Stomp

Tempest in a teapot, this furor over feet
that step on paper bearing one word: Jesus,
to follow this with a frank discussion
of their feelings. Golden opportunity
for those of faith to state their case
but no, the single student, first disciplined,
then deified for refusal to take part,
is the one who made the news.I grew
up with Jesus, singing hymns
and praying before meals and bed
but five letters can't contain his
majesty and power. Before you
protest some innocuous instruction
(that might have opened minds
and eyes to see that if there's
hesitation in defacing such a name,
perhaps there's more than meets
the eye about this so-called man from Galilee)
make sure that it's what he himself
would do. Blind guides, Pharisees,
upset by THIS with all that's wrong
around you?


(c) Ellen Gillette, 2013

I'm not advocating the FAU instructor's exercise, but in a discussion of what religious symbols mean in the world today and why they mean what they do, his methods do not offend me as a Christian. Rather, I think any believer in the class would have a wonderful opportunity in such a situation to explain why he or she disliked the action, what the name of Jesus means to them, not because of the name but the name by which all men may be saved (Acts 4:12).