I was merely 16 years old when I went to church in the middle of nowhere with one of my aunts. I had never been super religious, even though I had read the bible several times. I always questioned religion, and even at a young age had asked some questions that even seemed to make church officials think. At this point in my life, my home life really, really sucked. I needed all the help I could get and was open to any reason to get out of the house.
Once we arrived at the old building down a dirt road, my aunt showed me the youth group meeting area, and she went into the auditorium. Some of the other teens were friendly and accepting, others had looks of contempt. Some of them even seemed fascinated by me, and asked me questions about where I went to school, what kind of car I drove, and what music I liked. A few of us talked in a circle, and the rest of the group stared at us in contempt from the other side of the room. The teacher walked into the room about 15 minutes later, and announced in a cheerful voice that we would be talking about David and Goliath. She was eager to hear all about me, and who I had come there with. Suddenly, the mood changed. I don’t remember what was said or who said it, but it made everyone laugh pretty hard. It even made me laugh hard enough for my mouth to open just wide enough for someone to notice my tongue ring.
“Is your tongue pierced?” asked one student. I answered “yes”, and stuck out my tongue at the request of my new acquaintances. They thought it was cool and interesting. The teacher didn’t.
She was no longer a smiling, welcoming lady. Her expression became grave, and her voice was full of disgust. She then announced that God had called her to talk about body modifications instead of David’s situation. The friendly kids questioned her, but the ones that liked to stare simply nodded in agreement. She then ranted on and on about piercings and tattoos, and how they were a violation of God’s plan because they destroyed our bodies. She told about how they were a disgrace to God, and how he was crying in Heaven anytime someone got a tattoo or piercing. I waited until she was done and the other students had their chance to ask questions and talk about the horrible people they knew that had body piercings and tattoos. Then, it was my turn to ask questions. The conversation went something like this:
“So we shouldn’t pierce our bodies because they are actually God’s creation, right?
“Right”, confirmed the teacher. My mind was spinning, and at this point I was quite annoyed.
“And we shouldn’t have tattoos because it’s the same thing as tagging a building in town?” I asked.
“Right. Your body is God’s, just like the building isn’t yours”.
“But the building can be painted. It can be fixed”, I stated calmly.
“That doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if it can be fixed to look new or not. We shouldn’t vandalize his creation regardless of rather or not we can fix it. It is a disgrace to him to vandalize it in the first place. If we were unaware of this before, we should fix it and ask for forgiveness in order to secure a place in Heaven”. She smiled as if she had really proven a point. I was happy with her responses at this point, and took full advantage of the opportunity I had created for myself.
“So, we shouldn’t put holes in the body God has given us, nor should we vandalize it. If we’ve done it in the past, we should fix it and repent. Otherwise, we could go to Hell if we know it’s wrong?”
“Yes”. She seemed happy that she was getting through to me.
“I suppose you make a good point”. I took my tongue ring out, and placed it in my backpack. The whole class watched in amazement. She smiled, happy with my decision. After a few moments of reflection, I said, “Well, ma’am, I think you should know that your ears are pierced, and that you’re wearing lipstick, mascara, and blush. In order to secure a place in Heaven, you should remove them immediately and ask God to forgive you for what you have done. God is very disappointed that you have altered the perfect body that He has given you.”
The class was silent, with the exception of a small chatter. I was shaking so hard that I couldn’t keep my teeth still. I think I was the only one that didn’t have to pick my chin up off the ground. We all waited for her reply. She just sat there in shock, so finally I spoke.
“Let he who hath never sinned cast the first stone”. At this point, I got up and left. I joined my aunt in the auditorium. Later, the rest of the youth group joined the congregation for the rest of the ceremony. I noticed that the teacher was still wearing her hoop earrings, but her mascara was streaked as if she had been crying. One of my allies in the class now had a nose ring that was not there earlier. Later, I got up and went to the restroom to return my barbell to its home within my mouth. I felt a little awkward when I saw the teacher approaching me in the hallway. I smiled at her, hoping to avoid a confrontation.
“Thank you,” she said, and walked off.
After this experience, I had a new outlook on life. It was the first time that I truly believed that I had the power to change someone’s way of thinking in a good way. I started to wonder how many other people had actually listened to what I had to say. I felt empowered, and started to believe that maybe the bible was up for interpretation. That day, I learned to question what other people told me, and to check things out for myself. Somehow, I knew that the teacher had learned a very important lesson as well. I felt like I had accomplished something.
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Thanks for reading.
Great post!
I'm not going to say why it's great... like any human being, the only thing I'm going to point out is what I took an issue with... haha. But don't get me wrong, I LOVED the post!
You said: "I had never been super religious, even though I had read the bible several times."
I have such a problem when people make this statement. You don't have to read the Bible to be religious, nor does reading it make you religious.
I'm a Christian, but I know there are parts of the Bible I'll probably never read. I know how to look at it as a historical document and I know where to look if I need guidance from it. I feel like statements like "I'm not religious even though I've read the bible several times" kind of make the way I look at it look "wrong."
