Sunday, April 28, 2024

Do I look like a flat-earther to my workmates?

If I were a flat-earthier than I would expect a few weird looks at school.
The same thing would be true if I were a young-earthier.
Or a Scientologist.

All of these are alternative viewpoints to the mainstream within the public education system.

But, then again, compared with the majority of people in my school, so is Christianity.

Most people at my school - I’d estimate 70% - would be of no discernible faith.
That would certainly be true within my staff room.

So, should I be viewed as odd by the majority?
And, if so, where should the line get drawn before my employment is under question?

Pentecostalism?
Hardcore millennialist?
Christian Scientist?
Fundamentalist Evangelical?

Legally, the can be no line.
I can believe what I want so long as it doesn’t adversely affect my teaching.

Now that I teach the Studies of Religion subject at school I’m very aware of my personal beliefs colouring the way I teach, especially in regards to the theological elements of Christianity which aren’t universally agreed upon.

Because of this, I teach an intentionally vanilla version of faiths.

Vanilla Christianity.
Vanilla Islam.
Vanilla Buddhism.
Vanilla indigenous spirituality.
Vanilla ancient spirituality.

But, no matter how vanilla the content, does my subject (and beliefs attached to it) appear to an atheist like I was teaching flat-earth?

Of course, it can be argued that it’s an advantage having a person of faith teaching a Studies of Religion subject, but I wonder how non-mainline I’d have to be before I’d drift into questionably-weird.

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