Cross-posted: Tolerance

[missjeanevil]

There was an interesting reaction to the fact that the Jesuit university, Boston College, decided to re-install crucifixes in their classrooms. I'm not sure when they were taken down, but accounts seem to indicate it was post-Vatican II. Deacon Greg Kandra, at his blog "The Deacon's Bench" posted an article, and a self-described BC alumnus "Matt"

Comments

[vincentgrave]

Sometimes people just need a good smack upside the head. Seriously.

[missjeanevil]

I can't help but picture you standing beside a door, bat in hand, waiting for an unsuspecting professor to walk in...

[madamcod]

I have to agree Jean, just who is it that is being offended and why? "PC" ism just creates a climate of fear by supposing someone will be offended somewhere, and leaves no room for individual expression. It's a form of dicatorship

[missjeanevil]

You know, what you said at the end makes so much sense. I remember when a friend of mine said she'd keep me "in her thoughts" when I was going through a hard time. She was an agnostic and really, if push came to shove, she believed that thinking about me would have no effect whatsoever on my situation. But it was a very natural, human thing to do: To let me know she'd be thinking kindly of me.

I don't even mind when people teach me about their religion (or lack thereof) with an eye to convert me, as long as they don't insult mine and accept "no" as an answer. After all, they believe their belief or philosophy is the best way to ultimately live and die happily. If they didn't want to share it with me, they'd have to hate me pretty badly. :)

[skyforest]

Amen, preach it, Sister! People need to grow some thicker skin. Take offense only when offense is meant. Deal with difference. Get over themselves.

Living in the shadow of BC...

[djmahon]

...(quite literally; my condo is only a few blocks from St. Ignatius), I have a far more jaundiced and cynical view of the crucifix issue at BC (known locally as "Barely Catholic"). Don't get me wrong--no one would welcome a genuine return of orthodoxy amongst the staff and students of Boston College than I; but given the actions and behavior of the college over the past twenty years, it is hard not to be suspicious.

It is my understanding that the crucifixes were removed around the time of the Land-O-Lakes Conference (July 1967). Given the length of time absent, the sudden reappearance of the crucifixes does raise the question "Why now?" more than the question "Why?".

The fact is, the return of the crucifixes to the classrooms of BC co-incides a little too closely with the Boston Redevelopment Authority's decision to not allow the construction of new dorms on the Brighton Campus grounds. As Diogenes over at CatholicCulture's "Off the Record" points out, Fr. Leahy has to make up for the loss of income somewhere, and alumni

Re: Living in the shadow of BC...

[missjeanevil]

That's interesting.

I myself am recovering cynic. In fact, I found myself being cynical at the idea of alumni contributions. After all, if the crucifixes were taken out 41 years ago, many of the alumni would find classes sans crucifixes to be the norm! :)

I think of missionaries who planted crosses on new shores or modern nuns who bury medals on property they need. If there's even a few people who put made those crucifixes with prayer or who put them back as an act of devotion, good will come of it.

Put the crucifixes back into the classrooms and, at the very least, maybe some of the barely-Catholic students will think about what it means.

[ansatecross]

Well, as an atheist who went to Catholic school where there were *gasp* crucifixes on the walls *and* we said the Lord's Prayer before class (I'll give you a minute to catch your breath from the horror), I'll just say that these people are idiots. I didn't go to a Jesuit school expecting the priests would start wearing scarves to make me happy. I said the Lord's Prayer along with my classmates not because I felt pressured to but because I had a genuine respect for my classmates, instructors, and the religion they all had in common, even if some men throughout history have blemished the ideal of. Religions don't offend me; it's some of the folk who follow them who offend me. Contrary to what the gentlemen at BC seem to be implying, no one at school ever tried to convert me. In fact, they encouraged me to seek my own answers and come to my own truth. They explained to me that religion isn't going to any church or believing in some higher power or any of the things most people seem to think of; it's about *faith*: having it, finding it,

[madamcod]

Good point Jae.

We all kinda want to look good and be seen to be 'hip' and 'relevant', but I still think this is about power as well, and the fact this implies they know better than the people affected. You have a grasp of what having 'faith' means and where you lie on that subject. But those who invoke their idea of 'P.C' do so out of the need to control I think.

Like you said, to imply that you would be offended by religious symbols in a place of worship etc, is actually very demeaning and insulting to your intelligence. It goes to show that those who would 'assume' that about you and the average common sense person, lack that very thing themselves.

But next time I walk in to MacDonalds, I'm going to get offended by the clown because..... ;)

*Hugs*

BuggyXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

[missjeanevil]

You pounded that nail right in, Jaelyn.

I had to laugh about the comment about the guy in the lumberjack shirt though. Now I have an image of a lumberjack bursting into a lecture hall during exams and bursting into Monty Python's lumberjack song.

And you just KNOW I'll have that song stuck in my head all tomorrow. :)