Anyway.... other than that statement, I completely adored your post!! :D
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Your Tongue is a Rudder; It Steers the Whole Ship, Sends Your Words Past Your Lips or Keeps Them Safe Behind Your Teeth... [Brand New]
Perhaps I should have switched the first and second parts, so it would read...
I had read the Bible several times, even though I had never been super religious.
I think that would better reflect what I wanted to say.
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That works :)
Words are amazing things. Once again, great blog.
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Your Tongue is a Rudder; It Steers the Whole Ship, Sends Your Words Past Your Lips or Keeps Them Safe Behind Your Teeth... [Brand New]
i am a spirtiual person but not religious. every time when i think of a religious person, i think of the extreme right wing. i never want to be like them.
there are some part of the bible that is well like and than there are some that are not.
That is an amazing story. I was waiting the whole time for you to drop the 'she had earings' comment and it kind of took me by suprise about the make-up thing.
Did you go back to that church? Did the kids treat you diffrent after that?
I love it when we are able to see the change we make in others. I love it when we are given an opportunity and we actually take it. Good on you.
~T
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins. ~Benjamin Franklin
No, I never went back. My aunt kept begging me to, but church has never been my cup o' tea. She eventually left that church for some reason or another. The other kids did look at me funny for the rest of the service, though.
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What are the chances the teacher will be accepting of people with body mods, outside of the socoally acceptable females with a single pair of earrings? I would think it would be more likely that she quits wearing makeup and removes her earrings. Or that nothing changes. It seems that hypocrisy fairly acceptable in many religious groups. By the way, what religion was it?
I like the spunk. It sounds like something I would do. :)
-Sonja :)
"Democracy works only when you vote. When you don't take the time to vote for the candidate you find the least offensive, you run the risk of electing the candidate you find the most offensive."
There's no telling how she changed her ways of thinking. You could be right. But at least I brought her down to earth a little. She needed it.
Spunk is a good quality to have, in my opinion.
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...but I gave this one 5 stars. Very good work.
TTFN,
Blackout
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Yes, I've changed my username from "percivale" to "Blackout." Go here if you want to know why.
5 stars.....
:-)
It is said,
http://www.progressiveu.org/235627-christianity-inhibitor-human-developm...
This was a good blog, I give it 5 stars.
I've been told all too often that sex reassignment surgery is morally wrong because it's an alteration of one's God-given body, which is always perfect.* To which I tend to respond: "Are those braces on your teeth?"
Honestly, the hypocrisy here is intense. Females are allowed to wear earings, but heaven forbid males do it! Of course, Americans tend to frown on neck rings and ritual scarring, and with no grasp of irony, either.
*Somehow these boneheads never grasp that "mutilation" is entirely optional.
T.k.
I completely agree with your statement. What may be established as "normal" or "beautiful" by one society may be frowned upon by another one altogether. Even simple hand gestures and words used regularly in one culture may offend people in others. I recently moved from the U.S. to Australia, and even English-speaking countries have their differences.
And yes-- why is it "normal" for women to "mutilate" their ears and put powder on their face (among other things, therefore altering what God had given them), but the same is taboo for men? Also, keep in mind that so-called "self-mutilation" has been regarded as a religious process for centuries-- not just in "pagan" religions but also in Christianity and Judaism (circumcision, for instance?)
No kidding. I still love how Brits flip each other off with what looks to Americans like a modified "peace" sign.
There's a long history of castration in Christianity, which goes hand-in-hand with the idea that priests are "brides of Christ." Throw in some Bible verse about Jesus telling a eunuch about how holy he is, and voila! Instant borderline-cult! Too bad the Church at large disowned them...
T.k.
Hmm, fairly certain it is nuns who are considered "brides of Christ," and I don't think that they were ever mutilated or "circumcised." There may have been some eunuch orders of monks, but I am far more worried about castration for choir boys so that their voices wouldn't change. And all because women were banned from singing in church, or speaking at all really.
Ever hear of "castrato?" Just picture bands of roving priests searching for little boys to abduct, castrate and throw into the choir. Actually, that's not too far off from what happens now. Priests still carry that old and vicious atavistic attraction to young boys, I guess.
Castration was actually far more popular in the East or pre-Christian Europe than during Christianities heyday anyway.
“Existentialism means that no one else can take a bath for you” - Delmore Schwartz
"Patriotism is often an arbitrary veneration of real-estate above principles." - George Jean Nathan
I like the idea of optional mutilation! Our state is so "conservative" it's ridiculous! I just read a quote where a representative said that "people just shouldn't mark up their bodies that way!", referring to tattoos. It sounds so silly to me.
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:claps:
I like you. You're SMART. And finally using this site for it's original purpose. Continue being iconoclastic, kid. We need more irreverent people like you in this world.
"Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity--and I'm not so sure about the universe"
-Albert Einstein
I'm certainly glad you think for yourself. Very good story.
~C
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I am glad your teacher was at least smart enough to understand what you said and what happened. So many people in the world assume that God draws the line where they draw the line. It's nice to see a religious person who can examine the words and ideas in their heads and that pour from their mouths.
