By Steve Byas

Jesus warned his disciples about those who come to us as sheep, but inwardly are wolves. I can think of no person who better fits that description than Robert Franklin, a candidate for the Republican nomination for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. If this man is a Republican, then the word has no meaning.

His runoff primary opponent is Dr. James Taylor, a Christian minister and a public school history teacher at Little Axe. His conservative credentials are unquestioned, and he has vowed to staff his administration with professionals who will help him run the state department of education. After the last several disappointments in that office, it is past time to have a different direction.

That direction does not appear to be Robert Franklin. He gave a hefty contribution to the last state school superintendent, Joy Hofmeister, who was the Democrat candidate for governor in 2022.

While Franklin’s political resume can be summed up as something other than a conservative Republican, we will let him speak for himself. At a public debate forum in Norman prior to the Republican primary, candidates were asked to recommend a book. Franklin chose a book, whose title pretty much sums up his political orientation, regardless of his present political party registration.

The book was Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, by John Fugelsang. Of course, the book is a take-off of the concept of “separation of church and state,” which meaning is often debated. Certainly, the First Amendment prohibited the federal government from creating a national religion, or prohibiting the free exercise of religion. But “separation of church and state,” is not found anywhere in the U.S. Constitution.

That is not what this book is about. Rather, it is a full-throated assault on traditional Christianity. The problem in reviewing this book, heartily endorsed by Franklin – who wants to be in charge of our children’s education – is not in finding examples of this statement. It is deciding what to leave out.

So, let us look at a few examples of Fugelsang’s (and apparently, Franklin’s, since he whole-heartedly recommended the book at an education forum) assault on biblical Christianity. While Christians sometimes differ on interpretations of certain parts of the Bible, they generally agree that the Bible is the source for proper faith and practice.

Most Christians accept the thirteen letters of the Apostle Paul as Scripture, on a par with the rest of the Bible. But not this book. This book argues that when Paul said that all Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and is profitable for doctrine, for rebuke, for correction, and for training in righteousness, Paul was not arguing that his own letters were Scripture. (I suppose it was sort of like sending a friend an email, or making a Facebook post today).

Franklin’s recommended book does this as a way of discounting anything Paul wrote with which Fuselang (and presumably, Franklin) disagrees. But the Apostle Peter, writing in Second Peter 3:15-16, references Paul’s writings as Scripture, and calls him “our beloved brother.” This is typical of those who follow the “spot theory of inspiration” – the Bible is inspired in “spots,” and they are inspired to “spot the spots.” If they don’t like something Paul wrote, then, well, they know better than Paul. But remember, Jesus chose Paul, and taught Paul.

Some things the Franklin-recommended book states are just silly, such as that Jesus “Never sought tax cuts for rich Nazarenes,” or was “Never even slightly antigay,” or “Never mentioned abortion.” He even asserted that Jesus was a community organizer, like Barack Obama, I suppose. He even calls Jesus a “Palestinian.”

The Table of Contents should be sufficient to understand that Franklin is not the person that Christians and conservatives should want teaching our children in the state’s public schools.

– Master Race Christians of the Twenty-First Century

– Thou Shalt Not Hate Feminists

– Thou Shalt Not Hate Gays

– Thou Shalt Not Hate “Illegal”

– Thou Shalt Not Hate on Poor People

– Thou Shalt Not Kill People Who Kill People to Prove Killing People is Wrong

– Thou Shalt Not Hate Gun-Control

– Thou Shalt Not Hate Jews, Muslims, or Even Atheists

– Thou Shalt Not Be, or Defend, a White Supremacist

– Thou Shalt Let Go of Thy Sex Hang-Ups

That is quite a list. And Christians should not hate anyone. But interestingly, the book has no chapter “Thou Shalt Not Hate Conservatives.”

Now, let us look at some specific assertions made in the book. “As a male, my opinion on the matter of abortion is that male opinions on abortion don’t matter.” He then adds that the Bible never forbids it, and “Jesus never mentioned it.”

In the chapter, “Thou Shalt Let Go of Thy Sex Hang-Ups,” the Franklin-recommended book asserts, “Jesus never technically comes out against premarital sex.” The chapter concludes with this charming advice: “After all, if God didn’t like sex, He wouldn’t make us cry out His name when it’s especially hot.” Personally, I consider that statement blasphemy.

There are many other examples that can be offered, but one should get the point. This book, that Robert Franklin recommended publicly, is an attack on biblical Christianity and also just about every conservative position.

Certainly there are those who misuse Christianity in a political fashion, Left and Right. But this book reads like a primer for a radical society, clothed in a supposed Christianity, stripped of anything that might offend hard-core radicals. And Robert Franklin recommended it.

“For in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers ... Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” From Paul’s second letter to Timothy, chapter 3. Of course, this book does not consider Paul’s letters Scripture.