Religion, Government and Education

Contents

Overview  (Church and State, Government and Religion)

Education or Indoctrination: Who is to Teach What to Whom

Religion, Government and Education

Evolution

Morality

Education for a Better Life

Findings and Conclusions

Basic Constitution; Religious Leaderships
Religious Leadership and Judges; Common and Case Law
Evolution and Creationism
Morality
Life and Living, Religion and Science, Church and State

Relevant Current and Associated Works

Notes <..>

References {..} and Links

Relevant Subject Index Pages and Site Overview

Overview: Church and State, Government and Religion

This report is one of a series, which together lay bare the controversies between church and state, between religious belief and practice on the one hand, and the government on the other. Each work is self-standing but together they provide the knowledge needed for understanding the causes of conflicts and point to solving them.

The works in this series bring together findings and conclusions from Manfred Davidmann's published reports and provide new knowledge and insights, exploring their subject in depth, generally in advance of current knowledge.

Education or Indoctrination: Who is to Teach What to Whom

There are now Christian sects who stand up for morality and chastity against the socially corrupting promiscuity of the societies in which they live, to the extent of withdrawing their children from the state school system of their host societies, consequently suffering much stress and strain.

Another reason for withdrawing from the state educational system is to ensure that their children are taught the Bible's <1> record of how the planet and human beings were created, instead of how the planet was formed and how human beings evolved by natural selection.

The struggle is to educate, to educate our children to live good lives as human beings.

On the one hand state school systems may teach socially-corrupting politically-convenient biased information and principles {20-24} while on the other parents may believe that their religious beliefs about morality and behaviour provide a fundamentally better and more rewarding way of life and living {3, 7}.

Some countries allow children to be taught and educated while allowing for their parents' expressed humane beliefs. Other countries insist that children be educated in state schools according to the state's preferences about what has to be taught and about what must not be taught.

This brings us to the present position in Germany where some Christian groups <2> refuse to let their children be educated in state schools because of what is seen by them as socially corrupting promiscuity which is propagated under the guise of 'sex education' and because state schools teach the science of evolution by natural selection instead of the creation of the planet and human beings as told in the Bible (Pentateuch) <1>. In Germany these parents face fines and jail as a consequence of withdrawing their children from the state school system.

In the USA there is much pressure from influential, at times powerful, Christian fundamentalists insisting that state education (in some states) teach the Bible's (Pentateuch's) record of creation instead of the science of evolution by natural selection.

Religion, Government and Education

Expressed in everyday language, since about 1960 I have investigated the social organisation of life and living on this planet, the social laws and social system of the Pentateuch, and the meaning and intent of Genesis <3>, and made and published many original discoveries. Expressed in the language of religion, I revealed them.

Visiting Israel at intervals from about 1971 onwards attempting to make people aware of the key importance of applying the social laws and social system of the Pentateuch in their daily lives.

Many Christians and Jews now follow what I published <4> and some groups (cults, sects) <5> and churches in different countries have attempted to absorb some of these teachings into their beliefs {8}, selecting which of the God-given social laws and social system they feel like accepting in line with personal political ideologies.

Jewish orthodox and particularly ultra-orthodox sects, for example, still largely and blindly believe in and follow traditions which are often far-removed from the word of God as recorded in the Pentateuch. {10-13, 15}

Religious leaderships, of course, are not god-like in knowledge and understanding. That is, they are not capable of annulling or overriding God's fundamental rules and their intent, would be in error and misleading if they proclaimed themselves to be 'infallible', that is proclaimed themselves to be 'incapable of making mistakes or being wrong'. <6>

So religious leaderships do not have the right to decide which God-given fundamental rules and laws are to be believed and followed and which are not, nor may they assign their own meanings (interpretations or misinterpretations according to personal likes, dislikes or preferences) to fundamental Bible (Pentateuch) texts. In other words, religious leadership may not decide which of the social laws and social system of the Pentateuch <1> should or should not be taught, as all need to be observed and applied.

And now consider the following.

