Friday, November 20, 2009

The Christian religion is big in Ocala


In Ocala, some folks don't wear their religion on their sleeves, they wear it on their trucks! This photo will embiggen. The other will not.


In Ocala, some folks "home-school" their kids believing the public schools are full of socialism and Darwinism and other isms. These folks need supplies and help in their home-schooling endeavors, so other folks establish stores with supplies and materials that teach the godly truth. Believe it or not.

30 comments:

PJ said...

Home schooling is huge here, it's amazing how many people teach their own kids. I'm not a big fan of shouting it from the rooftops, more of the introspective type so I find this a bit humorous.

Jim Klenke said...

I was reading today that in the Dallas area home schooled kids have a high school basketball team. I thought that was unusal.

Lowell said...

@ Jim K - So who do they play? This is a case of eating your cake and having it, too. If you don't want to be in public schools, then stay all the way out of public schools.

Sapna Anu B.George said...

Great to meet you, greet you and read you in blog

Memphis MOJO said...

I'm always a little skeptical of people who put stuff like that on their truck or whatever. Just believe how you believe, why the display?

Small City Scenes said...

Here in Stanwood they have classrooms at the High School where homeschooled kids can interact with the out of the home kids----Are our public dollars going to non public events? Home schooled kids are governed by the State school board and have to follow guidelines for credits and graduation. I have questions. MB

Lee Spangler said...

many years ago I read parts of "In Praise of Folly" by Erasmus of Rotterdam 1466-1539 some things don't change. at least he was a humanist.

Paula said...

Better to be like that then the wrong way. I'm christian too.

EG CameraGirl said...

Hmmmm. I wonder if all those parents are really qualified to teach their kids.

BaysideLife said...

Hi Jacob
I found your blog through Paula. I just recently went to Ocala for a statewide conference and was amazed to learn that this lovely place is the horse capital of the world. I've enjoyed reading your blog and laughed a time or two at your humor. I'll be back.

Lowell said...

@ EG - Of course not. But it isn't about education, it's about indoctrination, and they can't achieve the latter in the public schools.

Gunn said...

Well, I guess we live in a democracy so everyone has the right to express their own opinions.
Still a bit strange......

cieldequimper said...

?????? I find these things soooo hard to believe in the 21st century. Harder still for a firm believer in isms like me.

Pat said...

I for one do not believe in home schooling, unless you're waaaaay out there somewhere and can't have your child attend a school. I do believe that parents should definitely supplement what their kids learn in school--discussions, trips to museums, etc.

And by the way, is this classroom a classroom belonging to a man named Christian, which would make it 'Christian's Classroom,' or is it, and I think it probably is, a classroom for Christians, in which case it should be 'Christians' Classroom.' I think they may need an English teacher....

I'm not available...

Lowell said...

@ Bibi - So far as I can tell, it's an "educational" enterprise providing a variety of resources for fundamentalist Christians who believe the public schools are of the devil and thus it is necessary for their children to avoid them at all costs - so they home-school them.

Judy said...

I can't imagine home schooling. When my kids were young, I was so busy with things that I was glad when they left for school so I could get stuff done. They turned out pretty well in spite of it all. ;)

jusdealem said...

Just my opinion, but I feel the parents who home school for no other reason than to 'protect' their children from the world in which they will undoubtedly have to venture into at some point is foolish and misguided. The home schooled individual more often than not has severe social issues and a lot of fear of the real world. Btw, I have met several of these mothers and have yet to meet one who was even remotely qualified to teach. Sorry for the rant, Jacob! However, I do love those colors on that building! Gorgeous!

Unknown said...

Oh yes, Jacob, I believe it! But I'm very glad we don't have this here! Enough is enough!

tapirgal said...

Oh, god. When I went home to Southern California earlier this month, there was a church that looked sort of like this emporium. Only more-so. I almost took a photo because I was a disbeliever and would have wanted proof to remind me I wasn't hallucinating. I was on my way out of town and couldn't make myself pull over and take the pic. But maybe I'll find it online. It was mindboggling. I just wanted to get back to Astoria where churches are somewhat visually Victorian.

Cezar and Léia said...

I get along well with Darwinism and Christianism... :)
God bless you!
Cezar

Don and Krise said...

I'm one that tends to like to observe.Things like this make me chuckle to myself. I don't have my religion on a tailgate or a billboard or a laser light show. It's inside me.

Sean said...

Not big on religion myself, but most religions if practised properly should be a good thing. Fundamentalism I am not sure, be it Christianity, Islam or anything else. I dont believe putting a sticker on your car is fundamentalism but then definitions vary...

As far as home schooling goes... well, you did the right thing if your kids turn out ok and the wrong thing if they dont.... hindsight! Personal choice. Regardless at least they are doing what they believe is best for their children and that cant be wrong....

Anonymous said...

Ladies and gentlemen:

As a believer in Christ, a former school teacher, and a homeschooler, I must point out two things:

1) Regarding the truck: whether you like it or not, freedom of speech and freedom of expression are rights embedded in our Constitution. You may not agree with the guy (and I personally wouldn't publicize my faith on my vehicle!), but he does have a right to do that.

2) Could I point out that "Christian" is also a fairly common first name in America, and that alliteration is common in choosing business names? Judging by the picture, it would appear "Christian's Classroom" is a teacher's supply store owned by someone named Christian (similar to the name "Andrea's Attic" for a store that sells knickknacks). Teachers shop at teachers' supply stores for things like bulletin board decorations, games, books with reproducible worksheets, fingerpaint paper, and prizes for classroom contests and games. Some homeschoolers also shop at these stores, but they are mostly for teachers. I realize you might not approve of homeschoolers, but you're making fools of yourselves by making an issue of the name of this store.

Lois said...

To each his own, I guess.

VP said...

How can I have missed this? I don't have any trust in our school systems today, but this is really a bit extreme, just to be polite...

Allison said...

Wow, Anonymous, tell us how you really feel...

Halcyon said...

I believe it... but it does scare me. I don't think isolating children and not letting them be exposed to other points of view is good education. We are all free to believe what we wish, but it's good to know that there are other points of view out, even if you don't agree with all of them.

PJ said...

I was hoping to hear from someone in the community and appreciate your point of view but name calling is not Christian or the sign of sturdy character (even when I'm guilty of it myself). The whole point of blogging is for people to meet up and share their point of view, not convince someone that they're right or someone else is wrong. Or a fool.

Stefan Jansson said...

Some people are weird.

Carlos Lorenzo said...

Many -isms are bad stuff. Just to mention some: Capitalism, Socialism, Narcissism, Fanaticism, Marxism, Neoliberalism, Conservationism, Chauvinism...anything taken to extremes is. Harmless words like Catholicism, Buddhism, Shintoism...may be manipulated, misinterpreted...people have been killed on behalf of an ideology...remember crusades!

"Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again." — Henri Cartier-Bresson