"Child's Bible Reader"-A Critical Review

About a year ago, I came across an old illustrated "Child's Bible Reader" at a thrift store. I just had to own it. My disdain for the indoctrination of children with teachings from the Bible has only grown over the years. Its become more and more apparent to me what a poor moral textbook the Bible makes, and what a crime it is to seize and mold the innocent minds of children with nonsense. I thought it would be very interesting to crack open this book and thoroughly examine the stories contained within, to get a fresh look at what children are still being taught in churches today. This time I'd do so as a critically minded, free adult instead of a wide-eyed, impressionable child.

The book is titled "Child's Bible Reader" and authored by Charlotte M. Young. It was published in 1956 by The Southwestern Company of Nashville, Tennessee. Its a finely made book "embellished with nearly 100 fine engravings, color plates, half-tones, woodcuts, and pen drawings." Behind the front cover of the book is a handwritten note; "To Deanie, from Grandpa and Gramma, Please read it, Jackson." Let's take a look and see what Grandma and Grandpa really wanted Deanie to know:

(The book presents a lesson for each of the 52 Sundays in a year)

First Sunday, "The Making of the World"

Apparently, before Deanie becomes a stand-up citizen and honorable young man, he first needs some lessons in astronomy, geology, and biology. In the first week, he learns that the Earth's birthday is Sunday, that men and women were made out of dust, that the reason God created us is for his own glory and honor, and that Adam and Eve lived in the most happy and beautiful place-the Garden of Eden.

Its interesting to note that there really isn't a moral lesson here. We just have a case of religion trying to be science, and doing an absolutely horrible job of it. I suppose the reader can see that God can do things like a magician with a wand, "alakazaam!", which IS pretty exciting, though somewhat lacking in instruction.

The author does seize the opportunity to tell children, "We shall never be as happy as (Adam and Eve) were while we are living in this world; but if we will try to obey God and trust in Christ and live holy lives, He will take us to heaven, and that will be still better than the Garden of Eden."

I can't decide which is worse; convincing children that this life isn't meant to be all that happy, that its only preparation for some better life, or making scientific claims when there is no basis to do so. Ok, maybe its the former.

Second Sunday, "How Sin Began"

This week, Deanie learns "how sin began and the world grew wicked". It all started when a snake came slithering up to Eve and convinced her that the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge was in fact good, that it would make her wise, and that she would not die. Which was true! It was God who had lied-he had said Adam and Eve would die if they ate the fruit. Needless to say, they didn't. Instead, God had pity on them (I would too, being set up and lied to) and just kicked them out of the Garden.

We can derive a lesson from this madness. NEVER go against God's direct commandments, no matter what sort of reason or truth someone confronts you with. What matters above all else is doing what God commands.

In this section of the book, readers also learn that Adam and Eve's descendants were really really wicked-so wicked that God decided all needed to die. So he drowned every living creature save for two of each species and one lucky family. With Noah's story, the authors lets the reader know that God insists upon our obedience and absolute faith.

Its almost too easy to criticize Genesis, but its important to because most believers don't see anything wrong or twisted with the stories of the Old Testament. There can be no other explanation for this shocking blindness than indoctrination in its purest form, which is nearly indistinguishable from hypnotism or brainwashing. In just two lessons we've already seen that God's only concern is glorifying himself. He's willing to lie, murder, and change his mind in order to control us completely, as a master controls a slave. The story of the flood, for millions of people, is historical truth. And for nearly every Christian, Jew, and Muslim, even those who don't take the Old Testament literally, these stories are so valuable, they are so revered, that they're taught to the most innocent, impressionable members of society-the HOPE of the future-our children.