The Pentateuch is the basic constitution which safeguards the rights of the people and points the way ahead. It may not be changed in any way either by adding or by taking away. {12}

But authority for changing the application of a law comes from the Pentateuch. In matters of dispute or doubt which cannot be resolved with reference to the Pentateuch's laws, then the religious leadership and judges of the day can decide the matter. The law they will teach and the judgement which is made are binding and have to be followed. {16}

They are thus authorised to modify the application of a Pentateuch law so as to keep it effective in achieving its intent in the light of changing conditions. They may, for example, change penalties and punishments. They may not change the basic constitution, they may not change Pentateuch law. {12}

They may modify the application of a Pentateuch law and do so by man-made decisions which together form the body of common and case law.

This common law thus aims to resolve new problems (social, economic and moral) which find no answer in the Pentateuch or in existing common law, by amending existing common law or by new decisions in the spirit and intent of the Pentateuch.

We have seen that the Pentateuch is the basic constitution which safeguards the people and points the way ahead. It may not be changed in any way either by adding or by taking away. {12}

We have also seen that the Pentateuch authorises common law, that is man-made decisions modifying the application of a law so as to keep it effective in achieving its intent in the light of changing conditions.

Common law is subordinate legislation, is a collection of man-made decisions. It is these decisions which may be abrogated or amended by other man-made decisions.

What stands out is that there can be no conflict, or contradiction, between the words of a benevolent almighty all-knowing God and the reality of life and living, between God's words and the world in which we live, between God's words and science.

It is when the word of God and the reality of life and living, and of science, are seen to agree that we are close to understanding both.

And in the confrontations between religion and state concerning evolution <7> and concerning morality <8> we are closing in on the very core problems of life and living in our times, as follows.

Evolution

When the Pentateuch <1> was written, people had but little knowledge about science or evolution compared with what is known today. So concepts for which we now have precise terms were described rather than stated.

Instead of the term 'scientific law' being used, for example, we see the description that

'what is written applies to all people, present or absent, past or future, will happen regardless of how one feels about it, that the results of certain actions are reversed if the actions are reversed'. {10} <9>

In Genesis the then-beyond-comprehension beginning of life on earth and its evolutionary progress towards humankind is being described to people to whom terms such as 'natural selection' were completely unknown. In the Bible, evolutionary change, a new life form, is an act of creation and we are told in precise terms how mammals evolved, how homo erectus spread out, how homo sapiens spread out and replaced homo erectus, and much more. {2}

However, there were some who seemed to think that they knew all there is to be known, that they could decide what is and what is not, that what they were not aware of did not exist, that what they did not understand could not be meaningful. For example, Hebrew grammar distinguishes between proper names of persons and general nouns such as 'life form'. This distinction has been ignored by Bible translators <10>.

Manfred Davidmann's 'The Meaning of Genesis: Creation, Evolution and the Origin of Evil' {2} shows that the distinction is meaningful and needs to be made if the text is to be understood as it was intended to be understood.

We see that there is no conflict, no contradiction, no divergence, only astonishing awe-inspiring agreement, between what is stated in Genesis and what we now know about the evolution of human beings. {2}.

Genesis is about matters of enormous significance and importance to humankind at the present time. {2}

Morality    {7, 3}

We know there is no conflict or confrontation between the word of benevolent God as recorded in the Pentateuch on the one hand and social science on the other hand. We know the destructive effects on the population of promiscuity, that is of state-condoned or legalised promiscuity. These effects are known and predictable. {7}

We saw that concerning evolution, the Church has misunderstood, misinterpreted, the Bible. The state, science, is right. What is being taught at the present time agrees with what is stated in the Bible.

But concerning morality, the Church is right. The state is misinterpreting, is misapplying, scientific knowledge.

And so concerning morality the position is very different. Here it is those who struggle against state-condoned promiscuity and for morality who are struggling on God's behalf for the benefit of the oppressed and exploited population. {7, 3}

The Pentateuch contains detailed statements about what constitutes abnormal, promiscuous, adulterous sexual relations and prostitution, with associated comments.

