Commentary
“Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn’t,“ Mark Twain wrote in ”Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World” (1897).
Here’s a recent example where fiction would have been more plausible to believe than the truth that actually unfolded.
A U.S. school district recently removed copies of the King James Version of the Bible in elementary and middle schools. Only those at a high school level will be allowed to carry them in libraries and classrooms.
Why did this happen?
A district review committee bizarrely determined the KJV Bible contained “vulgarity and violence.” While a spokesperson told Fox 13 in Salt Lake City that the Bible “does not contain sensitive material as defined by Utah Code,” it was still pulled from schools due to, as the TV network described it, “age appropriateness.”
Moreover, the individual who made this request last December reportedly said it was time to remove “one of the most sex-ridden books around” from schools. “Incest, onanism, bestiality, prostitution, genital mutilation, fellatio, dildos, rape, and even infanticide,” the unnamed parent’s petition stated in part. “You’ll no doubt find that the Bible, under Utah Code Ann. § 76-10-1227, has ‘no serious values for minors’ because it’s pornographic by our new definition.”
Where did this happen?
It must have been in a politically liberal state like California, Massachusetts or New York, right? Wrong. Believe it or not, the preposterous edict to ban the KJV Bible originated from the Davis County School District based in… Utah.
Wait, that can’t be right. Utah?!
Yes, Utah. The same state to which Brigham Young led the Mormons in 1847 and where the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is located.
How on earth did this happen?
Davis County removed the Bible from its elementary and middle schools through its interpretation of House Bill 374. Sponsored by Utah House Rep. Ken Ivory and Utah State Sen. Todd Weiler, who are both Republicans, the bill “defines certain sensitive instructional materials in public schools” and “prohibits sensitive materials in a public school.” In other words, materials that would be classified as “pornographic or indecent” in nature. The Utah State Legislature passed it by a margin of 23–3 on March 4, 2022, and Gov. Spencer Cox signed it into law 20 days later.
Ivory and Weiler surely never believed in their wildest dreams that their bill would lead to the Bible getting targeted. Yet, it became entangled with 80 additional requests to review certain books. The Sensitive Material Review Committees “have retained 16 of those books so far, removed 33 others and are in the process of reviewing 32 — including the Bible,” reported KUTV 2 digital content producer Victoria Hill on March 24.
Incredibly, the Bible has now joined the shortlist of books not being retained in the Davis County School District.
What a horrendous decision.
It goes without saying that the Bible is one of the most important and sacred religious texts ever produced. It has provided spiritual guidance and a moral compass to more than 2.4 billion Christians around the world. Reading and re-reading passages of the Old Testament and New Testament has helped create a path to understanding our past history and revealing what our present and future could ultimately look like.
Meanwhile, biblical text is neither sensitive nor age inappropriate. The Christian Bible, much like the Jewish Torah, Muslim Quran, and other important religious volumes, contains powerful stories of heroes, scholars, and prophets. Yes, there are difficult moments and discussions in some passages, and violent incidents do occur. This doesn’t mean the Bible should be banned from young children. Rather, it should be made widely available so they can read these fascinating stories and ask their parents, teachers, or religious leaders any questions they may have. They should also have access to Children’s Bibles at their homes, schools, and other places of learning.
I’m not religious. I wasn’t born Christian. And even I’m disturbed by this turn of events.
I’ve owned a copy of the KJV Bible for years. There are moments when I leaf through the Books of Genesis, Exodus and Kings, the Gospels According to Matthew, Luke and John, or the occasional Psalm. Not for the sake of religious thought or identity, but as a means of learning, understanding, and appreciating why religious history, tradition, and faith matter in our society.
Davis County’s decision to ban the Bible is harmful to young children, families, schools, and Utah’s educational system. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, a Mormon and man of great faith, should speak out against this ridiculous and backward policy. President Joe Biden, a more liberal-minded Catholic, would also be wise to enter the fray.
Even the truth could handle these real, not fictional, possibilities.
Correction: This article has been updated to show that Brigham Young led the Mormons to Utah in 1847. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
