One of my professors is driving me nuts..

[soccerballtux]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: lupi
The bible is a book like any other, you open the cover and read the words from the pages.

So is Mein Kampf.

The thing is, this is college. Classes have pre-requisits. One should not be forced to read Mein Kompf, The Satanic Bible or any other material that could be deemed objectionable unless it is a pre-requisite to the course.

It's funny, I gave two blatantly obvious examples of things that people would object to. I'm sure that's not good enough for the God fearing people here. There are enough people that are not Christians or worship Jesus in the US to equate the Bible, Mein Kompf, The Satanic Bible as equivilent in terms of education.

WHAT? Who would object to Mein Kompf? The best way to defeat your enemy is to know how he thinks....

Honestly, the immaturity on this board....this book should be required reading for EVERYBODY so that when something similar comes up again, we can see it for what it is. As it stands now, nobody would know if they read an excerpt of it or not.

 

[Hacp]

The bible probably has more pages than my calculus textbook. Good luck dude.

 

[soccerballtux]

OP I'm surprised this is the first time you've been expected to know something that wasn't a prereq for the course.
Do you have any idea how much stuff they expect me to know that I don't already know?

Such is life, and if you want to succeed, you have to learn how to learn.

 

[TruePaige]

I'm not sure I've read anything more immature. How do you even grasp the humanities without understanding the texts that have impacted the humans themselves?

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: dbk
Just talk to the dean if you're uncomfortable about it. I'm sure you'll be excused from the assignment. Maybe you can get out of the class.
Look at it this way-
What if instead of the Bible, the students had to read the Qur'an and study literature related to Islam in a English lit class??

Personally, I wouldn't care.

What's the actual assignment?

I did have to read excerpts from the Qur'an as well as the Bible. I am a Christian and it didn't bother me one bit to read the Qur'an. It's made an incredible impact on history and ME lit so it was important to have exposure to.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: dahunan
Religion has a bad history... Is it really worth promoting?

are you a moron or what???
Just because the instructor asks you to read a portion of the Bible and perhaps write a paper on the subject does NOt mean the instructor is promoting religion...sheese.....

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune
I had to read The Origin of Species in a British Literature class. I am now heavily offended as I am a Christian. I had to write a paper on a book with heaver overtones of evolutionary theory.

Quit whining you idiot. People who bitch about this stupid stuff should just be denied a degree.

lol, anyone offended by evolution is a moron

 

[DangerAardvark]

Dear OP, you're making us look bad. Please stop your whinging and do your homework.

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: RichardE
Heh imagine you if you were exposed to anything non-pc

the horror!

Exposure? The OP has to have prior intimate knowledge and understanding of the Bible to complete his assignment.

EDIT: It doesn't sound like the OP has anything against reading the Bible.

 

[musicman64]

Holy shit this thread blew up...

Some of you are taking this way way out of context - now granted I'm not giving specifics regarding the assignment, but again, small world/public board and all...

Regardless, I would have no problem if I were told which sections to read instead of being expected to know it chapter and verse. That's absurd by any stretch.

To the earlier posters who mentioned some early American lit containing a great deal of christian/religious overtones/themes/symbolism - of course they do, and it's a very valid point. However, to require a student to know certain books/passages of the Bible out of the blue is ridiculous.

Anyhow, thanks for the comments =)

 

[musicman64]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: RichardE
Heh imagine you if you were exposed to anything non-pc

the horror!

Exposure? The OP has to have prior intimate knowledge and understanding of the Bible to complete his assignment.

EDIT: It doesn't sound like the OP has anything against reading the Bible.

Exactly, thank you.

 

[imported_Champ]

last semester I took a English non-fiction course and our required reading was Ishmael (telepathic ape)...the banquet by Plato; some guys random writings on education and tuesdays with morrie

out of all of those I would say one is mostly true (there are some falsifications in Tuesdays with Morrie and no one can prove the banquet happened)

basically suck it up because well your dealing with english majors...the weirdest professors you can have (mine wore the same pants every day and cryed a lot)

I read pointless books that had nothing to do with my course description because I sucked it up and did it...so should OP because you can't whine whenever things don't go the way you want.

BTW the bible is the most printed book of all time and probably the biggest influence on world culture for the last 1500+ years

 

[randay]

finish all assignments without reading the bible, come on, you can do it.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

Is the class about religion/the bible in some way? If it's just "Fantasy Literature" it doesn't seem like it should require reading religion texts.

