Religion strikes again...

[Nightshade]

(CNN) -- School administrators in Ohio voted Friday to begin the process of firing a middle school teacher accused of burning a cross into a student's arm and refusing to keep his religious beliefs out of the classroom.

The Mount Vernon School Board passed a resolution to terminate the employment of John Freshwater, an eighth-grade science teacher for the past 21 years.

Freshwater, according to an independent report, used an electrostatic device to mark a cross on the arm of one of his students, causing pain to the student the night of the incident and leaving a mark that lasted for approximately three weeks.

According to the Ohio Department of Education, the student's family has filed a lawsuit.

Freshwater was also reprimanded several times for refusing to move his Bible from his classroom desk and teaching creationism alongside evolution, according to the 15-page independent report. The report also cites evidence that Mr. Freshwater told his students that \"science is wrong because the Bible states that homosexuality is a sin and so anyone who is gay chooses to be gay and is therefore a sinner.\"

The Board of Education of the Mount Vernon City School District met in special session Friday to address the case.

Freshwater has the option to contest the process by requesting a formal hearing before the Board of Education. Neither Freshwater nor his attorney could be reached by CNN for comment.

Could be a \"lone kook\" case, but fanatics exist in all religions (read: establishment cults.)

[TechPro]

The \"lone kook\" exists among the non-religious as well.

[Will Robinson]

(CNN) -- School administrators in Ohio voted Friday to begin the process of firing a middle school teacher accused of burning a cross into a student's arm and refusing to keep his religious beliefs out of the classroom....

They lost me right there. How is it that this whacko is in any position to return for work? Shouldn't he be in jail? The article should read:
School administrators in Ohio acted swiftly Friday to replace a middle school teacher who was arrested for burning a cross into a student's arm...

[woodchip]

In keeping with biblical admonishments of a \"Eye for a Eye\", the correct punishment would be to burn a cross into the teachers left testicle.

[grizz]

TB likes to take the extreme idiot out of any group and imply that all members of that group must be like them, or that the group is invalidated because of the extremist.

Joseph Stalin, a mass murderering despot, was one of the more prominent athiests, TB's group of choice.

Therefore, going by TB's line of reasoning, TB is either a mass murderering despot by association, or the group he aligns himself with is extremely dangerous, and should be outlawed and gone to war against immediately.

[Kyouryuu]

There are zealous nuts in every religion and even among atheists. This teacher was a loon and I'm a firm backer of woodchip's idea for punishment.

It makes me chuckle how this guy was an 8th grade teacher, likely with tenure. Teachers with tenure are the worst because there are a few of them that believe it entitles them to do whatever they want. I remember a kindergarten teacher, an old prune with tenure, she made it a point to try to drug up all of her students. Whether it was Prozac or Ritalin, her own inability to control her classroom made her try to convince all of the parents, without exception, that their kids needed to see doctors and get them onto these drugs. Get them hooked on needless medication that would affect them for the rest of their lives. School treated her like a saint, a legend, and always gave her the benefit of the doubt. After all, she was probably the eldest of the teachers and had been there the longest. Probably scared of her, even.

I heard she died a few years ago and the only thing that came to mind was \"thank goodness the witch is dead.\"

I mean, look at how powerless the school board is in this case. They reprimanded him \"several times\" and even now, all they can do is \"pass a resolution\" to terminate his employment. If this was any other job, they'd be told to clean their desks out immediately.

[TIGERassault]

In keeping with biblical admonishments of a "Eye for a Eye", the correct punishment would be to burn a cross into the teachers left testicle.

1: Wrong religion. Christianity teaches "turn the other cheek". You probably made the newbie mistake of thinking that Christianity was largely based on the old testament.
2: Left testicle? I don't think you quite know what "Eye for an Eye" means...

[Dakatsu]

Therefore, going by TB's line of reasoning, TB is either a mass murderering despot by association, or the group he aligns himself with is extremely dangerous, and should be outlawed and gone to war against immediately.

Could be a "lone kook" case, but fanatics exist in all religions (read: establishment cults.)

He said that fanatics exist in all religions, he didn't say that religions were made up entirely of fanatics

Joseph Stalin did kill many people, but last time I checked he didn't do it in the name of atheism (for the god who doesn't exist, I kill you!), but out of lack of morality and/or lust for power, something anyone can have!

Now see Thunderbunny, the more you speak, the more is said

[DarkHorse]

Fanatics don't need a religion, just look at Friedrich Nietzsche. Trust me, you don't want too many people taking his teachings all the way.

[TechPro]

For those who are wondering who Friedrich Nietzsche is .... a link

[Foil]

He said that fanatics exist in all religions, he didn't say that religions were made up entirely of fanatics...

The question is then, where do we point the finger?

• The religion as a whole?
• The established whacko cults within the religion?
• The individual kooks?

ThunderBunny, I gather that you would point to the first one above, by virtue of the fact that the cults are part of the religion?

[Dakatsu]

He said that fanatics exist in all religions, he didn't say that religions were made up entirely of fanatics...

The question is then, where do we point the finger?

• The religion as a whole?
• The established whacko cults within the religion?
• The individual kooks?

ThunderBunny, I gather that you would point to the first one above, by virtue of the fact that the cults are part of the religion?

I believe that, at least the mainstream religions (the big ones at least: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism) can all be interpreted many ways, mostly because they are old outdated books or scriptures. This can easily end up with people who did things to help people, such as feed the homeless, to evil, such as murdering people of different religions.

Take Christianity for example. Many point to the Bible as saying homosexual acts should be punishable by death. The thing is you do not see Christians running around listening for some kid in a schoolyard to say "You gay?", and take the accused away for stoning. Many churches have gay Pastors and members and whatnot, so not all churches interpret that passage that way.

Another example is Islam. Islam says that you should take over the whole world, blah blah blah. Then why do we have terrorist groups, and not every Muslim going through the streets with guns trying to reclaim the world? Because not all Muslims interpret the Quran/Koran that way.

It all depends on interpretation. There are often interpretations shared by most of the mainstream, but there are many other interpretations (often the controversial ones, not too many Christians say its wrong to give food to the homeless, and that is often one of the messages of Christ. You often hear controversy when you hear about the God Hates Fags lot.).

[Nightshade]

Let me put it this way:

Cults are embryonic religions.

Religions are mature and established cults.

So basically religions = cults and cults = religions...

They are one and the same! The only distinguishing factor is general acceptance by world society by virtue of longevity of existence and 'respect' as a movement with adherents in the societies they inhabit.

Religions can spawn cults (heretical teaching in the parent religion). If these child cults are allowed to exist and mature, they become \"branches\" or \"denominations.\"