Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
Mensch
Life imitates art.
In my SF novel, the heroine’s mother is notified by the principal of her private religious school that her daughter is “faith impaired” and would be much better served by a nearby secular school. Nothing so drastic with my son today, but he did put them all to task.
In Theology, he was obliged to participate in a Stations of the Cross activity. He was Station 5. (According to Wikipedia, this is the “Simon of Cyrene carries the cross” station.) In this activity, Jake was supposed to read a passage that was written in the first person. He refused on the grounds that it would be hypocritical to imply belief when he had no such belief.
His teacher objected, and insisted he go along with it. But when it came time, he refused again. Unlike Peter, Jake didn’t get the chance to deny her a third time, but was instead sent to Pontius Pilate’s the Dean of Student’s office. She passed Jake along to his counselor, who tried to use the argument that students in biology are all obliged to learn about evolution, even though some might not believe in evolution. Jake countered that the proper comparison is that students in biology must learn evolution just as students in theology must learn various things about the New Testament. But there was a huge difference between learning these things and professing belief. If the biology students were asked to get up in front of class and commit to a belief in evolution, then her comparison would be valid.
The counselor also pointed out that if the teacher allowed one student to abstain from participating in the Stations of the Cross, she would need to allow others to abstain, too. Jake’s response was, “What would be wrong with that?” She also said that most of the students at the school were not Catholic, implying I suppose that others’ lack of principles should allow for Jake, too, to have a “principle-free zone” at school.
Afterward, Jake returned to Theology to get his backpack and binder, and to ask his teacher for her point of view. She told him that she felt there was an expectation that students at a Catholic school would participate in school-related activities, and if they made an exception for Jake, etc. But this breaks down, too. While Jake must attend Mass at school, no one insists that he take communion. Perhaps even his Theology teacher sees the inanity in an atheist taking communion.
I don’t know if she is losing patience with him. Earlier this week, the kids were assigned to write a brief parable involving God in some way. Jake wrote that God was like a blanket used by people for comfort, but sometimes it’s a good idea to get out of bed.
Stay tuned.
D.
So personally I think this is amusing, but I wonder what happens when he offends the wrong person. Religion is not based on Logic, and he may not be able to Reason himself out of all problems he has with others regarding religion.
His atheism is no secret, and so far he hasn’t had any problems at his school. On the other hand, this IS California, and it IS a Catholic school and not a fundamentalist Christian school, so I’m guessing it’s a question of audience. But I think you have a valid point. And perhaps this may convince Jake that he needs to take up martial arts again 🙂
You have my permission for your son to marry my daughter.
No chance of any baptisms or bar mitzvahs in that family!
Religious schools that accept students that aren’t being brought up in The Faith (whatever that faith may be) risk this situation. At HA 1.0’s ex-school, the parents had to sign a document professing faith, and thus all the children participated in all the religious activities.
At HA 2.0’s Catholic school, there was no such requirement, only that one of the parents be a member of the parish (reasonable enough, I suppose) and so there was no requirement for any child to take part in any religious activity. Much more reasonable than Jake’s school’s position, which is Fraught with Much Peril.
They’re all-inclusive, and I give them credit for it. We have other atheists there, Sikhs, Jews, who knows who else. Four years of Theology is a requirement, but as one of my old friends (who taught Theology for a few years) liked to say, “I only require that you learn it — you don’t have to believe in it.” That has been their attitude thus far, but occasionally the theology teacher blurs the lines a bit.
I like Jake’s simile, but I agree with Mary.
Bear in mind that he’s not doing this to provoke people. He’s doing it out of conviction, out of a sense of integrity, and he’s only saying these things when he is provoked. Under ordinary circumstances, this isn’t going to come up — he’s not going around campus challenging or belittling people of faith. In the real world, I doubt he would be vocal about his views if someone within earshot were to spout their doctrine. It’s only when someone tries to force belief upon him that he becomes vocal, and when he does, he sticks to his guns.
Also bear in mind that he was standing up to the teacher in front of the other students. I would say he was setting a good example for others. (But then I have that whole Berkeley “question authority” thing running deeply in my blood.)
I hope he doesn’t ever get assaulted for standing up for his principles, but if he does, he’ll be in excellent company.
I haven’t been back to read your blog in a verrrry long time but I am so glad I did.
Good for Jake. My 14-year-old has been in a similar position with a similar attitude (though now at a public school since we moved) and I almost had to rein him back. You don’t have to profess that in which you don’t believe, but you always have to stay respectful, and when my son gets pushed, he sometimes gets a bit of a hot head.
I loved the last phrase, though it is a bit provocative. As you say, Jake is in excellent company.