WTF Textbooks

Because the illustration of a tyrannosaurus rex eating watermelons was only the start of the strangeness in Christian textbooks.

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Hands up all those who've heard this one before!

From George Thompson & Jerry Combee, World History and Cultures in Christian Perspective 2nd Edition (Pensacola: A Beka Book, 1997), 426.

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It's a pretty striking difference from how the textbook talks about Reagan, isn't it? No "the undefinable quality called leadership" speak here. Instead they imply that FDR was running a con on the American sheeple for power. 

From Timothy Keesee & Mark Sidwell, United States History for Christian Schools (2nd Edition), (Greenville: Bob Jones University Press, 1993), 494.

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...nobody's saying anything remotely like that.

From Dr. Jay L. Wile & Marilyn F. Durnell, Exploring Creation With Biology (Chelsea: Apologia Press, 1998), 44.

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Behold, probably the only nice thing the authors have ever said about any Muslim population anywhere.

From George Thompson & Jerry Combee, World History and Cultures in Christian Perspective 2nd Edition (Pensacola: A Beka Book, 1997), 227.

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1. It's funny they should say that, because if there's anything these textbooks have been, it's an intellectual experience - just not in the way any of the authors have meant it to be.

2. The utter refusal to give other religions their proper names is really very silly. Saying "Hindu" or "Buddhist" won't give anyone the unchristianity cooties, I promise.

From Classics for Christians: World Literature (3rd edition), Jan Anderson, ed., (Pensacola: A Beka Book, 2002), 400.

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The Bible doesn't say anything about America either, but that doesn't stop the authors from living there.

From Emmett L. Williams & George Mulfinger, Physical Science for Christian Schools (Greenville: Bob Jones University Press, 1974), 293.

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Imagine, the people whose contact with Europeans was extremely limited (if they had it at all) didn't know about the Bible! It's almost like, I don't know, like as if the "truth of the Scripture" as the authors understand it isn't self-evident at all!

Judy Hull Moore & Laurel Hicks, The History of Our United States (Pensacola: A Beka Book, 1990), 41.

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Like you really thought they'd talk about anything else.

From George Thompson & Jerry Combee, World History and Cultures in Christian Perspective 2nd Edition (Pensacola: A Beka Book, 1997), 46.

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It's amazing how many health problems this book thinks could be avoided if one just believes in God enough. This approach to addiction in particular looks counterproductive to me - likely to heap additional guilt on Christian drug addicts and likely to inspire contempt for addicts rather than compassion.

From Matilda Nordtvedt, A Healthier You (Pensacola: A Beka Book, 1989), 176.

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And with this the textbook is pretty much done with discussing black leaders against slavery.

From Rachel C. Larson & Pamela B. Creason, The American Republic for Christian Schools, (Greenville: Bob Jones University Press, 1993), 312.

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This is supposed to be a science textbook, not an ad for McDowell's book. As for the rest of it, I don't think any of us really expected anything else from a text published by Apologia Press, did we?

Dr. Jay L. Wile, Exploring Creation With General Science (Anderson: Apologia Press, 2000), 54-55.

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Full marks if you can blame atheists for everything.

From George Thompson & Jerry Combee, World History and Cultures in Christian Perspective 2nd Edition (Pensacola: A Beka Book, 1997), 503.

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How dare anyone criticise America? They just don't love America enough!

From William L. Bowen, et. al., American Government in Christian Perspective 2nd Edition (Pensacola: A Beka Book, 1997), 13.

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Here we see that the old advice of "show, don't tell" sometimes needs to be applied in textbooks too.

From Timothy Keesee & Mark Sidwell, United States History for Christian Schools (2nd Edition), (Greenville: Bob Jones University Press, 1993), 620.

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Accepting evolution is just plain silly.

From Gregory Rickard, Stephen McAlister & Ed Rickard, Observing God’s World (Pensacola: A Beka Book, 1991), 73.

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It's okay to be a brutal fascist dictator overthrowing the elected government of your nation and to take assistance from Nazis if you're fighting socialists.

From George Thompson & Jerry Combee, World History and Cultures in Christian Perspective 2nd Edition (Pensacola: A Beka Book, 1997), 472.

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No, you.

From Dottie Buckley, Grace L. Farr & Debra White, Heritage Studies 5 for Christian Schools (Home Teacher’s Edition), (Greenville: Bob Jones University Press, 2000), 3.