 

[jersiq]

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune
I had to read The Origin of Species in a British Literature class. I am now heavily offended as I am a Christian. I had to write a paper on a book with heaver overtones of evolutionary theory.

Quit whining you idiot. People who bitch about this stupid stuff should just be denied a degree.

lol, anyone offended by evolution is a moron

and so are the people who can't infer an exaggeration.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: loki8481

Originally posted by: FuzzyDunlop

Originally posted by: loki8481
college level english course and he's MAKING you write your papers on religious topics within the books?

sounds not right... I don't think I ever had a course where specific paper topics were forced beyond vague generalities.

so you went to a community college?

majored in english lit at penn state?

Mmmm Penn State.


I enjoy that the OP has still not mentioned what these assignments are, and I fear it's because he realizes that his argument is far from valid. Like others have said, I don't understand how you can possibly be surprised that your finding Christian undertones/themes/motifs in English lit. Honestly? You're surprised that Christianity had a major impact on hundreds of years of English lit? Maybe you should just drop out now?

Also, I find it hard to believe you've got a class of students rambling off Bible verses from memory. You'd be hard pressed to find more than one or two students, at most, per class that could quote the Bible verbatum on any college campus I've experienced. Unless a) this is actually a religious themed class or b) you attend a christian school. If either of these are the case, and you're still complaining about having to have some knowledge of the Bible. Well, maybe you should just drop out now?

Again, like others have said, you could easily review the Christian themes that you need to in a matter of an hour or so to get enough of a grasp to understand the lit. This is in no way forcing Christianity upon you, it's simply a part of culture you're being introduced to - welcome to college humanities.

I just think the OP deserves a big facepalm.

 

[musicman64]

Originally posted by: TheVrolok

Originally posted by: loki8481

Originally posted by: FuzzyDunlop

Originally posted by: loki8481
college level english course and he's MAKING you write your papers on religious topics within the books?

sounds not right... I don't think I ever had a course where specific paper topics were forced beyond vague generalities.

so you went to a community college?

majored in english lit at penn state?

Mmmm Penn State.


I enjoy that the OP has still not mentioned what these assignments are, and I fear it's because he realizes that his argument is far from valid. Like others have said, I don't understand how you can possibly be surprised that your finding Christian undertones/themes/motifs in English lit. Honestly? You're surprised that Christianity had a major impact on hundreds of years of English lit? Maybe you should just drop out now?

Also, I find it hard to believe you've got a class of students rambling off Bible verses from memory. You'd be hard pressed to find more than one or two students, at most, per class that could quote the Bible verbatum on any college campus I've experienced. Unless a) this is actually a religious themed class or b) you attend a christian school. If either of these are the case, and you're still complaining about having to have some knowledge of the Bible. Well, maybe you should just drop out now?

Again, like others have said, you could easily review the Christian themes that you need to in a matter of an hour or so to get enough of a grasp to understand the lit. This is in no way forcing Christianity upon you, it's simply a part of culture you're being introduced to - welcome to college humanities.

I just think the OP deserves a big facepalm.

Last post I'll make.

Congrats, I'm glad your college experience is the norm. I've already admitted as much regarding your statements about Christianity's impact on "hundreds of years of English lit" - if you'd bothered to read.

Again, not the issue. This requires more than Christian "themes". Specifically other students are quoting various books that I have no knowledge of - a book is more than a theme. Out of 25 or so students, only one or two able to quote chapter and verse? Considering the number of Christians in this country - that's actually rather low. Perhaps only one or two chose to quote "verbatum" - but then again, your college experience is the norm and that's just the way the world is - my bad.

So take your facepalm and shove it up your ass?

 

[HannibalX]

Originally posted by: RichardE

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven
So what kind of information is required? Give us specifics.

Seriously. And quit being a whiny little PC control bitch. "OMFG NOOO A CULTURE I DONT AGREE WITH IN THIS INSTITUTE OF HIGHER LEARNING NOOO TAKE IT AWAY AHHHH I CAN'T BE EXPOSED TO IT!"

Hah, I LOL'd at this.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: musicman64

Originally posted by: TheVrolok

Originally posted by: loki8481

Originally posted by: FuzzyDunlop

Originally posted by: loki8481
college level english course and he's MAKING you write your papers on religious topics within the books?

sounds not right... I don't think I ever had a course where specific paper topics were forced beyond vague generalities.

so you went to a community college?

majored in english lit at penn state?

