The Biggest Threat to Christian Nationalism? Students Thinking Critically

Ultimise. Texas Republicans are about to require public school students to read passages from the Bible, and I have to say, finally, government overreach I can personally exploit. I know critics are upset. They say this is a violation of church and state. They say Texas politicians are using literature class to smuggle Christianity into public schools. They say local control apparently means Austin controls every local classroom. Fine. Those are serious concerns, but as a man whose real first name is Timothy, I feel seen. The T in TJ Walker stands for Timothy. I used to wish it stood for truth and justice—much cooler—but apparently it stands for 2,000 years of unsolicited lifestyle advice. So if Texas wants students reading the Bible, I have suggestions. Start with 1 Timothy. That book, which is in the Bible, is basically ancient self-help with worse lighting. Texas is on the verge of approving a statewide required reading list for public school students, including Bible passages in multiple grades. This is unusual. Normally, teachers, schools, districts, people close to actual children pick a lot of the reading material. But Texas has decided, no, no, no, we can't trust Mrs. Johnson in 8th grade English. She may have a master's degree, 30 years of classroom experience, and an actual relationship with the students, but does she have what really matters? A politically appointed board in Austin with a 10-5 Republican majority? I think not. So now Texas students may soon be reading Bible excerpts as part of public school. And I know the expected commentary here. I'm supposed to say this is dangerous. I'm supposed to say this is religious nationalism. I'm supposed to say this is another example of conservatives screaming about indoctrination while sprinting into the classroom carrying a King James Bible and a dry erase marker. And yeah, all true. But today I want to be generous. I want to be constructive. I want to meet Texas where Texas is. If Texas is going to require Bible readings, I say go all in. Don't stop with the majestic passages. Don't just give students Noah's Ark, the Prodigal Son, Job, Ecclesiastes, and the parts everyone already puts on throw pillows. No, let's get practical. Let's give students 1 Timothy, because I have a personal connection here. My real first name is Timothy, That is what the T in TJ Walker stands for. And for years I thought, well, that's just a normal biblical name. Then I started reading 1 Timothy and I realized I never had a chance. I was born into the self-help industry. 1 Timothy is not just theology, it is lifestyle optimization. It has advice on what to wear, what to drink, how to train, how to lead, how to handle money, and how not to embarrass yourself in public. This is not far from half the books in the airport self-help section. Modern personal development didn't invent this stuff. We just added podcasts, ring lights, affiliate links, and a premium subscription tier. 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy— this isn't scripture, that's product extension. Most people get one letter. Timothy got a sequel. 1 Timothy was the basic course. 2 Timothy was the advanced mastermind. Timothy Premium, Timothy Plus, Timothy Live, Timothy Inner Circle. For only $97 a month, Paul will write you a personalized epistle. So yeah, Texas, let's teach the Bible, but let's teach the useful parts. Would you like to be the sort of successful person who is dominating news, at least in your industry? Well, if so, it's time to up your skills. At ultimize.com, I've created online courses to help you do that. Now, here's the thing— no obligation. You can get a free course on communication skills, a free course on how to build better habits. All you have to do is go to ultimize.com. That's ultimize.com. No obligation. Go there now. Start with 1 Timothy 2:9. It says women should dress modestly, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes. Now, I'm not a theologian. I'm not here to interpret the deep doctrinal meaning, but I'm pretty sure that's not just scripture. That's an exhausted bridesmaid. Jennifer, this wedding is not about you. That is ancient image consulting. You think Instagram created fashion anxiety? No. 1 Timothy was already there saying, essentially, maybe dial back the pearls. Imagine this in a Texas classroom: Children, today we will discuss separation of church and state. Also, Madison, the Lord has concern about your accessories. And I know some people will say, TJ Walker, are you mocking religion? No, I'm mocking Texas politicians who think they can put the Bible into public school without accidentally creating the funniest curriculum in American history. Because once you put the Bible into public school, students are going to ask student questions. "Hey teacher, why can't she wear pearls?" "Teacher, what counts as elaborate hair?" "Teacher, is this about modesty or did 1 Timothy just have a bad experience at a wedding?" And good luck answering that while also trying not to get sued. Then we get to 1 Timothy 5:23. This is one of my favorite. It says, stop drinking only water and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. So it is in the Bible, but that's not just the Bible anymore. That is a wellness podcast. That is Timothy's gut health protocol. Guys, I'm not saying get drunk. I'm saying your microbiome needs a Pinot Noir. You can already see the Texas worksheet. Question 1: Why did Paul advise Timothy to use a little wine? A) Stomach problems. B) Frequent illness. C) Ancient Mediterranean wellness culture. D) Because even biblical figures couldn't get through a school board meeting sober. And please note, I'm not telling students to drink wine. I'm telling Texas politicians. When you mandate the Bible, you do not get to pick the only parts that sound like campaign commercials. You also get the part where the Bible says, "Maybe water isn't enough. Try wine." Imagine the PTA meeting. "My child came home and said the Bible recommends alcohol." "No, ma'am, only a little wine." "Oh, good. That clears it up." Thank you, public education. Then there is 1 Timothy 4:8. 