(aka Bike) Part 2066 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad
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Little Lizzie is so good except that like Cate, she tends to fall asleep on the nipple, presumably because she feels secure. While I was sitting in the kitchen with my boob hanging out and a baby attached to it, Dr Smith rang–he’d arranged for Neal to go to the clinic near Guilford and Simon had sent confirmation of funding the treatment.
Would it work? It didn’t with Stella, she’s still as mad as a hatter–the madness was apparently caused by the use of mercury salts in the felt of the hats. In which case shouldn’t I be crazy too after all the tuna I’ve eaten? Ah, see that explains seeing Billie, it’s all caused by mercury poisoning–glad I’ve got that sorted.
I handed the now somnolent infant to Jacquie who took her off to her cot, while I sorted my clothing slipped in some new bra pads and went off to collect mes enfants. When I got there, St Claires, that is, I was asked to go and see the headmistress. It sounded an ominous summons.
“Ah, Lady Catherine, please take a seat.”
This sounded formal, “Headmistress,” I acknowledged and sat facing her over her desk.
“I am seriously considering suspending Trish.”
My tummy flipped, “Would you tell me why?”
“She is becoming out of control in certain lessons.”
“Oh?”
“In religious instruction she has severally told the sisters teaching her that they’re wrong.”
“And are they?”
“In what way?”
“Does she cite evidence to back up her critique?”
“Does that matter?”
“Of course. If it’s simply opinion it’s worthless except as a subjective commentary...”
“But we’re talking fundamental truths,” protested Sister Maria.
“Absolutely, this is why there has to be repeatable evidence or formulae which can be replicated elsewhere.”
“You can’t do that with the Almighty.”
“Yes, that the weakness with religion isn’t it? It’s absolute truth until you examine it closely and then it sort of disappears.”
“It’s a matter of faith.”
“Perhaps or intellectual laziness.”
“Some of the greatest minds have wrestled with concepts of the godhead.”
“Only because they’d have been persecuted for telling the truth.”
“I can see where Trish gets her arrogance.”
“With the greatest respect, Sister Maria, my arrogance is evidence based yours is simply defensive behaviour built on sand.”
“I prefer to call it faith.”
“Call it what you will, just don’t move too much, it’ll all fall down. If you suspend one of my girls I shall withdraw all three of them.”
“If you do, you will still be liable for their fees until the end of the school year.”
“I’m sure my lawyers will find a way through that, about derogation of responsibility or some such point in law.”
“You were aware we were a religious institution before you brought them here.”
“Yes I was, but I was also aware of it being a place of learning–it now seems to be turning into a place of bigotry.”
“You’ve done so much for us, how can you suddenly turn on us now?”
“You’re threatening my children. Good day, headmistress.” I walked from her study with a heavy heart. At least, now that Trish’s status was female and her body was showing it more and more, it should be easier than it was before to get her into a new school. It was a complication I could do without, as I didn’t really have time to contact schools and arrange interviews. I knew that all three kids were above average intelligence, in the case of two of them well above–so I had very little worries about them meeting academic standards.
I harvested my three and having got them in the car asked what had happened with the religious education class. Trish said nothing. Livvie said it for her. “The nun went on about Adam and Eve and Trish asked about Lilith.”
It was a good job I wasn’t eating or drinking, I’d have choked to death. “What’s that about Lilith?”
“Well she was Adam’s first wife, wasn’t she?” continued Livvie in a matter of fact way.
“According to some traditions; what did the nun have to say?”
“It was nonsense and that Eve was Adam’s only wife.”
“I see,” I said nodding, and I could see Trish saying that about Lilith.
“Then Trish told her the whole Adam and Eve story was simply a myth, as ancient Jews didn’t know about the Big Bang and evolution.”
“That would have gone down like a lead balloon.”
“The nun insisted it was unchallengeable truth because it was in the Bible.”
“Oops, so that’s when you went for the jugular was it, Trish?”
“I told her if Adam and Eve were true then we were all related.”
“That makes sense,” I couldn’t fault her logic.
“I told her that Mr Darwin had suggested we came from the monkeys.”
“Um–not quite, we had the same common ancestor.”
“Yeah well I told her we did and that some of us were more monkey than others.”
“Your usual tactful self, eh Trish?”