The Pentateuch legislates in detail, stating what needs to be done and what is prohibited, by positive and negative rules of behaviour. Positive rules point the way ahead towards greater strength and liberty, negative rules (prohibitions) protect people from the antisocial behaviour of others, safeguard the people's strength and liberty. {11} <11>

The consequences of immorality and promiscuity, that is consequent weakening and breaking up of family, society and quality of life {7}, cannot be avoided {10} <12>. The Pentateuch's warnings, punishments and penalties concerning immorality are in most cases to the male {7}. Morality has to be protected by punishing immorality, by protecting people and punishing those who behave immorally. By punishing those who do not restrain their sex urges. By punishing those who spread immorality and seduce others into immoral behaviour.

In democracies or when people are struggling for their liberty, totalitarians condone and promote promiscuity so as to weaken the family and weaken the population. People are subjected to this conditioning towards immorality so as to weaken the working population to make them easier to exploit, and to weaken the society to weaken democracy. <13>

After gaining control, totalitarians of left or right or religious hierarchies then reverse the process by moving back towards greater morality, in this way enabling their people to gain strength in order to fight for and work for, their manipulating rulers. <14>

We know the predictable effects of promiscuity on the population {7}. Hence the importance of morality, of Pentateuch morality and laws of behaviour, of protecting communities and people by restraining immoral behaviour, conditioning and propaganda, by appropriately punishing the perpetrators.

Hence the importance of the stand taken by those who struggle against state-condoned teaching of promiscuity, who struggle for the teaching of morality, on God's behalf for the benefit of the oppressed and exploited population.

Education for a Better Life

Throughout history, from the writing down of the Pentateuch about 3,500 years ago, right to the present time, we have seen continuous struggle against the God-given benevolent and egalitarian social laws and social system of the Pentateuch. That the revelations by Moses, Jesus and Mohammed were followed by world-wide struggles for a better life is well-documented. This knowledge and understanding of what took place has once again been published (revealed) by Manfred Davidmann <15>.

This knowledge has been spreading since these works were first published, is being accepted within Judaism and Christianity. The works on Islam were only published recently.

But publication was followed by attempts by miscellaneous groups and movements to negate the knowledge in my writings by taking over certain parts and neglecting or misrepresenting key components.

My works show how people are confronted, manipulated or opposed by antisocial, socially irresponsible, elements. Such antisocial elements are exposed and condemned in the Pentateuch as primitive and vicious remnants of our pre-human past.

Manfred Davidmann's works are and need to be seen as an interconnected and consistent whole, which combines both religious and secular (scientific, state, social) aspects without contradiction. And they state and describe the God-given social laws and social system of the Pentateuch, their intent and relevance to life and living in our time.

Findings and Conclusions

Basic Constitution; Religious Leaderships

The Pentateuch is the basic constitution which safeguards the rights of the people and points the way ahead. It may not be changed in any way either by adding or by taking away. {12}

Religious leaderships, of course, are not god-like in knowledge and understanding. That is, they are not capable of annulling or overriding God's fundamental rules and their intent, would be in error and misleading if they proclaimed themselves to be 'infallible', that is proclaimed themselves to be 'incapable of making mistakes or being wrong'. <6>

So religious leaderships do not have the right to decide which God-given fundamental rules and laws are to be believed and followed and which are not, nor may they assign their own meanings (interpretations or misinterpretations according to personal likes, dislikes or preferences) to fundamental Bible (Pentateuch) texts. In other words, religious leadership may not decide which of the social laws and social system of the Pentateuch <1> should or should not be taught, as all need to be observed and applied.

The Pentateuch legislates in detail, stating what needs to be done and what is prohibited, by positive and negative rules of behaviour. Positive rules point the way ahead towards greater strength and liberty, negative rules (prohibitions) protect people from the antisocial behaviour of others, safeguard the people's strength and liberty. {11} <11>

In matters of dispute or doubt which cannot be resolved with reference to the Pentateuch's laws, then the religious leadership and judges of the day can decide the matter. The law they will teach and the judgement which is made are binding and have to be followed {16}. They are in this way authorised to modify the application of a Pentateuch law so as to keep it effective in achieving its intent in the light of changing conditions.

They may, for example, change penalties and punishments. They may not change the basic constitution, they may not change Pentateuch law. {12}

They may modify the application of a Pentateuch law and do so by man-made decisions which together form the body of common and case law.

