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Awkward conversations with my mom...
Jan. 8th, 2014 09:29 pm Today I had lunch with my mom. We try to do this once a week, and usually it is very nice, and we can catch up, gossip, and make plans for upcoming days. Today was a little different. I have been having issues with my current job and I have been struggling a lot as of late with staying there. So my mood was not spectacular. We talked for a while about my job and new job options, which can be aggravating on a good day because she rarely offers anything new to my situation, but she is great to bounce ideas off of when I am having difficulties.
Anyway, we got on the topic of global warming. I had made a comment about how people are using the current frigded weather as prof that global warming doesn't exist. My mom says the whole global warming thing is poppy cock, citing some example from her childhood. I was about to shrug it off, as I only brought it up as a funny tidbit to show the stupidity of some people. Then my mom said she had other explanations as to why the weather is being crazy. She said she wasn't going to tell me, as it was based off her religious beliefs. She is catholic, and raised me and my siblings catholic, but I no longer think of myself as catholic. I have too many issues with the religious institutions of today.
I waited for a second before she broke down and told me that the recent extreme weather is because of abortions and no prayer in schools. The first thing I wasn't even willing to touch. I am, what my mom calls, an extreme pro-choice person. I honestly believe I am in no position to tell others how to live their lives. So I focused on the second part. I told her I was against prayer in schools. I am a teacher, first and foremost, and I do not condone prayer in schools. Mainly because I truly believe in the separation of church and state. If you want you kid to have prayer, and religious teachings in school, send them to a religious school. My mom asked me to explain myself further and I pointed out that, if we allow one type of prayer, we HAVE to allow every type. Not just a Christian prayer, but Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, Wiccan, and even satanic prayers must be allowed.
She asked me to clarify my answer by saying whether or not I agreed with prayer at meal times. I don't care if a student wants to give a quick prayer before they eat, I honest do not care. But school sponsored and led prayers are 100% not okay with me. I am not going to force any student to say or do anything against their personal beliefs. I wonder how my mom would have felt if I had been forced to say a Buddhist prayer before every meal or right after the pledge of allegiance? Probably not that happy. But it is totally okay with her that we do that to other kids, only with christain prayers on non Christian students.
Anyway, we got on the topic of global warming. I had made a comment about how people are using the current frigded weather as prof that global warming doesn't exist. My mom says the whole global warming thing is poppy cock, citing some example from her childhood. I was about to shrug it off, as I only brought it up as a funny tidbit to show the stupidity of some people. Then my mom said she had other explanations as to why the weather is being crazy. She said she wasn't going to tell me, as it was based off her religious beliefs. She is catholic, and raised me and my siblings catholic, but I no longer think of myself as catholic. I have too many issues with the religious institutions of today.
I waited for a second before she broke down and told me that the recent extreme weather is because of abortions and no prayer in schools. The first thing I wasn't even willing to touch. I am, what my mom calls, an extreme pro-choice person. I honestly believe I am in no position to tell others how to live their lives. So I focused on the second part. I told her I was against prayer in schools. I am a teacher, first and foremost, and I do not condone prayer in schools. Mainly because I truly believe in the separation of church and state. If you want you kid to have prayer, and religious teachings in school, send them to a religious school. My mom asked me to explain myself further and I pointed out that, if we allow one type of prayer, we HAVE to allow every type. Not just a Christian prayer, but Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, Wiccan, and even satanic prayers must be allowed.
She asked me to clarify my answer by saying whether or not I agreed with prayer at meal times. I don't care if a student wants to give a quick prayer before they eat, I honest do not care. But school sponsored and led prayers are 100% not okay with me. I am not going to force any student to say or do anything against their personal beliefs. I wonder how my mom would have felt if I had been forced to say a Buddhist prayer before every meal or right after the pledge of allegiance? Probably not that happy. But it is totally okay with her that we do that to other kids, only with christain prayers on non Christian students.
