New bible reading activity

[Chris Hager]

Todd Cranston-Cuebas wrote:
> Actually, I spent a good part of the weekend thinking about how I 
> would respond to this thread. First, it's important to decide if OLPC 
> want to be truly open. If open means sharing, collaborating, 
> supporting, etc. then the BibleReader should definitely be included in 
> any list of XO Activities recognized by the project. I would expect no 
> less than a KoranReader or any other specialized reader required by 
> the children and/or their families. The argument for a special reader 
> is sound. As I conduct my own bible study I find the ability to 
> rapidly find chapter, verse, books of the bible, bookmarking etc. as 
> invaluable. Yes, you could use the Read activity or just surf the web, 
> but the specialized readers are significant enhancements to true students.
>
> I'm actually heartened to see the response over the weekend since I 
> was beginning to wonder about the "openness" of this project if open 
> only means anti-Christian. Yes, I can say anti-Christian since the 
> comments on seeing the value of including a special activity for 
> Darwin's Origin of Species is clearly meant to be confrontational and 
> anti-Christian. Funny how it's acceptable to bash Christians isn't it?
>
> In terms of not doing the "OLPC any favor" by including a BibleReader 
> activity, I think it's quite the opposite. Giving OLPC users the 
> greatest access to information should be a driving motivator. Of 
> course, I would not suggest that any specific religious texts and/or 
> activity be part of the core build, but clearly blocking the listing 
> of such an activity would seem rather 1984'ish to me.
>

To add my opinion to this stressed thread, I think noone wants to block 
an activity from the optional listings. Quite the opposite - I think it 
would be great if the children could use a multifunctional Reader - one 
which is able to handle all kind of texts - may it be religious or 
scientific ones. And since the Activity can already handle one text, it 
should be a reasonable effort to open it to more.

Then the kids could decide if they are interested in any texts, and then 
start reading them. And also for research - this Reader Activity would 
be very, very helpful!

I think, this would be something very much in the spirit of OLPC :) And 
i'd love to support that project (for example at the text-repository 
side of things).

- Chris