My teacher mocked my beliefs

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DarkestHour1980

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I’m a nursing student and we have this new teacher that really sucks. I have many problems with him but what he did today really drove me over the edge. He was going over the reproductive system in class and he decides to spend about 20 minutes giving us his personal opinions about abortion and how abortion is the only logical solution in certain cases, mainly cases in which the child would most likely end up seriously disabled. He said that those lives have no purpose and those who choose to bring a life like that into the would because of their beliefs are the ones who will be punished by God.

Personally, I don’t care about what this guy believes in, but as a student of his, I shouldn’t have to listen to this. I go to school to learn the material, not to listen to his opinion. I am pssed off at him but I’m more pssed off at myself for not saying anything. I just saw there like a coward. I feel like have sinned. I hate not taking a stand for what I believe in. I’m starting to hate this guy and I don’t like having hateful feelings for anyone. Today was also the nine year anniversary of my return to the Church but I don’t feel like much of a Catholic after this. I just hope that God will forgive me.
 
Hang in there. Saints are sinners who keep getting back up and trying again. And St. Peter, our first Pope, denied he even knew our Lord… 3 times!!

Today is the feast of St. Justin Martyr, the patron saint of Catholic Answers & apologists. Maybe ask for his prayers to give you the words to say and the opportunity to arise for you to have a second chance to speak up. Don’t forget to ask the Holy Spirit for a renewal of the gift of discernment and right speech. Sometimes we need to ask ourselves, “What needs to be said here?” and “Am I the one to say it?”

Between now & the next class, pray about what would be the best course of action/speech for this professor, and for the class. Surely there were other students as frustrated as you were, but who also said nothing.
 
And even if there weren’t others who feel as you do, there may be some who need to hear the Catholic position on the sanctity of life. You may have the potential of changing lives if you act according to the call of the Holy Spirit.

I will pray that you follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit in such a way that you say what you need to say, if and only if it’s the will of the Father, so that you might impact the lives of others and regain your self esteem as a follower of Christ.

God Bless,

CARose
 
Because I’m so scrupulous, I’m very worried that I’ve committed a mortal sin. Because I think about death so much, feeling as if death could come within the next five minutes, I’m worried that I might not get another chance to make this up to God.
 
You are not in mortal sin:nope: In the same breath I say pray about this and as CaRose said ask the Holy Spirit to help you speak out.You are right his oppinion if it is going to be expressed,then your truth should be expressed as well:mad: I would be mad too:mad:
 
Remind this teacher that if there weren’t for “those lives worth living”, we nurses wouldn’t have very many jobs!!!:mad: :mad: I know it isn’t all about our jobs, but sometimes, you’ve got to be blunt with stupidity like that.

**Don’t worry, you haven’t sinned. You were pretty stunned when this teacher started that garbage. Don’t let your feelings of righteous anger lead you into sinning or thinking that you’ve sinned. **
**I also read a story here on this forum that you can read to the class. I’ll find it and post it here. **
 
**And here it is: **
A little story I read someplace(could have been here, if so, forgive me): A doctor delivered 2 babies the same day. The first was a healthy baby boy. The second was a little girl who was Down’s Syndrome.
He told this story years later to a class of medical students. He asked them which baby they thought had the greater value. They all said the boy. That the Downs baby was:mad: “worthless”.
He told them, the girl’s father died young, & her mother had health problems. The girl cared for her mom every day till the mom died. The little boy? His name was Adolf Hitler.
 
I have found that pro-choice people like to stick with the emotional or “the social good” lie. You are a nursing student so you know the stages of prenatal development. Compare the unborn child to an adult (neurologically children in the third trimester are about identical) and ask if an adult can be retroactively aborted if life is so much of a burden, because again as far as brain structures go there is not a huge difference (mostly just in the interconnectivity of the neurons). Bring to light also that he average IQ of an army private and a down-syndrome adult is only 5-10 points (65-75) where do we draw the line?

Another question you might ask is why in D and X abortions (also called the partial-birth abortion) a baby that slips out of the birth canal before it’s brain is vacuumed out is protected by law. We aren’t talking about any difference other than location and 4 inches is the difference between “pre-living matter” and “baby”? By that definition I would be free to kill anyone delivered via cesarean because they didn’t travel through the birth canal.

When you argue logically against abortion and avoid the emotional traps you can do real damage to the enemy. I did a speech on abortion in high school, part of the speech included rebuttal. Arguing from a biological aspect I got an A and went on to write an anti-abortion song that actually got some radio air time! Express your beliefs, but avoid getting emotional. This is an area we all feel strongly about but just screaming “murder!” at the top of your lungs isn’t going to change anyone’s mind. Grab your text books and look on the net. The information is out there and next time the jerk brings up the topic ask him to prove that the child is developmentally different enough that it would not feel pain (hint - Babies respond to painful stimuli in the second trimester, the nervous system is actually the first system to develop)

Good luck and even if you can’t change the professors mind I’m sure some of your fellow students will understand when provided the facts.
 
