I’m running low on readers’ wildlife photos, and though I have a few dollops left, I’ll save them for tomorrow through Tuesday when people actually read this site. (I leave for New Zealand on Wednesday.) If you have photos, send them by Tuesday, please.
Instead, enjoy this pair of photos submitted by a reader in Canada who, for obvious reasons, will remain anonymous. He teaches at a Catholic school in a province where such schools are publicly funded, and a “prayer corner” was put in the classroom by mandate of the principal and the parents’ council.
Our intrepid reader simply swapped out the Bible for a true book:
BEFORE
AFTER
so darwin replacing Jesus !
So, a believer goes into that school’s library and replaces WEIT on the shelf with a bible.
Reactions?
sub
Not as funny.
I always thought, go stand in the corner, was a punishment. However, if the books were changed permanently?
Publically funded Catholic schools drive me crazy in my province. It’s a regular battle. I’m happy to see this subversion and I know a couple of cases where the Catholic school system has produced atheists so these are small wins. 🙂
The battle goes on in this country everyday.
Indeed, Randy / Ms MacPherson, I feel myself embattled every single day. I work at a state – funded university that inside its formal full entitling name thereof are these words, “ ____ State University of Science and Technology!”
And, yet, its current president (in just a few years ago from the USA’s South), a bagazillion of his swamp – drained positions replaced with minions of only his own like – thinkings now and a 36,600+ enrolled student body whom I see with religious trappings and garbs upon themselves and whom I hear spew such fantasy / fantastical blatherings of goddy muck and crud, that I am, in this 21st Century actually stunned at: how effing backward this joint can .STILL. be !
I must say: I am somewhat in my elderhood … … emboldened. And Dr Coyne / WEIT commenters are to be thanked for this: this change in my mouth’s utterances. It is okay, indeed necessary, to, .now. inside this 21st Century when the gods – / goddiness – swamps so need to be tossed & drained &, .finally.!, replaced with the stuffs and thinkings of science (eg, 29 April 2017 March on Climate Change Science inside Washington, DC, with, now in y2017 ! its CO2 – contributor d e n y I n g Environmental Protection Agency Head Pruitt !), it is okay — and, for our own selves’ health and safeties ! — TO MAKE a mockery of such angering stupidities and silliness ! Ceiling Cat Save Us from the thinkings and, especially, from the frighteningly influencing workings !, of such state taxpayer – paid churls ! It is y2017 ! for CRIKEY’s sake !
Blue
And too, I need for that — for my emboldening … … of late — to thank all of the AWESOME folks including those so, so hard – working and mightily vigilant attorneys of the Freedom FROM Religion Foundation hqed inside Madison, Wisconsin. They, for me and my ilk, are such a darling BOON.
Joining it is so, so easy, not ?
https://ffrf.org/get-involved
Blue
Yes, become a life member if you can.
I taught at a Catholic boys school and probably converted several dozen boys away from faith. I also went to the same high school.
Here’s my tiny theory. Catholic high schools like to promote a new year unity probability of going to college. The higher the education level the less likely the religious level. If the Catholic schools continue at that rate they’re going to lose children and put themselves out of business.
‘new year unity’?
‘near-unity’?
Spellchecker strikes again?
cr
Another small win here. I was the product of attempted brainwashing in 12 year RC system in Timmins Ontario. Old Sister Basil would be spinning in her grave if she knew how I turned out. Sadly my becoming atheist caused a friction between my devout RC father and myself which lasted to the day he died.
So happy to have this website to also inspire my continued efforts to keep up with science, current events and our beloved cats and squirrels.
Kudos to student who did the book change-out.
I do hope that, when convenient for you, you turn up for reunions or whatever other “community building” efforts the school indulges in, just to share the faithlessness. And give hope to the oppressed.
I’ve no idea what such “community efforts would be. My school never bothered with such stuff, or if they did, no one told me.
In case of fire, the principal suggests you wrap up in the blanket, read the Bible and pray? Good luck.
I hadn’t realized there were any provinces in Canada that publicly funded Catholic schools.
The fire thing is funny juxtaposed with the prayers & rosary.
This is the history and current state of Catholic school funding in Canada.
Many Canadians get confused about this issue, thinking that schools are only funded by Catholics because when they vote, they ask you which system you support (public or separate) but that’s just to allow you to vote for the correct school board members. Taxes are allocated to Catholic and Public schools according to a formula so yes, your tax dollars go to Catholic schools as well, who also get Church dollars so they have lots of money to go around!
Seems like the Catholic Church has enough money to fund their own schools without public help!
Last news I heard was they are closing many schools around the country, a good thing. That means they are not doing so well. Besides, it takes a lot of money to run the Vatican and they do have their priorities.
Sounds a bad as Ireland!
Not remotely as bad as Ireland. You can get a legal abortion in Canada.
cr
I read it as being that the blanket is to provide a little privacy as you kiss your donkey goodbye. Quite what the joy beads are for, I dread to think. Possibly some sort of mildly abrasive cleaning before the kiss goodbye?
Most bibles use very crinkly paper that creases to a hard edge, making it difficult to use for such clean up. Which would explain the need for the joy beads. Perhaps the little blue card is explanation on how to perform such ablutions, or are the techniques beaten into Cat-lick children during potty-training so they never need writing down.
What did Sister Sadista do to children who wiped with their right hand? Send them to the madrassa?
Constitutionally, all of them have to offer them where “numbers warrant” or the like. Three provinces have basically said “we’re not doing this”.
The Catholic School System “de la Salle Brothers” were responsible for my Atheism.
How old are the kids in that school? That book holder appears to about a foot above the floor.
I can see a kid who didn’t study for the big exam heading to the prayer stall on exam day to ask for divine guidance.
If you catch on hellfire reading Darwin you’ll have all the appropriate equipment nearby.
Totally agree with Diana on the craziness of public funding in Catholic schools. An atheist friend taught computer science at a Catholic HS. Jobs were scarce and he not only had to pretend to be a Catholic, he had to take some dumbass summer course in “the teachings”. Fortunately there were few if any doctrinal issues in Comp Sci.
The crazyness of public funding of any religious school. That is one of the reasons Ayaan -she proposed to get rid of religious (Islamic in the context) schools- got labelled ‘extremist’.
Strange thing – Gideon bibles seem to disappear from the motel rooms I stay in…
Yes, I’ve been noticing them somewhat less common over the last few years.
I try to contribute. Some I throw away (which gives me a qualm – despite it’s reprehensible content, it remains a book), but more often I take it down to the desk when I’m checking out to tell them that the previous occupant “seems to have left it behind”. Which makes work for the counter staff, who are then more likely to raise the rigid digit to the next Gideon delivery van.
I’ve nevr plaid the “Why is there a Buybull, but not a Koran? I’m offended! I want to speak to the manager!” After all, I’m there for work not pleasure.
Typing and eating soup don’t mix. Of course I’ve plaid. I aintn’t ded yet.
I rather like the legend that all the local ladies of negotiable affection write their number on the flyleaf.
I choose to believe that implicitly, as an article of faith. 😉
cr
I travel with these:
http://shop.ffrf.org/ffrf-pride/stickers/gideon-exposed
…and leave the hotel Bible with a new frontispiece…
+1 @Diane
Actually, reading the bible is probably the best way to become an atheist.