I saw the strangest sign ever today!

[Reverend_Smitty]

I've been spending the last couple of weeks with my mother down in South Carolina and today was the first day back to school for my younger siblings (hallelujah, I love them but damn I needed the quiet). So anyway my mother is sending them to this Lutheran School because she believes that the public school system sucks down here (she's right about that) and she doesn't want her psycho ex-husband to find out where she is living, which is a really long and fucked up story to begin with. Well anyway we were pulling out of the church parking lot and I happened to glance over to my left and I swear to god I saw a sign that was advertising "Christian Tai Kwan-do classes" We laughed all the way home over that one. What in the sam hell are Christian martial arts? Is it like "the power of Christ compels me to kick your ass?" You gotta love the bible belt. I've been trying to convince her to move back to Jersey for years now but she will have none of it.

This is also the same school that called my mother in for a conference with the teacher because my 8 year old brother grasps the concept of evolution more than his teacher. He said that humans come from monkeys. The teacher had the balls to call in my mom and ask her where my brother learned this and if she was a Christian. I nearly shit a brick when she told me that. If it was my kid I would have pulled him out of school that day. But she just told him to pay lip service to them and believe in what you want

[Not_Giving_Up]

1. Hey! I think I saw that sign...

We lived in sc a few years back. What town?

[Reverend_Smitty]

2. North Myrtle beach

n/t

[Not_Giving_Up]

5. That could be where I saw it

We lived in Florence, but hit MB a couple of times.

Your mom is right - the schools DO suck there!! We moved before they approved the lotto, guess it didn't get ay better. There was a sign on one church that said "Jesus would vote no" (about the lottery).

Some people will send their kids anywhere as long as it says Christian on it.

[disillusioned1]

3. Tai Kwan-do is Korean

I don't think there are many Christians in Korea, but I could be wrong.

My brother was a 3rd degree black belt in Tai Kwan-do, and as an adult, he is one of the most laid back people I know. But I don't get the Christianity connection.

[Ellen Forradalom]

Actually Korea is the most Christianized country in Asia

Doesn't explain the Christian Tae Kwon Do classes in South Carolina, though.

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. Surprisingly, there are a lot of Christians in Korea

Of all the Asian (of Oriental-style Asian) countries, Korea is the most Christian, so far as I know. India maybe has a shot at it, but I don't think so. (and I'm talking percentage of people that are christian, not raw numbers)

Not that has anything to do with fundy bible-belt "Christian Tae-Kwan Do", but thought you might be interested to know. And most of the Christians in Korea are Presbyterian - the Korean culture and Presbyterian structure are, truly, a match and a marriage made in heaven. So the conversion was easier there for the Presbyterians than anywhere else.

[IronLionZion]

10. tons of Christians in Korea

but yeah, "Christian Tae Kwon Do" sounds really silly.

[yorkiemommie1]

11. i work next door to a huge korean presbyterian church

here in southern calif. they're not american born koreans so there must be lots of ministries over there.

[Cheswick2.0]

14. There are tons of Presbyterians in Korea

[7th_Sephiroth]

4. its a chain school

never been in one, on a related note, there is a "the lords gym" here and thier graphic is jesus doing a push up with the cross weighing him down

[yorkiemommie1]

6. my daughter went to lutheran school (ELC) (Calif)

and in the second grade the reading teacher taught that the world was only 10,000 years old, contrary to what their reading book said. i asked about it, and was told that it was just that one teacher's opinion. the rest of the years my daughter spent in that school were wonderful in every way. now the catholic hs i sent her to...well that was a different story!

[FreakinDJ]

7. That is so fucked up

The part about the evolution theory

<<< This is also the same school that called my mother in for a conference with the teacher because my 8 year old brother grasps the concept of evolution more than his teacher. He said that humans come from monkeys. The teacher had the balls to call in my mom and ask her where my brother learned this and if she was a Christian. >>>

I went to catholic schools all the way through high school and the Priest (theology teacher) was able to grasp and embellish the Darwin theories and make a religous statment at the same time. I fact he was able to show documentation that even thou most scientist beleive in evolution they also beleive in God. So the jest of it was the more they now about the universe the more likely they are to beleive.

These so called teachers your mother encountered are numbskulls practicing "Thought Control".

[mahatmakanejeeves]

8. "grasps the concept of evolution"

"He said that humans come from monkeys."

I believe Darwin's actual assertion was that humans and apes had a common ancestor.

Corrections avidly sought.

[Reverend_Smitty]

12. well he is 8

and that is certainly more informed and educated an answer than what his teacher was willing to offer up. Had he gone to a real school, that clarification could have been made at the time.

[Rabrrrrrr]

13. The fundies like to start and/or go to "Christian" businesses

And I'm sure that, amongst the fear-based fundy set in the area where that school is, a lot of people are thinking "I'd like my kid to learn a martial arts, but I don't want them to learn all that mystical Buddhal (they'll say Buddhal because they're stupid) zen-whatever stuff about burning your arms and incense and speaking a foreign language" and thus is born the Christian Martial arts place in which the kids can learn the craft, but without the FALSE RELIGION STUFF and make sure to learn to bust people up in a sensible God-approved Jesus-loving Christian American way.

And no, I'm not kidding. I might have exaggerated a tad, but not much. People really do think that way. Same with the "Chrstian Roofers" and "Christian Plumbers" and "Christian DayCare" and "Christian Car Wash" and similar crud.

[Reverend_Smitty]

16. Surely my roof will leak...

if one of those godless, Muslims or athiests fix my shingles...this isn't the culture I grew up in, I just don't get it!

[BigMcLargehuge]

15. ouch, he kicked me right in the body of Christ!!

and I've got the blood of Christ dripping out my nose!!

Seriously though -

Generally when Christian is added to MA classes it's to reassure parents that their kids won't be doing much meditation (as it leads to demon infestation so my mother in law insists). Could be too that they are training to turn the other cheek... etc.

MA classes are mostly marketed as tools to teach respect when applied to kids so it makes sense that in the bible belt they would market that way.