“I said it politely,” she sounded indignant.
“What, as in, ‘Please miss you’re a monkey, can I see your tail?” I was minded of a story on the internet from China where some baby had grown a spinal deformity which looked like a tail.
The three of them fell about laughing and even I smirked. “You realise the headmistress is talking about suspending you, Trish?”
“Why?”
“Because you didn’t respect your teacher.”
“But she was wrong, Mummy.”
“She might have been, but you showed her less than the standard of behaviour that she might think she warrants.”
“She’s a fake, Mummy an’ she knows I know it. I bet she only reads up a few days ahead of us.”
“You're still disrespected of her Trish.”
I saw her colour rise and her eyes fill with tears.
“But she was wrong, Mummy,” she protested.
“But there are ways of telling people, Trish, especially old and fragile teachers.”
“Oh it wasn’t the old one, it was Sister Maria.”
My tummy flipped, “Have you apologised?”
“What for, Mummy? She was wrong not Darwin.”
“She might well have been, Trish, but you can’t just call her a liar or an idiot in front of the whole class, it’s embarrassing.”
“That’s what she called me.”
“In front of witnesses?”
“Yes, in front of the whole class.”
“And what happened then?”
“I told her she was wrong and quoted Darwin on earthworms, the Origin of the species by Natural selection and the Voyage of the Beagle, plus some stuff by Wallace. I also quoted some stuff about Lilith from the tenth century BC, but she wasn’t interested.”
“Unless you want her to suspend you, you’d best go and apologise.”
“Do I have to?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Will you come with me?”
“I will.” I told the others to stay in the car and keep it locked, then Trish and I went to see the headmistress who was just leaving her office. “Trish has something to say to you, headmistress.”
“If it’s more Darwin I don’t wish to hear it.”
“I think you should listen.”
She sighed, “Very well, what is it?”
“I’m sorry I was rude to you, Sister Maria.” Trish then burst into tears and Sister Maria shook her head. A moment later she had Trish in a huge hug which she held her in for perhaps half a minute.
“What are we going to do with you?” she said quietly to Trish.
“I don’t know,” was said quietly back.
“Off you go,” Sister Maria said pushing her back towards me. “I think we might be best allowing you to do something other than religious studies or the whole place will become atheist by end of term.”
“Can you do that?” I asked.
“We can make exceptions, yes.”
“Could you do so for all three of my girls?”
“If you’d care to write and request it, I’m sure we could look favourably upon it.”
“I think I’d best do that then.”
We parted on far friendlier terms than we’d started, and part of it was Trish crying as she apologised, it reminded the headmistress that under the huge intellect hid an eight year old girl.
Comments
I'd suggest that Cathy find a better school anyway
Any school that teaches mythology as if it was a proven fact really isn't the place for brilliant children. Yes, I know they are a religious school and they did serve their purpose but I think Cathy needs to get the kids in a school where science is based on evidence and truth is proven or at least attempted to be proven not based on blind belief.
Unlikely there being a better one !
Have a care, Woody - the chance of finding a better school than this one in that neighbourhood is very close to zero. A more open minded and liberable bunch of Nuns one would have to search a very long way to find. Also, sometimes the devil you know is better than the unknown quantity that you replace it with, That they learn so well is also partly because the school lets them learn. The local state schools will be far worse.
And we scientists have always to remember that our current body of knowledge is also quite largely unproven, but just the best explanations we have yet been able to come up with. This especially goes with physics and biology, in both of which we still have a lot of theories as well as some proven facts that have been shown by repeated experiments to be highly likely to be true !
As an Atheist, I have had at times to admit that my point of view is not proven yet, just most likely.
Briar
Let's be honest here...
I think all bibles should have a disclaimer on the cover stating, "This book is probably a work of fiction." I'm not saying there is no God, but what I am saying is just like what Cathy said, the entire Bible is built on a foundation of sand. It simply doesn't hold up to any real scrutiny.
Trisha needs to learn
That, although people might be wrong, they rarely appreciate being told so.
S.
I get problems like that in Stereo,
and probably in the future will have a Quartet causing trouble at school at least thats a few years away.
Good episode thank you for sharing.
