In fantasy art (of which I’m a fan), male soldiers are often in light, pieced-together armor. This may seem like a silly question, but what is the name for the piece of armor that guards the crotch? My friends have their own (unmentionable) names for it, but I want to know its real name.
P.S. I put the disclaimer on the topic because another dictionary site (which shall remain nameless) booted me for asking this question in similar terms.
My guess is that real armor did not just cover the groin without covering as well the thighs. In which case this would be cuisses. I found the recommended site to be very interesting but some of their title font is difficult to read.
There are some images available of the artworks which feature the particular pieces of armor (I know, they’re not very realistic, but what the heck). They are links to cards in the "Magic: the Gathering" card game, so if you count Mary Ann DiBari among your ilk, don’t follow the link.
Wow, I looked it up too. That’s a whole ‘nother kinda crazy! (The school district, I mean)
For those who want the Reader’s Digest-ized version: Mrs. DiBari was the lawyer who represented some angry parents in bringing their local school district to court when school Earth Day festivities took on an overly religious tone. For those wanting a longer version, here’s one I found: Christians Win Suit Against Pagan Curriculum
At some point there had to be someone that planned the Earth Day celebration and thought, "Hey! This would be a GOOD idea!", and even worse, nobody spoke up and mentioned what an incredibly blatant violation it was.
I would dispute the judge’s ruling on another claim in that trial, the part that Lordgort was no doubt refering to primarily. The judge found that there was nothing wrong with the school promoting the playing of Magic: The Gathering (as part of developing math skills). I would heavily disagree with this - MtG does have strong mythological and religious imagery which the school system cannot assume are acceptable to the parents of its students. I don’t mean this to sound overly Southern-Bible-Thumper-esque; I don’t think there’s anything wrong with playing the game in and of itself, and I disagree with the policies of some school systems, which ban the cards outright. But, to me at least, the inappropriateness of using them in the curriculum seems clearly apparent.
I hope the case doesn’t encourage extremist copy-cats to deluge school systems nationwide, though.
So, the Christians think mythology is religious. Does that mean they finally realize that their relion is equally mythology, and nothing more (or less)?
Magic is not promoting any religion. That is just foolishness. It’s fiction! Fantasy. Remember fantasy? Sheesh!
[quote author=Palewriter link=board=what;num=1047617021;start=0#10 date=03/16/03 at 23:07:28]
So is anything serious, or are we all just horsing around?
The two are mutually exclusive? Phooey.
Mythology is simply the beliefs of a religion that the speaker doesn’t practice, whatever the religions involved may be. Common usage generally restricts the use of the term to religions whose practitioners are no longer around to defend their beliefs, as it’s much easier to belittle them then.
I would not claim to be representative of the views of all Christendom in this discussion, especially the aforementioned Bible-Thumpin’ Southerners. Personally, I grew up reading fantasy and sci-fi books like a fish breathes water. A major component of my social circle consists of RPG/MtG players, and in my opinion it’s all harmless fun; I worry about people who feel it necessary to spend their time crusading against it. (Aren’t there more pressing problems yet unsolved? Apathy, hate, war, disease, poverty, ignorance, etc.)However, I would also worry about sending any children of mine to a school where the administrators don’t have to sense to recognize that an activity with little overall importance to the curriculum and high potential for lawsuits might not be a good idea to include. Actually, I’d worry about sending any kids of mine to most public (or private) schools, but that’s another story.
As I am well acquainted with the fundamentalist uneasiness about magic-oriented materials, I would be hesitant to encourage MtG in class. I have also seen the obssessiveness common in kids who play the game. Seems unhealthy. However, there are other card games that use the same game playing strategy, and if I were an elementary school teacher, I would shift the kids to those games and let the Magic kids play at recess.
