Never Question a Nun

I have a friend who basically was booted from Christian school because she was always getting pick on due to her health. She has a disease- you can’t tell by looking at her, but the teacher told the other 4th graders in an effort to assure they wouldn’t treat her differently, which of course assured they would. When her parents approached the school about the bullying, they got the brush off- which makes sense, in light of the fact that kicking out three bullies, who would then leave with their siblings, meant that the school would lose several tuitions instead of just one.

It was probably better for her in the long run, because they were apparently teaching the kids young earth bullshit.

A poorly-drawn, poorly-written comic with more words than pictures (at which point it can hardly be called a comic)? There’s no need to endorse this shit just because we agree with its author. A little discernment would go a long way.

I attended a Jewish private school in Las Vegas from kindergarten through 3rd grade. While I don’t remember any particular details, I do know I tended to ask a lot of questions and also do my own thing instead of pay too much attention in classes; even though the classes were about a year ahead of public school ones, I was still ahead of most of the other students. Anyway, I was always getting in trouble and at one point, during a Hebrew lesson with the Vice Principal teaching, I did/said something that made her so mad she hit me, causing me to fall out of my seat. Naturally my parents said that was the last straw and took me out of there.

Even in public school though I tended to ask a lot of questions, if the class interested me that is. Some teachers were glad that I was paying attention, but most just thought I was being cheeky or a smart ass.

I wish I’d been a Catholic. When the priest says ‘ite missa est,” do they have stamps back in the sacristy? how much are they?

Not to me, but to my Mom in the 60s . . . she went to a Catholic school, and one day, being the critical-thinker she was, pointed out several of the inconsistencies of the Bible. She was expecting to get a pat on the head, as you would for pointing out the author’s inconsistencies in any other book, but she was immediately dragged into the hall and told that she would be failed if she ever questioned the authority or perfection of the Bible again. The good thing that came out of all of this is that she didn’t raise her children with any religion and let us figure it out ourselves. Interestingly, my brother and I have come to pretty much the same conclusions, without any input from my parents at all . .

I, too, once flustered a Catholic school teacher by asking how dinosaurs fit into the biblical creation story. The school itself taught evolution as a policy, but let the younger kids think that the old testament stories are literal, since they are a bit young to understand them any other way. The teacher seemed annoyed, responding that we could choose to believe in dinosaurs or God, and she would choose God. In retrospect it’s clear that I had just caught her off guard and that this kind of answer would not be endorsed by the school.

The nun in the comic seemed to have an answer already thought out, but it may have just been her own agenda. Lying to the principal only makes this scenario seem more likely. Officially, evolution is considered to be non-conflicting with Catholicism, but it’s hardly required doctrine.

I never got in trouble with a teacher for questioning religion because I was too much of a kiss-ass and wanted them to think I was “good”. I asked all of those questions of my mother instead. I always got the incomprehensible answer, “You think too much.”

I would hardly call the monks who taught me “liberal”, but they weren’t so-called “conservative” Christians, either. On sex: “You shouldn’t, but if you do, don’t be an idiot. Use a condom.” On Genesis: “Jesus used parables, Moses used parables. They’re just stories.” Evolution was never questioned; we learned real science. We prayed before each class period, but besides that religion wasn’t really mentioned outside of Religion class – which was mostly history and ethics, not a lot of Bible.

The bishop who confirmed me (also not liberal) recently talked about the Hubble and the beginnings of the universe 13 billion years ago. During the homily. At a Catholic high school graduation mass.

My Catholic upbringing was basically, “Love Jesus. Go to church. Don’t be stupid. Don’t be a dick.” That was 15 years ago. I guess things change.

I think the comic is funny and Trepur I challenge you to draw any better.

But anyway, you all are assuming that the character, Ivy is telling the absolute truth. As I am sure you all are aware people often embellish the truth for a good story.

I have to confess, I did lie about my year of catholic school. I told everyone for years that I received a C in religion class because I refused to go to confession (I never believed in that stuff, I just liked the uniform).

The truth was far less interesting…..brother Dan asked us what we deserved for our term grade, and I thinking I should be modest said C. Oh was I dumb.

My point is, maybe….just maybe…..this is what the character imagined her school experience to be…..instead of what it actually was.