People from the South Who Overcome Brainwashing Are Amazing (myths, Jewish, evolution)

[imcurious]

I'm glad your public school experience was illuminating and informative. Mine was not.

The thread topic was the atmosphere of religion that permeates the bible belt - from music to billboards to church services to the dinner table to you-name-it. The point was that it would take an exceptionally aware person to actually deconstruct all of the propaganda that is part of the air that is breathed, and two, to buck the system, which would include family and friends and community ties would make it that much more difficult.

That was it.

This thread is not about me. It is about the above idea.

It's just an idea. If it doesn't suit you there is no reason to even think about it for one more second.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by cokatie

Weren't you taught about Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I, Susan B. Anthony, Marie Antionette, Jane Austen, Cleopatra, Queen Victoria, Florence Nightingale, Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harriet Beecher Stowe, etc.?

Yea, I recognize all of the names, and if I learned anything about them in history, is was associated with a date, and forgotten as soon as that chapter test was handed in.

Of course one name, Rosa Parks was more a current event than someone I remember from a history class, as I was in the 3rd grade when she earned her place in history.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by looktowindward

In High School? As I remember, two years of World History, one year of US History, one year of European History. World History was pretty much a survey course (especially in High School, but even in college - not much time for in-depth study). It was many years ago, but lots of concentration on the "big empires" - Persia, Greece, Rome. Not much on Africa, except for the colonial period and decolonization. Strangely, the study of Asia seemed very Japan-focused, which may have been because of the times (1980s) - there was a real national fixation with Japan during the 80s. Not much on China or India - in High School, but much more at the college level.

In general, the instruction was centered around dates, names, battles, places. Not the way I would teach history, but sadly common, even today. I think teaching history in an in-depth manner is too hard for many teachers, and too difficult for most students.

Here is a sample humanities course outline (My kids took humanities in the first few years where it was taught as a combination English/History unit in Evanston, IL. The course is changing there, but the kinds of things studied are not changing). This outline is generic and not exactly what my kids did, but they did study Africa, China and India as well as the more well known facets of Rome and Greece and the European Renaissance.

Unit 1: Pre-History and Emergence of Civilizations – AoI Environment
•How do humans interact with the environment?
•How have you evolved /developed? Why did this happen?
•How do artifacts tell the story of a people?

Unit 2: Ancient Middle East – AoI Environment
•How do humans interact with the environment?
•How have you evolved/developed? Why did this happen?

Unit 3: Ancient Africa – AoI Human Ingenuity
•What makes culture?

Unit 4: Ancient India – AoI Community and Service
•Why do religion and philosophy exist?

Unit 5: Ancient China – AoI Community and Service
•Why do religion and philosophy exist?

Unit 6: Ancient Greece – AoI Community and Service
•How does government affect systems within a community?

Unit 7: Ancient Rome – AoI Community and Service
•What is the cost of change?

Unit 8: Americas – AoI Environment
•What aspects of a society allow it to go beyond survival and advance into an empire?

Unit 9: Middle Ages – AoI Health and Social
•To what extent does chaos demand structure?

Unit 10: Renaissance, Exploration, and Reformation – AoI Human Ingenuity
•Who is responsible for determining rights to land and resources?
•Why do some ideas and innovations remain while others diminish?

Unit 11: Revolutions – AoI Human Ingenuity
•When do we take a stand?
•When is revolution necessary?

[nana053]

Originally Posted by Asheville Native

Yea, I recognize all of the names, and if I learned anything about them in history, is was associated with a date, and forgotten as soon as that chapter test was handed in.

Of course one name, Rosa Parks was more a current event than someone I remember from a history class, as I was in the 3rd grade when she earned her place in history.

I cannot imagine learning *only* dates in regard to the people that were mentioned. My kids studied what these people did, not when they did it.

[JayBrown80]

This is neither here nor there, but in Texas we take 3 years of History. World, United States, and Texas. LOL. Texas just has that much history, it needs it's own course.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by nana053

I cannot imagine learning *only* dates in regard to the people that were mentioned. My kids studied what these people did, not when they did it.

Lazy crappy teacher. The secret to passing the course was to memorize names and dates, thus that is what we did to get credit and not have to take it again. There were no class discussions about the effects of person "X" doing something, just that it happened and on this date.

Guess it was easier to grade tests, no essays to read, you either had the date right or wrong, next question.

It was well know in the school, "oh, you got miss twit for history, memorize dates and you will pass"

[catman]

I can recall being told by more than one teacher that dates don't matter and wouldn't be a part of the grade. I always hated that. To me, dates/chronology are essential in keeping the sequence of events straight (and in comparing it to what was going on in other places).

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by catman

I can recall being told by more than one teacher that dates don't matter and wouldn't be a part of the grade. I always hated that. To me, dates/chronology are essential in keeping the sequence of events straight (and in comparing it to what was going on in other places).

I would have rather had your teacher than the one I did. Keeping things in sequence is crucial to the understanding, but it only needs to be what happened first, second and so on.

[Nighteyes]

Originally Posted by Melvin.George

Here in east Tennessee they're 70% Republican and call themselves Christian. If you go back to the basic "Christian" description in the bible, i.e. sermon on the mount type of Christian I've never met one. That "Turn The Other Cheek" and Love Thine Enemies," "Pray For Those Who Curse And Despise You," If Sued In Court For Coat, Voluntarily Give Cloak" doesn't describe a single indiviudal I've ever met and I've lived in Tennessee for 76 years.

Sorry for responding to this so late. Holiday obligations and travel, including some really nasty weather, etc.

So you have noticed the considerable absence of true Christian values and practices among a surprisingly large number of those who describe themselves as both Conservative AND "Christian", have ya? If it eases your mind somewhat, this phenomenon is not limited to east Tennessee.

In fact, the group of "Christians" in question should probably have their own patron saint -- Ebeneezer Scrooge. Here is some of the relevant dialog.

==========================================

GENTLEMAN #1:
...Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.

SCROOGE
Are there no prisons?

GENTLEMAN #1
Plenty of prisons.

SCROOGE
And the Union workhouses? Are they still in operation?

GENTLEMAN #2
They are. Still, I wish I could say they were not.

SCROOGE
The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?

GENTLEMAN #1 & #2
Both very busy, sir.

SCROOGE
Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course. I'm very glad to hear it.

GENTLEMAN #2
Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude, a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?'

SCROOGE
Nothing!

GENTLEMAN #1
You wish to be anonymous?

SCROOGE
I wish to be left alone. Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. [<Snip!>]... I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned -- they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there.

GENTLEMAN #2
Many can't go there; and many would rather die.

SCROOGE
If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population...

==========================================

I have noted the adoration of "Saint Scrooge" by self-proclaimed Conservative (fundamentalist Protestant) Christians in many parts of the country including, if you can believe it, areas of Southern California. I don't fault them for their political beliefs and practices, but I do strenuously object to them linking these beliefs and practices to the term "Christian." IMO, it doesn't even come close and, by doing this, they have greatly contributed to causing the connotation of "Christian" to become pejorative.

It is because of this that I no longer label myself as "Christian", but as:

-- Nighteyes (One who follows the teachings of Christ as he understands them)

[Nighteyes]

Originally Posted by JayBrown80

This is neither here nor there, but in Texas we take 3 years of History. World, United States, and Texas. LOL. Texas just has that much history, it needs it's own course.

With all due respect, the same can be said of each and every state in the Union. As an example, Texas has been under the flags of five nations, including the Republic of Texas. Parts of Alabama have been under the flags of six nations, including the Republic of Alabama.