Religious Leadership and Judges; Common and Case Law

Common law is subordinate legislation, is a collection of man-made decisions. It is these decisions which may be abrogated or amended by other man-made decisions.

Common law aims to resolve new problems (social, economic and moral) which find no answer in the Pentateuch or in existing common law, by amending existing common law or by new decisions in the spirit and intent of the Pentateuch.

Evolution and Creationism

In Genesis the then-beyond-comprehension beginning of life on earth and its evolutionary progress towards humankind is being described to people to whom terms such as 'natural selection' were completely unknown. In the Bible, evolutionary change, a new life form, is an act of creation and we are told in precise terms how mammals evolved, how homo erectus spread out, how homo sapiens spread out and replaced homo erectus, and much more. {2}

However, there were some who seemed to think that they knew all there is to be known, that they could decide what is and what is not, that what they were not aware of did not exist, that what they did not understand could not be meaningful. For example, Hebrew grammar distinguishes between proper names of persons and general nouns such as 'life form'. This distinction has been ignored by Bible translators <10>.

Manfred Davidmann's 'The Meaning of Genesis: Creation, Evolution and the Origin of Evil' {2} shows that the distinction is meaningful and needs to be made if the text is to be understood as it was intended to be understood.

We see that there is no conflict, no contradiction, no divergence, only astonishing awe-inspiring agreement, between what is stated in Genesis and what we now know about the evolution of human beings. {2}.

Morality

The Pentateuch contains detailed statements about what constitutes abnormal, promiscuous, adulterous sexual relations and prostitution, with associated comments.

The consequences of immorality and promiscuity, that is consequent weakening and breaking up of family, society and quality of life {7}, cannot be avoided {10} <12>. The Pentateuch's warnings, punishments and penalties concerning immorality are in most cases to the male {7}. Morality has to be protected by punishing immorality, by protecting people and punishing those who behave immorally. By punishing those who do not restrain their sex urges. By punishing those who spread immorality and seduce others into immoral behaviour.

In democracies or when people are struggling for their liberty, totalitarians condone and promote promiscuity so as to weaken the family and weaken the population. People are subjected to this conditioning towards immorality to weaken the working population to make them easier to exploit, and to weaken the society to weaken democracy. <13>

After gaining control, totalitarians of left or right or religious hierarchies then reverse the process by moving back towards greater morality, in this way enabling their people to gain strength in order to fight for and work for, their manipulating rulers. <14>

We know the predictable effects of promiscuity on the population {7}. Hence the importance of morality, of Pentateuch morality and laws of behaviour, of protecting communities and people by restraining immoral behaviour, conditioning and propaganda, by appropriately punishing the perpetrators.

Hence also the importance of the stand taken by those who struggle against state-condoned teaching of promiscuity, who struggle for the teaching of morality, on God's behalf for the benefit of the oppressed and exploited population.

Life and Living, Religion and Science, Church and State

It is when the word of God and the reality of life and living, and of science, are seen to agree that we are close to understanding both.

And in the confrontations between religion and state concerning evolution <7> and concerning morality <8> we are closing in on the very core problems of life and living in our times, as follows.

We saw that concerning evolution, the Church has misunderstood, misinterpreted, the Bible. The state, science, is right. What is being taught at the present time about evolution agrees with what is stated in the Bible.

But concerning morality, the Church is right. The state is misinterpreting, is misapplying, scientific knowledge about the effects of promiscuity on the life and welfare of the population.

And so concerning morality the position is very different. Here it is those who struggle against state-condoned promiscuity and for morality who are struggling on God's behalf for the benefit of the oppressed and exploited population. {7, 3}

Manfred Davidmann's works show how people are confronted, manipulated or opposed by antisocial, socially irresponsible, elements. Such antisocial elements are exposed and condemned in the Pentateuch as primitive and vicious remnants of our pre-human past.

Manfred Davidmann's works are and need to be seen as an interconnected and consistent whole, which combines both religious and secular (scientific, state, social) aspects without contradiction. And they state and describe the God-given social laws and social system of the Pentateuch, their intent and relevance to life and living in our time.

Relevant Current and Associated Works
Manfred Davidmann   (www.solhaam.org)

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