As an aside, if I were a teacher so inclined, I would have gone after the sexual connotations of a tongue piercing, not the desecration of a holy body. Anyhow, might want to prepare yourself for that one in the future. I have gotten it at least once, but I am old enough to just say, "Well, my girlfriend likes it just fine," and walk away.
“Existentialism means that no one else can take a bath for you” - Delmore Schwartz
"Patriotism is often an arbitrary veneration of real-estate above principles." - George Jean Nathan
I generally don't wear it anymore, but I've thought about wearing it again. I've had the sex comments before, but I usually reply with something like "It's also a sign of strength and beauty for some cultures, and seen as personal expression to those who aren't so obsessed with sexual thoughts." That always seems to shut people up.
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The teachers reaction is very typical of what I've seen from most Christians. I'm not very religious either, but I've attended a ton of different churches, temples, synagogues, everything to learn about them. Of all the religions I've studied Christianity seems to be the most hypocritical. I'm glad you got through to her!
All great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds-Albert Einstein
That was AWESOME! I hope that I get the opportunity to point out hypocrisy in others at some point. I think it helps people reform their character.
~Violinstef
Check out my other blog: http://accountsofateenageatheist.blogspot.com/
First of all, I commend you for standing up for yourself and for questioning someone's words. I myself was a talker in sunday school as a kid and I had a lot of questions. It's good that you take reading the Bible so seriously. It is VERY important to read the Bible and to know what it actually says.
I have a question for you though: think about what she said - was there any truth in it?
Granted it was hypocritical of her to say that while wearing piercings herself, but it's a logical fallacy to say that just because someone says something hypocritically means that what they say isn't true.
For instance, if I tell you "You shouldn't smoke; it's not healthy," while smoking a cigarette, does that mean what I'm saying isn't true? Smoking does damage your lungs over time - it's a fact, whether I'm a hypocrite or not. Now, granted, you'd be less inclined to listen to me and you'd point out I'm a huge hypocrite. But is not what I'm saying still true?
What I'm wondering is, did she or did she not have verses to prove her point? According to christian doctrine, aren't we bought by Christ's blood? Paul said "All things are permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial." (1 Corin. 10:23)
Now, personally I don't see anything wrong with piercings as long as you keep them clean. But just because someone tells you they think it's wrong and they're a hypocrite shouldn't keep you from seriously thinking about what you do to your body in context with what you believe. Personally, (and yes, I'm a christian) I think what she said about "securing a place in Heaven" was totally overboard, because our salvation doesn't rely on what we do or how righteous we are, or how pure our bodies are, but faith in Christ. But I also agree with her that our body isn't ours to do whatever we wish with. Honestly, reading this, her words made me think about my own piercings. Having the strength to question what other people say is a wonderful thing, but it also takes strength to overcome our own defensiveness and look at our own actions. Jesus also said "Remove for the plank in your own eye before you remove the speck in your brother's" - she had a plank in her eye, but if she pointed out the speck in yours, you might still have one, no?
One more question: If she took out her earrings and didn't wear makeup and came to you and told you the same thing again, even showed you Bible verses, would you listen to her that time? If it still mattered to her that much to the point where she was willing to go around with her plain face and no earrings, how would that affect you?
Once again, I like that you stood up to her and kept a cool head while under pressure. And I think this was a great post.
Granted it was hypocritical of her to say that while wearing piercings herself, but it's a logical fallacy to say that just because someone says something hypocritically means that what they say isn't true.
...since the ENTIRE premise of the Abrahamic religions (and for that matter, ALL religions) is based on a logical fallacy (i.e. begging the question). All religions beg the question of the existence of some form of supernatural force or agency. I personally feel that many religious people realize this fallacy on a subtle, sometime unconscious level, which in turn leads to this kind of hypocrisy. Those in authority within the religion may continue to preach those restrictions in the hopes that YOU will be kept in line to THEIR benefit, but Its easy for THEM to break "the rules" of their own religion because deep down inside, they know that the threats used by that religion to keep its followers in line are ultimately hollow and empty.
TTFN,
Blackout
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Yes, I've changed my username from "percivale" to "Blackout." Go here if you want to know why.
I'm not trying to debate religion with her, or the existence of God. You're kind of sidetracking the point, which is that this woman could have had a point regardless of her apparent hypocrisy, and regardless of what the conversation was about.
I agree that the Abrahamic religions are "logically fallible" but that doesn't mean that Christians can't use logic in conversations and it certainly doesn't mean they should say "Oh what the heck, I believe in God!" and use logical fallacies left and right.
Thank you all for the comments and ratings! It's been a few weeks since I've logged in, and it made me really happy to see that I had such a well-rated post! I'm glad you enjoyed the story. Perhaps I'll write some more of my experiences in the upcoming weeks.
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Lovely story! :)
Hypocracy is something we all deal with and something we can all do without. I love it when people are able to point out the hypocracy in others and actually get through. Great post!
Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.