Why should children be forcibed to learn about the Bible?

The creators of "The Bible" (2013) miniseries said that they think that the Bible should be mandatory teaching in public schools.  I think that learning about the Bible should be optional.  I don't think that it should be promoted as something that children have to believe in.  I don't think that the Bible should be taught as being "historically-accurate" and I imagine that a number of Biblical scholars and historians would probably agree. The Bible is not "historically accurate", but it is an historical document that has had a huge impact on Western civilization.  I think that a critical examination of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, as well as Jewish and Christian history is important information to know.  The Bible is taught as literature in classes.  Religious classes should be optional. I don't think that children should be manipulated into accepting the religion of their parents or legal guardian, especially under the threats of hellfire, annihilation, shunning or withdrawing love from the , support and care for the child. Religiously-based  withdrawing of love, support and care from the child may be a very rare occurrence, but it can and does happen.  Would a so-called "loving" god encourage such behavior?  If so, such a god is not a deity that I want to associate with.






Why should children feel obligated to believe the claims or the stories of the Bible, the Torah, the Koran, the Book of Mormon or the Satanic Bible in the first place, just because their parents or legal guardians do?  Shouldn't children be allowed to think for themselves and come to their own conclusions once they reach adulthood, even if their loved ones don't like it?  Mandatory Bible reading is unconstitutional.  It violates the principles of the separation of church and state, as well as the freedom of religion.  Why can't the Koran be taught in American public schools?  Couldn't the Book of Mormon, the Bhagavad Gita and the Satanic Bible also be included?  If you forcibly teach one religious text in a public educational facility, you might as well teach them all.  Fundamentalist Christians often hypocritically bash Hollywood for it's "sinful" content.   The portrayals of same-sex kissing or sexual activities are something that horrifies them and it is not uncommon to hear some of them claim that such scenes should be censored, but I've noticed that they praise Hollywood whenever it creates a film based on  a Biblical story.  Being an atheist, I don't mind religiously-based films, I don't like it when the creator of the film tries to use the film as an attempt to proselytize to people or insists that you have to believe in the concepts and stories portrayed in the film.






I'd like to see a film on the historical Jesus, but I doubt that too many filmmakers would have the courage to make a film about the historical Jesus that doesn't conform to anyone's religious expectations without being afraid of how Christians, religious Jews and Muslims will respond.  Being atheist, I am very supportive of the historical Jesus concept.  I don't support the Jesus Myth idea.  I largely support the research of Biblical scholars, historians and archeologists in helping people understand more about the history of the Bible, Judaism and Christianity from a critical and objective point of view. Biblical criticism, critical examination of the history of Israel and the Jewish and Christian religions as well and archaeological findings are one reason for why I am an atheist.