if I were Muslim or Jewish or such? The point is that this person, put in a position of trust by the government, shouldn't be pushing religion. I'm not particularly concerned about this if it's an isolated incident - my daughter and I will just discuss it and move on. But I do think its inappropriate.

That's a good point, I was going on the assumption that it was a Christian bible. Maybe you should have a talk with the bus driver and see exactly what that "school bible" is.

-Jason
 

Armitage

Banned
Feb 23, 2001
8,086
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Originally posted by: computerABUSER
Armitage
I consider myself to be a Christian,

Maybe your not one....

Yep, I'm sure there are plenty of people who would agree with that. Then again, there are quite a few "christian" organizations that I'm proud to count myself as unaffiliated with.
 

KarenMarie

Elite Member
Sep 20, 2003
14,372
6
81
Originally posted by: Armitage
Originally posted by: JasonSix78
Originally posted by: Armitage
So this morning my 7 year old daughter (1st grade, public school) tells me the Mr. Jim, her bus driver asked her to ask me if he could give her a "school bible".

I consider myself to be a Christian, to the extent that I buy into organized religion (not much). But I really dislike proselytizing, particularly to kids of this age.

Discuss...

If you're a Christian then what's the problem?

-Jason

The fact that I might nominally accept the beliefs being pushed is irrelevant. As Citrix said above, what if he were pushing the Koran, or some cult? I've never heard of the "School Bible", it may well be a cult publication. What if I were Muslim or Jewish or such? The point is that this person, put in a position of trust by the government, shouldn't be pushing religion. I'm not particularly concerned about this if it's an isolated incident - my daughter and I will just discuss it and move on. But I do think its inappropriate.

So what if he offered your daughter a Koran? Or a Torah?

Either say, no thank you ... or take it and throw it in the trash.

If he gave her a comic book or a little doll most ppl would think.. awww, how nice. But because it is something that is faith based it is poisonious?

I dont get it.

it is good that you are gonna discuss this with your daughter. i think it is the parents responsibility to make sure their kids take nothing from strangers... no matter what it is.
:)