Posted on 05/15/2011 6:27:44 AM PDT by Kaslin
Something has been bugging me for years. You know, like everyone over 50 knows who Gladys Knight is; but what is a “pip”?
The school in my neighborhood told the Cub Scouts this week that their flyer cannot be distributed because it mentions God in the 12 core values.
While this constitutional misstep is unseemly, it is somehow made worse when contrasted with the always-welcome creed of environmentalism.
Like any normal American, I appreciate living in clean, healthy surroundings. But the green movement went past the point of preachy years ago.
Environmental respect advanced from the “don’t be a litterbug” messages of the 1960s to that crying indian commercial of 1970 to the recycle obsession of the past thirty years. Somewhere along the tour, the movement got mystical. For some time now, environmentalism has looked, walked, and quacked like a religion.
While bothered at what appears to be government-established religion in public schools, I had not made the effort to analyze it until the rejected Cub Scout flyer became an issue in our local school this week.
The message of reverence for “Mother Earth” has unquestionably been presented in this same school district for years. Still on the school website from 2009 are photos, videos and quotes from a local high school assembly where all 2,000 students gathered for a hero’s welcome for visiting Nobel Laureate Rigoberta Menchú Tum.
Ms. Tum is quoted as telling the students, “The Mayan calendar teaches that the earth is our mother.” Then, “Wherever you go in life, get your group together and do something.
Teach other young people. If we were to gather a million young people that care for Mother Earth, we’ve done something very successful. Young people need to say: Here we are. We are here to stand for the health of our Mother Earth.”
Does this worship of the environment constitute a religion? Turns out that it does -- since 1998. Merriam-Webster defines Pantheism as “a doctrine that equates God with the forces and laws of the universe.”
A bit of search-engine query reveals that the World Pantheist Movement officially established themselves as a religion on June 29, 1998 when they were issued a certificate of incorporation as a non-profit corporation in Colorado.
Their website domain name, pantheism.net, was first created on January 23 of that same year.
The salient quotes from the World Pantheist Movement website include, “Why call this a religion rather than a philosophy? Like Buddhism or Taoism, it is both.
It is clearly a philosophy. However, it deals with areas of life - especially our feelings of awe and wonder at the universe and love for nature - which are emotional and aesthetic and go beyond philosophy.
These are the proper realm of religion. Unlike straight philosophical systems, pantheism also has its own characteristic approach to meditation and religious ceremony.”
The site goes on to describe the legal benefits of being a religion, including tax advantages, and “being allowed to perform legal marriage and funeral ceremonies.”
I believe that my instincts are confirmed. Strictly controlling every move of the Cub Scouts on campus while celebrating “Mother’s Day for Mother Earth,” as one high school poster reads, is a double violation of the First Amendment.
Got that figured out. I still don’t know what a pip is.
Pantheism is much more complicated than simple earth-worship, which has been a factor in religion as long as anyone can determine. Interestingly, though, our ancestors usually agreed that Eart was a mother ... but they were also aware that she was out to get them.
Wouldn't it be a hoot if the parents sent their kids to school with notes that said we would have sent them with currency for school the school lunch but it has the word God on it and we cannot circulate them in school.
On a side note, my son receives his Bear patch today. On to Webelos! ;)
Congratulations! One of my sons got his Bear badge recently, and he’ll be going to Webelos camp in July. He’s so excited.
Great idea!
A pip is another name for a lemon seed.
Mine will be receiving his Wolf patch today.
I am so happy for my little Bubba (his nickname given to him by his older sister years ago). I just hope we find a good pack in Ohio like we did here. We’ll be moving into our new place in a few weeks, so that gives us good time to ‘scout’ out the local scene.
Pip is the name of the little boy in Great Expectations who had to deal with Miss Havisham. I did Miss Havisham one year at Halloween. Wish I knew how to post that photo. I was awesome. Won first prize.
Congratulations to your son (and you)! My son is excited because he gets a new shirt next year...LOL. He’s had the same blue one since he started in 1st grade!
Too bad that school spends so much time teaching environmentalism instead of reading. One glance at the 1st amendment and they’d see that NOTHING about the Cub Scouts passing around flyers that mention God violates any constitutional law.
I’m sick to death of people professing to know or understand our Constitution but getting it 100% wrong. It’s even worse when it’s our government ran (ruin) schools that do it.
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Neither of these were acts of God.
What poor stewards of Gods Earth are we.
It is impossible to have a religiously, culturally, and politically neutral education. It is axiomatic!
Corollary: When government owns and runs schools it WILL **establish** the religious, cultural, and politically beliefs of some citizens, and utterly trash those of others.
Solution: Work to get government out of the education business completely! If vouchers, tax credits, and charters will help in breaking the government monopoly on education, then good! The final goal should be complete separation of school and state.
“Clan of the Cave Bear” discussed this concept; Earth Mother gave them first life, continued sustenance, and sometimes had them eaten by cave lions and all other predators.
We used to call our boy the same age “Bubba,” too! Then my father wrote me a very pained letter explaining that he had risen from his hillbilly roots and he just couldn’t, at his stage in life, have a grandson called “Bubba.” Also, it brought up bad associations because of a very trashy *woman* named “Bubba Joe” in his home town.
Best wishes on your move! I’m so glad we didn’t have to move during our recent job transition.
When asked why I not only don't, but won't recycle, I responded that “I categorically refuse to give away for free, raw material that will be used by others who will profit from it.” ;oD
“If ‘they’ were serious, they would damn well pay me!”
Much later, my inquisitor sheepishly admitted that while his commitment to the planet remained as firm as ever (insert eyeroll here), he couldn't quite bring himself to be bothered to drag that bin to the curb anymore..... ;->
On my honor, I will do my best, to do my duty, to GOD and to my country and to help other people at all times. I will keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
God bless the BSA.
More common usage in the UK than in the US, of course.
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