Mental breakdown fun
We used to have RE classes at school that were compulsory. I may have been OK with these if we got to learn about different religions, development of organized religion etc. Unfortunately they were mainly Christian brainwashing/recruitment drives.

This was bad because I have never been a huge fan of anything that is compulsory, religion in general or the Zealot who was trying to teach us. As a result the stage was set for the unstoppable force to meet the immovable object.

As it was a private school with polite kids who were well trained to provide the required answer the Zealot had it too easy Q) What makes the world go round? A) Love, Sir!

However when I suggested that the answer was: Most of the rotation comes about from the conservation of angular momentum and gravitational force. I was told that this answer was incorrect, and to try again. I thought for a second and then informed him that without a doubt Money makes the world go round. He then argued (not very well) for the rest of the lesson that this was shocking and obviously it was the Love of Jesus that was the source.

It went on like this for several weeks with the ante being raised progressively. The culmination of this war of attrition was the day when the Zealot climbed the stairs to his classroom to the sound of music. I had organized the entire class for an impromptu rendition of Kumbaya. Thirty of us were all belting it out at top volume like some sort of Gremlin carol singers when he entered the classroom. I’m sure I saw something in his spirit break.

After that the Zealot was off for several weeks and his condition was discussed in hushed voices. All was forgotten for many years when just the other day his name came up in conversation with a younger lady who attended the same school. “Oh!” She mentioned conspiratorially, “He had a nervous breakdown one time…”

I must admit that I smiled a bit.
(brycemonkey No fatal accidents since:, Fri 30 Jan 2009, 21:55, Reply)