Mmmm Penn State.


I enjoy that the OP has still not mentioned what these assignments are, and I fear it's because he realizes that his argument is far from valid. Like others have said, I don't understand how you can possibly be surprised that your finding Christian undertones/themes/motifs in English lit. Honestly? You're surprised that Christianity had a major impact on hundreds of years of English lit? Maybe you should just drop out now?

Also, I find it hard to believe you've got a class of students rambling off Bible verses from memory. You'd be hard pressed to find more than one or two students, at most, per class that could quote the Bible verbatum on any college campus I've experienced. Unless a) this is actually a religious themed class or b) you attend a christian school. If either of these are the case, and you're still complaining about having to have some knowledge of the Bible. Well, maybe you should just drop out now?

Again, like others have said, you could easily review the Christian themes that you need to in a matter of an hour or so to get enough of a grasp to understand the lit. This is in no way forcing Christianity upon you, it's simply a part of culture you're being introduced to - welcome to college humanities.

I just think the OP deserves a big facepalm.

Last post I'll make.

Congrats, I'm glad your college experience is the norm. I've already admitted as much regarding your statements about Christianity's impact on "hundreds of years of English lit" - if you'd bothered to read.

Again, not the issue. This requires more than Christian "themes". Specifically other students are quoting various books that I have no knowledge of - a book is more than a theme. Out of 25 or so students, only one or two able to quote chapter and verse? Considering the number of Christians in this country - that's actually rather low. Perhaps only one or two chose to quote "verbatum" - but then again, your college experience is the norm and that's just the way the world is - my bad.

So take your facepalm and shove it up your ass?

Did you ever think that perhaps they just looked up the information in order to quote the books? I'm an agnostic, but I don't see the challenge in quoting some theme from the Bible. Google is your friend. I just don't see how your lack of knowledge in perhaps the most common book on the planet is in any way forcing religious prereqs on you? I'm not saying you have to be an expert, but really, as far as English lit goes.. you should really be able to at least gleam small bits from Genesis, Revelations, Job, etc. enough to make literary parallels. You keep claiming that your college experience is completely abnormal, but you really have given absolutely no evidence to back that up whatsoever. Essentially, you're full of it.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: rocadelpunk

I can't believe you've never had to read a religious text once in your life in a critical manner.

i've never had to either. why should i? i don't give a rat's ass about religion.

 

[Farang]

:beer: for all

 

[Albatross]

even Dawkins,in teh God delusion,has a chapter in which laments the lack of biblical literacy among people today.

http://richarddawkins.net/print.php?id=2469

 

[Babbles]

Originally posted by: loki8481

Originally posted by: FuzzyDunlop

Originally posted by: loki8481
college level english course and he's MAKING you write your papers on religious topics within the books?

sounds not right... I don't think I ever had a course where specific paper topics were forced beyond vague generalities.

so you went to a community college?

majored in english lit at penn state?

My fiancee teaches at Penn State and sometimes the assigned topics are very broad, but sometimes they are very specific. Shockingly enough, different assignments have different constraints.

Anyhow. . .

There is a certain cultural knowledge that one should have, regardless if you believe in it or not. The fact is Christianity has been a fundamental aspect of Western history for a shit ton of years, and to not have any sort of cultural understanding of our society is a massive weakness on your part.

I don't believe in the Christian Bible but I have a decent understanding of many parts of it. Hell it is interesting in that my fiancee's department (art history) are all hard-core atheists, however the stuff they study has crazy religion overtones because simply put that is just how history worked out.

 

[RichardE]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: RichardE
Heh imagine you if you were exposed to anything non-pc

the horror!

Exposure? The OP has to have prior intimate knowledge and understanding of the Bible to complete his assignment.

EDIT: It doesn't sound like the OP has anything against reading the Bible.

How do you know this? His assignment has Christian themes. Seems more that the assignment has some sort of Christian metaphor involved and the OP is too dense to actually think about it because the fact the metaphor comes from a religious text offends him.

 

[mozirry]

I don't know diddly squat about religion, never read the bible, and I found my religious studies classes and all of my english classes that related to christianity, or any other religion for that matter, quite fascinating and intriguing.

Since you don't know religion very well, you have to state that and make that a core part of your paper, make this a "journey" into what the classroom seems to find an "old road". Your professor will greatly appreciate/understand and will love your point of view as it is different.

Don't let this be a bottleneck to your education, let it be a valve that you can turn wide open.

(majored in history / english)