fandomhigh | Interactive Religion [Tuesday, January 15]

Biff was in the Danger Room, which was set up as hot, dark, desert town, sipping on a huge mug of coffee as the class arrived.

"Though they've fallen out of favor now," Biff said, "at least on this world, the major religion that dominated my time was a polytheistic one. The Romans had gods -- and graven idols -- for everything. We Jews have just the one. Um, God, not graven idols. We didn't do well with graven idols. I was told by a Phoenician that we wouldn't worry so much if we had more than one god, but he also told me that he'd screwed a turtle, so I'm not really relying much on his spiritual guidance."

He leaned against a pillar. "Your task today isn't to decide if there is a god, or multiple gods, and it's certainly not to rant at me about whatever wrongs you feel religion has inflicted upon you."

He waved a hand towards several giant statues of Apollo. "Your job today is to circumcise that statue of Apollo before the Roman centurions catch you."

He grinned. "It's a religious experience. Really."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Aravis had only seen one...thing up close. And it was already...altered. Not that she had known that. She just thought they all looked like that.

So she was kind of staring, and thus raising her hand. "...what's wrong with his...him? Why does it have that extra bit? Is he being portrayed as sick?"

Biff shook his head. "In Roman culture, males weren't circumcised. They kept that flap of skin."

Aravis continued to look perplexed. "What flap of skin?"

And then it dawned. "You mean...they all look like that at first?"

That would be a very indiscreet, horrified look she just shot Seely, yes.

"Not necessarily this big," Biff said, missing her point, "and definitely not made of stone, but...yup."

"When does it go away?"

Aravis was now staring in terror at the chisels. "...or are they always...removed?"

"It's part of a religious ceremony for baby boys in Judaism," Biff explained. "I'm not sure how it works for other faiths, but if it's not removed, it just stays there."

"Babies?"

Biff nodded. "It's not like they really notice," he said.

Other than the screaming, but the poor girl looked freaked enough.

Seely eventually noticed the staring. "You okay?"

Aravis kind of whimpered and shot a deeply concerned look towards his waistline.

"What's wrong?" Seely asked, not that he couldn't guess by following her line of sight.

"...looks different."

"A little, yeah."

"Because they hacked at you when you were a baby?"

Seely winced. "I don't know if I'd call it hacking."

Aravis pointed at the chisels.

Seely's hand automatically shot down to cover his crotch protectively. "They didn't use chisels!"

"...oh. That wasn't clear."

"Well they didn't," Seely said in a strangled tone.

"Still, though!" she said, frowning. "Our babies won't have that happen."

"I wasn't exactly planning on it," Seely said, grinning slightly.

"It's cruel and wrong and no, our children will stay intact," she declared.

Seely was definitely grinning now, quite dorkily. "Whatever you say."

"...why are you smiling?"

"Our children," Seely replied, still grinning.

Re: Boggle at the assignment

notqueenyet.livejournal.com - 2008-01-16 06:40 (UTC) - Expand

socksofcool.livejournal.com - 2008-01-16 07:04 (UTC) - Expand