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Post by Bonobo on Nov 13, 2010 19:20:00 GMT 1
I don`t usually know my students`parents` occupations. I never enquire about it and only learn them if students are willing to share this info.
Recently, in connection with the local council/mayor/etc elections in Poland, I saw a giant poster with my student`s father. He is running in the elections as a candidate No 1 of the Left Democratic Alliance (former communists).
I recalled the home where I give private lessons and realised I had seen neither a cross nor a holy picture there.
They are atheists!
What do you propose I do?
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Post by jeanne on Nov 13, 2010 19:26:02 GMT 1
I don`t usually know my students`parents` occupations. I never enquire about it and only learn them if students are willing to share this info. Recently, in connection with the local council/mayor/etc elections in Poland, I saw a giant poster with my student`s father. He is running in the elections as a candidate No 1 of the Left Democratic Alliance (former communists). I recalled the home where I give private lessons and realised I had seen neither a cross nor a holly picture there. They are atheists! What do you propose I do? I did not respond to the poll because my choice was not there! Do what I assume you always do...live an exemplary life as a Christian man and by your witness help them to see the light! What else could you do??? |
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Post by pjotr on Nov 14, 2010 2:43:31 GMT 1
Bonobo/Jeanne,
What is wrong with atheism in a democracy and free society? As long as "they" are not agressive secular fundamentalists who stage a fierce anti-religious campaign, I don't see a problem.
I know a lot of atheists, secularists or agnostic people in my country. Conservative atheists, rightwing populist (non-fascist and non-nazi) atheists, neo-nazi (pagan) atheists, liberal atheists, social-democratic atheists, cultural atheists (people who replaced religion by culture and sport. So sunday is a day of relaxation for them, with classical music, concerts, visiting woods or city parks, cycling in the country or visiting family or friends for social time).
In the same time sunday the church bells ring, and the Catholics, Calvinists, Lutheranians, Baptists and Evangelicals
go to their church to mass and services. The sunday is a quiet day because both the religious and secular-humanist atheists enjoy the day of rest. The first see it in a spiritual sense, as a day of the Lord, Jesus Christ, Mary and the bible teachings and readings in church, the latter see it a cultural day of contemplation and relaxation.
A third group is people who like sport or live on a sunday like it is monday, tuesday or wednesday. They work, sport, entertain themselves and use the day as they like. And for the Muslims, jews, Hindu's and Buddhists the Sunday is a differant day too. And a significant amount of the Dutch population today do not belong to a christian faith group.
Pieter
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Post by Bonobo on Nov 14, 2010 8:31:41 GMT 1
Bonobo/Jeanne, What is wrong with atheism in a democracy and free society? As long as " they" are not agressive secular fundamentalists who stage a fierce anti-religious campaign, I don't see a problem. I know a lot of atheists, secularists or agnostic people in my country. Conservative atheists, rightwing populist (non-fascist and non-nazi) atheists, neo-nazi (pagan) atheists, liberal atheists, social-democratic atheists, cultural atheists (people who replaced religion by culture and sport. So sunday is a day of relaxation for them, with classical music, concerts, visiting woods or city parks, cycling in the country or visiting family or friends for social time). In the same time sunday the church bells ring, and the Catholics, Calvinists, Lutheranians, Baptists and Evangelicals go to their church to mass and services. The sunday is a quiet day because both the religious and secular-humanist atheists enjoy the day of rest. The first see it in a spiritual sense, as a day of the Lord, Jesus Christ, Mary and the bible teachings and readings in church, the latter see it a cultural day of contemplation and relaxation. A third group is people who like sport or live on a sunday like it is monday, tuesday or wednesday. They work, sport, entertain themselves and use the day as they like. And for the Muslims, jews, Hindu's and Buddhists the Sunday is a differant day too. And a significant amount of the Dutch population today do not belong to a christian faith group. Pieter Very well said, Peter. You have convinced me. I will do nothing with the family. I will only take Jeanne`s advice and from time to time will try to enlighten the children who I teach there, because the adults are already lost, I suppose.  |
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Post by pjotr on Nov 14, 2010 11:22:06 GMT 1
