I remember my nephew’s confusion when he discovered, (in junior high, yet) that there were other calenders. Another young friend (junior high again) remarked that it was difficult to believe that the earth had only been here for 2000 years. Both from very fundamentalist Xian homes. Try explaining the various calendars with the knowledge that if you screw up you and even hint that the earth is older than 6,000 years, and that the Western calendar is not sanctioned by god, that you will have very irate parents.
But it gets worse! I was in a freshman remedial English class at UT Arlington, early 70s, It was nearing Xmas time and something came up about the dating of Jesus’s birth.One fresh faced young thing remarked that Jews celebrated Xmas in July (Jewly?). I explained, rather brutally, that Jews didn’t worship nor believe in her personal buddy Jesus.Her face screwed up into that peculiar visage that females get when they are about to cry. I smelled blood and confusion! So I said that Buddhists, Muslims, etc., didn’t believe in her invisible friend. I am here to testify that fully one quarter of that class was in tears. They thought Buddhists, Muslims, etc., were only denominations like Baptists, Methodists and Millenial Dawns (look that one up.)
The instructer made me stay after class and her first remark was, "That is just unbelievable. These kids are in college! " She did ask me to be more gentle with them and their fragile egos.
I remember my nephew’s confusion when he discovered, (in junior high, yet) that there were other calenders. Another young friend (junior high again) remarked that it was difficult to believe that the earth had only been here for 2000 years. Both from very fundamentalist Xian homes. Try explaining the various calendars with the knowledge that if you screw up you and even hint that the earth is older than 6,000 years, and that the Western calendar is not sanctioned by god, that you will have very irate parents.
But it gets worse! I was in a freshman remedial English class at UT Arlington, early 70s, It was nearing Xmas time and something came up about the dating of Jesus’s birth.One fresh faced young thing remarked that Jews celebrated Xmas in July (Jewly?). I explained, rather brutally, that Jews didn’t worship nor believe in her personal buddy Jesus.Her face screwed up into that peculiar visage that females get when they are about to cry. I smelled blood and confusion! So I said that Buddhists, Muslims, etc., didn’t believe in her invisible friend. I am here to testify that fully one quarter of that class was in tears. They thought Buddhists, Muslims, etc., were only denominations like Baptists, Methodists and Millenial Dawns (look that one up.)
The instructer made me stay after class and her first remark was, "That is just unbelievable. These kids are in college! " She did ask me to be more gentle with them and their fragile egos.