Goddess Bless you
Love Desiree
Well it is about diversity and live and let live
That is where Cathy herself is failing as Goddess forbid she can be wrong about the whole Godhead thing. The bible in all likelihood does not have much that is factual in it any more than Edith Hamilton's Mythology but people try to use it as a common songbook so to speak so we can all share a common tune and there are some good things in it.
Barring that, to be a Darwinian absolutist, totally denying that there may be a Godhead is just as arrogant.
Kim
As The Good Sister Said
...belief in God and the Bible is a matter of faith, not fact.
For a learned person to prefer to live in a fact-based world, when they haven't been presented with any tangible evidence of the existence of a Godhead, is hardly arrogance. This is the nature of science, observation and logic. However, as a religious person, who believes deeply, it should not trouble you one whit that someone else does not share your belief. Chalk it up to mere ignorance on their part, if you prefer. Your faith is yours, nonetheless. What it isn't, is provable fact or a convincing argument. You must learn to accept that limitation, or the only absolutist in the room would be you.
For myself, as a Quaker, I may have a different view of God from you, and a different method of worship. I may believe in Continuing Revelation where you believe in a static Word of God. My spirituality might seem more humanistic to you, and my ethics might be based on consequentiality, whereas yours might be deontological. In a free society, we can disagree, we can call each other names and criticize each others' theology, but one thing we can't do is impose our views on each other or on non-believers. Peace.
Unfortunately
That acceptance of others views does not actually work. Largely it is not atheists causing the problems here. Non believers do not as a rule force their non belief on believers. It is believers that try to thrust their beliefs or standards of behaviour on non believers.
The Dalai Lama spoke in Melbourne on June second saying that government must be secular to protect religions from each other. Good point. But a non secular government is definitely something for a non believer to fear.
But since all (bar one) religions seem to vote for fellow believers of the same or similar faith, in a democratic system you get religious battles brought into politics where they do not belong. This seriously taints even secular systems. Can't it be seen that non believers are going to have some resentment watching fifty percent of the economy vanish into smoke?
I would be a lot happier if all religious factions were like the Amish and lived in shared faith communities (as long as they are allowed to leave) with there own 'State Law' still subject to federal and the constitution. I am not talking compulsion here just that if it became custom everyone would be happier, or would they?
Unfortunately
religion is mostly politics, the Pope isn't a man of god he's a politician, as are the leaders of all major faith groups.
If you isolate groups you get ghettos and from there you get resentments and finally violence either towards the enclosed group or from within them. In order for people to cope in the real world they must have contact with it and the populace at large.
I have no problem with people studying theology, although personally believe it should be in the same section as 'Bike', under fiction.
Angharad
Yes
I have no trouble with politics within a religious group. That is their business. Religion though, does not belong in politics. d
Decisions about peoples rights and behaviour should not be made on a religious basis. Religion is personal. Politics, decisions, government are universal.
I am not talking about ghettos; ghettos have walls. I don't know about cities outside of my country but here entire suburbs and collections of suburbs change character and nationalities repeatedly over time. There is a difference between aggregation and imprisonment or exile. And there can be delight in diversity.
I see so much hope in skeptical rationality and little in religion.
Respectfully disagree
There is no such as absolute certainty in this universe, just ask Heisenberg and the quantum universe and the theory of the multiverse, just stuff you don't know about yet. Therefore there is always that small possibility that a Godhead exists but not of the burning bush variety who steps in and interferes all the times, probably more Deistic like ( like the founding Fathers of the US are ) who is probably more observing us from afar as if we were a lab experiment. Thusly, I do not believe there is Absolute proof that a Godhead does not exist.
Given all that I have respectfully not wished to step on anybody's toes.
Sadly, when I speak of arrogant atheists, I mean just that. I have met at least one and she gave me a look of as if she had just stepped in a pile of dog poo when I offered a rationale of why people do believe in deities and the like and that I am open minded about the whole thing. Yes, she is definitely one of those absolutists who, ironically, smokes pot but insists that all the vitamin and herb supplements (at least 20 in all) would protect her from the detriments of smoking (yes pot is high in tar and not to mention carbon monoxide and other unsavory stuff aside from THC and HELLO, you are inhaling SMOKE) the pot without any shred of evidence that her supplement cocktail does so. So much for being rational.
