If You Pass Notes In This Class, Do They Burst Into Flame?

Occasionally we have shared some of our experiences as inmates of the educational/industrial system on these pages. We can do that now that the nightmares have stopped. We mean the ones our teachers were having. For our part there's the drinking thing, but that may be more the result of a personality flaw than the efforts of those entrusted with our intellectual development.

We have long thought that the greatest drawback to schooling is the offerings. English, math, science, the list goes on. And on and on and on. How many generations have to learn the quadratic equation before we realize that one can live a full and happy life and never come across a graph of an exponential. We know about Shakespeare. We've seen the movie and the movie and the movie and the movie.

Which is why we were both surprised and excited by this story. The Vatican, not exactly known as a hotbed of innovation, (hence the surprise) is offering a class on Satan, black magic and exorcism. Just the list of potential guest speakers alone is enough to send us to the Registrar's Office. (hence the excitement)

As the article says, "The pontifical academy is run by the Legionaries of Christ, a conservative order, and teachers for the class include exorcists and psychiatrists." Ok, so the Legionaries of Christ sounds like a traveling baseball team in Alabama, but wouldn't you want to be there on exorcism demonstration day?

And wouldn't it be fun to listen to the debate between the exorcists and the psychiatrists afterwards? "Flee Beelzebub, I command it!"

"Well, actually this condition is brought about by withdrawal of affection by the mother. Perhaps he was weaned too soon."

Heck, just the name of the school, "Regina Apostolorum" is enough to get us applying for financial aid. Imagine the confusion on the other team when our quarterback shouts out signals in Latin. And what a crowd pleaser each time a player on the opposing team bursts into flame.