As a teacher, I find that adjustments must be made when curriculum troubles the spirits of students. The religious nature of the Grapes of Wrath I knew would trouble one of my students, a preacher’s daughter with a profound faith in God, so she is reading two other books about depression life. I think we all need to keep from being arrogant about our own beliefs and allow for not only tolerance of diversity but delight in that diversity as well. IMHO
I must apologize for this thread. It seems as if I’ve become a pariah on yet another board. :’(
I did say that the thread should be avoided if one were easily offended. That statement did seem to take on an entirely different meaning. My thread has turned into a political discussion, one which is far beyond the realm I envisioned. Evidently, I have provided an element of discord not previously present in this forum.
As for the initial question (if anyone really cares anymore), did anyone find a term for that piece of armor?
[quote author=rosewoman link=board=what;num=1047617021;start=0#12 date=03/18/03 at 11:44:07]The religious nature of the Grapes of Wrath I knew would trouble one of my students, a preacher’s daughter with a profound faith in God, so she is reading two other books about depression life. I think we all need to keep from being arrogant about our own beliefs and allow for not only tolerance of diversity but delight in that diversity as well.
I can understand that some students may be too sensitive to be exposed to certain material. In general, however, what tactic is usually pursued? Do you attempt to expose students to a wide range of differing beliefs in order to foster the tolerance and delight in diversity?
[quote author=ilka link=board=what;num=1047617021;start=15#17 date=03/19/03 at 18:42:47]I understand that some students may be too sensitive to be exposed to certain material.
Like Magical groin-guards? Whatever the proper term for them is.
I thoroughly agree with Rosewoman. She expresses tolerance perfectly. People cannot be forced to examine what they are not ready to be exposed to. Students should not be all sent through exactly the same assembly line. That isn’t education. Not sure what it is, but education, it ain’t!
I myself enjoy RPG as do several of my friends and aquaintances. One of these, even, is a serious Southern Baptist. I grew up on hard core science fiction.
I also agree that if it’s pretty clear you are teaching in a community where a particular form of entertainment (or anything else I guess) is going to cause massive headaches, unless it’s SCIENCE, it’s probably better to find a parallel alternative.
Patricia/AgDrgn (who probably has expressed herself very poorly and somewhat incompletely)
[quote author=ilka link=board=what;num=1047617021;start=15#17 date=03/19/03 at 18:42:47]
In general, however, what tactic is usually pursued? Do you attempt to expose students to a wide range of differing beliefs in order to foster the tolerance and delight in diversity?
Ilka
Our curriculum starts in September with the political and economic intrigue which led to the witch hunt in Salem. Immediately there is opportunity to offend the Christian students since all of the people involved in persecuting women and others who disagreed with the pastor were upstanding members of the church and used the church to justify their actions. It’s a fine line. My tactic is to never let them know what I believe but to present them with at least a basic understanding of the different ways people in our country have believed and how those beliefs have helped shape our history and literature.
This includes discussing what real witchcraft is and the different Pagan beliefs people have. I quote my Wicca friends about the different ways the faith is expressed, that some call themselves witches while others do not. A friend of mine has a Wiccan maze and yurt community quite close to the school, actually. That troubles some of the Christian students, but we work through it.
I have found that many Christian students do not really know the difference between Catholic and Protestant or what being Jewish means. When we get to Emerson’s ideas of transcendentalism, their lack of understanding of their own faith hinders their ability to see how his ideas can be Christian while seeming to deny Christ’s deity. "I am part and parcel of all," says Emerson. Steinbeck uses his concept of the Oversoul, "Maybe all men got one big soul ever’body’s a part of." The King James Version of the bible reads, "The kingdom of God is within you." I quote that for them and it seems to help.
It is sometimes difficult to treat every faith non-judgmentally, after all, I am human and I have my biases, but I keep myself educated about faiths and sects so that I can educate my students and foster in them a spirit of understanding and acceptance instead of hate and fear.
I also agree that if it’s pretty clear you are teaching in a community where a particular form of entertainment (or anything else I guess) is going to cause massive headaches, unless it’s SCIENCE, it’s probably better to find a parallel alternative
I lived in Lynden, WA in 1981 when they formally outlawed dancing. Not even the public high school holds dances. The kids at my school, as religious as most of them are, still think that is laughably stupid. I try to lead them to an understanding that if a community agrees that such a thing is undesirable, they have that right, no matter what others may think.