Kim
Expectations
None of us have any right, nor should have expectations, that our opinions will be warmly received by everyone we meet. That is the nature of a free society, each of us free to have our own thoughts and express them (non-violently) as the spirit moves us. If your acquaintance made an "icky face" at you when you diverged onto topics she found distasteful, why didn't you stop right there? It's impolite to offend others. You should have stopped, apologized, and changed topics. That you should take offense at the reflexive reaction of someone you offended is nothing less than chutzpah.
With the shoe on the other foot.
I am taking a course in Psychology on group dynamics. I do not expect to be discussing the various aspects of faith on group dynamics, though one of the reasons I am taking the course is the actions of various faith groups. I have enough sense and deviousness to keep my agenda carefully under my camisole. :)
Gwendolyn
Under the huge intellect, hid an eight year old girl.
I know it has been mentioned numerous times that Trish is eight years old, but that sentence says so much about Trish as it presents her as an intelligent eight year girl. Which we have known all along, but does Trish? Perhaps she needs to learn she is only eight and should act like an eight year old, and use her intellect for something other than showing it off.
Or is this the goal of the Goddess for Cathy - to teach Trish how to use that vast intellect to help mankind?
Kitty treats for the two fur-bearing feline cohorts, and a well done to all who have any part in this story.
Don't let someone else talk you out of your dreams. How can we have dreams come true, if we have no dreams?
Katrina Gayle "Stormy" Storm
Trish means well but does not suffer a fool gladly
She needs to learn how and when to make her point. To counter someone else's stead fast beliefs no matter how wacko they are but to do so in a way that embarrasses them is wrong.
Respect for ones elders and well, everybody.
But the crying at the end was brill.
I believe it was mostly because despite her intelligence she is still an eight year old.
But if she ever learns how to do that trick on cue?
As pretty as I suspect Trish will become, that crying jag will be a devastating weapon.
She'll have every boy or girl she uses that on at her beck and call.
God knows, as bright as she is just maybe she will figure out how to make herself into a fertile woman.
Wouldn't put it past her. I can see it now...
"Mummy, I know you haven't been feeling well of late and I'm, sorry but it's my fault.
Huh? Why is it your fault Trish?
I love you so much mom and I want the very best for you so I slipped an experimental treatment into your morning tea.
What?
It's okay mom. In fact I KNOW it's safe and works I used it on myself and... I'm two months pregnant.
But you ...I mean.... how?
The treatment , I'll skip the stuff about quantum entanglement and the multi universe and all but suffice it in a few days you will be a complete and fertile woman. As if you had been born a genetic one. And, 'cause I love you so it will make you young again.
You should end up somewhere between twenty two and twenty two and one quarter years old when the treatment stabilizes.
Twenty two to twenty two and a quarter?
I'm sorry mom but I'm only a mega genius ,. not the Shekena.
By the way she says hi and that she is proud of what you have done.
She looks forward to many many more years working thru you.
Many many?
Um, yeah Mom, The lab tests indicate you should live at least five hundred years before entering menopause. But another treatment at that will make you twenty two again. For even longer. The effects are cumulative.
Happy?
Aaaaaaaaaaaah!
Hey, Trish might just do it.
Now as for Simon....
Sorry dad but the treatment only works for women. But I love you an mummy so that I... That's why your turning into a woman. As beautiful as mummy too.
But look at the bright side. Both you and mom will be bi now so you can still be lovers. I've even did this procedure to turn each of your stem cells into viable sperm. So you are now carrying each other's babies. Both you and mummy having babies. Twins if my tests are accurate. Which they always are.. Isn't that great!
Dad, Dad? You fainted.
--- BOING!!!!! --
John in Wauwatosa whose imagination finally snapped.
John in Wauwatosa
WOW !
That was Brill, John ! Now is it Angharad or Trish stimulating our imaginations ?
Briar
Forget
your medication again, John?
Angharad
“If it’s more Darwin I don’t wish to hear it.â€
there's none so deaf as those who don't want to listen..
Kirri
I think...
I think Trish would benefit from reading "Isaac Asimov's Guide to the Bible"... Not only did the good doctor have an IQ that wouldn't have been threatened by Trish, he had a way with words (Sad he was lost to AIDS).
Thanks,
Annette