Bonobo, What I want to say is this I think it is important for every child or teenager what the content of Christianity and the bible is, without trying to convert them. Why? Because christianity lies at the base of our culture. For instance in the Netherlands, where due to the reformation the bible was translated into Dutch centuries ago from the Hebrew scriptures. Our language, proverbs and meaning of many Dutch words originate from the bible. So even these ahteists and agnostic people often use biblical words and proverbs without realising it themselves.   I think that even the non-religious schools schould teach the bible from both a cultural, linguistic context and as to understand religious compatriots. I went to public schools in my childhood and my sister to Catholic primary schools and Catholic highschools. I was glad that as a Catholic kid I got bible and Catholic cultural teachings in a Catholic group of kids in my public school. What I missed was the influence of the Church in her school. They had Catholic morning ceremonies and our Cathoplic priest of our church played a good role there. My liberal Protestant father said that the man was a "saint", a humble good man, and that when he died he must have been straight to heaven. And he was a good man, this Catholic priest who played such a significant role at my sisters Catholic primary school. I did not have that influence, because I only had my Catholic cultural hours in the week with drawing bible scenes, getting Catholic culture through theses meetings who were organised by laymen. I knew now and knew then that I was jealous of my sister, because her schools (both primary and highschool) were more cosy and cultural than mine. The Catholic schools and the Protestant schools seemed more cultural, community based than the public schools. My schools were exellent and I don't know why I was at public schools? They did not harm me. But a catholic school could have been good. Maybe my parents wanted their kids to go to differant schools, because my sister and I were very close? We were a team of playing kids. Pieter en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible_translations_%28Dutch%29 |
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Post by jeanne on Nov 14, 2010 13:22:01 GMT 1
Bonobo, What I want to say is this I think it is important for every child or teenager what the content of Christianity and the bible is, without trying to convert them. Why? Because christianity lies at the base of our culture. For instance in the Netherlands, where due to the reformation the bible was translated into Dutch centuries ago from the Hebrew scriptures. Our language, proverbs and meaning of many Dutch words originate from the bible. So even these ahteists and agnostic people often use biblical words and proverbs without realising it themselves. Pieter, This is exactly what John Paul II was saying about Europe in general, that the basis of its culture lay in Christianity, and it is why he so lamented the non-recognition of this in various documents and philosophies related to the founding of the E.U. I see this very accurate perception of your early education as an expression of what I believe: that a truly complete education nourishes not only the mind, but also the soul, as humans consist of both body and soul and to separate them makes no sense and is counter-productive. |
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Post by pjotr on Nov 14, 2010 13:34:14 GMT 1
Bonobo, What I want to say is this I think it is important for every child or teenager what the content of Christianity and the bible is, without trying to convert them. Why? Because christianity lies at the base of our culture. For instance in the Netherlands, where due to the reformation the bible was translated into Dutch centuries ago from the Hebrew scriptures. Our language, proverbs and meaning of many Dutch words originate from the bible. So even these ahteists and agnostic people often use biblical words and proverbs without realising it themselves. Pieter, This is exactly what John Paul II was saying about Europe in general, that the basis of its culture lay in Christianity, and it is why he so lamented the non-recognition of this in various documents and philosophies related to the founding of the E.U. I see this very accurate perception of your early education as an expression of what I believe: that a truly complete education nourishes not only the mind, but also the soul, as humans consist of both body and soul and to separate them makes no sense and is counter-productive. We agree Jeanne! Mens sana in corpore sano (a healthy mind in a healthy body) is a famous Latin quotation, often translated as " A sound mind in a sound body." It is derived from Satire X of the Roman poet Juvenal (10.356). In context, the phrase is part of the author’s answer to the question of what people should desire in life, the answer consisting of a long list of things: (English translation) It is to be prayed that the mind be sound in a sound body.
Ask for a brave soul that lacks the fear of death,
which places the length of life last among nature’s blessings,
which is able to bear whatever kind of sufferings,
does not know anger, lusts for nothing and believes
the hardships and savage labors of Hercules better than
the satisfactions, feasts, and feather bed of an Eastern king.
I will reveal what you are able to give yourself;
For certain, the one footpath of a tranquil life lies through virtue.(The latin original) orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano.
fortem posce animum mortis terrore carentem,
qui spatium uitae extremum inter munera ponat
naturae, qui ferre queat quoscumque labores,
nesciat irasci, cupiat nihil et potiores
Herculis aerumnas credat saeuosque labores
et uenere et cenis et pluma Sardanapalli.
monstro quod ipse tibi possis dare; semita certe
tranquillae per uirtutem patet unica uitae.
(10.356-64) |
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