World Religions, Wednesday, 2nd Period

[preacher-custer.livejournal.com]

Sitting behind the desk at the front of the room, cowboy boots propped on its surface, is a scruffy looking man with shaggy dark hair, a goodly five o’clock shadow, jeans, a black shirt with silver collar tabs, an eyepatch over his left eye, and most importantly, a minister’s collar. He laconically watches the students file in and sit down before dropping his feet off the desk and standing up with a clipboard in hand.



“Mornin’. I’m Jesse Custer. You can call me Jesse or Reverend or Reverend Custer, but I’ve been through too many ass whoopins and too much grief to be ‘Mister.’ Remember that and we’ll be right as rain.”

He gives the clipboard to the person sitting closest to him and walks slowly around the class, looking down at each student in turn, making eye contact, taking their measure, and continuing onward.

“Religion. It’s what raises us up, and it’s sure as shit what casts us down. We sing God’s praises. We dedicate our lives to our deity’s services. We kill, torture, and destroy in His name." He smiled and amended, "Or Her name, or their names.

“We’re here to learn about your religions, and also to learn about those you aren’t familiar with. Just ‘cause I’m wearing this collar, don’t expect I’m gonna try to get y’all to convert, because my God’s a bastard and you’re better off without him.

“Today I want two things from you. When you sign in, include your religion, if you have one. If you don’t, just write none. If you’re an atheist, that’s a form of faith in my book, include it.

“Second, I want you to create your own religion. Get together with a friend or two and share your created religion. Try to convince your friend that your religion is the best way to do things. I’ll be watchin’ all of y’all, so you don’t need to worry about writing me reports for this one."

Syllabus

Comments

Re: Pair Up

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"Did I mention he was crazy and evil?" Conner deadpanned. "Probably part dinosaur himself."

"Dinosaurs themselves aren't all that bad," he added, doodling a little T-rex in the margin of his notepad, "you know, in the proper what's it called, context. Which should not be ruling the Earth. So, reptile-free religion?"

[OOC: Swamped today -- will be very slow until I get home, unfortunately.]

Re: Pair Up

[janet_fraiser]

"Ah, that does explain a lot," said Janet, nodding knowingly. "And I have nothing against dinosaurs, per se. I took paleo last spring, and it was a great class. But yes. Reptile-free religion. I feel like promoting free thinking. How about you?"

OOC: That's more than fine by me, as I'm looking pretty busy myself.

Re: Pair Up

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"Oh, Doctor O's class!" Conner said eagerly. "Yeah, free thinking, I can get behind that. But I guess we shouldn't take a really militant anti-reptile stance, either. Just no reptile gods."

Re: Pair Up

[janet_fraiser]

"Oh, absolutely no reptile gods," agreed Janet fervently. "I'm sure there are good reptiles. So do we have any gods? I'm kind of anti-god, myself."

Re: Pair Up

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"Well, they don't go too well with free thinking, do they?" asked Conner. "Reptile-free, god-free religion. But we'll need a philosophy. Is something involving redemption too cliche?"

Re: Pair Up

[janet_fraiser]

"I think it's probably a worthwhile cause," said Janet. She frowned in thought as she scribbled down 'REDEPMTION = WORTHY CLICHE' in her notes. "What do our followers need to be redeemed from?"

Re: Pair Up

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"Good question." Conner doodled a few snakes on his notebook page and, for no reason he could figure out, a plane just below them. "Not thinking freely enough?"

Re: Pair Up

[janet_fraiser]

"That sounds good. I think we need an enemy of free thought. The media is just way too easy an answer." Janet nodded at the doodles. "Nice. If weird."

Re: Pair Up

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I don't know where that came from," Conner said. "Enemy of free thought. Huh. Multiple choice tests."

Re: Pair Up

[janet_fraiser]

"I know they're my worst nightmare," said Janet. She looked slightly sheepish. "Especially if I haven't studied. You?"

Re: Pair Up

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"I'm kind of a fan of 'em myself, but . . ." Conner rolled his eyes and sighed exaggeratedly, "Ethan always tells me I'll never learn to think for myself if I spend my entire academic life trying to spell as many words with A, B, C, and D as I can."

Re: Pair Up

[janet_fraiser]

Janet laughed, then clapped her hand over her mouth and sent a wary eye at the teacher. "Ethan, whoever he is, is right. You might get stuck with some extra studying here."

Re: Pair Up

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

"I can study!" Conner insisted. "I swear! I just don't like to, most of the time. But see, this just proves the point. Multiple choice doesn't let you think for yourself."

Re: Pair Up

[janet_fraiser]

OOC: Must sleep now. Continue later?

Re: Pair Up

[connernotconnor.livejournal.com]

[OOC: Noooooo problem!]

Re: Pair Up

[janet_fraiser]

OOC: Thank you! :) And if you end up swamped at work today--God knows, I probably will--we'll just pick it up after work.

Re: Pair Up

[janet_fraiser]

"It does," said Janet, tapping her pen against her cheek. "But only on a limited basis. Still, I don't think a religion based on essay exams is going to get many adherents."