'Physical training is of some value.' This may be the greatest fitness line ever written because it's so honest. Not 'unleash the beast,' not 'no excuses,' not 'crush your enemies with your core strength.' Just 'physical training is of some value.' That is the least committed gym slogan in history. Planet Fitness should put that over the door. Physical training is of some value. That is my kind of fitness program, not Navy SEAL training, not CrossFit, not a man named Brock screaming at you to flip a tractor tire at 5:30 in the morning. Just honestly, maybe stretch a little. And again, this would be useful for students because kids today are bombarded with insane body messaging. They think if they're not shredded by age 14, they have failed life. 1 Timothy brings balance. Should I exercise? Yes. Would it solve everything? No. How much value does it have? Some. That's healthier than half of TikTok. Then 1 Timothy 3 gives qualifications for leaders. It says leaders should be temperate, self-controlled, respectable, not given to drunkenness. Yeah, that's in the Bible. Now, that's not ancient theology. That's corporate HR after a sales convention. 2,000 years later, humanity is still trying to master "do not get drunk and text coworkers." This is where Texas could really help America. If you're going to put Bible passages in public schools, make every future politician memorize that one. Respectable, self-controlled, not given to drunkenness, Imagine applying that standard to modern politics. Half of Congress would have to repeat 8th grade. And I'm not naming names. I do not have to. You already picture 3 people. 1 Timothy is basically saying, before you put someone in charge, ask, can this person behave like an adult for 3 consecutive hours? This is radical stuff. Forget civics class. Make every candidate sit for the First Timothy Leadership Exam. Question 1: Are you respectable? Question 2: Are you self-controlled? Question 3: Have you ever confused a public office with a personal revenge podcast? Question 4: When someone disagrees with you, do you respond with policy, or do you call them a communist groomer on television? I would support this curriculum immediately. Then there is 1 Timothy 6:10, the famous money verse. And people misquote this all the time. They say money is the root of all evil. No, 1 Timothy says the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, not money, love of money. Very important distinction. Apparently even in biblical times, someone heard money's evil and another guy said, no, no, greed is evil. Please keep donating. Human beings have always looked for loopholes. This is another great lesson for Texas students, especially in a state where everyone is told the free market is sacred right up until an oil company needs a tax break. The Bible is not saying you can't have money. It's saying maybe don't worship it, which is awkward because if Texas teaches that too well, some of these students may grow up and ask why their state treats billionaires like prophets and teachers like substitute babysitters with health insurance problems. That is the danger of making kids read. They might understand things. And that's why this whole Texas plan is so unintentionally funny. The politicians think they're bringing the Bible into schools to reinforce their preferred culture, but the Bible is a dangerous book, not because it's bad, because it's complicated. Yeah, it has poetry, It has contradictions. It has history. It has laws. It has violence. It has mercy. It has radical attacks on greed. It has warnings about hypocrisy. It has endorsements of slavery. It has passages that make modern religious conservatives uncomfortable and passages that make modern secular liberals uncomfortable. This is what real literature does. It doesn't sit there quietly and endorse your party platform. So, if Texas students really read the Bible—not just cherry-pick passages wrapped in a political lesson—they may start asking dangerous questions like, "Why are the politicians who want us to read this so obsessed with controlling women's clothing?" Or, "Why are they more excited about posting the Ten Commandments than following the one about not bearing false witness?" Or, "Why do they say the love of money is bad, but every policy seems to be written by donors?" Or why do they say they want religious freedom, but only one religion keeps getting VIP seating? That is the real risk. Not that Texas students will read the Bible. The risk is that they might read it carefully, and they might discover that the Bible is not a mascot. It's not a campaign prop. It's not a decorative weapon to hold up while yelling about wokeness. It's a library of ancient texts that serious people have wrestled with for centuries. Now Texas wants to hand it to 7th graders. Good luck, because 7th graders are ruthless. They'll find the weird parts. They'll ask about the wine. They'll ask about the pearls. They will ask what "physical training is of some value" means for gym class. They'll ask why adults keep pretending their political agenda is just classic literature. And honestly, that might be the best argument for the policy. Not because it will turn every student into the kind of Christian Texas Republicans want, but because it might turn every student into the kind of reader politicians fear: a reader who notices loopholes, a reader who notices hypocrisy, a reader who asks, "Wait a minute, who picked these passages and why?" So yeah, Texas, require Bible readings, but don't be cowards. Give them 1 Timothy. Give them the modesty rules, the wine for your stomach advice, the very lukewarm fitness slogan, the leadership standards, and the warning about loving money too much. Then let students compare that to the adults running the state. Because once kids start doing that, this whole Bible curriculum may backfire spectacularly. And for the first time in American history, The biggest threat to Christian nationalism may be students actually reading the Bible. I'm TJ Walker. This is Filtered. Ultimize.