04/03/2006

The Bible Literacy Project Under Fire
for 'Deception, Distortion, and Outright Falsehoods'

RALEIGH, NC, April 3 / -- The Bible Literacy Project (BLP) has been promoting its textbook, THE BIBLE AND ITS INFLUENCE, around the United States, and a visit to the BLP website informs one that their textbook does not "contain errors, use plagiarized material and claim urban legends to be scientific facts." This clearly reveals that the BLP lacks credibility, as in a previous press release, I listed a number of errors such as a contradiction of what Jesus actually said about parables (page 215 in their textbook). But the errors I listed were not all there are, as there are clearly more. For example, on page 50 of the textbook where it quotes the MAYFLOWER COMPACT as saying "by these presents," the student would think it is referring to gifts. The truth, however, is that the word is "present," not "presents," and refers to the Pilgrims located there.

Even worse than this, the textbook quotes the COMPACT as stating, "Having undertaken a voyage to plant the first colony," when it actually states: "Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony...." What does it say about the BLP that it thought it important to leave out "for the Glory of God" and "Advancement of our Christian faith"?

Beyond the factual errors, try and figure out whether the BLP is proud of the National Education Association's support or running from it ! The BLP website wants visitors to know their textbook is not endorsed by the NEA. However, the website also says its THE BIBLE AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: A FIRST AMENDMENT GUIDE should be used with its textbook, and BLP vice-president Sheila Weber has proudly published that their Guide is endorsed by the NEA!

In my previous press release, I quoted from a letter by Dr. D. James Kennedy criticizing the BLP textbook as being "extremely radical" and containing "very anti- Biblical material." Now, a letter to an Alabama state legislator similarly raising concerns has been written by Dr. John C. Hagee, who holds three doctorates, including one from Netanya University in Israel. In his letter, Dr. Hagee, who is pastor of the 18,000- member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, remarks: "My overview of THE BIBLE AND ITS INFLUENCE is that this is a masterful work of deception, distortion and outright falsehoods."

Dr. Hagee gives examples of how the BLP textbook is dangerous because it plants concepts in the minds of children which are contrary to Biblical teaching. He goes on to warn that "distortions, deceptions and falsehoods never produce moral, emotional, political or intellectual health....This book (THE BIBLE AND ITS INFLUENCE) in the hands of children in public schools, whose intellect has not matured sufficiently to decipher the clever distortion of this book, would be greatly damaged. I believe this book would be of great value for advanced study in America's theological schools as an example of literary 'wolves in sheep's clothing'."

Dr. Hagee concludes his letter by addressing the Alabama Legislature: "The acceptance or rejection of the intellectual, moral and spiritual poison of THE BIBLE AND ITS INFLUENCE will be the choice of the Alabama Legislature. I pray the distinguished members of the Legislature recognize it for what it truly is...distortion, deception and utter falsehoods and disallow it to be placed in the public schools of the great State of Alabama."