THE Belo Horizonte City Council (CMBH) approved in the second round the Bill (PL) 825/2024 which authorizes the reading of Bible in public and private schools in the capital of Minas Gerais. The proposal, signed by the councilwoman Flávia Borja (Christian Democracy) aims at the use of the text for cultural, historical, geographical and archaeological purposes. The vote, held on April 8, had 28 favorable votes, 8 against and 2 abstentions.
THE PL 825/2024 generated intense debate in CMBH Plenary with favorable arguments and contrary to the proposal. Favorable councilors, as Flávia Borja and Cláudio do Mundo Novo (PL) defended the wealth of content of the Bible stating that reading would not be religious. Borja He compared the project to the teaching of African matrix religions, questioning the resistance to millennial culture. New world He stressed the Christian values present in the text.
On the other hand, councilors as JUHLIA SANTOS (PSOL) , Pedro Patrus (PT) and Cida Falabella (PSOL) They questioned the constitutionality of the project, claiming that it hurts the principle of state secularism. Parliamentarians argued that the PL It privileges a religion over others and cited the possibility of embarrassing children from other religions or athea.
The project still depends on sanction of the city to be valid.
Debate on secularism
Pablo Almeida (PL) He defended the optional character of the proposal and stated that the secular state is not a laicist or atheist. Luiza Dulci (PT) defended a prioritization of scientific content in schools. Pablo Almeida He countered, criticizing the relativization of values and defending the biblical content.
Several amendments to PL 825/2024 who sought to restrict the teaching of Bible to confessional schools or include religious plurality, were harmed by the approval of the main text. The amendment that prohibited religious connotation in classes, authored by Pedro Patrus was rejected. The project now goes to the final essay and, later, for the mayor’s sanction or veto Álvaro Damião .
In an interview with Live CNN Álvaro Damião spoke on March 4, shortly after taking office, which is not up to the city to enter religious debates. At the time, the mayor was asked about an erased video of the City Hall networks. The video in question showed two men kissing, but according to the mayor, he was erased by the use of a religious image.
“The city does not have to attack belief A or B. This is not the role of the city (…) demonstrations in favor or against anyone,” says Mayor of Belo Horizonte. See video .
The discussion about the state’s role on secularism is old. In 1984 the governor of Minas Gerais, Tancredo Neves, sanctioned Law No. 8,583, which establishes State Bible Day in Minas Gerais.
The law aimed to establish a day for the celebration of the Bible in the state, establishing State Bible Day, to be celebrated annually on the last Sunday of September.
** With CMBH information
This content was originally published in Bible as paradidatic material is approved in BH; Understand on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
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