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DarkestHour1980:
Because I’m so scrupulous, I’m very worried that I’ve committed a mortal sin. Because I think about death so much, feeling as if death could come within the next five minutes, I’m worried that I might not get another chance to make this up to God.
Click to expand...
IMO saying the wrong thing can be much worse than saying nothing.

You have more time. Others have given you good advice. I do not advise taking on the teacher’s theology, lest you p*ss of the rest of the class, turning them against you, or put the teacher in a defensive position from which he might have to “hurt” you in order to save face.

Perhaps a private conference with the teacher. Tell him you respect his right to his private point of view, but when he claims to be speaking for God then he is turning this into a theology class and you would like to be able to offer a written or spoken Catholic version to “complement” his own religious beliefs.

If this is a public school, this should sound a warning to him. If a private school, then maybe some of your classmates would be interested in forming a Catholic or mixed-religion discussion group where you discuss pro-life ethics outside the jurisdiction of this teacher.

If none of that works, then maybe sugar in his gas tank might keep him away from … (oops, just kidding of course!)

Alan
 
Momofone said:
**And here it is: **
A little story I read someplace(could have been here, if so, forgive me): A doctor delivered 2 babies the same day. The first was a healthy baby boy. The second was a little girl who was Down’s Syndrome.
He told this story years later to a class of medical students. He asked them which baby they thought had the greater value. They all said the boy. That the Downs baby was:mad: “worthless”.
He told them, the girl’s father died young, & her mother had health problems. The girl cared for her mom every day till the mom died. The little boy? His name was Adolf Hitler.
Click to expand...

Powerful Momofone! Stories are powerful. DarkestHour1980 telling this one in class just might have more of an impact than exchanges of beliefs. I’ve encountered professors/instructors open to an honest discussion and those who were not. Some would be more receptive to private one-on-one meetings and, again, some were not.

I like the story though. It says a lot. And, we remember He who taught with stories and parables.
 
Dear friend

Don’t worry that you didn’t say anything. In my experience you feel bad if you do say something and bad if you don’t either way you cannot get through to some people. I recently had a logger-head with someone who was saying that 75% of the Parish I attend are hypocrits, this person who said this is ignorant to forgiveness and the fact that we are all sinners whether we have faith or not, no-one said being Catholic would mean you are not a sinner! (Besides who made this person judge of other people’s hearts?!!) Anyway this friendship is now over between me and this person, they think I am nothing but an opinionated preaching type and I am hurt that my church was attacked that way…sometimes you just have to kick the dust off your feet.

If you had said something to this person they would have chewed you up and spat you out because of their ignorance, we have to be as wise as serpants and gentle as doves, you were wise and prudent to keep your counsel.

Just say a prayer for the person at your course.

I will pray for you both

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
My question is this: why is this person, the teacher, spending class time, for which you are paying, probably big bucks, spouting off on his own personal opinions? His job is to teach the material for the class, not get on his own personal soapbox. That’s where you can make waves. Your tuition is not for personal opinions, it is for the appropriate material for the class. As an occasional adjunct, I really get annoyed when I hear of professors who use class time to get on a soapbox. :mad: He can always offer to meet privately with students who want his opinions. Of course, he wouldn’t be paid for that!

Peace,
Linda

BTW, there was no sin on your part. A mortal sin requires that there be grave matter, you must know it is grave, and you must freely consent to it. Being broadsided in class does not meet those requirements.
 
Dear friend

Don’t worry that you didn’t say anything. In my experience you feel bad if you do say something and bad if you don’t, either way you cannot get through to some people. I recently had a logger-head defending the Catholic faith with someone who was saying that 75% of the Parish I attend are hypocrits, this person who said this is ignorant to forgiveness and the fact that we are all sinners whether we have faith or not, no-one said being Catholic would mean you are not a sinner! (Besides who made this person judge of other people’s hearts?!!)Now they think I am nothing but an opinionated preaching type and I forgive them though I am justly angry that my church (the people) was attacked that way…sometimes you just have to kick the dust off your feet.

If you had said something to this person they would have chewed you up and spat you out because of their ignorance and mostly (as in your case here this person just desired to give their personal opinions founded on NO reality; only pride in their own opinion makes people say such things, if they humbly do seek the truth, they will find it!) they are looking to insult faith not kindly seeking answers and debating in friendship. We have to be as wise as serpants and gentle as doves, you were wise and prudent to keep your counsel.

Get used to your Catholic faith being mocked, I expect it and don’t worry about it happening, the world is opposed to it. If they can Crucify the Master, Christ Jesus, what will they also do to His servants? We can expect the same mistreatment, prejudice and evil. That doesn’t make it right though and I am sorry you had to endure this from your teacher. Jesus is sorry for all injustice like this.

‘Blessed are you when men revile, and persecute you and speak all manner of evil against you falsely because of me. Be glad and light-hearted for a rich reward awaits you in Heaven’

Just say a prayer for your teacher at your course.

