For all those who are considering moving to a predominantly LDS area of Utah with kids

[palepeople]

I grew up in Las Vegas and didn't see an Ash Wednesday mark was until I was in my 20's and out of college. People should take a breath & use the opportunity to educate and inform.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by palepeople

I grew up in Las Vegas and didn't see an Ash Wednesday mark was until I was in my 20's and out of college. People should take a breath & use the opportunity to educate and inform.

If this incident had happened anywhere outside of Utah, it probably wouldn't have even made the news.

[easternerDC]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

If this incident had happened anywhere outside of Utah, it probably wouldn't have even made the news.

Not sure, but I tend to agree. I think this got blown out of the water because instead of accepting the teachers apology, and handling it inside their family and with the school district, the family decided to go directly to the news.

I do think it was not handled well by the teacher initially, and who knows the exact timeline, she apologized.

Seems that someone in the family took issue with (when the son came home from school and told his version?) this and decided to go to the news. This just fuels the flames for us vs. them mentality. While I don't think issues need to be swept under the rug, I also don't think everything needs to be rushed to the news and have people crucified (ha ha).

It is unfortunate that (at least in my experience) there are many people who don't know much about other religions. Not to say that others are more informed and only the LDS are to fault, however I have noticed it here more than other places I have lived. I was raised Catholic and spent a lot of time in church as a kid, and its interesting how few people here know much about Catholicism. Its hard when you don't get a chance to be exposed much to other religions. I think for me it wasn't until I was early teens and learning about friends religions (Lutheran, Methodist and Ukrainian Orthodox).

I was talking to a neighbor once about during the Easter season celebrating the stations of the cross, and was met with blank stares. And when I explained, more blank stares.

I also have no desire to join the church or any religious group, but I like learning. And here I tend to get amazement that I know ANYTHING about the LDS church.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by easternerDC

Not sure, but I tend to agree. I think this got blown out of the water because instead of accepting the teachers apology, and handling it inside their family and with the school district, the family decided to go directly to the news.

I do think it was not handled well by the teacher initially, and who knows the exact timeline, she apologized.

Seems that someone in the family took issue with (when the son came home from school and told his version?) this and decided to go to the news. This just fuels the flames for us vs. them mentality. While I don't think issues need to be swept under the rug, I also don't think everything needs to be rushed to the news and have people crucified (ha ha).

It is unfortunate that (at least in my experience) there are many people who don't know much about other religions. Not to say that others are more informed and only the LDS are to fault, however I have noticed it here more than other places I have lived. I was raised Catholic and spent a lot of time in church as a kid, and its interesting how few people here know much about Catholicism. Its hard when you don't get a chance to be exposed much to other religions. I think for me it wasn't until I was early teens and learning about friends religions (Lutheran, Methodist and Ukrainian Orthodox).

I was talking to a neighbor once about during the Easter season celebrating the stations of the cross, and was met with blank stares. And when I explained, more blank stares.

I also have no desire to join the church or any religious group, but I like learning. And here I tend to get amazement that I know ANYTHING about the LDS church.

I have lived in the Salt Lake valley for all of my seventy years, and quite frankly have never seen the ash cross on anyone's forehead in my life. That said, if I were to see it, I'd know immediately what it was. But then, I've always been interested in comparative Christianity, and even at just twelve years old, I used to have some pretty in-depth conversations with her about our respective religions. I remember in junior high school, watching a film for a history class on Martin Luther. After the film was over, I was talking to a Greek Orthodox friend who had never even heard of Martin Luther. She knew who Martin Luther King was, but not Martin Luther. Even as a young teenager, that positively blew my mind. I think it really just gets down to a difference in the kinds of information people find interesting. Some people have a big interest in learning about religions other than their own and others don't. I'm not sure that it has all that much to do with what religion a person is himself (if any).

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

I have lived in the Salt Lake valley for all of my seventy years, and quite frankly have never seen the ash cross on anyone's forehead in my life. That said, if I were to see it, I'd know immediately what it was. But then, I've always been interested in comparative Christianity, and even at just twelve years old, I used to have some pretty in-depth conversations with her about our respective religions. I remember in junior high school, watching a film for a history class on Martin Luther. After the film was over, I was talking to a Greek Orthodox friend who had never even heard of Martin Luther. She knew who Martin Luther King was, but not Martin Luther. Even as a young teenager, that positively blew my mind. I think it really just gets down to a difference in the kinds of information people find interesting. Some people have a big interest in learning about religions other than their own and others don't. I'm not sure that it has all that much to do with what religion a person is himself (if any).

Just noticed an error. I really need to start taking the time to proofread my posts.

The sentence which I underlined in my quoted text above should have read: "But then, I've always been interested in comparative Christianity, and even at just twelve years old, I used to have some pretty in-depth conversations with my Catholic friend about our respective religions."

[SWFL_Native]

Lol at people get offended by this story. He was asked to wipe ash off his forehead nothing more nothing less. He wasn't molested, he wasn’t abused or assaulted, nor was he even bullied. Granted having a larger catholic population was have better informed the teachers but this is a water under the bridge type activity.

The kid went his service said his prayers and was free to paint his face with ash when he got home.

[RFinDE]

Originally Posted by kletter1mann

I in no way insinuated an epidemic of anything. Please respect what I actually wrote. Your penchant for exaggeration and reductio ad absurdam is uninformative and diminishes whatever shred of legitimacy your posts may contain and contributes nothing to the conversation.

reductio ad absurdam??

[snoopygirlmi]

Originally Posted by SWFL_Native

Lol at people get offended by this story. He was asked to wipe ash off his forehead nothing more nothing less. He wasn't molested, he wasn’t abused or assaulted, nor was he even bullied. Granted having a larger catholic population was have better informed the teachers but this is a water under the bridge type activity.

The kid went his service said his prayers and was free to paint his face with ash when he got home.

I can understand and appreciate the larger point - that this really seems insignificant to any number of larger things that could happen to a kid.

However, as a religious person who follows the tradition of getting ashes on Ash Wednesday, I'd find it highly insulting if my kid was asked to wipe his forehead on this day. On any other day of the year, I'd be a lot more amiable to the suggestion that my kid needs to not look like a slob and wash his bleeping face. But Ash Wednesday is meant to be different and the ashes are supposed to be an outward sign of faith.

The problem with the kid just face planting into a pile of ashes after school at home is that those ashes aren't blessed and have nothing to do with the religious significance of the day.

I understand that the difference means little if you aren't religious or don't care to follow the tradition, but if you are - it is everything and actually carries a lot of significance.

It is a big deal if the ashes aren't blessed or properly prepared for distribution.