In the late 1940's, I attended Star School, a rural grade school about eight or ten miles east of Oklahoma City.
In addition to reciting the Lord's Prayer every morning, we had other religious instruction.
The most memorable was the annual visit by an itinerant preacher, who addressed the student body on the importance of religion, the evils of smoking, and related subjects.
At one point in his presentation, the preacher asked if any student could recite the golden rule. He offered a quarter to anyone who could do so. Hands shot up, usually hands of eager boys anxious to win the quarter. The preacher would call on the boys in turn. None ever won the quarter.
The only way to win, it turned out, was to recite the King James translation of Matthew 7:12 - "whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." No variations allowed.
I don't recall that he required the rest of the verse, where Jesus is quoted as saying: "for this is the law and the prophets." That is, this is the essence of Judaism, and by implication, the essence of Christianity.
Sounds like altruism to me. Maybe those who claim to be Christians and also followers of Ayn Rand should reexamine their position.
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I went to a suburban grade school in the 50s. Everyone in the class but two of us left once a week for a one block walk to a nearby church for Christian instruction. We looked at prints by the masters instead.
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