I will pray for you both

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
Have you thought about writing this teacher a letter, or even writing the dean a letter? Sharing those kinds of opinions are very controversial in a classroom setting. One time a professor of mine showed a movie called “The Bad Detective” with Harvey Kietel. In the movie a nun gets raped, the detective forces oral sex on teenagers, and there was a lesbian sex scene. I left the class that day because I was so disgusted. I wrote the professor an email asking him not to penalize me for leaving class because the movie offended me. He excused the absense, and respected my moral convictions. If you write a letter he will know that you’re serious and will think again for making such asinine comments.
 
As bad as it sounds, and I’ll probably get ripped on here, but you NEED the grade. Starting a war with your bone-head prof. will do you no good.
Do the best you can to ‘carry the cross’, and get through that class. Keep your values intact. You’ll have plenty of more important opportunities when you get out of school, to put your beliefs into action.
 
College professors. :rolleyes:

I cannot number the times I sat in some class and had to preface the notes I was taking every so often with “IAWPC” (“In Accordance With Political Correctness”) when the erudite prof would come off with some particularly blatant bit of left-wing bizzarro balderdash.

Me, I just told them what they wanted to hear for the most part, collected my “A”, and left. But that didn’t mean I agreed with them. It simply meant that I knew how to manipulate them. They heard what they wanted to hear, and I got what I wanted from them. I didn’t try to influence them, and they certainly didn’t influence me.

Every once in a while, I would confront one of them, in a minor way—usually by means of a one-line zinger that I knew they wouldn’t be able to answer. I sat in a psych class once, and the prof was going on and on about the concepts of guilt and sin all being nothing more than the products of Skinnerian behavioral conditioning. Then she went into a tirade about the Christian belief in the soul, opining that it was, in her educated opinion, so much baloney.

I sat there with a big grin on my face, and she said, “Obviously you disagree.” I shrugged and said, “You’re entitled to your opinion, Professor.” Then she said, “You believe in the concept of an ‘immortal soul’?” (in a tone that implied she couldn’t possibly fathom how anyone in this enlightened age could be so unbelievably stupid). I said, “Yes, I do.”

She smirked and said, “Can you show me a photograph of an ‘immortal soul’?”, and I said, “No, Professor, I can’t. Can you show me a photograph of a ‘subconscious mind’?”

This garnered a lot of nervous laughter and a few “Whoa!”'s from the back of the room, and her face got beet red—whether from embarrassment or anger, I’m not sure. But she certainly moved on to another topic quite quickly.

(shrug) As the Australian stockman once said, “She was all right. She’d just got in with the wrong mob.”

FWIW, it sounds to me like a visit to the dean is in order, with the request that the professor is counselled in the difference between instruction and propaganda. Knowing the state of American education these days, being as it is firmly in the hands of liberal wackos, it probably won’t do you any good, but you never know. It’s worth a shot, and at least you can say that you tried.

And if you still feel badly about not speaking up, I advise a visit to your parish priest, via the confessional. 🙂
 
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AlanFromWichita:
IMO saying the wrong thing can be much worse than saying nothing.
Click to expand...
**BINGO! **

Keeping your mouth shut when you are uncertain of the outcome can be a far greater virtue than speaking without thinking it through.

I attend the monthly medical ethics conference at the medical school where I work. Sooner or later this issue is going to come up, and sooner or later I will be in a position to speak either for good or for ill. This is an issue over which people are extremely volatile. What is said must be heard in a positive way or else we are just contributing to the anti-life cause.
 
As another med student, I sympathize, DarkestHour. I really do - and if that sounds sappy, pardon me.

There’s always one professor who really has a chip on his shoulder. There was one class I took in neurons where the teacher was a rabid, virulent Seventh-Day Adventist, believe it or not, who spent the introductory few minutes of every class lecturing on how those of us who went to church on Sunday would be going to hell.

At first it was sort of funny, y’know, to watch him up there spouting rhetoric and (I am not kidding about this) occasionally foaming at the mouth. Behind his back, at study group we used to call him “On Top of Old Foamy.” It wasn’t nice and it’s a bit embarrassing :o to admit, but we did.

Then the novelty wore off. I once raised my hand in class and politely asked if he would mind explaining thus-and-such again instead of telling us about religion, which we all learned in Comparative Religions. Of course, he immediately saw me as a target.

From then on out, the first 15 minutes of every class was a war of words between him and me. And personal remarks as well as insults were flying; he once said I “could have made any Sunday demon blush.” I replied, “Since Sunday folks are in hell, they’d already be red with the fire. I don’t think the blush would show, sir.” You get the idea. I deserved the sarcastic remarks on my grade reports.

By the way,just to make this clear, this is not a course of action I would recommend taking. It will alienate the teacher to the point where a 94 average mysteriously becomes a B until you protest to the dean. Please be smarter than I was! Just say no.

THat doesn’t mean I’m advising you to roll over and take it. What I, in my two-years-older and hopefully wiser days, would do is raise your hand and politely ask a question about something non-abortion related, like “Could you go back over the function of the (fill in the blank) again, please? I didn’t quite get it the first time…” and he will be obliged to answer your question. If sidetracking doesn’t work, complain to the dean.

Good luck and don’t worry. It’s pretty shocking the first few times it happens. :cool:
 
Intellectual elitism has been around for a long time.
I’m the teacher you are the student sitting at my feet ego trip 😦
 
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