ArtsEdNet Mail for August 1999: Re: "salvation"

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Re: "salvation"

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]wendy sauls (wsauls)
Sat, 14 Aug 1999 16:59:16 -0400

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bob's post gave me goosebumps, it really hit home. i'm sure a lot of =
one's perspective depends on personal experience - i would never wish to =
offend, but i find it sometimes uncomfortable and other times =
unfathomable how so many people in "my" culture support so avidly and =
without question an organization that has done some awful things =
throughout history (christianity). its bizarre how people in the middle =
east can be characterized as horrible because of some who support holy =
wars (perhaps the ultimate oxymoron, there). what were the crusades, =
the spanish inquisition, the salem witch trials? different? its not =
like there aren't any spritual groups to choose from who do not have a =
history of violence, either. =20

up until moving to a small town in florida in 9th grade spiritual =
education provided by my parents included trips to houses of worship =
with friends who were jewish, catholic, presbyterian...and being pretty =
much forced to read parts of many religious texts. however, we as a =
family didn't have a religious organization with which we associated =
ourselves. in freshman english after doing a raise your hand type =
survey conducted by the teacher i turned out to be the only one who =
admitted they didn't go to church, hadn't been baptized or saved, and =
wasn't clear on my belief in god and jesus. that "admission" led me to =
being told i was going to burn in hell and also that i was most likely a =
witch, too. this came from the teacher. i got a lot of other nasty =
treatment from other teachers and students, too. i felt like a pariah. =
btw, i was a straight a kid who never got in trouble and tried hard not =
to be too weird. although i strive to not be bitter about these types =
of experiences and recognize that christians do a lot of good things, =
too, i've talked with so many others who have had experiences similar to =
mine, including my present students. its heartbreaking to relive my pain =
along with theirs when i hear their stories. i find it beyond =
comprehension how the same people who say stuff like, "what would jesus =
do?" treat others this way. if jesus was real, having read the bible as =
i had to do, i feel confident in saying he definitely would not do that! =
the hypocrisy is unbearable, to say the least. =20

if anyone puts up the 10 commandments in our school, i'll be right =
behind them posting pertinent teachings of the torah, koran, lao tzu, =
jah, wiccans, and obi wan kenobi!!

:D wendy "the witch"
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Bob Beeching=20
To: artsEdnet TALK=20
Sent: Saturday, August 14, 1999 12:14 PM
Subject: re: "salvation"

Throughout history, more bloodshed has occurred over religious
beliefs than from any other form of personal endeavor, that one may =
wonder
why good deeds give way to atrocity at such frequent rates.

Perhaps those who aspire to becoming sheep, could change
shepherds, or work more diligently to become self-responsible, and
self-reliant?

The artist, in his and her time, has suffered more public abuse
than most saints. Perhaps, that is why there are so few of them?

___________________________________________rb

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bob's post gave me goosebumps, it really hit home. = i'm sure a=20 lot of one's perspective depends on personal experience - i would = never=20 wish to offend, but i find it sometimes uncomfortable and other times=20 unfathomable how so many people in "my" culture support so avidly and = without=20 question an organization that has done some awful things throughout = history=20 (christianity). its bizarre how people in the middle east can = be=20 characterized as horrible because of some who support holy = wars=20 (perhaps the ultimate oxymoron, there). what were the=20 crusades, the spanish inquisition, the salem witch trials? =20 different? its not like there aren't any spritual groups to choose = from=20 who do not have a history of violence, either.

up until moving to a small town in florida = in 9th=20 grade spiritual education provided by my parents included trips to = houses of=20 worship with friends who were jewish, catholic, presbyterian...and being = pretty=20 much forced to read parts of many religious texts. however, we as = a family=20 didn't have a religious organization with which we associated = ourselves. =20 in freshman english after doing a raise your hand type survey conducted = by the=20 teacher i turned out to be the only one who admitted they = didn't go to=20 church, hadn't been baptized or saved, and wasn't clear on my belief in = god and=20 jesus. that "admission" led me to being told i was going to burn = in hell=20 and also that i was most likely a witch, too. this came from the=20 teacher. i got a lot of other nasty treatment from other teachers = and=20 students, too. i felt like a pariah. btw, i was a straight a kid = who never=20 got in trouble and tried hard not to be too weird. although i=20 strive to not be bitter about these types of experiences and = recognize=20 that christians do a lot of good things, too, i've talked with so many = others=20 who have had experiences similar to mine, including my present=20 students. its heartbreaking to relive my pain along with = theirs when i=20 hear their stories. i find it beyond comprehension how the same = people who=20 say stuff like, "what would jesus do?" treat others this way. if = jesus was=20 real, having read the bible as i had to do, i feel confident in saying = he=20 definitely would not do that! the hypocrisy is unbearable, to say = the=20 least.

if anyone puts up the 10 commandments in our school, = i'll be=20 right behind them posting pertinent teachings of the torah, koran, lao = tzu, jah,=20 wiccans, and obi wan kenobi!!

:D wendy "the witch"

----- Original Message -----

From:=20 Bob=20 Beeching