It's a fine line
May. 22nd, 2006 09:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yendiSo, what's the difference between ignorant homeschooling parents of "Christian" pop stars and education in the country that was most responsible for the 9/11 attacks?
Volume. And not much else.
From the latest issue of Blender, in an article on Aly and AJ, a pair of homeschooled sisters who pose all cuddly-like in an attempt to combine the jailbait charm of early Britney and Xtina, the "two-girls who might just get hot and heavy" fake lesbianism of Tatu, and the "hot but innocent" vibe of early Jessica Simpson together:
Maxim: Do you believe in evolution?
No," AJ says, shaking her head and frowning.
"Wait," Aly says, bolting forward. "Are they teaching that in schools now?"
Maxim: They've been teaching it for the better part of a century.
"I think that's kind of disrespectful," Aly says. "Anything that has to do with anybody's beliefs on religion, that should stay out of the classroom. I mean, I think people should be able to pray in school, if people were into that. Everybody should just do their own thing."
"Evolution is silly," AJ adds. "Monkeys? Um, no."*
And, from a Washington Post article on the hate-filled textbooks in Saudi Arabia, the country still most responsible (and least penalized) for what happened on 9/11:
A review of a sample of official Saudi textbooks for Islamic studies used during the current academic year reveals that, despite the Saudi government's statements to the contrary, an ideology of hatred toward Christians and Jews and Muslims who do not follow Wahhabi doctrine remains in this area of the public school system. The texts teach a dualistic vision, dividing the world into true believers of Islam (the "monotheists") and unbelievers (the "polytheists" and "infidels").
This indoctrination begins in a first-grade text and is reinforced and expanded each year, culminating in a 12th-grade text instructing students that their religious obligation includes waging jihad against the infidel to "spread the faith."
The difference between the two? Degree.
Now, I'm not advocating bombing homeschoolers who teach crap like AJ and Aly's parents did back to the stone age (for one, since Christian homeschoolers, like terrorist cells, are spread out, there's too much chance of collateral damage; for another, they don't believe in the stone age, anyway). Hell, as a country, we still haven't done anything to Saudi Arabia other than suck their metaphorical dick and pat them on the back, and even my liberal, generally non-hawkish nature leans me towards wanting something done about SA first (and by "first," I mean before we even started to focus on Iraq, not "now.").
But in the end, both the parents of two little twits and the schools in Saudi Arabia are willfully spreading ignorance. I've got no problem with people who choose ignorance on their own, as long as they channel that ignorance properly and stick their heads in the sand (or up their own arses). But choosing to make other folks ignorant? That -- not sodomy, eating the wrong foods, or practicing the scientific method -- is a crime against nature.
*Article transcribed by yours truly -- there's no online version that I can find.
Volume. And not much else.
From the latest issue of Blender, in an article on Aly and AJ, a pair of homeschooled sisters who pose all cuddly-like in an attempt to combine the jailbait charm of early Britney and Xtina, the "two-girls who might just get hot and heavy" fake lesbianism of Tatu, and the "hot but innocent" vibe of early Jessica Simpson together:
Maxim: Do you believe in evolution?
No," AJ says, shaking her head and frowning.
"Wait," Aly says, bolting forward. "Are they teaching that in schools now?"
Maxim: They've been teaching it for the better part of a century.
"I think that's kind of disrespectful," Aly says. "Anything that has to do with anybody's beliefs on religion, that should stay out of the classroom. I mean, I think people should be able to pray in school, if people were into that. Everybody should just do their own thing."
"Evolution is silly," AJ adds. "Monkeys? Um, no."*
And, from a Washington Post article on the hate-filled textbooks in Saudi Arabia, the country still most responsible (and least penalized) for what happened on 9/11:
A review of a sample of official Saudi textbooks for Islamic studies used during the current academic year reveals that, despite the Saudi government's statements to the contrary, an ideology of hatred toward Christians and Jews and Muslims who do not follow Wahhabi doctrine remains in this area of the public school system. The texts teach a dualistic vision, dividing the world into true believers of Islam (the "monotheists") and unbelievers (the "polytheists" and "infidels").
This indoctrination begins in a first-grade text and is reinforced and expanded each year, culminating in a 12th-grade text instructing students that their religious obligation includes waging jihad against the infidel to "spread the faith."
The difference between the two? Degree.
Now, I'm not advocating bombing homeschoolers who teach crap like AJ and Aly's parents did back to the stone age (for one, since Christian homeschoolers, like terrorist cells, are spread out, there's too much chance of collateral damage; for another, they don't believe in the stone age, anyway). Hell, as a country, we still haven't done anything to Saudi Arabia other than suck their metaphorical dick and pat them on the back, and even my liberal, generally non-hawkish nature leans me towards wanting something done about SA first (and by "first," I mean before we even started to focus on Iraq, not "now.").
But in the end, both the parents of two little twits and the schools in Saudi Arabia are willfully spreading ignorance. I've got no problem with people who choose ignorance on their own, as long as they channel that ignorance properly and stick their heads in the sand (or up their own arses). But choosing to make other folks ignorant? That -- not sodomy, eating the wrong foods, or practicing the scientific method -- is a crime against nature.
*Article transcribed by yours truly -- there's no online version that I can find.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 02:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 02:17 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 03:09 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 04:23 pm (UTC)The Qur'an is *supposed* to be the final authority when it comes to Islam (something the fundies forget), and it most definitely doesn't state that Christians and Jews as a whole are infidels (they are after all fellow People of the Book).
As I understand it from reading, an infidel is essentially a hypocrite: one who gives lipservice to belief in God, but makes no effort to actually believe.
To be honest, while I know it's hard to pin down the definition (something gets lost in translation, I reckon), it's frustrating that the common understanding is that Jews and Christians are all infidels, because Qur'anically speaking, that's not so at all.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-23 01:05 pm (UTC)Well then I'd guess that means most American Christians are infidels.
..and I ain't joking.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 02:29 pm (UTC)Oh well, one more reason to not be impressed with Disney's tween crap.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 10:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 11:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 11:21 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-23 12:02 am (UTC)No that was KristalNacht.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 02:32 pm (UTC)Umm... no, what they're doing is willfully spreading "enlightenment". It's just that their "enlightenment" happens to be somewhat less enlightened or enlightening than they think it is. Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by tradition. =:o\ I wonder what sort of education the homeschooling parents had themselves, that led them to believe what they do...?
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 02:46 pm (UTC)They are our own version of the Taliban. And they scare me, just as much as the Saudis do. Maybe more.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 03:13 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 03:52 pm (UTC)http://www.michalka.org/photogallery/displayimage.php?album=39&pos=3
http://www.michalka.org/photogallery/displayimage.php?album=39&pos=2
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 05:19 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 06:08 pm (UTC)There is a self-righteousness inherent in religious fanaticism that is almost inescapable.
Those folks tend to believe that they are not teaching ignorance, but rather Truth-with-a-capital-T -- it is the others who are teaching ignorance... ignorance of thier Truth-as-written-in-holy-scripture-X.
The sad part is that their faith is so weak that it can't stand up to opposing viewpoints. The belief that 'exposure' to alternate theories will corrupt their children and lead them from the 'true path' seems to indicate a rather weak 'true path' doesn't it?
It's sad... but it's also scarily becoming the norm in our society. :(
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-22 11:07 pm (UTC)