Guest exodus Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 (Btw I was previously shonta but changed my name to exodus. Also, I do not like to apologize for it but just would like to warn you that I may use wrong words or phrases as English is not my first language. Although it IS my 2nd favourite language ) It wasn't until many years later that I learned that he in fact was a pentecostal. I thought he was "just" a Lutheran fundamentalist. When I finally found out I was even glad that I hadn't known he was pentecostal because he was NOT giving pentecostal(ism?) a good name. He was my teacher from grades 3 to 6 (he retired in the fall of the year I was on 6th grade. Glory!) He ruled with an iron fist. He made our class sing a hymn and pray every morning (other classes did not do this). We feared him, even before we met him (we'd heard on 2nd grade that he would become our teacher) At first, we liked him and we wanted his attention. Us girls would compete over who could hold his hands as we walked around the school yard on recess. And who could sit next to him in the cafeteria at lunch (I now realize this may seem inappropriate, I never thought it was). Later, on grades 5 and 6 we stopped doing that and we started to hate him. Still fearing him all the same. I don't know how to describe his character. He was very stern, very demanding. Very, very oldfashioned. I remember one time a boy in my class actually peed his pants in class in front of everyone because he was too afraid to ask for a permission to go to the bathroom. Oh, I must point out, this was in the mid 1990s in Finland (civilized western country). When he returned our papers or tests, he would give the best one out first and the worst one last. If you didn't do well, you were not given sympathy, he would not "understand". There was no knowledge of dyslexia, different learning and so on. To him, you were just stupid. And you would know it. I was at the other end. Always having to be the best. And it was a huge fucking burden. I remember one kid, who clearly had problems (at home maybe, or just personally, I don't know) and he acted out. But our teacher didn't try to help him, he just yelled at this kid, in front of the class. When we had classes with other teacher's (like art), our class went crazy. Misbehaving to say it lightly. When our dear teacher retired, finally, our class went insane. I specifically remember the art teacher running out of class crying and our substitute (of our retired teacher) coming to yell at us (but it wasn't that bad, he was young and just out of the army, he was human) This teacher from the dark ages also told us of the end of the world (/rapture/whatever), and how the signs were being fulfilled. We were in the 5th grade. And you are telling us the world is about to end!!!!! Surely it wasn't in the curriculum? He probably thought he was a good Christian. He might have thought he was a good person. That is the saddest part to me. He will probably never realize what he did. He was abusive, he showed us no love. And he forced his religion on us. In high school I got to know a girl who became my friend. A sweet person. Kind. Caring. Later she told me she was pentecostal. I was surprised. She was the first pentecostal I knew. I visited her church with her for a religion course assignment (religion is taught in schools here). It must have been a Sunday service. I spotted him in the small choir. It was the first time I'd seen him since 6th grade. He had turned gray. Afterwards my mother and my pentecostal friend affirmed that he was in fact pentecostal (The way it went was my mom thought he probably was and my friend asked her mom who said she recognized his name as being in the "circles"). I did not meet him at the church, I just saw him from afar. I don't know if he's still alive. If he is he is old now. I don't wish him harm. But I can't say I've forgiven. Writing this I felt anger. Because of what he did and because he doesn't know how he affected us, me. Thanks for reading. I love ex-christian.net and this forum. This is such an important place. exodus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taphophilia Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Hi Exodus, Thank you for sharing your story. My great-grandmother was from Finland. I still have relatives there, though they are distant. Taph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evergreen Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Hi. Sorry your teacher was such a shit. I'm an ex-Pentecostal. Pentecostals are wierd. Weird. I can't spell because I'm drunkish. But yeah. Hi there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-COG Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 The Finnish school system let him teach you about his doctrine? (Rapture, etc.) I understand that you have religion class, but that at least would follow a lesson plan, not just having some fanatic use the classroom as his pulpit, especially one that wasn't a member of the state church. Did anyone ever complain about him, or did the school not care about what was going on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest exodus Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Hi back everyone! The Finnish school system let him teach you about his doctrine? (Rapture, etc.) I understand that you have religion class, but that at least would follow a lesson plan, not just having some fanatic use the classroom as his pulpit, especially one that wasn't a member of the state church. Did anyone ever complain about him, or did the school not care about what was going on? It was a very small school and there was only one class in my grade. Other teachers knew our teacher had his "own ways" of teaching. I don't know if anyone complained, probably not. Everyone knew what he was like and must have been teaching like that for a long time (and he retired when I was on 6th grade). I don't really know what could have been done if someone had complained because the church and state are not separate here... So I guess confessional (right word?) teaching of religion is concidered ok. It did go too far in this case (telling us the world would end) but I'm not sure anything could've been done about it. Same deal with the hymn singing and praying every morning. I guess all our kids' parents didn't mind and didn't think it was that big of a deal. In my opinion there should be organized hymn singing and praying in Christian schools only. I don't think the behaviour of this teacher would be tolerated now the way it was tolerated back then (over 10 yrs ago). Now we have a lot more diversity in our schools and also I think the generation of parents today would not approve of their children having to pray in school. Burnedout, where were you when I needed you Btw the original post and title was written in a bout of anger. I especially regret using the word bastard . But thanks for letting me vent And thanks for your replies!!!!!! exodus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dulce Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Sorry to hear about your experience. What a turd! I am an ex pente. I actually taught in the church/school. They are a bunch of damn freaks. Thursday Chapel days were the best. All the screaming and running and crying. GLORY!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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